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Pope Harry Potter - Studies of Catholicism - Posted: 17th Apr, 2007 - 10:34pm
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...Distort Christianity in the soul
Post Date: 15th Jul, 2005 - 1:30pm / Post ID: #
NOTE: News [?]
Pope & Harry Potter
Pope disapproves of Harry Potter, letters suggest
AFP - Pope Benedict believes the Harry Potter books subtly seduce young readers and "distort Christianity in the soul" before it can develop properly, according to comments attributed to him by a German writer.
Ref. https://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor..._harrypotter_dc
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Potter Harry and Pope
I am not surprised about the Pope's opinion on Harry Potter. Actually, many other Christian leaders have also said that the stories are not good for children because Harry Potter is a Wizzard and those powers are influenced by the Devil.
Pope & Harry Potter Catholicism Studies
Top 'exorcist' condemns Harry Potter
| QUOTE |
| The Vatican's top exorcist has condemned J.K. Rowling's best-selling "Harry Potter" series as leading children to the devil. Rev. Gabriele Amorth said: "You start off with Harry Potter, who comes across as a likeable wizard, but you end up with the devil. There is no doubt that the signature of the Prince of Darkness is clearly within these books." |
https://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article....RTICLE_ID=49097
I am wondering why an exorcist in the church is deciding to make a statement about Harry Potter and why now?
Potter Harry and Pope
I believe it is due to a growing interest in the Pagan arts and ceremonies by those of the younger generation. The high ranking Catholic officials see Harry Potter as an instrument to send young minds curiously forward to dabble in witchcraft, but for me it is not about the book, it is about the culture of today and no matter what the Pope or a few exorcists say it is not going to change over night.
Pope & Harry Potter (Hover)
Post Date: 17th Apr, 2007 - 10:34pm / Post ID: #
Potter Harry and Pope
In another thread Geenie asked me about my views on the values contained in the Harry Potter series. It is my belief that a reading of the series instead of demoralizing or abusing Christian values, enriches them. My thoughts on this are supported by the portrayal of good, moral values contained within the book, and the shunning of the evil, dark values of the adversary. The Harry Potter series can at it's basic core be described as a battle between good and evil, one of the common themes in all literatures. Moral values are stressed upon in it, including the concept and power of love over evil, which is demonstrated endlessly. I also posted that more than several of the instances of the books can be related to stories from the Bible, and was asked to present some evidence of this claim:
(Sorry, spoilers for those who have yet to read the books or see the movies and may in the future.)
Lily Potter, Harry's mother, sacrificed her life when Harry was one so that her son might live. She did this out of love for him and her sacrifice brought a protection over Harry, so that when the person who killed his mother (Voldemort) tried to kill Harry afterward, he failed, and his powers were destroyed for a time.
This can be related to (note, I said related to, I'm not diminishing the magnitude of Christ's sacrifice or putting them on an equal level, because Harry Potter is after all just a *story*, and should be thought of as just such) the atonement of Christ for our sins that we might live eternally. In the series, the advent of this happening, the vanquishing of the "Dark Lord", Voldemort, and the triumphing of the boy over him, are prophesied, much as the numerous prophecies of Christ's coming in the Old Testament.
On https://www.apologeticsindex.org/news1/an010701-19.html it states a couple of more relations between the series and Christian values:
| QUOTE |
| ...take author J.K. Rowling's portrayal of Dudley, Harry's jealous cousin. "He's a good example of someone who was covetous, so I'd talk to my kids about his selfishness and gluttony, and then we'd discuss how the Bible says we're not supposed to be a covetous person," she said. And Professor Gilderoy Lockhardt, who is vain and selfish, is a character parents can use to teach what the Bible has to say about arrogance and ambition, she said. |
--- Connie Neal
It has been suggested that kids have been known to come to believe that the spells contained within the book were actually real spells, and that Rowling herself changed them from "original spells" so that kids wouldn't "try them out" (I'm paraphrasing here). Can anyone support this claim? I'm not aware of an interview where Rowling stated that and it in itself contradicts with what I have read from her mouth. In an interview by USA Weekend Online, dated 14/11/99, she stated that she "did not believe in the kind of magic that appears in her books", which further supports the claim that the books are merely a *story*, not a "vast attack on Christian values", which many people unfoundedly claim it to be. Also, I would like to add, Rowling was a major in the study of languages during her career at college. Her spells are invented directly by her and she takes her study in languages to her advantage, using Latin words, for example, as the base for these invented spells.
If you want further religious commentary on the values presented in the series from a Christian perspective, I might suggest John Granger's Looking For God In Harry Potter.
I was asked if kids today would read the books if it was presented in a different package, that is to say, not of a world in which magic exists. I think kids would read it, and if the book was as a powerful story of Good vs. Evil as it is in the Harry Potter series, I see no reason why less people than now would *enjoy* it. I say "enjoy" instead of read because undoubtedly less people would end up reading it because it wouldn't be as contreversial as people are making it, and thus less people would read it to see the "hype" of the series.
I would further like to state that imaginary worlds in fictional literature and the existance of magic in them are not harmful to the place of Christian values in our lives and society as a whole. We have to take it for what it is: a story, and not subscribe to the creed of those who oppose a story that uplifts and encourages strong, moral values, especially in the youth of the current generation, which face opposition in the living of sacred values more than any other hence past.
Do Christians in general strongly oppose The Lord of the Rings or the Narnia series --- two fictional series that contain the existance of magic --- because sorcery and witchcraft and wizardry and magic is forbidden by God? No. They're taken as a story, just that, and the controversy of the books come from those who stem it, not from what actually is contained within it. Those things, in my opinion, being that which is uplifting and strengthening to the reader.
Problems arise only when people unsubscribe from the council and commandments of God and convert to the belief in occultism, which is forbidden by God and which we are warned about by his servants. I say J. K. Rowling's series is good, and can be used as a powerful and uplifting tool in learning and teaching moral values. But let us not confuse fact with fiction, nor let us contradict with God's commandments in yielding to the fruits and deceptions of the adversary, namely that which is discussed at length by those who oppose the series. These of course being meddling in the occult and the dangers such actions present. That should be avoided at all cost. Just as in the world of Harry Potter evil is presented as a poison which should be avoided we should all avoid such knowingly evil things in our own world at all costs. Harry Potter doesn't preach the occult, it preaches the living of good standards and values and faith in the power of those values, all good things, and things that are beneficial to our lives, not harmful.
Sorry about the long post; I'm a teenager, and whatmore a fan of the series, and so I am often presented to this battle of opinions and thus have many opinions of my own, and I didn't feel the need to constrict myself, which I apologize for.
It has been suggested that kids have been known to come to believe that the spells contained within the book were actually real spells, and that Rowling herself changed them from "original spells" so that kids wouldn't "try them out" (I'm paraphrasing here). Can anyone support this claim? I'm not aware of an interview where Rowling stated that and it in itself contradicts with what I have read from her mouth. In an interview by USA Weekend Online, dated 14/11/99, she stated that she "did not believe in the kind of magic that appears in her books", which further supports the claim that the books are merely a *story*, not a "vast attack on Christian values", which many people unfoundedly claim it to be. Also, I would like to add, Rowling was a major in the study of languages during her career at college. Her spells are invented directly by her and she takes her study in languages to her advantage, using Latin words, for example, as the base for these invented spells.
If you want further religious commentary on the values presented in the series from a Christian perspective, I might suggest John Granger's Looking For God In Harry Potter.
I was asked if kids today would read the books if it was presented in a different package, that is to say, not of a world in which magic exists. I think kids would read it, and if the book was as a powerful story of Good vs. Evil as it is in the Harry Potter series, I see no reason why less people than now would *enjoy* it. I say "enjoy" instead of read because undoubtedly less people would end up reading it because it wouldn't be as contreversial as people are making it, and thus less people would read it to see the "hype" of the series.
I would further like to state that imaginary worlds in fictional literature and the existance of magic in them are not harmful to the place of Christian values in our lives and society as a whole. We have to take it for what it is: a story, and not subscribe to the creed of those who oppose a story that uplifts and encourages strong, moral values, especially in the youth of the current generation, which face opposition in the living of sacred values more than any other hence past.
Do Christians in general strongly oppose The Lord of the Rings or the Narnia series --- two fictional series that contain the existance of magic --- because sorcery and witchcraft and wizardry and magic is forbidden by God? No. They're taken as a story, just that, and the controversy of the books come from those who stem it, not from what actually is contained within it. Those things, in my opinion, being that which is uplifting and strengthening to the reader.
Problems arise only when people unsubscribe from the council and commandments of God and convert to the belief in occultism, which is forbidden by God and which we are warned about by his servants. I say J. K. Rowling's series is good, and can be used as a powerful and uplifting tool in learning and teaching moral values. But let us not confuse fact with fiction, nor let us contradict with God's commandments in yielding to the fruits and deceptions of the adversary, namely that which is discussed at length by those who oppose the series. These of course being meddling in the occult and the dangers such actions present. That should be avoided at all cost. Just as in the world of Harry Potter evil is presented as a poison which should be avoided we should all avoid such knowingly evil things in our own world at all costs. Harry Potter doesn't preach the occult, it preaches the living of good standards and values and faith in the power of those values, all good things, and things that are beneficial to our lives, not harmful.
Sorry about the long post; I'm a teenager, and whatmore a fan of the series, and so I am often presented to this battle of opinions and thus have many opinions of my own, and I didn't feel the need to constrict myself, which I apologize for.
TOPIC: Pope & Harry Potter