Author @ MindSay

The world has lost two incredibly talented people recently:  Arthur C. Clarke, visionary and author; and Anthony Minghella, Film Director. 

 

Most people know Minghella from the English Patient, the Talented Mr. Ripley and Cold Mountain.  But my favorite of his was "Truly, Madly, Deeply" about grief and mourning.  It is terribly romantic and stars Alan Rickman.

 

And lots of people these days think "2001- A Space Odyssey" is very boring, but for me (I guess I had inhaled), it was ground-breakingly new and innovative, plus open-ended.  I loved everything about it including of course the music in the beginning and the shots that are now standard in science fiction.  But Arthur Clarke was also known for being unerringly visonary about things like moon landings and satellite communications, decades before they were even thought about and brought to fruition. 

This is a bulletin posted by an acquaintance of mine from high school, and then the messages back and forth that followed. While this acquaintance, who, for my purposes we'll call "Bob" isn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box, I think what he has to say (masked somewhere behind all the spelling and grammatical errors) is interesting. Also, it wouldn't make any sense for me to simply post my end of the conversation. Anyway, whether you read all of this or not, tell me your opinion of the movie, the series, the author, and whether you plan on seeing it or not. I read The Golden Compass shortly after it was first published. My dad read it first, then passed it on to me. I enjoyed it though I did not read the rest of the series. Finally, I thought this article was the best of all the articles I read about the movie. I also started this thread in the forums.

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Bob*
Date: Nov 16, 2007 4:48 PM

christians don't watch...
the golden compass..........

because the guy that wrote the book series, is not only an atheist, but openly hates God and c.s.lewis, he wrote them to directly contradict the chronicals of narnia, and teach children atheisim

at the end of the series, the 2 main characters, (2 children), kill one of the characters,..........

the characters name is "God"

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Courtney
Date: Nov 16, 2007 5:04 PM

I think all the negative hype around the Golden Compass is a bit ridiculous.

Have you read the book and formed your own opinions, or are you just feeding off of the media?

While I am a Christian and also a fan of C.S. Lewis, I read and enjoyed The Golden Compass, and I plan to see the movie. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I don't think suggesting atheism to someone is any worse than shoving Christianity down a person's throat, which, frankly, I feel happens all to frequently.

As far as the movie, reports state that The Golden Compass is the least atheistic of the three books in Pullman's series, and that some of the "most offensive" elements that appear in the novel were taken out of the movie.

It's simply a movie based on a work of fiction. If the church (the Catholic Church, primarily) is so threatened and scared by a movie that they believe it will cause people to turn away from the church, then the basis for their beliefs is not very strong at all.

I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, our opinions obviously differ on this subject. Just wanted to give you something to chew on.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Bob
Date: Nov 16, 2007 7:38 PM

haha yes thank you. this is exactallt the reasoning behind my post. good discusion, sofar no one of any intelagent thought has responded.....

until now

first off yes, i have read them, and quite honestly enjoied them.but wut truly is rediculouse is that a ful grown man wrote a full book trilogy, simply to contadict another book series...

shoveing christianity or any other beliefs down any ones throught admitidly is wrong, agreed. but cowering in the fear of offending, i belive would be the worse of choices. so where is the middle ground?

no body is afraid that a movie will turn anybody away, it's a sence of pride fer wut we belive, and the truth. to not be in atleast the slitest way offended that some fool out there is useing his incredible storytelling ability to pourposly instill a faithlessness in the children of the world is sadening. the media rules this world. no book is just a book. no movie is just a movie. both are a pedastool. a power, and they demand attention.

i personally will stand against a man who sets out to poision the minds of the impressionable.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Courtney
Date: Nov 16, 2007 6:18 PM

I guess I was presumptuous in assuming that you had not read the series. I think it's actually very interesting that Pullman wrote a series [His Dark Materials] in response to another [The Chronicles of Narnia]. It's almost like seeing both sides of a fight between two children.

You make a very decent point- where is the middle ground? As Christians we are called to share our beliefs with others. I will be the first to admit that I have a very hard time with this. If someone asked me my beliefs, I would gladly share my thoughts with them. However, I just don't feel it's my place to shout about my relationship with God- it's much more sacred and personal for me. Perhaps I should be a more active "witness" and share my faith, but maybe not. Maybe it's simply not my calling. But I'm getting a bit off topic here.

Basically, I just don't see any difference between C.S. Lewis, obviously a Christian author publishing a series of books [one of which later became a movie] that reflect his beliefs and Phillip Pullman, an atheist writer publishing a series [followed by a movie based on one novel] that reflect his. While I don't agree with what Pullman the way I do with Lewis, I still find his perspective interesting. I don't think it's a bad thing for Christians to question their faith. In fact, I almost hope this movie stirs something in the mind of children [and adults!]. I stand by what I said before- if the church is so threatened by a novel and a movie, then their foundation must be a bit shaky.

Still, I do see your point and if you do not want to support [by seeing the movie] an atheist, his views, and what he's putting out there, I fully respect that. I just have a problem with individuals blindly following what someone [in this case, the church] tells them to do [don't see The Golden Compass!] without forming their own opinion. Ironically enough, that's what Pullman's series is about.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Bob
Date: Nov 16, 2007 8:30 PM

i do fer the most part agree w/ yer opinion, but my simple point is to let ppl know wut these books, and film are based apon. the title of the bulletin, was simply to catch an eye.

the one thing i disdisagree w/, if of yer off subject, subject. i think those who struggle w/ shereing, and whitnessing are those that truly have something profound to say, and should speek aloud, abouve the rumblings of the crowd. mostly because fer the most part, the ppl who have no problem w/ it are the crazy ppl you see on
the 10 o'clock news protesting funerals, and standing of street corners rageing on about the worlds end.

and yes i will see this one. but the 3rd, if made into a film, i will not, b-cause just reading about them killing "god" sickens me. i can't watch it.

*Name has been changed

October 23, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Military-Writers.com is a website committed to listing servicemembers who have authored books. The website added a free, completely downloadable,  novella on Sergeant Jim Heitmeyer’s experiences as a Military Police Officer in Desert Storm.

 

According to Jim Heitmeyer, “Trucks and equipment were loaded quickly for deployment and all soldiers received their necessary overseas vaccines. Large musters were formed to insure all soldiers were present as activated. All soldiers’ 201 files were checked for updated information. New dog tags were issued with name, religion and blood type.

 

Some troops were transported by buses to their assigned duty bases for the necessary training in NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical) warfare and tactics. Everyone was present and accounted for and ready for transport to their newly assigned staging point.

 

Some members of the 745 Military Police Company were activated in October of 1990. At 0400 hours on 28 November 1990 I was called to report to the capital hill armory off 44th and Pennsylvania Street. The remainder of our unit had been activated.  We were told to report to the armory with all our gear. Being activated must have affected Vietnam vets in a similar manner when they were called to war.”

 

Later, after the war had begun, Jim Heitmeyer writes, “Then it dawned on me. I didn’t have any aerial markings on my vehicle and that was a serious problem right now. The gunship continued to track me for a mile before banking off. I thought, “Ok Jim, you have nearly been killed four times already on this trip and only GOD could have saved you.”  I was shaking like a naked man in a snowstorm from fear. Just about the time when getting my senses back two F-16s scraped me, flew in front of me and turned back my way. They lowered their altitude to about tree level headed directly at me. “I am definitely toast and dead now!” I thought.”

 

Jim Heitmeyer was born in Phoenix, Arizona and raised in Paradise Valley. Jim joined the United States Marine Corps and completed his service to our country. Jim later joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 745 Military Police Company. Jim served during the “Just Cause” war in Panama and Operations Desert Shield & Desert Storm.  Jim Heitmeyer attained the rank of sergeant (E5).

 

Jim Hietmeyer is a retired lieutenant from the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office (Oklahoma).  After his retirement from the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office he worked as a police officer for the Arcadia Police Department from 2001 through 2004.  During his career, he worked as a jailer, deputy sheriff, CLEET instructor, American Red Cross Instructor, and biohazards instructor.   He is the author of two books under the pen name of Jim Daly: Lockdown Madness and Behind Steel Doors.

 

Military-Writers.com currently lists 52 current or former military servicemembers and their 132 books.