Drinking the Kool-Aid.

One of the best things about heading back to the states is going to one of the stadium seating, multiplex theaters. The idea of going to the movies -- non AAFES-approved movies, even! -- just seems like pure decadence.

Both CPT Dick and I recently finished His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman so we wanted to check out "The Golden Compass." We thought it would be the perfect movie to take our nephews to see with us.

But lo and behold, when we mentioned the idea of heading to the movies, usually a big treat, we were met with stunned silence. "The Golden Compass" it seems is immoral enough fodder to merit a letter home telling parents to not let their kids see it.

Now, I heard about some of the hullabaloo about the movie. The Catholic League came out against it and the books it was based on. But it's one thing to hear about some organization that Kathy Griffin calls "some guy on a computer" on the news spewing about immorality and another to see a letter written by a real live principal on official school letter head that was sent home with your family members. And it's not one of these off-the-wall Christian schools like my friend R. went to where her parents had to sign a contract at the beginning of each school year that agreed that she not be able to listen to music. It's just your run-of-the-mill East Coast Catholic school.

I just don't get it. What does banning books and ideas get us? Shouldn't faith be strong enough to handle a few questions? Isn't that the point? Isn't that why it's faith?

I don't know.

CPT Dick and I went to see the movie. And our older nephew, now a teenager, decided to go with us. But our younger one stood firm and as we walked out the door to see the film, he looked at us sternly and said, "God isn't going to like this."

I'll let you know if any of us are struck by lightning any time soon.