I knew there was something I didn't like about the new Pope

[fuzzykitten99]

Oh. My. God. They are JUST STORIES! And well written ones! Obviously the Pope has never READ the books, otherwise he would read that they celebrate Christmas AND Easter at Hogwarts. He would read that the good is always beating evil. Yes they are based on wizards and witches, but the spells are NOT REAL! If they were, instead of spending 30-45 minutes driving to work, I would just apparate and be able to sleep in longer. Or I would use a portkey. Maybe he doesn't know that Jo is a devoted Christian herself.

Granted, what he said was said 2 years ago, but still. Why must the extremely religous people take something that actually has spread good around the world (getting kids off the computers and video games, and reading books), and be against it? They are acting like liberals---making mountains out of molehills, and making a fuss just because they feel the need to be important, even if only for a few minutes. Heck, even one of the spells that Harry says "Expecto Patronum", if you rearrange most of the letters, it spells out "Protect Me", which is fitting because you are asking for protection against dementors---which are evil.

The 6th book is topping the best seller list, and it has not even been published yet, and won't be until july 16. so far, i have yet to see kids performing any type of transfiguration, potions, charms, flying on brooms. I have yet to see my first real Quidditch match.

Then there are other forms of magic that these people don't seem to be against. What about all the Disney films? Nearly all of them have a witch, wizard, or magic of some sort. Or even "The Black Cauldron" which has Merlin in it. The Little Mermaid has Ursula. Aladdin has Jafar and the Genie. Beauty and the Beast has the old woman in the beginning. Pinoccio has the Blue Fairy. I could go on, but I won't. After all the other movies and stories that have magic as a part of the story, not just Disney, why is Harry Potter the target?

http://www.hollywood.com/news/detail/article/2439745

 

[no1tovote4]

The pastor of my church as a child believed that by making wizards and witches the good guys it sets in childrens mind that magic is something that can be either good or evil, instead of the direct mention in the bible of, "Suffereth not a witch to live."

He believed that it was a plan by Satan to bring others closer to accepting some of the trappings of evil. Regardless of the fact that good won over evil.

We had to go to a class when Star Wars came out that taught that the Force was first of all pretend, second of all not magic, and third of all would be evil if it existed.

 

[5stringJeff]

There are many differences between Harry Potter and the other references to magic that you make. Basically, Harry Potter glorifies witchcraft, which is clearly condemned in the Bible, and in doing so, gets impressionable children to think that it's OK to use witchcraft/magic, as long as it's "white magic." White magic is the name that many Wiccans use to describe their magic. So there should be a major concern in Christian circles with a book that glorifies Wicca and witchcraft.

 

[dmp]

'magic' of sorts, perhaps not witchcraft per se, was used in the christianity-endorsed Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe saga.

If it's fantasy, it's fantasy. I know my kids know the difference between make-believe and reality, appropriate to their ages.

 

[manu1959]

is the christian religion so fragile that it can not stand against a children's book?

 

[5stringJeff]

is the christian religion so fragile that it can not stand against a children's book?

The point is that Harry Potter glorifies witchcraft, and is therefore something that children shouldn't read. Much like children not reading a book like "Heather has Two Mommies" because it glorifies homosexuality.

 

[SmarterThanYou]

The point is that Harry Potter glorifies witchcraft, and is therefore something that children shouldn't read. Much like children not reading a book like "Heather has Two Mommies" because it glorifies homosexuality.

so do we resort to book banning or should we let people realize that there is entertainment and then there is real life?

 

[Nienna]

Ehhh... I'm up in the air about this one. Read the first four books. I don't let my 3rd grader read them bc I think they get a bit graphic. The thing that made up my mind was the scene where the guy cuts off his own hand to give to Voldemort. Don't want my 8-yr-old reading stuff like that. Other issues I have are how Harry frequently disobeys authority figures and is rewarded for this. And the underlying current of humanism. I also agree that magic of this sort should not be seen as "good." Although I see the point about Disney; you have the good fairies, fairy godmothers, etc. Maybe when she gets older we will read them together, and I can reinforce our worldview with her. As for the writing, I have hardly ever read anything so interesting, the plots are good and tight.

 

[dmp]

so do we resort to book banning or should we let people realize that there is entertainment and then there is real life?

Are you Catholic? If not, the Pope's view of the books shouldn't matter. To Catholics it DOES, because his job is to make the judgement calls on 'gray' areas.

 

[SmarterThanYou]

Are you Catholic? If not, the Pope's view of the books shouldn't matter. To Catholics it DOES, because his job is to make the judgement calls on 'gray' areas.

normally, i'd agree. The vatican has an awful lot of power behind it though, power it shouldn't have, but it would be nice to see such a large and powerful religious organization to have some common sense to it.

 

[manu1959]

The point is that Harry Potter glorifies witchcraft, and is therefore something that children shouldn't read. Much like children not reading a book like "Heather has Two Mommies" because it glorifies homosexuality.

gee thanks for pointing that out i was completly unaware of those facts.....

so is the tv show bewitched off limits too? how about nascar racing that has viagra as a sponsor....does that glorify sex?

 

[dmp]

normally, i'd agree. The vatican has an awful lot of power behind it though, power it shouldn't have, but it would be nice to see such a large and powerful religious organization to have some common sense to it.

I guess even common sense needs to be defined by one's faith. What you consider an issue of common sense, a VERY intelligent, well-read religious leader claims to have spiritual implications.

 

[5stringJeff]

so do we resort to book banning or should we let people realize that there is entertainment and then there is real life?

Who said anything about banning them? A smart Christian parent, Catholic or otherwise, would not let their kids read Harry Potter. The choice can be made in the marketplace.

 

[SmarterThanYou]

I guess even common sense needs to be defined by one's faith. What you consider an issue of common sense, a VERY intelligent, well-read religious leader claims to have spiritual implications.

really? would it be common sensical to tell a little child that she can't watch beauty and the beast anymore because its evil? Is it even common sensical to believe that a cartoon, an imaginary story, fantasy, something that isn't real and tangible but is meant to be viewed as someones imagination telling a story, that its evil?

 

[5stringJeff]

gee thanks for pointing that out i was completly unaware of those facts.....

so is the tv show bewitched off limits too? how about nascar racing that has viagra as a sponsor....does that glorify sex?

Wow.. there's a slippery slope fallacy if I ever saw one.

As for Bewitched, I don't even think it's on anymore. But regardless, my kids would know that magic is never right and/or good, though it could be used for good things.

As for NASCAR... well, that's so ridiculous that it doesn't merit a response.

 

[manu1959]

Who said anything about banning them? A smart Christian parent, Catholic or otherwise, would not let their kids read Harry Potter. The choice can be made in the marketplace.

like i said then....the christian religion is not then too fragile to stand up to a children's book....which makes me wonder why "condem" it ....why give it press?.....why not expose the virtues of the christian religion rather than waste time and energy speaking ill of that which is so obviuosly wrong?

 

[dmp]

really? would it be common sensical to tell a little child that she can't watch beauty and the beast anymore because its evil? Is it even common sensical to believe that a cartoon, an imaginary story, fantasy, something that isn't real and tangible but is meant to be viewed as someones imagination telling a story, that its evil?

You are looking at what the church calls a 'spiritual issue' through the eyes of a non-believer.

Also you are changing the focus of the subject of the discussion. It's not about beauty and the beast...it's about a series of books/movies the Pope feels isn't suitable for kids. Nothing more...nothing less.

 

[5stringJeff]

really? would it be common sensical to tell a little child that she can't watch beauty and the beast anymore because its evil? Is it even common sensical to believe that a cartoon, an imaginary story, fantasy, something that isn't real and tangible but is meant to be viewed as someones imagination telling a story, that its evil?

Children do not understand fact vs fiction as well as adults do. There are kids who have written in to Hogwarts Academy, begging to be admitted, after reading Harry Potter.

And if the moral of a story - be it a cartoon, movie, book, real or fantasy - is that evil (i.e. magic) triumphs, then it's common sense to keep your kids from it.

 

[SmarterThanYou]

You are looking at what the church calls a 'spiritual issue' through the eyes of a non-believer.

I'm a non-believer?

Also you are changing the focus of the subject of the discussion. It's not about beauty and the beast...it's about a series of books/movies the Pope feels isn't suitable for kids. Nothing more...nothing less.

actually, it's about an author and her books undermining the soul of christianity, as ratzinger states, yet is 180 degrees in john paul II who had praised the author for her christian lifestyle.

 

[5stringJeff]

like i said then....the christian religion is not then too fragile to stand up to a children's book....which makes me wonder why "condem" it ....why give it press?.....why not expose the virtues of the christian religion rather than waste time and energy speaking ill of that which is so obviuosly wrong?

In the reasoning behind condemning Harry Potter, many Christian groups, like this one, do speak of the virtues and precepts of Christianity, while exposing why Harry Potter is antithetical to them.