Just a little over a year ago, a major motion pictured hit theaters worldwide carrying a message full of hooey, heresy and borderline blasphemy. But rather than stage boycotts and cry foul, many Christians embraced the film as a "tool" for evangelism and for "engaging" popular culture; one even called it Dan Brown's "gift to the church."

So it was with The Da Vinci Code. Now here comes The Golden Compass, slated to hit theaters in December, and Christians are reacting quite differently. Instead of seeing the film as a tool, opportunity, or gift, some are already calling for a boycott because of the movie's anti-religious elements.

In recent weeks an e-mail has circulated—among Christians in particular—urging families to avoid The Golden Compass, based on atheist Phillip Pullman's novel of the same name. The e-mail, which cites Pullman's highly publicized hatred of the Christian faith, is one of the most requested pages at the rumor-debunking website Snopes. The e-mail even notes Pullman's dislike of C. S. Lewis's Narnia Chronicles. (One commentator even called Pullman "the anti-Lewis" and "the most dangerous author in Britain.)

The e-mail has sparked a renewed interest in the anti-religious themes in the books—and, presumably, in the upcoming trilogy of movies. The Catholic League CEO Bill Donohue speaks out against Pullman's books, noting that they "sell the virtues of atheism"—an accusation that Pullman denies.

Meanwhile, Donohue and other Christian spokespeople decry the film's efforts to remove the more offensive and overt anti-religious material from the movies, calling for a boycott of the films because of their "stealth campaign" to mislead people into buying the books. Donohue says the films have been made "innocuous" as a marketing ploy: "Pullman is hoping his books will fly off the shelves at Christmastime."

Others—like The Hollywood Reporter's Gregg Kilday—counter Donohue's boycott by asserting that all the publicity will simply serve to sell more tickets. "Historically, these warnings sent as many people to see the movie, once they were labeled 'forbidden fruit,' as they kept away."

Many non-religious columnists and commentators share Kilday's skepticism.

In other movie news:

Bella succeeding at box office, to expand in weeks ahead (official site)
Earns over $1 million again, opening in 50-plus more cities

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium holds toy drive (Walden Media)
Ten cities to participate in film's campaign, aiming for record

AFI Festival under way in Los Angeles (official site)
Oscar heavyweights, David Lynch biopic to screen November 1-11

Rome condemns Elizabeth II (Times Online)
Vatican speaks out against "anti-papal" sentiments in film

The Martian Child honored by Heartland (official site)
Movie wins Truly Moving Picture award

Julia Roberts, Clive Owen reunite for Duplicity (Variety)
Espionage film from Michael Clayton director Tony Gillroy

Heath Ledger, Sean Penn in talks for Tree of Life (Hollywood Reporter)
Film is long-delayed new project from Terrence Malick

Green Lantern comes to big screen (Variety)
New superhero flick to be directed by Greg Berlanti

X-Files 2 officially confirmed (Coming Soon)
Sequel announced for July 25, 2008

Hollywood writers set to strike today (AP)
Writers Guild of America wants bigger cut from DVD sales

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