Why Harry Potter Goes Awry - Zenit
Reasonable Christian parents would not permit their children to read a series of enthralling books depicting likable young people involved in drug-dealing, or premarital sex, or torture. We would not give our children fiction in which a group of “good fornicators” struggled against a set of “bad fornicators.” Why, then, have we accepted a set of books which glamorize and normalize occult activity, even though it is every bit as deadly to the soul as sexual sin, if not more so?
For more Catholic views on “Harry”:
Catholic Educator’s Resource: Here are links to several articles.
Rome’s chief excorcist warns parents against Harry Potter
My personal view is:
Suppose there is a “NEW” discovery for space travel.
Everyone can now go to the Moon cheap. But, there is a controversy. A famed Rocket Scientist, an expert in his field says that the craft that carries everyone on this journey isn’t safe.
However, everyone you know is signing up to go. You want to go. You are like eveyone else, it is “new” and “everyone is doing it”.
But, you don’t want to take a chance with the safety of your family or your own. Your friends try to convince you that it safe by quoting experts of their own. There is even a local ‘car mechanic’ who checked the craft over and he says that it is fine. Eveyone knows him as a man of integrity, why would he say the craft isn’t safe if it was not?
I am going with the “expert” (in this case Fr. Gabriel Amorth - the leading Exorcist in Rome - an expert in the field in question), he says “that Satan is behind the works”.
My question to anyone who would take this kind of chance with their family’s Salvation is; “With so much good, safe, Christian reading available today, why would you read something that might take you & your family away from God?”
“Why?”
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August 7th, 2007 at 7:35 p08
just two really quick thoughts, neither very serious, for this topic isnt even seriously considered worthy anymore by any but a very odd few, you know the ones - they beleve in magic & witchcraft themselves, even fancy a little cannibalism they do. you know utter a few magic words and “poof” … water and unleavened wafer become human flesh and blood which they guard and devour so protectively. really did you ever notice the face on some of the recipients? geez if looks could kill, they would devour anyone else who came in their space too.
well so much for my short comment you knew i couldnt do it. But here they are now. Hope they were worth waiting for.
you mentioned “good fornicators” against “bad fornicators.”. just wondering did you mean like the priests and their sex subjects vs say me and mine??
AND
you mention “NEW” discovery for space travel. and then go on with it but i have an alternative, what if this new method of space travel was cheap enough that everyone could go because the method of travel was from a magic spell? simple and foolproof. proven over and over again no safety issues at all to worry about. and all expenses paid also once you got there. Do you think people would go for it “en mass”? or at all? Regardless, do you think people would fear it as satanic, or black magic to be feared, or some such nonsense?
lets get even more serious. terminally ill people getting cured by e few uttered words, or a touch. It does happen. when its a condoned person, invoking the acceptable name of god it fine, but when done by someone outside the “good graces” of the established religious powers, or when the name uttered isnt that of your god, then its a terrible thing. Hogwash, or is it Hogwarts?
i saw the latest movie and slept thru a good part of it and i was at the store at midnight when the book went on sale, BUT NOT to buy it, heck no, i went to make fun of the idiots in costume. Yeah those i have to agree with you on. they are to be feared. they could actually be the type of weak minded person who would translate an entertaining fiction into a worrisome reality. As for me, i play it safe; whenever i visit a house for dinner i check to see if they have
a cauldron on the stove and a long wisk broom in the corner. yup, they cant put one over on me. im far too smart for them….. and such is the way a comment for this topic should end, on as unserious a note as possible because that is all it merits. …….. ha ha ha, i’ll get you my pretty……….. and your little dog too.
August 7th, 2007 at 7:35 p08
Listen you young wippersnapper
“As far as I can tell, the Harry Potter novels have done a world of good in getting children to actually read books,” says Urnick (via e-mail). “I taught high school for 16 years. I know how hard it is to get young adults to read. And I’m told that grade school children are even more averse to reading when everything is presented to them in the electronic media.”
Urnick says the books seemingly “present a rather clear distinction between good and evil” and that they “are fantasy, not theology, so it is likely the Catholic Church will never make a judgment on them.
“Just think back on the basic fairy tales of previous generations — Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Jack and the Beanstalk and so many others — don’t they all deal in fantasy worlds? Even the Chronicles of Narnia and the Tolkien trilogy deal in fantasy. And how about The Wizard of Oz? They’re not trying to distort Christianity or lead children into the occult. They’re just stories.”
The bottom line for Urnick? The books “are just good fantasy stories,” he says. “Some people will like them, some will not. But I don’t see them as evil or seductive or anything like that.”
And, he says, “I don’t see myself preaching next Sunday about the [Harry Potter controversy].”
August 7th, 2007 at 7:35 p08
Father Michael Bernier, parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish in Westfield, proudly counts himself among the myriad of Potter devotees.
n fact, he described himself as a “Pottermaniac” at a talk he gave about God and Harry Potter. And he, like millions more, is looking forward to the seventh and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and when the fifth movie, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” premieres.
Father Bernier told those gathered for his talk at St. Mary High School that Christians should not fear this devotion to stories about a boy wizard.
“On the surface level it does sound suspect and does raise red flags,” he said. However, he said the magic in Harry Potter is not sorcery. And he noted that the original title of the first book was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The title was changed to “Sorcerer’s Stone” for the book’s release in the United States.
“I happen to be one of the people who believes that there’s a great deal of Christian imagery and symbolism in the books. And I think it answers, at least in parts, a longing that we have for Christ,” he said.
Throughout his talk, Father Bernier quoted from “Looking for God in Harry Potter” by John Granger which emphasizes that the Harry Potter books focus on the triumph of love over death. For example, Dumbledore says to the villain Voldemort: “Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness.”
Father Bernier also said that many people believe that Pope Benedict XVI “came out against the Harry Potter books.”
“Pope Benedict has not said anything actually about the Harry Potter books themselves. I don’t know if he’s even read them,” he said.
He told his audience of about 25 people that before he became pope Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, responded to a book written about the dangers of Harry Potter. He sent a note to the author thanking her for the book and said if the accusations were true then they would be of grave concern.
Lisa Miranda, 14, said she came away from the lecture realizing for the first time that the Harry Potter books had “religious ties.”
Father Bernier predicted that author J.K. Rowling would end the series not with Harry’s death but possibly Hagrid’s. He also predicted that Snape, who has always been portrayed in a dark light, would end up as a good character.
But above all the priest said he hopes readers embrace the goodness of the books and the enjoyment of reading.
“They’re wonderfully written books that appeal to kids and adults. They’re easy to read and they’re entertaining,” he said.
And he noted that Granger’s book praises the many good things in a series where “never has the Christian message been smuggled into hearts so effectively.”
Father Bernier said that Harry Potter is “a symbol of all of us as sons and daughters of God – humanity pursuing its spiritual perfection in Christ.”
August 7th, 2007 at 7:35 p08
I thank everyone for their comments!
The only rebuttal I need to make is on one of Father Bernier’s statements.
If I am to present ‘balanced’ information I, obviously, have to allow opposing views, but they need to be ‘factual’.
“Father Bernier also said that many people believe that Pope Benedict XVI “came out against the Harry Potter books.”
“Pope Benedict has not said anything actually about the Harry Potter books themselves. I don’t know if he’s even read them,” he said.
He told his audience of about 25 people that before he became pope Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, responded to a book written about the dangers of Harry Potter. He sent a note to the author thanking her for the book and said if the accusations were true then they would be of grave concern.”
With all due respect the good Father is misquoting our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. When he was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he wrote a letter complimenting an author who wrote a book on the dangers of the Harry Potter Novels.
Actually he wrote two letter in German, here are the English translations.
English translations of the two letters by Cardinal Ratzinger follow:
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Vatican City
March 7, 2003
Esteemed and dear Ms. Kuby!
Many thanks for your kind letter of February 20th and the informative book which you sent me in the same mail. It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly.
I would like to suggest that you write to Mr. Peter Fleetwood, (Pontifical Council of Culture, Piazza S. Calisto 16, I00153 Rome) directly and to send him your book.
Sincere Greetings and Blessings,
+ Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
—
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Vatican City
May 27, 2003
Esteemed and dear Ms. Kuby,
Somehow your letter got buried in the large pile of name-day , birthday and Easter mail. Finally this pile is taken care of, so that I can gladly allow you to refer to my judgment about Harry Potter.
Sincere Greetings and Blessings,
+ Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
—
We can clearly see that the Holy Father, then Cardinal Ratzinger and Prefect for The Congregation of The Doctrine for The Faith disapproved of the Harry Potter Novels and further in his second letter said that the author could publicly use his letter in her book!
For more on this subject:
Pope Benedict and Harry Potter
Written by Michael D. O’Brien
http://tinyurl.com/2mm4mu