After a brutal day at work last week, I stopped by the local movie store to rent some movies for a surprise movie night with the wife. I picked up The Golden Compass and Atonement. Needless to say, neither movie left us feeling exhilarated, interested, or even excited. Inherently, they left us empty, as meaning was apparently aloof. However, it did leave one desirable point of compensation. It engaged my mind to think of the inherent emptiness that life has within an Atheistic/Naturalistic world view.
Can this be true? Is Atheism meaningless? From an experiential side, I don't know! I have never been an Atheist. I can only comment subjectively. However, the strength of meaningless Atheism does not come from those who have never experienced it, but from those who have experienced it, and are continuing to live in it. Inevitably, Atheism brings to my mind anger, intoleration, deception, justifiable interest, and aggression. I don't mean to imply that people who are Atheist act like this, but it seems apparent that many do (e.g. Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, etc...) Now, while these men are labeled the "New Atheist", they share these condescending flaws with everyone else, supposedly, who is a practicing Atheist.
What does this have to do with the movies previously mentioned. Well, for Atonement there is not a whole lot. However, for the Golden Compass, everything. For those of you who have training in the liberal arts, you will immediately be able to see trends that are very common in our world today. Intolerance, Feminism (as the girl winds the heart of the boy in this movie), Vigilant Justice , Anti-Authoritarianism (Since the Magisterium, the version of Christianity in their world, are deceptive and intolerant), Tyranny of the Majority, Torture, Rebellion, etc.... Needless to say, most of these concepts propose might, power, and chaos. There is nothing that proposes meaning for the betterment of society. This movie, from my observation, promotes humanistic existentialism, laced with Atheism, that encourages children to change the world and authority structure to the way they want it if things seem to be 'unfair'! In other words, challenge your authority and change the world! That may be true. The question is, What authority, if any, should be challenged?
Also, if you have children, PLEASE DO NOT LET THEM WATCH THIS MOVIE. I am not saying that because I am a Christian, and I think that everything NOT CHRISTIANIZED (YES, THERE IS AN -ed) is bad. I am saying it because there is nothing heroic, noble, or just in this movie that seeks to serve a greater purpose.
Think on That!
P.S. All comments desired and appreciated. Tell me what you think, and if you have seen the movie.
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