if that means that the best friend is following Wordsmith's every lead, or someone else's?

not a leader (nor much of a follower). The friend is becoming less liberally-minded daily.

that said friend refuses to see The Golden Compass because a mutual friend told him about the author's religious convictions/lack thereof.

Mind you - he once asked if he could borrow the books to read.

no problem with not seeing the movie ... it was garbage ... but wishes his friend were more open-minded about it.

that does seem a tad extreme...

on the other hand, I decline to read or view some "christian" material because I find them too narrow-minded.

does, too. I just wish that this wasn't the same friend who's seen that Ben Stein movie three times ...