After reading Terrence’s ‘Saying No to Narnia‘ and Pharyngula’s ‘Narnia as an inoculation‘, both of which pointed to a Guardian UK article titled ‘Narnia represents everything that is most hateful about religion‘, I was somewhat annoyed. As an open-minded, pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, anti-Bush liberal who was brought up in a Christian household and counts Christianity as a major part of who I am and why I’m an open-minded, pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, anti-Bush liberal, it occasionally gets under my skin when I’m reminded yet again that ‘Christian’ has become a dirty word synonymous with the worst of the bigoted bible-thumping set, tainting anything that it touches.
It was quite nice to see Arcterex’s take on the same article, then:
I read the Narnia books as a child, and absolutely loved them. They had a similar draw as modern day Harry Potter. The downtrodden who think they aren’t anybody in the world finding out that they are a heros in a magical world.
Of course, then I found out later on in live about the religious overtones in the books…
And couldn’t care less. A good story is a good story, and personally I find this sort of ignorant reporting as bad as the Christian groups who go around saying how Harry Potter is promoting kids to become satanists and how it’s an evil book. It’s a friggin’ book and a good story. Geez.
Damn skippy. Sure, there are Christian overtones to the Narnia stories. There are Christian overtones to the Matrix stories, the Lord of the Rings stories, the Star Wars stories, and countless other stories (both printed and filmed), too. Why all the rancor? Just because the religious right (who all too often seem to embody the antithesis to the Christianity I grew up with) has jumped all over The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is it suddenly impossible to go out and enjoy a fun fantasy movie?
Sure, you can read all sorts of meaning into the stories and why they’re being brought to the screen now — religious indoctrination, right-wing propelled mass media conspiracy theories, whatever. You can also tell your inner Fox Mulder that every so often it doesn’t matter and go watch a movie.
That’s what I’m planning on doing.
Well said Michael! I’m looking forward to seeing the movie this Friday. I’m a Christian but I never thought of those themes when reading the books as a kid… I just liked books with magical beings/lands/monsters. I sure hope it’s more faithful to the book than The Goblet of Fire was.
Do you think it’s important to have read the books recently in order to enjoy the movie?
Or might it be better not to have read them recently?
I read them when I was in grade school, more than 20 years ago. I remember next to nothing about the stories and quite frankly the whole flap about the Christian overtones still seems utterly improbable to me. But I’m wondering if I’d enjoy the movie at all because when I saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, I was at a loss for knowing what was going on a couple times, and it’s only been maybe two years since I read that book.
I think it’s a bigger issue now because, if I remember right, the Chronicles of Narnia was made as a christian book to teach/display christianity. I still don’t see anything wrong with the movie though. I’m an athiest and I would see it (if I was very interested/could get to the theatres). It means nothing to me that it has a religious base. The religious right is just a group of insane people plotting to kill world dictators and hunt that spawn of evil Harry Potter. They’re not even worth listening to and they definitely do tarnish the word “christian” into something ugly and unattractive. Poor you guys for having to carry those people.
Well said!
Of course there is religious allegory in Lewis (and Tolkien), but relgious allegory makes for amazing mythic storytelling. Our western ideals of good, evil, sacrifice, and redemption are all based on Christian values. You don’t have to believe in the fascist dreck of contemporary fundamentalist Christians to be moved by the themes in The Chronicles of Narnia.
As a Christian it surprises me not one bit that Christian has become a dirty word. The FAILURE of Christians to speak up when so called Christian leaders spew deceit, lies and pure American Bull sh**. Hurts honest Christians more than anything else in this world ever could.
Listening to Pat Robertson’s oral bile such as…
“The Constitution of the United States, for instance, is a marvelous document for self-government by the Christian people. But the minute you turn the document into the hands of non-Christian people and atheistic people they can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society. And that’s what’s been happening.” — Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, Dec. 30, 1981
“Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It’s no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history.”–Pat Robertson, 1993 interview with Molly Ivins
And this is a ‘Christian leader”? Christians of the world should run this man out of town, but they don’t. Why is that?
And Bush and his Christian supporters? How is it possible to be Pro death penalty and Christian at the same time? The Ten Commandments THEE TEN COMMANDMENTS, written by God and in stone. Isn’t #6 Thou shalt not kill. Seems pretty clear to me. Look they’re not ‘The Ten Suggestions’ There’s no room for debate. No Christian should support anyone running for office that is pro death penalty. To do so is a direct violation of the word of God. And yet they do?
Sponge Bob is Gay, This is gay that is gay, rainbows are gay (and all this time I thought they were Gods promise to man) Can’t shop at stores that say Happy Holidays. And a hundred other stupid things.
There are not the words and actions of real Christians. These are words spoken by unholy self righteous pompous arrogant asses who’s vision of the world is corrupted by their own visions of grander and riches.
How can these so called Christian leaders be swimming in wealth while people starve to death on the streets, what kind of Christian allows that to happen. Isn’t it more difficult to pass a camel through the eye of a needle than a rich man to get into heaven? How do these people explain their millions of dollars? Isn’t GREED one of the seven deadly sins?
Until Christians stand up and run these charlatans out of town, until these people are no longer allowed to speak for Christians. Until Christians start acting like Christians I fully understand societies reasons for feeling like Christians are evil and dirty.
Were not, but the people speaking for us are and we’re not doing anything to stop them.
But hey, that’s just my opinion.
I was raised a Roman Catholic, though my Father is Anglican.
I’ve decided that the only religion which makes any sense to me is non-Dogmatic Deism.
I don’t take Communion during Church Events like Weddings and Christenings, and I don’t subscribe to any Religious Holidays.
I believe my Altruism is Genuine since I don’t believe in an Afterlife of Punishment or Paradise; nor do I believe in Karma, Karma is just another form of Rewarding good deeds, which sullies the deed.
If I’m wrong and the Dogma of one of the Major Religions is 100% accurate (which I Doubt), I’m more likely to be accepted into a Pleasant Afterlife than someone who believed in the Wrong Religion, or used Religion for their own agenda.
Getting Back on track, will I watch this movie at the cinema? Probably not, but it is not due to any religious or political point of view, more from a financial point of view.
I grabbed a brochure for the Narnia movie before going to dinner a few weeks ago and was reading through it. In the back it says something to the effect of “Narnia soundtrack available on such and such Records featuring the best in Christian artists. Artists include: DC Talk, Michael W. Smith, etc… Album available late November. Secular soundtrack album available Dec. 20.” It seemed odd to me that they would go to such lengths to separate the “types” of soundtracks and to point it out so directly. It seemed very weird to me.
One of London’s better political bloggers, Nosemonkey, has a lot to say about Polly Toynbee’s piece here – worth a look.
First of all, check out this Beliefnet Quiz: Narnia Knowledge.
Secondly, there are so many forms of Christianity in the USA alone, I am uncomfortable labling anything as “Christian.” My form of Christianity is not the same of, say, Benny Hinn or Jerry Falwell. “Tim Who” has spoken elequently to this, above.
Thirdly, though obviously Clive Staples wrote this as a Christian allegory, I agree it does not matter. I could – rather idiotically – maintain the series reflects Islamic values – submission to Al-Lah, the defeat of the jinn, the necessity of the ‘Umma [coommunity] to care for each other, etc. I would say the books have a religious and moral base, and it is an accident of history Clive Staples was Christian.
Lastly, to answer Don’s question, though I have read them recently, the previews make it appear it is not necessary to have read them recently, or even at all.
Love to you and Prairie
Dad
Also check out: Reuters: ‘Narnia’ big screen debut pleases critics
Dad
Last post – I promise – though it deals with Christmas instead of Narnia, this link expresses the same idea, whtih, however, salty language as well: Foamy – No Christmas For You
Thanks for all the comments, everyone. It’s quite heartening to know I’m not the only one looking at things this way! (Not that I really thought I was, but, well, you know….)
Joel:
Heh. Well, the original book is certainly shorter than the book of GoF, so that should certainly help. ;)
Don:
It’s a bit hard to say for sure without having seen the movie yet, but that’s not the impression I’ve been getting. From what I’ve read so far, it seems they’ve done a good job adapting the book, and there won’t be any major points lost in the translation.
Well, they’re certainly there if you’re looking for them, though I never found them to be as blatant as many sources imply. As many people have noted, they’re often not noticed when reading the book as a child, and only seen later on in life.
Richard:
Not according to C.S. Lewis:
Tim:
Count me as one small voice standing up for tolerant Christianity, then. :) A drop in the ocean, perhaps, but at least there’s that drop.
AxsDeny:
It’s not an entirely new thing — the (far more Biblically based) move Prince of Egypt also had dual inspirational and secular (country, in fact) soundtracks. Personally, I just see this as (good) marketing from Disney. Some have pointed at Disney’s multi-pronged marketing (different trailers aimed at the fantasy market, the teen market, the religious market, etc.) as evidence that they don’t know how to market the film…I just think that they’ve realized that as they have a film that can be easily marketed in different ways, they’re doing so. From an advertising standpoint, I think it’s a great way to go (even if from a consumer’s standpoint, I’d probably get oversaturated if I were in too many of their target media markets).
Dad:
Hehe…I got 8/10 (missed on Edmund’s post-coronation title and Jadis’ method of transportation). Not too bad, though.
People who ask questions about how believers can support the death penalty. Genesis 9:6 Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man. I am proud to follow the word of God and I feel sorry for those who donl’t. Our life would quite meaningless without God. When the end of time comes for those who have scoffed him, let them try to make it without Him then. Yes the Bible teaches us that being a homosexual is wrong and those who are homosexual are looking for anything and everything that will support this sin. Well there is nothing that sulpports it. We as Amereicans are from a country that is founded on religion. Where we may worship as we please, however most of these people don’t worship anything. A Bible Thumper
Are you sure 18121 about this?!?