The Golden Compass book sales soar

Apparently I'm not the only one who considers a Catholic League boycott to be the best recommendation a book could have going for it:

"More than ten years after its original publication, "The Golden Compass" has hit USA Today'sTop 50 Best Sellers list, having seen a 500% increase in sales over the last three months.The omnibus edition of Philip Pullman's complete "His Dark Materials" trilogy -- of which "The Golden Compass" is the first novel -- has moved onto USA Today's Top 50 list as well. "The Golden Compass" has sold over 3.5 million copies in the US to date, and the trilogy has sold over 7 million copies."

Certainly the hype around the upcoming movie has something to do with the escalating book sales, but wow: 500%!? That's impressive. One couldn't be blamed for wondering if all the swooning and pearl-clutching being done by religious wingnuts over it has something to do with that.

It's interesting that the Catholic League and their compatriot nitwits hold The Golden Compass out to be some kind of "God-hating, Catholic-bashing" atheist indoctrination propaganda when all it really does is *gasp* encourage a little free critical thinking, something these self-righteous toolbags know sweet fuck-all about. That they're so vehemently opposed to the concept of free thought -- very much like the authoritarian antagonists in the story -- is an irony that's clearly lost on them.

This is one movie I'll definitely be seeing. I wonder if Bill's got any other recommendations?

Freedom of expression for me

but not for thee:

"The religious furore surrounding the new film The Golden Compass has moved to the US where Christian groups are again up in arms about the content of the dark fantasy which is released in America this Friday.

The Catholic League, which has already called for people to boycott the film in the UK, has been sending out leaflets denouncing the movie, which is based on the book Northern Lights, from Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy.

The League’s president, William Donohue, has criticised The Golden Compass, which stars Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Dakota Blue Richards, as being anti-religious."

So let me get this straight. Online postings of biblical passages calling for homosexuals to be put to death are okay, but a fantasy movie that's somewhat critical of religion (but doesn't call for anyone's execution over it) isn't okay. Have I got that right? Just making sure, because, you know. That consistency thing.