Harry Potter

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R_H_Benson said:
Such can be a gateway to religious indifferentism.

The fictional spells can and have lead children to dabble in the occult as if it were just a harmless hobby.
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The only people I know who dabbled in the occult did so after reading LOTRs. It sparked the fascination with the concept of magic that led them to investigate opportunities in the real world.

Again- if the fear/hazard is that a work of fiction will lead someone to the occult it is present in every work of fiction containing magic, no matter the author’s intent or how its portrayed. So, I don’t understand singling out of HP amongst other works with the same risk.
 
styrgwillidar said:
The only people I know who dabbled in the occult did so after reading LOTRs. It sparked the fascination with the concept of magic that led them to investigate opportunities in the real world.

Again- if the fear/hazard is that a work of fiction will lead someone to the occult it is present in every work of fiction containing magic, no matter the author’s intent or how its portrayed. So, I don’t understand singling out of HP amongst other works with the same risk.
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👍

Lou
 
styrgwillidar said:
The only people I know who dabbled in the occult did so after reading LOTRs. It sparked the fascination with the concept of magic that led them to investigate opportunities in the real world.

Again- if the fear/hazard is that a work of fiction will lead someone to the occult it is present in every work of fiction containing magic, no matter the author’s intent or how its portrayed. So, I don’t understand singling out of HP amongst other works with the same risk.
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True, my high school algebra teacher tried to put a spell on me from LOTR. When he handed back my test he looked at me and said “You shall not pass!!”
 
R_H_Benson said:
I just don’t know how much he studied Islam
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Enough that the Franciscans in the Holy Land are under orders to not try and “convert” the Muslims living in the region, but to treat them with the love & respect of a neighbor, like Jesus taught.
 
Oneofthewomen said:
Enough that the Franciscans in the Holy Land are under orders to not try and “convert” the Muslims living in the region, but to treat them with the love & respect of a neighbor, like Jesus taught.
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Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Mt. 28:19
 
Read all 7 books and have seen the 8 movie adaptions. As a Potterhead, I can definitely confirm there is nothing offensive about any world religions in the story. It’s simply fiction, and is fun for all ages 🙂
 
R_H_Benson said:
Why would a Catholic ever take a “comparative religions” course?
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Nearly every Catholic High School requires comparative religion in the Senior year.
You can’t combat error in other faith systems (if needed) if you have no clue where they are coming from.
 
pianistclare said:
Nearly every Catholic High School requires comparative religion in the Senior year.
You can’t combat error in other faith systems (if needed) if you have no clue where they are coming from.
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You also can’t defend your own faith (or may become insecure in it…) if you haven’t been exposed to the criticisms of it from other religions, or don’t understand their common misconceptions about catholicism. It is quite helpful to cover these and present the catholic counter-arguments when teaching the faith.
 
styrgwillidar said:
You also can’t defend your own faith (or may become insecure in it…) if you haven’t been exposed to the criticisms of it from other religions, or don’t understand their common misconceptions about catholicism. It is quite helpful to cover these and present the catholic counter-arguments when teaching the faith.
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Right.
Seems the OP is MIA, so I’m finished with this thread.
 
patrice_sweet said:
What does the Catholic Church teach about Harry Potter books or themes being used in a Church?
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There is no official Church teaching about the Harry Potter series and really no reason why there should be. There are only personal opinions of Catholics that go from one end of the spectrum to the other on the fantasy fiction series. I am going to post the same thoughts that I’ve posted in the nine**** other Harry Potter comment threads that I’ve participated in here on this Catholic Answers site for you to look over and come to your own conclusion regarding JK Rowling’s novels:

Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) publishes a terrific book about Harry Potter that’s specifically for Catholic parents and includes an interview with Catholic novelist and homeschooling mom Regina Doman in the last section of the book. It also covers the concern over then Cardinal Ratzinger’s reply to a women who wrote him about the book (that note has been discussed ad nauseum here on many closed threads) and Michael O’Brien’s take on HP is included, too.

It’s called "The Mystery of Harry Potter: A Catholic Family Guide " and is authored by Nancy Carpentier Brown, a Catholic homeschooling mom who also wrote the Father Brown Readers from Catholic Heritage Curricula (homeschool curriculum provider).

For any Catholic that has concerns about HP, the book gives a balanced and hysteria-free look at HP and how to discern if it’s a good choice for your family and your children. I’m sure there are people out there who have read it and still think HP’s not a good choice for their family, but it gives a Catholic view of the series ( and the movies that were out when it was published) so that parents can make an educated choice for their own families, instead of getting caught up in the anti-Harry frenzy that seems to dominate the fundamentalist mindset.

amazon.com/Mystery-Harry-Potter-Catholic-Family/dp/1592763987?ie=UTF8&Version=1&entries=0

Fr Luke Bell, OSB has also written a book about the series, sharing his thoughts and wisdom regarding HP and Catholicism:
amazon.com/Baptizing-Harry-Potter-Christian-Reading/dp/1587680580/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465595341&sr=1-1-fkmr1&keywords=harry+potter+br+luke+bell

If you are truly interested in a Catholic viewpoint on Harry Potter, I recommend you read the two books I have listed above, as the authors have went to great lengths in their research on the series from a Catholic perspective.
 
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