Another opportunity to witness.

Holiday season is almost here. Every year around this season people have mixed feelings about validity of Christmas celebration. Some point out to the fact that Jesus was not born in December and it is really a pagan holiday, others say we use this as an opportunity to teach lessons about sacrificial giving, and witnessing about our faith in the Soon return of Christ.

This year media presents yet another opportunity to witness. Next Friday, December 7^th theatres everywhere will open a new film for kids: “The Golden Compass.” Some of your kids may have seen the preview or heard classmates talking about it. Some may wonder if it is another nice metaphor like the “Chronicles of Narnia.” The release is planned around Christmas time in hope that parents will buy Philip Pullman’s trilogy as a seasonal gift. Here comes the twist: the trilogy is written by a militant atheist and is called His Dark Materials. It was written to promote atheism and to denigrate Christianity. Even though the film is based on the least offensive of the three books and is intended to take out or water-down the anti-religious elements, it’s main intent is to encourage children to read the anti-Church series.

While many were fighting the witch-craft promoting Harry potter series, right under their/our noses another series of books were gaining popularity, awards and recognition. The trilogy presents progressively stronger themes where in the final instalment, the kids succeed in killing a character called God — who turns out to be a phoney. Think of this: who’s work is it to introduce killing God during the season when the world is remembering the Incarnation of God through a birth of a human baby Jesus?

In the film an alternative universe is presented where everyone has a spiritual alter-ego, called demon. It is an animal that represents your inner self.

The author said that he wrote this trilogy against C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia," written to teach Christian ideals to kids. "I loathe the 'Narnia' books," Pullman said in a press interview. "I hate them with a deep and bitter passion, with their view of childhood as a golden age from which sexuality and adulthood are a falling away." He has called Narnia series "one of the most ugly and poisonous things." In other interviews the author makes it clear that his purpose is to turn kids away from religion, God, Christianity.

For more information and explanation – see the editorial in the church newsletter. Our website also has a link for parents to explain the subtle deception behind this film. No doubt there will be some who will go and see, just as some adored and enshrined Harry Potter. But it is also an opportunity for those who believe to witness to our faith.

Remember that what you see matters. Jesus said “Your eye is a lamp for your body. A good, pure eye lets sunshine into your soul, your whole body will be full of light.” (Matthew 6:22) Make Jesus the light of your season. Meditate on Christ’s Coming and His promise to return soon. Think good things that your mind will be enlightened…