My Sweetie and I went to see The Golden Compass on Christmas. I had heard so many negative reports by "Christians" and the religious right. Their biggest fear is that any child/adult seeing the movie will immediately be turned from God. Bull puckey!!!! I say as a parent it is your duty to explain to your child/children that this is fantasy.

The basic arguement of this film is for free will and free thinking over blind obedience and dogma, and for truth above all. If that makes you question your personal beliefs, is it really a bad thing?In case you don't know what the movie is about let me give you a review from Movie Fone.Based on author Philip Pullman's bestselling and award-winning novel,'The Golden Compass' tells the first story in Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. 'The Golden Compass' is an exciting fantasy adventure, set in an alternative world where people's souls manifest themselves as animals, talking bears fight wars, and Gyptians and witches co-exist. At the center of the story is Lyra (played by newcomer Dakota Blue Richards), a 12-year-old girl who starts out trying to rescue a friend who's been kidnapped by a mysterious organization known as the Gobblers - and winds up on an epic quest to save not only her world, but ours as well.

As a parent I want my children to come to God or whatever diety they believe in wilingly and with open eyes and hearts, not just because I tell them to. Faith unquestioned is not true faith, IMO and we're trying to teach our children to think, questino, open their hearts and truly experience what we believe. I love books and movies like this; it makes me think. I always come back to my same beliefs, pagan as they are, but with a little broader perspective on both my faith, the faith of others and the world at large.

Bottom line, if 114 minutes of beautiful celebrities and dazzling animation can convince you to abandon you faith, you didn't have it to begin with.Go see the movie, open up your mind, question your beliefs and learn to except the beliefs of others.