Vatican: Harry Potter's OK with us

Reuters via CNN ^

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -- Harry Potter fans, relax. The Vatican says the kid is all right.

The question of whether J.K. Rowling's books and the films on the boy wizard have a positive influence came up at a news conference Monday where the Vatican presented a document on "New Age" spirituality, which contain elements of the occult.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

They help children understand the difference between good and evil

I haven't read these books, but I was wondering who does the "good" in the books and who does what is "evil"? Is the good done by the wizards, sorcerers, etc? Inquiring minds...

[sockmonkey]

I haven't read these books, but I was wondering who does the "good" in the books and who does what is "evil"? Is the good done by the wizards, sorcerers, etc? Inquiring minds... There are good and bad in all camps in the books. And as I recall those who do evil or bad make a choice to take that path.

[Loyalist]

Pingus!

Harry Potter is probably near the bottom of the Vatican's priority list, and this official represents no one's opinion except his own.

But don't Catholic children have better literature from which to learn how to distinguish good and evil than these tales of witchcraft?

[wideawake]

The off-the-cuff remarks of a single priest at a news conference do not constitute an official endorsement by the Holy See.

I can just imagine how these reporters operate:

Reporter: I'm here in Rome . . . oh look, there's a guy sweeping up in front of a church - sir, sir?

Lay Brother: Yes, ma'am?

R: Are you a priest?

LB: No, ma'am, I'm a lay brother.

R: But you're officially employed by the Vatican?

LB: I suppose so.

R: It's very hot out here, would you like a Pepsi?

LB: Sure! Thank you very much!

Minutes later, across the Reuters wire:

VATICAN ENDORSES PEPSI: "COCA-COLA DRINKERS ARE SINNERS" - SAYS UNNAMED SOURCE CLOSE TO SITUATION

[dead]

What does the Vatican think of Scooby Doo?

[HumanaeVitae]

Here we go...yet another potential "Northern Ireland" thread. I'll take the high road...

[Campion]

What does the Vatican think of Scooby Doo?

Jinkies, Freddy! We would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn't been for that dog and those meddling kids!

[OHelix]

Is that the same "lay brother" who erected the egyptian obolisk, or put in place all of the statues of gods from the Roman Pantheon?

One might consider fictitious hyperbole to be a pretty telling defense, in regards to the Catholic Church's attitude toward paganism.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

The off-the-cuff remarks of a single priest at a news conference do not constitute an official endorsement by the Holy See.

I thought the same thing as I read the article, but I'm not Catholic, so I don't know what weight a spokesman for the Vatican carries. Perhaps you are correct.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

Here we go...yet another potential "Northern Ireland" thread. I'll take the high road...

I'm not familiar with "Northern Ireland" threads, so please forgive me for possibly stirring up something scary. :-)

[Campion]

Is that the same "lay brother" who erected the egyptian obolisk

You mean the one that used to decorate Nero's circus, around which the first Christian martyrs of Rome died, and which later had chiseled into it the defiant slogan "Christ lives, Christ conquers, Christ reigns"?

That obelisk?

Statues of gods from the Roman Pantheon? Pray tell, where are they? The statues around St. Peter's Piazza are of the Apostles.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

If you saw the live action movie, all your negative thoughts on Scrappy Doo were confirmed.

[joesnuffy]

Bird's of a feather.......

[AppyPappy]

Media: What do you think of Harry Potter..
Bishop: I never touched him below the waist.

[Tribune7]

Scooby exposed

[wideawake]

The Egyptian obelisk is present in the Piazza as a reminder of the persecution of the Church by the pagans in the first centuries of Christianity. It is a reminder to visitors of those dark times.

There are no statues of gods in Pantheon anymore.

And I doubt you even know what a lay brother is.

One might consider deceptive innuendo a pretty telling defense with regard to your bigoted attitude.

[Land of the Irish]

"I don't think that any of us grew up without the imaginary world of fairies, magicians, angels and witches," said Father Peter Fleetwood, a Vatican official who worked on the document.

Are angels now imaginary?

[Puddleglum]

I don't know much about Harry Potter but I do know electrolysis is supposed to be working wonders these days...

[OHelix]

I'm not sure where, here's an example from a quick google search:

http://www.mythweb.com/encyc/gallery/silenus_c.html

As per which obelisk, there are several in Rome... 13 I think... The one I was thinking of I believe is in front of where the Pope speaks to large crowds from a balcony. I am unaware of the slogan carved on it, only a bit of it's significance in sun worship from the Egyptian religion derived from Babylon. Carving "Christ Lives" on an obelisk does not change it from being an obelisk, anymore than obliterating the inscription on a pagan temple and replacing it with "This is the Temple of Jesus" makes the Idol in the temple no longer an Idol.

Now I have no way of knowing the former Pope's purpose in moving it there... Maybe he did it for historical reasons.

My point is, there are plenty of things to point to to suggest an acceptance of the occult by the Catholic Church that are beyond the influence of the "lay brother". And, therefore, that your fictitious hyberbole to defend the Catholic Church is not a really valid defense of the implication.

[Campion]

Now I have no way of knowing the former Pope's purpose in moving it there... Maybe he did it for historical reasons.

I already explained what those reasons were.

And, therefore, that your fictitious hyberbole to defend the Catholic Church is not a really valid defense of the implication.

I used no "fictitious hyperbole" in defense of an "implication". I merely stated the facts that demonstrate your ignorance and bigotry.