When my daughter started reading the books I picked up the first one and read it. In that book the lion stepped forth and created the earth (Narnia) and all its animals. That sure sounds like a religious text, but I never took it that way. It was certainly not a tightly wound sermon on god. the book was nicely written.
We saw the movie this last weekend. I haven't read the book so can't say anything about how closely it followed the book, but I can write about the movie. It was beautifully done. Some of the animation was not as perfect as what you will see on "the Lord of the Rings" movies, but are more than acceptable. Its a great comming of age movie with some real moral back bone. If you reach a bit, occasionally a great deal, thereare some deffinate religious back stories there. One of the boys is tempted by power and betrays his family and the Lion, Judis like I suppose. Then there is the death and resurrection of the lion which would remind devout followers of Jesus Christ to draw parallels between them, but the similarities were so subtle as to be hardly considered to be "in your face" noticeable. The bad witch was deffinately satan like with the reference to the rules of the world and the seperation of who belongs to who. She certainly play a deliciously evil part. But the Boy was young and found the error of his ways and the Lion kills in a very un-Christ like way. He did not turn another cheek to his enemy, he delt with his problem with blood and vengence, can Satan be killed by Jesus Christ? I liked the Santa Clause character and the way they handled it. I enjoyed the movie.
Besides, whats wrong with the morals, the rights and wrongs delt with in the Christian bible. Whether you truly believe in god or Christ there is a lot to be learned from the teachings written there. This whole seperation of everyone from the words written in the Bible sickens me and I can hardly be called a religious man.