Posted on 12/27/2001 7:56:38 AM PST by Wiley Sr
The Harry Potter fiction series, widely heralded by critics as exceptional literature and by teachers for tuning millions of children into reading, is being condemned by Christ Community Church pastor Jack Brock as evil.
Harry Potter is nothing but witchcraft, Brock said. Its evil hidden behind the face of an innocent boy with little glasses.
Brock, who will be giving a sermon this Sunday entitled, The Baby Jesus or Harry Potter? said the church plans to hold a holy bonfire Dec. 30 to publicly burn Harry Potter books and other so-called unacceptable material.
The service begins at 6:30 p.m. and afterwards we will conduct a burning, he said.
Why does Brock find Harry Potter so offensive? The simple part is the story takes place in Hogwarts Boarding School, he said. All the teachers are witches and wizards, and they teach witchcraft.
If we hired someone who was into witchcraft or teaching witchcraft at (Christ Community Church) school, no one would come, he said.
In the book, written by British author J.K. Rowling, Brock said Harry Potter is labeled as being a wizard who wields good magic, and fights those who wield bad magic, something Brock also said is misleading.
Its (magic) all evil, he said. What she (Rowling) has done is make Harry look good and Voldemort (the villain) evil, but they both come from the same source. You can't call good evil, or evil good. That's what it is all about.
Brock said the witchcraft in the book is capturing the minds of young kids, who have a hard time dividing between fantasy and reality, and make them more prone to dabbling in evil practices.
Though Brock could not recall hearing any actual reports of children engaging in harmful practices as a result of reading Harry Potter, he said the books could inspire them to learn about real witchcraft practices such as Wicca, which he termed an abomination.
The greatest danger is these children are enamored with Potter and they go on the Internet to learn more about the book, and they're directed to other places where they can see information about Wicca, he said.
Brock went on to say that although the Harry Potter books are works of fiction, they are essentially teachings in Wicca.
The teachers are reading Harry Potter in school and that's a religion, he said.
Brock said he has not personally read any of the books, nor has he seen Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone in the movie theaters.
I've seen video clips and reviews, he said. Readers Digest and other magazines are carrying titles about the author such as The woman who bewitched the world, and The wizard behind Harry Potter.
When asked why children's tales featuring magic such as The Wizard of Oz and C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia were considered acceptable material, Brock said it was because the wicked witches were beaten and the characters did not learn to use magic.
When reminded of Dorothy's magic red slippers in The Wizard of Oz stolen from the Wicked Witch of the East and the magical gifts given to the heroes of C. S. Lewis The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Brock said yes, but that was good magic.
Brock said on Dec. 30, other items, such as pornography and Heavy Metal records that exalt Satan will go into the fire with Harry Potter, depending on what items the congregation plans to dispose of.
Brock said he was not concerned with any public image the book-burning might give himself or the congregation.
As far as I'm concerned, the church is not out to make people look good ... were making a statement against evil, he said. The problem with most churches today is that nothing is said because they'll get people upset. This will get them thinking. Pastor Brock can choose to burn Harry Potter books at his church since that is his Constitutional right, he said. One can also go to the Public Library and choose or simply not choose to read Harry Potter books.
Let each person be fully convinced in their own mind regarding what they think is right and let them choose, Preston continued, but let no one take away that right to exercise ones right to choose.
Perhaps he's just jealous.
Burning books is just stupid. I would not mind what this particular preacher does, except that this kind of activity can (and will) be used to smear all Christians.
They don't have too. He's done that himself.
It cannot. And that kind of thinking is why we must not stand for the hatred and bigorty shown all Muslims for the attacks of 9.11.
These Christian puritans are cranks and have to ignore the "occult" references that occur in their own bibles.
In no way do they have anything to do with the character of anyone but themselves.
That may be how you see it, but most Americans (assisted by the media) will associate it with Nazi book-burning. And that association brings discredit to the cause of Christ.
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