I don't understand why the article calls Pullman a "confirmed agnostic" - he's a confirmed ATHEIST! His books are INTENDED to "evangelize" children with his "gospel" of atheism and "freedom" to do what they like - that is seen as the great "liberating" message at the end of the trilogy - "We've got rid of God - now we can REALLY do what we please with NO ONE to spoil the fun!" It is probably, as Pullman himself has said, one of the most subversive pieces of literature written in recent times - MUCH worse than Harry Potter. EVERY child and adolescent naturally wants to reject authority and "do their own thing" - these books and this film (and its inevitable successors) will confirm them in these desires and will further anatagonise them against all things Christian. We need to counter the false teachings of Pullman with the truth that Jesus Christ is the ONLY one who can TRULY set us free - to live for God and not self!