Halloween and Harry Potter

Human Life International ^ | October 31, 2007 | Fr. Thomas J. Euteneuer

[Coleus]

Halloween and Harry Potter

Many have asked me my opinion about Harry Potter. There is, among good Catholics, a general unease about the series, but the sense of disquiet is very, very difficult to define. I am at a bit of a disadvantage to comment on any particulars of the books since I have not read any of them or seen the movies, nor do I intend to—I have an aversion to adolescent fads and not enough time to spend on questionable materials when there is so much excellent fare for the soul out there. I do, however, feel it is important to offer some guidance on this issue from a third person point of view because some things can be observed about the books without having read them.

First and foremost, all adolescent obsessions have the capacity to steep the vulnerable souls of these kids in imagery and language that strikes deeper than the sermons they may (or may not) hear on Sunday. Some people give Harry an unqualified “wonderful” rating too quickly because J.K Rowling apparently is a very good writer, but the devotees of a sweeping force like this series tend to pass off the propaganda aspect of these books as harmless because they see it as “innocent” fantasy, and, in my opinion, this is dangerous. 4100 pages of word images about magic and the occult are not harmless, even if they fit the literary genre of “fantasy.” Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy amounts to 1216 pages of beautiful imagery, but relatively few of the pages are about magic, let alone imbued with magic. Indeed, Tolkein’s trilogy is a self-consciously mythical representation of reality in the light of the Christian faith, something Rowling can’t claim. I find the “fantasy” comparisons of Tolkein and Harry Potter to be deeply flawed.

Fundamentally, Harry Potter indoctrinates young souls in the language and mechanics of the occult. The fact that the fake curses and hexes are not able to be reproduced because the “ingredients” are pure fantasy is beside the point. Curses are not pure fantasy. The fact that “curse” as such, and other elements of witchcraft, are presented in a glorified state throughout the Harry Potter series means that our kids’ minds are being introduced to and imbued with occult imagery.

Is indoctrination too strong a term? How about socialization? Should it not concern parents that Rowling only now, ten years after the introduction of the character Dumbledore, admitted that she intended this character to be “gay”? For goodness sake, this character is a father figure and a mentor in the books, and he falls in love with his evil arch-enemy! Rowling has said that her books were a “prolonged argument for tolerance” (Time, 10/20/07). Okay, so no indoctrination going on there, right?

The second dilemma for every Christian parent should be the perennial Halloween fest of negative imagination that these books generate. If Harry Potter is innocent fun, its literary spawn certainly are not. One trip to the Harry Potter section of a Borders bookstore (way before Halloween) gave me pause. Surrounding the Harry Potter rack in the children’s section of the store and in the front display were other titles that should raise the hair on the back of any parent’s neck. I recount just a few titles here: Dark Possession, The Wheel of Darkness, The Care and Feeding of Spirites [sic], The Night of the Soul Stealer, The Thief Queen’s Daughter, Blade of Fire, Secrets of Dripping Fang, My Father’s Dragon, The Dark Hills Divide, Peter and the Shadow Thieves, Soul Eater, Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, Vampirates Tide of Terror, Nightmare Academy, Enter the Portal to Monster and Mayhem, Lyra’s Oxford (authored by vicious anti-Catholic Phillip Pullman of “Golden Compass” and “His Dark Materials” fame)…and others.

337 million copies of occult imagery are being consumed by our youth in the Harry Potter series alone. The books may be good writing, but the writing is about something dark dressed up as something fun. That’s a great way to get kids hooked on the occult.

Sincerely Yours in Christ,


Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International

[Coleus]

Christian parents: Stop trusting Harry Potter

Vatican's Chief Exorcist Repeats Condemnation of Harry Potter Novels

HARRY POTTER: ENEMY OF GOD

Harry Potter and the Paganization of Children's Culture

[tyke]

I guess he would rather the children put down Harry Potter and pick up Halo 3 instead, or fritter away the evenings in front of the goggle box.

You know, perhaps the fact that he admits he has’t ever read a single word, or seen a single frame of Rowling’s work might clue some people into thinking the man doth protest too much.

Imagine what he would say to someone who was critiquing the Bible after admitting they had never read it.

By the way, curses are just as much a figment of the imagination as the rest of Rowling’s creation. The man is too credulous by half.

[PetroniusMaximus]

“Is indoctrination too strong a term? How about socialization? Should it not concern parents that Rowling only now, ten years after the introduction of the character Dumbledore, admitted that she intended this character to be “gay”? For goodness sake, this character is a father figure and a mentor in the books, and he falls in love with his evil arch-enemy!”

Harry Potter = Homosexual indoctrination.

[A.A. Cunningham]

I guess he would rather the children put down Harry Potter and pick up Halo 3 instead, or fritter away the evenings in front of the goggle box.

Did you purchase your Drama Queen doctorate from the back of Popular Science?

[BritExPatInFla]

“Harry Potter = Homosexual indoctrination.”

---

No, really? You can’t be serious. Fundies have a bit too much time on their hands to take the time to put that stuff out.

[Uncle Chip]

Fundamentally, Harry Potter indoctrinates young souls in the language and mechanics of the occult.... Curses are not pure fantasy. The fact that “curse” as such, and other elements of witchcraft, are presented in a glorified state throughout the Harry Potter series means that our kids’ minds are being introduced to and imbued with occult imagery.

Exactly --

[Hoodlum91]

It’s hard to take anyone seriously if they admit they actually haven’t reviewed the materials they are criticizing.

[CT-Freeper]

Fundamentally, Harry Potter indoctrinates young souls in the language and mechanics of the occult.... Curses are not pure fantasy. The fact that “curse” as such, and other elements of witchcraft, are presented in a glorified state throughout the Harry Potter series means that our kids’ minds are being introduced to and imbued with occult imagery.

I don't know about that. If anything, the spells as written in the Harry Potter series do help kids better understand the Latin & Greek roots that most English words are based on.

[humblegunner]

I have not read any of them or seen the movies

Well then, Tommy, you know nothing of what you speak and should shut your hole.

[dighton]

I never read a book before reviewing it; it prejudices a man so.

— Sydney Smith.

[Larry Lucido]

“Catholic church [Rev Peter Fleetwood, a member of the Vatican’s council for culture] stands up for Harry Potter”

http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,888638,00.html

Guess it depends who (whom?) you ask.

[JenB]

I don’t know much about the other books in the list he rattled off as “near the Harry Potter section” but neither does he if he’s listing “My Father’s Dragon” as harmful! That was my favorite book in third grade, about a boy who goes looking for dragons and has to do things like cross a river full of crocodiles (he gives them lollipops).

I think people should either learn more about what they’re talking about, or shut up.

Suzi, Rosie, you must not be good Catholics, you don’t have a “feeling of general unease” about Harry Potter!

[PetroniusMaximus]

“No, really? You can’t be serious. “

How can you even debate this?

Have you been living in a hole?

[Sloth]

I am at a bit of a disadvantage to comment on any particulars of the books since I have not read any of them or seen the movies, nor do I intend to... I do, however, feel it is important to offer some guidance on this issue from a third person point of view because some things can be observed about the books without having read them.

Remarkably similar to many Catholics' approach to the Bible.

[Coleus]

Remarkably similar to many Catholics’ approach to the Bible. >>>

none that i know of, you must be haning out with the CINO’s

[Coleus]

Guess it depends who (whom?) you ask.>>

Yes, I know.

http://www.spiritdaily.org/MHB%20editorials/The%20pope/benedictpotter.htm

[ga medic]

I loved My Father’s Dragon too. There is nothing wrong with it. Peter and the Soul Thieves is a Peter Pan story.

I have to question anyone who writes a whole column devoted to condemning books he has never read, and apparently knows nothing about. I thought “you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover”.