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
Okay, good. You admit that no one has threatened to roast Rowlings' cash cow.
I enjoy the critical assessments of the books and I enjoy engaging in discussions about the more controversial aspects of the books.
Even better! 'Cause I do too.
I do not understand the fear of literature. If one is secure in their beliefs, why fear words???
I don't think it's the words they are fearing. It's the ideas. I have learned that ideas do in fact have consequences. Ideas matter. That's why it's good we have these discussions.
***...just because they're kids.***
"It sounds so faultless, but Wiccan covens are found in High Schools all over and one is never too young to start. One young child said of the age of 10 said, “I was eager to get to Hogwarts first because I like what they learned there and I want to be a witch.” (Gioia Bishop, age 10 “What Readers Think About Goblet?” (San Francisco Chronicle, 7-26)"
http://www.letusreason.org/Current28.htm
Go... read... learn!
***Witchcraft by way of a genetic trait is simply using your God given abilities, it's not different that athletic ability or natural musical skills.*** - discostu
"Dr Kurt E. Koch an expert on the Occult writes: Black magic is distinguished from white magic by its form. In the worldwide literature of magic, it is maintained that black magic is done by the help of the devil and white magic with the help of God. This definition is false. White magic is just as dependant on the powers from below as is black magic. The evidence is not difficult to find. The effects of white magic are the same as those of black magic. In white magic the three highest names are used for these evil ends. Usually a magic charm is added to the three highest names, taken from the Six and Seventh Books of Moses or from another book of magic." (Occult ABC p. 135)
http://www.letusreason.org/Current28.htm
Tolkien doesn't really do magic. Bloom is looking slightly uninformed.
Are you a fan of LeGuin? I think she is OK, but that's about it. A nice facility with words, less good as a storyteller.
I found "The Left Hand of Darkness" interesting. I also really like her short story "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas." But to be honest, I'm not very familiar with her other work.
Correct!
Harry's ennemies resort to all sorts of evil things, and they are the ones who lose in the end. I don't see what's wrong with that, and I can't see that does any harm to children. What my advice would still be to parents: if you're in doubt, read the books yourselves, the first one, that's the shortest one, and see what you think. Don't simply rely on somebody else's opinion, not even on my opinion, since it's only an opinion.He's a blasphemer! Stone him!
After reading Harry Potter, my psychic powers just started developing... I say "guess" because I don't want you to feel bad.
No, it was more a... reasoned assumption based on my personal knowledge of children and young people.
I object to people using prayers to insult other people. "Oh Lord, I thank you that I am not like this tax collector!"
***No, it was more a... reasoned assumption ****
Better lay off the psychic stuff and hone your reasoning power 'cause you assumed wrong!
:)
His reference to Tolkien is a nod to the fact that Tolkien is considered the "father" of the modern genre fiction we call "Fantasy".
Perfect analogy--JRRT is smiling on you!
BTW, didn't you just love Peter Jackson's homage to this in The Two Towers when he opens with Gandolf slaying the Balrog a la St. Michael casting Satan into hell.
Did you know there was a wiccan group that was so upset about the first Harry Potter movie not showing the brooks ridden"the right way" that they cursed the movie? The movie was never supposed to be finished unless the wiccan group got there way.
But the books have nothing--I repeat NOTHING--to do with modern witchcraft!
I'd agree that Tolkien was the father of modern fantasy. He himself did not agree, if I remember right, - he called LOTR some sort of romance, I forget his exact description.
...if all the parents on this thread admitted the obvious:
Alright, maybe not "c". But I think all the rest applies!
It doesn't, and you're maligning a lot of good parents who have read the books and decided that they are no threat to their kids' safety.
Whether or not it is harmful is another matter altogether. Just as whether or not Gone With the Wind gives an historically accurate portrayal of the Civil War is another matter.
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