I haven't the foggiest...(12)

In some ways the film, “The Golden Compass” has attacked Christianity, maybe even Catholicism. In the book, it is more apparent, to some, than when put into film. The movie was intended for young children, and had no real intention of brainwashing people into atheism. Philip Pullman is simply arguing that there should be a separation of church and political power. In the past, when churches have mixed with political power, bad things have happened, and Pullman’s opinion is clearly just that they should stay separate. In an interview with MSNBC, Pullman answers many questions from eager readers across the United States. One question read, what was on everyone’s minds: “How do you respond to the claim that your books are anti-Catholic and promote atheism?”
Pullman responds with “In the world of the story — Lyra’s world — there is a church that has acquired great political power, rather in the way that some religions in our world have done at various times, and still do (think of the Taliban in Afghanistan). My point is that religion is at its best — it does most good — when it is farthest away from political power, and that when it gets hold of the power to (for example) send armies to war or to condemn people to death, or to rule every aspect of our lives, it rapidly goes bad. Sometimes people think that if something is done in the name of faith or religion, it must be good. Unfortunately, that isn’t true; some things done in the name of religion are very bad. That was what I was trying to describe in my story.
I think the qualities that the books celebrate are those such as kindness, love, courage and courtesy too. And intellectual curiosity. All these good things. And the qualities that the books attack are cold-heartedness, tyranny, close-mindedness, cruelty, the things that we all agree are bad things.”
Clearly in this statement, Pullman conveys that “His Dark Materials” was not meant to promote atheism, and all Pullman truly wants is good for the church separate from the corruption of politics.