Benedict XVI-New Pope Hits Out at Harry Potter Books

Contact Music News ^ | 4/24/05

[gopwinsin04]

NEW POPE HITS OUT AT HARRY POTTER BOOKS

The new pope Benedict XVI has blasted JK Rowlings Harry Potter books for 'undermining the soul of Chirstianity.'

His predecessor, John Paul II, had praised the mutilmillionairness for her Christian lifestyle in the past.

The former Cardinal Joeseph Ratizinger is grateful to 'Good or Bad' author Gabrielle Kuby for revealing the hidden agendas behind the popular childrens books.

He said, 'it is good that you explain the facts of Harry Potter, because this is subtle seduction, which is deeply unnoticed and has direct effects in undermining the soul of Christianity before it can really grow porperly.'

[Sender]

I wonder what the Pope has to say about Tolkien? Probably 50 times more Christians have read the Lord of the Rings more than have read Harry Potter.

I like Tolkien, and I think fantasy has its purpose, and it doesn't give me un-Christian thoughts.

[Not A Snowbird]

It isn't all about you my dear.

Why are you being snotty to me?

[retrokitten]

LOL!!

[kevkrom]

I wonder if there's a market for third-party, um, "attachments" for this device...

[The Old Hoosier]

They make it sound like he's actually taken time, since becoming Pope, to blast Harry Potter. In fact, this is something he wrote two years ago in a note to an author.

Stupid reporters.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

'because this is subtle seduction, which is deeply unnoticed and has direct effects in undermining the soul of Christianity before it can really grow porperly.'

Oh, good grief! What a complete waste of time. Hey, Benedict, if you are concerned about "undermining the soul of Christianity" I have come Catholic colleges and universities for you to look at along with the kook professors directing the anti-Catholic secret societies and kooky liberal social engineering at them (where you actually have some authority to stop such things).

Why do they whine about things they have absolutely no control or authority over while letting even DARKER and more sinister personalities run riot over their own colleges, universities, and seminaries??? What's going on? For God's sakes get rid of the creeps at the Catholic colleges and universities and forget about these stupid and tacky Harry Potter books!

[Sloth]

The point people are making is: these books are not suitable for CHILDREN.

Indeed, and that point is false.

[gopwinsin04]

[Antoninus]

There certainly is better stuff out there for Christians, but that doesn't make HP bad for Christians, sometimes everybody has to relax and entertain themselves.

As someone who grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons and similar games and listening to groups like Iron Maiden, I can speak from experience. It CAN be harmless if the kid reading/playing it comes from a solid family where support, instruction, and guidance in proper Christian teaching is readily available.

The problem is with kids who have no such support--and especially those who live in negative or difficult circumstances (broken home, dysfunctional home, etc.) These kids use this kind of stuff as an escape from reality--and for some of them, it BECOMES their reality.

In truth, most of my friends, my brother and I all turned out ok. However, I do know of a few people as described above who got into some really crazy stuff: satanism, drugs, wicca, psychiatric problems, etc.

And having attended some of these "fantasy/sci-fi" conventions, the people who lurk there are often EXTREMELY hostile to Christianity. Knowing what I know about them now, I would NEVER expose my kids to these people.

[Bigh4u2]

" In that case, the content of books like Harry Potter are the least of their worries. "

Really?

Where do you think the children get these 'ideas' in the first place?

"Parents who fail to actually do parenting are dooming their children to be rudderless, amoral, and unable to exercise self-restraint."

Exactly my point.

[MinuteGal]

We'll have 2000+ replies on this thread before we find out the Papa didn't say it quite this way at all.

Leni

[I still care]

I am a strong evangelical Christian. I love the HP books. I can see a strong surprising current of Christian oriented morality in them (importance of family and friends, importance of making good choices, how love protects us).

But the setting of magic and witchcraft is upsetting to many Christians. They think the books are evil.

Most of us who read them don't advertise it, some of us for no other reason than out of love, because others of us have had very bad experiences with the occult. So I could see how some Christians could recommend them and others could hate them.

Besides, lets face it. A man who has never had any kids is probably the kind that will tell you never let your kids watch TV anyway, and they should only read classics and uplifting books, and never have meals consisting of french fries. My friends without kids always told me that, too. :)

[Aquinasfan]

How are the Harry Potter books different from the b'zillions of other childrens' books/stories that most of us grew up reading (Alice in Wonderland, for example)?

The protagonist is a warlock and engages in occult practices. This can serve to interest children in the occult. You'll notice this in the reviews of the book by children on Amazon.com. You'll also notice this in the "if you liked this book you'll also like..." section.

Too bad this article is bogus.

[Antoninus]

That does not apply to me, clearly. Non-Christians sometimes take this tack with me as they try to explain that I have been “brainwashed” by my church and family… when in fact God came to me where I was, as an adult… in the midst of depravity and filth, and He delivered me.

Your post is almost a mirror image of mine. Thank God you made it out!

[tiredoflaundry]

A vibrating broomstick? lol

[SouthernFreebird]

I agree. Fantasy is just that fantasy. It is entertaining not soul stealing for crying out loud.

I love the HP books,I will be in line when this new on comes out. It has not drawn me over to the dark side./eyeroll

[Antoninus]

Read posts 79 & 89....

[Bigh4u2]

"You said, “You probably made your decision to be Christian based on the teachings of your parents and church.”

That does not apply to me, clearly. "

Which, of course, it was not meant too.

It was intended for the person who I was responding to as being raised a Christian.

"But, there is something about THE TRUTH that obliterates these flights of fancy of youth, and sets you free. I always believed in God, but departed for some time as I was coming of age."

And it's because of this internal struggle that the truth was revealed to you.

There are many children that will not come to the conclusions that you have.

You have even stated that "Non-Christians sometimes take this tack with me as they try to explain that I have been “brainwashed” by my church and family…"

Which is a clear implication that many will not change, as you have done.

[te lucis]

Given a choice between my daughter reading Harry Potter and watching MTV, I'll take Harry Potter.

It doesn't have to be one or the other, you know.

[discostu]

I still occassionally play D&D and still enjoy my fantasy metal quite a bit, I can speak from experience. It CANNOT be harmful to kids reading and playing such stuff, with or without family support and Christian teachings. There quite simply is nothing pro-satanic or pro-pagan in them (if you've listened to Iron Maiden then you know whenever there's someone treating with demons and such in their songs then something very bad is about to happen to that person).

No the problem is people that see something that isn't there and embarass their own faith by warning about non-existent boogiemen.

In truth the only people I know in those ranks that didn't turn out OK were already messed up long before they started playing D&D or listening to fantasy metal. Kids that are already messed up will tend to turn into messed up adults with or without D&D, Iron Maiden or Harry Potter.

Having been on the convention committee of a sf/f/horror convention for the past decade and change I can tell you the people who lurk there are often in any demographic you're looking for. Yes there are some that are hostile to Christianity, there are also some that are devout Christians. About the only demographic you aren't going to find at a convention are people that don't like sf/f or horror, which makes sense. I have no problem exposing kids to these people, they're just people like anybody else, maybe a little wierder, but at least they're avid readers which puts them in what I consider to be a superior minority in our current society. I wouldn't expose kids to the late night crowd, but the late night crowd tends to be rather... adult so that's kind of a no brainer.