Jeb Bush promotes Narnia movie (produced by big Repub donor)

[Charlie Brown]

http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2005-10-12/

A Florida newspaper columnist has condemned the decision by Gov. Jeb Bush to distribute copies of C.S. Lewis's Christian allegory The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to schools in the state as part of its "Just Read, Florida!" program. Frank Cerabino of the Palm Beach Post observes that the books are due to be distributed in December at the same time as the release of the Disney movie of the same name, "which just so happens to be co-produced by Walden Media, which just so happens to be owned by a Colorado billionaire, who through his family and foundation has donated nearly $100,000 to the Republican party." Noting that Lewis had acknowledged that he intended his book to symbolize the story of Christ, Cerabino remarks, "What's the state of Florida doing in this cabal of Christian commerce? Oh yeah, that's right. We're opening up the public schools to some backdoor catechism lessons in the guise of getting kids to read."

[phantom power]

1. The rules:

If you write a fantasy series, and say "it symbolizes Christianity," you are a Christian hero.

If you write a fantasy series, but don't claim that it symbolizes anything, you are promoting witchcraft.

[texastoast]

2. Harry Potter couldn't have said it better N/T

[FreedomAngel82]

10. Go figure!

:crazy: I'll never understand really.

[AirmensMom]

3. I like the Chronicles of Narnia.

And I like Harry Potter. I DON'T like Jeb Bush. I don't think children are likely to see the books as Christian allegory. Mine didn't -- they just liked the books. Jeb should find another book for his program that wouldn't cause controversy.

[McCamy Taylor]

4. It's a good read. Lots of magic. The fundies will HATE it.

[AirmensMom]

6. Actually, the fundies I know love it.

But that's OK. :)

[K-W]

12. Christians dont hate magic, they hate magic that isnt christian. EOM

[FreedomAngel82]

13. Some are even calling for a boycott

Which I find quite funny. While half of them are promoting it the other half are boycotting. :crazy: Oy! A lot of conservative Christians are on the soundtrack too but I don't think the songs are worshippy or anything like that since it's for a soundtrack (it'd have to go along with the movie).

[Missy M]

5. I am so sick of g.w. and jeb bush and their forcing religion into the

schools, it has become a never ending battle with them. The two of them and their religious babble ring so false to me. Why are they trying to change a system that has worked well for many years. Do they think children will learn better if religion is in the schools. The children are in school to learn reading, writing and arithmetic not religion, that is for the parents or church to teach. What we need are better staffed and better equipped schools with more funding. So here we go again with some billionaire buying another bush.

[geomon666]

7. Thank you, I will not be watching this.

I don't support repigs.

[AirmensMom]

11. I won't be watching, either.

Before I even knew who supported it, I didn't want anyone to take the pictures out of my head and replace them with special effects. The Narnia books are very charming and were not written to be republican tools.

[SidDithers]

8. I'm halfway through it with my kids right now...

and I'm not seeing much in the way of Christian allegory. Then again, as an athiest, maybe I'm just not recognizing it. As books go, however, I do know that my kids enjoyed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory alot more.

Sid

[ComerPerro]

14. Thats because Roald Dahl was a fantastic children's author

he knew just how to write to his target age-group. And he can still entertain adults with that very same writing.

[K-W]

15. Aslan died for your sins, you must accept him as your personal savior! EOM

[SidDithers]

18. What!?! Aslan dies? Thanks for spoiling the ending...

:D

Sid

[FreedomAngel82]

9. Are they going to do "Harry Potter" too?

I wonder what those boycotting Narina are thinking with Jebbie.

[Bridget Burke]

16. There's more to the books than Christian allegory....

But if you go to the movie's site: www.narniaweb.com

You'll find a link to this: www.thesoulofthelion.com/

Kids could enjoy the book (& the series) as good stories. But it appears that some want to cram the "message" down kids' throats.

Some severe God fearin' folks will be surprised--Lewis was very High Church Anglican & well-versed in the old Pagan classics.

[JAbuchan08]

17. If I could concieve of Bush doing this just to get kids to read

I wouldn't object, but he's obviously doing it to promote his agenda. All the same they're very good books. What's a Narnia loving secular-humanist to think?