I've Got The Golden Compass

You should know how to read that.

I gave in to the lure of armored polar bears or my rebellious spirit.

I picked up The Golden Compass yesterday. If it's true that this book is atheist propaganda and The Chronicles of Narnia are Christian propaganda, then atheists are so much cooler than Christians.

Though Classic Grandpa says we should cut C.S. Lewis some slack because when he was writing it was harder to think of anything cooler than talking beavers. Okay. I'll give that to him. But I probably don't have to.

Unless you're trying really hard to find it, you're not going to get an atheist's apology in The Golden Compass. To be clear though, I don't think you get Christian allegory in Lord of The Rings and though this may be too close to blasphemy for some, I think the symbolism in The Chronicles of Narnia is a bit wooden.

So...

Don't be a baby?

I don't know if that advice will help though. If you are a baby, you're not likely to not be a baby because of what I just wrote. In fact, you'd probably be a baby about what you've just read as well as The Golden Compass that you won't read- or see. So what to do?

Should I not finish reading it out of regard for my weaker brothers and sisters? Should I read it so that when weaker brothers and sisters say something weak I can help them become stronger? Should I read it and be concerned about myself for appreciating its anti-authoritarian message? A pope character named John Calvin and the head of the church in Geneva- I love that it's so despicable.

Maybe I'm the weaker brother. I was, after all, so eager to give into the polar bears. Maybe I need your help.

Okay- dig this- I think that for many reasons, religion is often an oppressive authority and handy source for justifying the unjust, so apart from the taut writing, well-imagined world and characters, and engaging story, it has an important message and presents the kind of questions those on the "doing" end of oppression ought to be confronted with, especially as those on the doing end can be so... correct. But then, I am someone who could not say there is some "pure thing" called THE CHURCH that is innocent of such abuses. That is, I wouldn't say, "Oh sure, individuals have done horrible things in the name of God or under the color of church authority, but they aren't THE CHURCH, they were pretenders and THE CHURCH remains undefiled and full of... I dunno... the Elect?" I tend to see one boat, though I do see people who actively want to be something church-y in an interesting place on that boat. Maybe.

So that's me- clearly in need of some help from someone who knows that there is such a thing as The Church Invisible, knows that any authority is good authority, and is willing to straighten my soul's bones.

I Need Someone, A Person to Talk to, Could It Be You?
1979- Smashing Pumpkins
Spanish Bombs- The Clash
Original of the Species- U2
Dirt- Phish
Let It Be- The Beatles
Out of the Window- Violent Femmes
Mrs. O'Leary's Cow- Brian Wilson
Blind Barnabus-- The Golden Gate Quartet
2000 Miles- The Pretenders
Gigantic- The Pixies