In response to the people attacking the golden compass...

The religious zealots that have been attacking this series have clearly missed the entire point. Saying that this series is about "killing god" is like saying that the bible is about killing Jesus. The bible is not about killing Jesus, but about Jesus giving himself over to be killed, sacrificing himself to save humanity, and rising again. It is a story of resurrection - not death. In a similar vein, the "Dark Materials" series in NOT about killing god. The main characters do not kill him. In the series, "god" has been imprisoned, and the world is ruled by Metatron, a rogue angel. Metatron does not rule according to "gods" plan inthe book, but instead has replaced gods rule with his own twisted intentions. (much in the way that organized religion has perverted the true meaning of spirituality and communing with god in the real world) In the end of the series, Metatron is defeated. God is set free from his prison, and dissolves - becoming one with the world again, as was meant to be. The uninformed, supposedly Christian masses that are bashing this work as anti-god are the same types of fools who were running around burning witches a few hundred years ago. If you really are at all alarmed by the themes in the series of books and the movies to come, read them and watch them WITH your children, and discuss the topic. Making a big deal about boycotting the books and movies will only make the stories more appealing to kids, turning them into forbidden fruit. And if god couldn't keep forbidden fruit out of the hands of Adam and Eve, despite being allpowerful, then what chance to you really have of keeping forbidden fruit away from your kids? None... none at all.