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No, you apply "Christian peer pressure" techniques - "real Christians don't read Harry Potter." I can't tell you how sick I am of this kind of thing. Since I was twelve years old, and people aroundme saw me reading fantasy and science fiction, I've gotten this stuff. I've been told reading Robert Heinlein endangers my salvation, the Arthur stories and Greek myths are Satanic and I shouldn't read them, that people who do role playing games are possessed by demons, that if I use instant messengers I'll be attacked by pedophiles, that watching Star Trek will damage my relationship with God, that philosophy classes will shake my faith, that criticizing really stupid adults who say these things is rebellious. Thank goodness my parents stood up for me, or I'd be a real mess.

Oh, incidentally, all the above claims are nonsense, as is the claim that Harry Potter will cause anyone to become a witch.

So no, maybe not all of the people I've named here are saying no-one should read Harry Potter - but all of them imply that if you're Christian, you won't. And I'm sick of it.

To all in this thread who report to us all THEY have first hand knowledge of God's will. Sir/Madam you offend our creator. You do not know God's will. You only read what you think is God's will. You put yourself above God or at God's level when believing you personaly know our creators intent.

Call your self Christians? Sir/Madam one does not profess his belief in Christ. You don't have to. It should be relevant in your actions. You do neither. Spouting bible verses is irrelevant. You pick and choose the bible verses to fit your own needs. One can find another bible verse to counteract your claim of a non-changing, ever-loving, benevolent, Omnipotent, omnipresent being.

Ask yourself? How did you come to know Christ/God? By a book, by a friend, by a preacher? You rely on earth bound things for your faith. Something the bible tells you to admonish and hate anything of the earth.

Your faith should not come out of a book that has been translated so many times as to lose its original meaning and intent of the message. Your faith should not come out of a preacher's mouth that claims to have saved you. Last I knew, man does not save mortal souls. He can claim he does. That does not make it true. Last but not least. I find it almost surprising to believe that one would judge pagans so harshly. When it was a pagan named Constantine that organized a council of other people like him to make a decision on whether Christ was part of God or was not part of God. Now he was either part of God from the beginning or he was not.

Now, does speaking harshly about Harry Potter make Harry Potter go away? Does speaking harshly of Harry Potter make children not want to read the books? Does reading Harry Potter make children Wiccans, Witches and evil satan worshippers? Well I must profess I am at a loss. My children have yet to turn me into a toad for spanking their behinds by casting any incantations. My children have yet to cast any spell on me to cause me to stop speaking to them when they no longer wish to hear me lecture.

To believe that by calling people witches, devils, satan worshippers will change their view of themselves. Will only make them change their view of your faith. That is no way to make your point of anyone's supposed mortal place in Heaven. In effect of saying you know what will happen to that person's soul you are in your actions acknowledging you know that person's soul. You are not God.

The question is whether it is appropriate for schools (see Pokemon)

Harry Potter is valid literature. It displays well constructed narrative, well developed characters, clean language and a plot line suitable for young readers. The answer then is yes, it is appropriate for schools. A hyperbolic attempt to compare it to a Pokemon cartoon is invalid, as you well know.

Fundie parents are stopping their children from reading Harry Potter, which is all fine and good.

Just what we need. Another bigot.

(My funny retort about how you linger like a skunk at a garden party.)

But in all honesty, there are many who would like to prevent anyone from reading Harry Potter.

Name at least 50 then.

(I ignore this stupid question and go on...)

Harry Potter is valid literature.

So is Catcher in the Rye but I don't want my 2nd grader reading it in school. It has no business in the schools. Parents can let their kids read Potter all they want. But it doesn't belong in the schools.

Sure it belongs in the schools, for the reasons I have outlined in my previous post. (That it is a piece of literature with clear language, character developement and plot suitable for the average elementary school aged child). You have made no case for why it should be banned from public schools, other than because you are a displeased and angry little man, much to be pitied.

I noticed you bravely ran from the question of naming 50 people who want to ban Potter.

You mean individual names like Eric Poliner, Gary Feenstra, Caryl Matrisciana, Patrick Matrisciana, Pat Robertson, David Williamson, Elizabeth Mounce, Stephen Mounce, Rev. Dan Larson, David Williamson, Cynthia Kersey, Rev. Robert McGee, or groups such as Family Friendly Libraries, Focus on the Family...blah, blah, blah...

You again have bravely ran away from making any case for why it should be banned from public schools, other than because you are a displeased and angry little man, much to be pitied.

I have yet to hear anyone say Potter should be banned from publication.

Ah, nice try at moving the goal posts HurdyGurdy. We have been discussing whether Potter should be banned from public schools all along, and now that you've been humiliated on that front, you fall back and claim that you really meant "banned from publication".

You are played easily like a hurdy gurdy. Just crank the crank.

It was fun. Ta!