BridgeToTheStars.net has posted a report on the press conference for The Golden Compass at Cannes. Among their blurbs:
Speaking of the book’s philosophy, Chris Weitz said roughly that it isn’t against religion, it’s against any form of forced dogma; it deals with human spirit, justice, free choice. He called the book’s version of the Magisterium “a version of the Catholic Church gone astray” and finished by saying that he feels they’ve really done service to Philip Pullman and that those who read the books for the philosophy won’t be disappointed with the film. The cast and producers spoke often at the conference of these themes.
Um, if I may quote a scene from the climactic novel, The Amber Spyglass, in which an ex-nun gives her testimony:
” . . . I used to be a nun, you see. I thought physics could be done to the glory of God, till I saw there wasn’t any God at all and that physics was more interesting anyway. The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that’s all.”
I am wondering what a “mistake” — and especially a “very powerful and convincing” one — would look like if it had not “gone astray”.
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