Posted on 07/13/2005 12:49:13 AM PDT by dsc
Pope Opposes Harry Potter Novels - Signed Letters from Cardinal Ratzinger Now Online
RIMSTING, Germany, July 13, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - LifeSiteNews.com has obtained and made available online copies of two letters sent by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was recently elected Pope, to a German critic of the Harry Potter novels. In March 2003, a month after the English press throughout the world falsely proclaimed that Pope John Paul II approved of Harry Potter, the man who was to become his successor sent a letter to a Gabriele Kuby outlining his agreement with her opposition to J.K. Rowling's offerings. (See below for links to scanned copies of the letters signed by Cardinal Ratzinger.)
As the sixth issue of Rowling's Harry Potter series - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - is about to be released, the news that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger expressed serious reservations about the novels is now finally being revealed to the English-speaking world still under the impression the Vatican approves the Potter novels.
In a letter dated March 7, 2003 Cardinal Ratzinger thanked Kuby for her "instructive" book Harry Potter - gut oder böse (Harry Potter- good or evil?), in which Kuby says the Potter books corrupt the hearts of the young, preventing them from developing a properly ordered sense of good and evil, thus harming their relationship with God while that relationship is still in its infancy.
"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," wrote Cardinal Ratzinger.
The letter also encouraged Kuby to send her book on Potter to the Vatican prelate who quipped about Potter during a press briefing which led to the false press about the Vatican support of Potter. At a Vatican press conference to present a study document on the New Age in April 2003, one of the presenters - Fr. Peter Fleedwood - made a positive comment on the Harry Potter books in response to a question from a reporter. Headlines such as "Pope Approves Potter" (Toronto Star), "Pope Sticks Up for Potter Books" (BBC), "Harry Potter Is Ok With The Pontiff" (Chicago Sun Times) and "Vatican: Harry Potter's OK with us" (CNN Asia) littered the mainstream media.
In a second letter sent to Kuby on May 27, 2003, Cardinal Ratzinger "gladly" gave his permission to Kuby to make public "my judgement about Harry Potter."
The most prominent Potter critic in North America, Catholic novelist and painter Michael O'Brien commented to LifeSiteNews.com on the "judgement" of now-Pope Benedict saying, "This discernment on the part of Benedict XVI reveals the Holy Father's depth and wide ranging gifts of spiritual discernment." O'Brien, author of a book dealing with fantasy literature for children added, "it is consistent with many of the statements he's been making since his election to the Chair of Peter, indeed for the past 20 years - a probing accurate read of the massing spiritual warfare that is moving to a new level of struggle in western civilization. He is a man in whom a prodigious intellect is integrated with great spiritual gifts. He is the father of the universal church and we would do well to listen to him."
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 Fleedwood, (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
Links to the scanned copies of the two signed letters by Cardinal Ratzinger (in German) - In PDF format: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/ratzingerletter.pdf http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/ratzingerpermission.pdf
jhw
"So I have to wonder: why are so of you HP defenders so angry and nasty? I can't quite figure it out."
I think you probably meant to address that to someone else.
Sam I don't think he's saying that at all.
I think there ~are~ some Harry Potter detractors who really want to read more into those two very short letters than what is really there.
As far as I know, those are the only comments they have from the Pope regarding Harry Potter.
He may indeed think they are problematic. But I don't think they've shown the evidence to prove that.
"In some cases is it possible God makes His presence known by what we call {gasp} magic?"
No.
"Harry is fiction. His acts are fiction. Remember it is just a story."
Nothing is just a story. Stories have power.
You are correct that Gandalf/Radagast/Saruman, the Istari, are not of the same order as Sauron. Sauron was a Maia.
His boss, Morgoth (Melkor) was banished from the circles of the world, but had been one of the Ainur.
There are three orders of angels named in the Tolkien universe, and Gandalf was of the weakest order named. Of course fairies and other spirits, offspring of the Maiar and Ainur, or simply direct creations of Eru Iluvatar, were even lesser orders, but the orders were not named, no necessarily organized so neatly and clearly.
Anyway, Michael the Archangel, in our own primary world (assuming he existed) had natural powers that are magic for all practical purposes, and it's fine for them to use them. Likewise, apostles and saints have been granted powers, from healing and raising the dead to other powers, and there was no witchcraft or evil in using them.
Joan of Arc very clearly had powerful, special information not possible to obtain for her from normal sources. She led the French rapidly to victory by using these powers, from God. Of course her enemies called this "witchcraft" and killed her for it, no doubt damning themselves in the process. When GOD gives somebody a special power, it is right for that person to use it. That's why God gave it.
"Why aren't we reading weekly about demon worshippers setting fire to churches?"
Seems to me that I read weekly about worse and worse crimes being committed by younger and younger perps.
You haven't noticed that?
And none of those were happening before Harry Potter?
"My opinion is that a Church which cannot allow imaginary wistful magic in children's books is working towards a gray and lifeless existence for humanity."
Why, when it promotes wonderful and joyful stories of very real miracles and saints?
It is evil that is gray and lifeless, not the things that are of God.
"One would think"
Christians aren't allowed to think. They're supposed to blindly follow wherever they're led.
"Nothing is just a story. Stories have power."
Thank you, sheesh.
How difficult is this for people to understand?
I think they understand it, they are just too prideful to admit it.
You're blaming that on Harry Potter?!?
Not on our failed public education system, or on neglectful parents, or an amoral society, but Harry Potter?!
"And none of those were happening before Harry Potter?"
I don't hold that those books are the sole cause, but it seems to me that there has in recent years been a noticeable upsurge in both numbers and heinousness of crimes committed by young offenders.
"Christians aren't allowed to think. They're supposed to blindly follow wherever they're led."
How sad that you have been led to believe that.
"I think they understand it, they are just too prideful to admit it."
See note 3.
The difference is that drug use, sexual promiscuity, homosexuality etc. are things that kids can engage in.
Becoming a wizard or sorceror is not something kids can do, no matter how hard they try.
Translation - God hates you, wants you to keep you enslaved to Him. Eat this and you'll be gods yourselves and you'll be free.
Same old tired lies.
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews, who believed him: If you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered him: We are the seed of Abraham, and we have never been slaves to any man: how sayest thou: you shall be free? 34 Jesus answered them: Amen, amen I say unto you: that whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin.
Being "free" to committ sin is a contradiction
"Becoming a wizard or sorceror is not something kids can do, no matter how hard they try."
They can't be like Harry Potter, but don't forget that "The Exorcist" was based on a true story.
I know a lot of authors. Some stories are more than just stories, but most stories are just stories. Writers are people that have stories running around in their head and they're trying to get them out for a paycheck. Just stories.
It is evil that is gray and lifeless, not the things that are of God."
I won't argue that the Church does not have its own glory and wonder, it certainly does, under almost any interpretation.
It also has no need of attacking the wonder and joy of children's books, and the imagination that went into them. Those things themselves are also of God, and his gifts to us. When it does attack those things, then my opinion is that the Church is meandering towards the gray and lifeless side of things. For now I wish to stop short of using the word evil. Silly is more like it.
They can emulate Harry Potter to their hearts' content but their spells still won't work.
Following this logic, superhero comic books are bad for kids because they might encourage kids to emulate an illegal alien (Superman) or a vigilante psychotic (Batman).
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