Meet Theonilla, my Golden Compass Daemon

She’s a big cutie! I’m sure you’ve probably seen this meme already. If not, you can get your own Golden Compass Daemon from their website. It’s quite fun, and the website is extremely well done, and atmospheric.

As noted purveyor of violent movies, Chuck Norris says:

I normally don’t critique others’ movies, but this one not only warrants critiquing but condemning. The reason is it will very subtly push agnosticism, atheism, secularism and anti-Christian thoughts upon youthful minds and hearts.

“The Golden Compass” is more than enough proof to demonstrate the Christmas culture wars are alive and well. We’ve drifted so far way from the innocence of Christmas movies like Jimmy Stewart’s “It’s a Wonderful Life.” We’ve shifted from celebrating a savior to crying out for more secularism.

I respect artistic ability and one’s right to freedom of speech, religion and creativity, but that does not mean I or millions of others have to agree with or tolerate it. It is also my American right to say, “My name is Chuck Norris, and I disapprove of this movie.” And it’s also others’ rights to not frequent a theater showing it.

I’ve not seen the movie, nor indeed read the books, but then again, neither has Chuck Norris, so I guess my opinion on the matter is as valid as his, although I am less adept at kicking people in the face.

The Golden Compass does sound rather anti-religious, and that’s OK. If it causes people to think for themselves a little bit, and ask questions of themselves, it can only do good. Christianity has survived 2000 years of being questioned. It has survived schism and occasional persecution. It has even been known to change its dogma. I suspect it can probably handle a movie with kick-ass computer-animated polar bears. The outcry of the religious right whenever a movie like this comes out just makes them look paranoid and weak, as if their faith is so fragile that it could be shattered by watching a children’s film. Mind you, these are the same folks that condemn Dungeons and Dragons, video games, and any music with a decent beat.

Why do I get the feeling Chuck Norris is standing right behind me…..

Have you seen the film, or read the books? What are they like, and should I give them a try? Oh, and if you tried the Daemon quiz, what did you get?

4 comments to Meet Theonilla, my Golden Compass Daemon

  • Well, I’ve read the books (loved the first, thought the second was good & the third disappointing) — the movie condemns thought control & abuse of power (& children) & defends Chuck Norris’s right to say what he thinks! (Aelred, Christian, Benedictine Prior — daemon the female spider Theonilla)

  • Xan

    Read the books, haven’t seen the movie (and not likely to in this tiny town in west Tennessee with one movie screen open only on weekends) until it hits TV.

    My daemon has the same shadowy entry as your sweetie but when it materialized it was a snow leopard instead! I usually don’t like the first offering on these plug-in-your-name type setups but this one just Felt Right. I do truly wish Erasmus was sitting here beside me if only for the help he could render in imposing disipline on the two youngest members of the household. (How I wound up with a kitten and a puppy at the same time is more an act of fate to which I acquiesed than a decision made on sensible grounds.)

    I would like to kick Chuck Norris in the head or some other more easily reachable bodily part, but given how delicate his sensibilities seem to be I suppose he is such a WATB that I fear he would break down in tears. :)

  • Spiders, and tigers, and snow leopards, oh my!

    I’d definitely like Theonilla to keep me company, though I’m not sure I have the space! Prior Aelred has the advantage that he can keep his in his pocket!

  • They appear to have taken down their really good Golden Compass website, disabling the embeddable daemon in the process, so theres now just a big empty white space where Theonilla used to be :(

    That’s pretty cheap of them, IMHO.