God Killing? - Golden Compass Controversy

jonnyUTAH · Backside 180 Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 1951

I always try to read the books before the movies come out. The Kite Runner, Lord of the Rings, etc…

I just finished the “Golden Compass/ Northern Lights” the first book in the “His Dark Materials” Trilogy and plan to finish the second book tonight. I hope to get the entire series finished before the movie comes out on Friday.

I have to say, that this Trilogy may be better than Lord of the Rings!!!! It is so well written, and full of religion, physics, philosophy, i.e., all the good stuff. It is SO not a kids book.

Catholics and general Church-going folk are probably not going to like this book a whole lot. There’s plenty that can be seen as "blasphemy". From the pre-screening last Saturday, and from what I’ve read online, the Movie is WAY watered down (at least the first movie) so as to attract a wider audience. If so…that’s gay, but I’m still going to see it anyways.

Anyone else read this series? Thoughts?

Classy · Posted: Dec 04, 2007 12:30 pm Post subject:

I'm not too into stuff where God is killed. But Christians have plenty of better things to do than protest a movie or a book. If you dont like the theme of the theme of the movie, dont go see it...Spend the money you use in the protest and help an poor kid in Africa or something. Boy am I glad my church isnt like that

senorbueno · Backside 180 Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 1593

jonnyUTAH, dude, this thread is a huge coincidence. I just saw the preview on tv, and remembered seeing someone joining a group on Facebook against this movie, so I was going to go check out wikipedia to figure out what all the hubub was about. I'll have to check out the books, seems pretty interesting. Keep us posted on how the other books turn out.

On a side note, I read the Kite Runner this past summer when I was on a business trip b/c I was bored in the airport and the book caught my attention. It was a very interesting book, are they turning it into a movie? When is it coming out?

jonnyUTAH · Backside 180 Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 1951

senorbueno · Backside 180 Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 1593

jonnyUTAH, alright I'll do that... it'll have to wait 'till after next Friday though, b/c I've got finals next week... Both Solid Mechanics and Fluid Mechanics own my soul.

Le Jalapeno · Guest

jonnyUTAH, thank god someone else in the world reads these books!!

i read these books when i was younger(like you said, not much of a kids book, but i was reading dean koontz at the time too) i read the first one and absolutely loved it. a couple months after i finished it i found out that there were more to the series and was actually pretty excited. when i started the second one, i enjoyed it a good bit , but i think it was like 1/2 way or 2/3 of the way through when it started getting into the "blasphemy" that people talk of. Now people are entitled to their opinion, but even at my young age thats exactly what i thought of it "blasphemy". It started doing alot of hating on god( Confused

) so i stopped reading it.

at this point i kind of regret not finishing atleast the book, and the series and if i still read like i used to i would probably be reading it now.

I will be going to see the golden compass sometime this weekend, and if the movie promises to be as good as the book, i advise you guys to see it as well Smash

Greg T · Skeezer Joined: 13 Sep 2003 Posts: 2448 City: ohio

senorbueno · Backside 180 Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 1593

Greg T, that's rough...

I've got a lab and final presentation due this Thursday in Solids Lab

Solids Final Monday
Modern Physics final Thursday
Fluids Final Friday at like 5 PM Sad

oh and two 4 page papers and one 10 page paper for Science of the Cold War due by next Friday at 5... this is going to suck

JeffKnox · Posted: Dec 04, 2007 10:02 pm Post subject:

senorbueno, haha dude i feel ya

ive got a shitload of finals next week.. and next semester ive got thermodynamics, statics, computer programming, and materials next semester... first semester in the engineering college at uf ouch...

jonnyUTAH, sick film... im gonna have to check out those books... i love philosophical and satirical books

senorbueno · Backside 180 Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 1593

JeffKnox, just a heads up, when I took those same courses I had the lowest academic output of my entire career... keep strong and go to class... they baby you before you get into the college of engineering, and then they hit you with a ton of bricks. You won't do well unless you honestly dedicate some time to learning the material... not super hard or anything, just gotta put in the effort to actually learn it.

JeffKnox · Posted: Dec 04, 2007 11:37 pm Post subject:

senorbueno, yea people have been scaring the shizzle outa me... they say the drop out rate is 70 percent for the first semester in engineering college cause they purposely make it hard to weed out the people who arent serious about school

senorbueno · Backside 180 Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 1593

JeffKnox, just don't procrastinate and keep up with your work and you will be fine, it is impossible to learn all that stuff the last 2 weeks of school...

That was my first semester living in an apartment (I lived in the dorms before) and also the first semester where I didn't have a mandatory study hall every week (for a scholarship program)... so it was hard to stay focused.

If you put in the time and a little bit of effort, I'm sure you will be fine.

jonnyUTAH · Backside 180 Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 1951

What are you all studying and where?

Me...

Back in the Day.
University of Toronto - BA. Undergrad in Economics, Political Science.
Sheridan College (Ontario) - Post-Grad Diploma, Information Technology.

Currently (classes start January):
Duke University - Master of Arts in Liberal Science.

School is cool....so is booze.

JeffKnox · Posted: Dec 05, 2007 1:11 pm Post subject:

senorbueno · Backside 180 Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 1593

I'm studying Mech Engineering at the University of Oklahoma

JeffKnox, holy cow man... seems pretty tough. If that's what you want to do, then great, but from my experience, getting a dual degree in Aero and Mechanical would be pointless (unless you don't have to take any extra classes). You aren't going to be paid more than any other entry level engineer when you graduate with dual degrees anyway.

They are so closely related, and Mechanical Engineers go into the same jobs as Aero... at my program I would have had to take several extra classes (that are just modified versions of courses I did take) to do that dual degree that just isn't worth it. I've taken Aero courses as my technical electives though, so I still get an inside with the Aero track.

my .02, take it as you will.

Greg T · Skeezer Joined: 13 Sep 2003 Posts: 2448 City: ohio

Mech. Engineering, University of Toledo.

Think I just did well enough on my last Thermo II test that I don't have to take the final! w00t!

JeffKnox · Posted: Dec 05, 2007 2:47 pm Post subject:

senorbueno, yea at UF its one extra semester and you get two 4 year degrees... and the job i want actually wants people with more than one degree... also i love college and want to stay as long as possible, as long as i can afford it lol... (the philosophy is just for fun cause i love that kinda stuff... wont really help me just though it was interesting...)

Greg T, yea man im worried about thermo... im already reviewing the book and the class dosnt start till January

Greg T · Skeezer Joined: 13 Sep 2003 Posts: 2448 City: ohio

I think thermo II is way better than I. I don't know if its just because I had a bad teacher for I and a really good one for II or if it just got easier once you understood the concepts, but thermo II is far easier in my opinion.

Maria · _________________ 01/20/2009. Niko-chan!

Mechanical engineers unite! I graduated in January (MSc), so no more school for me in a while... Can't say I miss it.

My worst courses were definitely solid mech, thermo and a lame materials course that I had to take.

Now I have to go find that book!
I think the movie seems kind of lame, though.

jonnyUTAH · Backside 180 Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 1951

The movie is terrible!!

Read the books.