Has Harry Potter been offically banned by the Vatican?

[paramedicgirl]

Lazerlike42:

Don’t worry that she relies on a muse lol… Tons of writers rely on their “muses,” and I doubt most of them are the Holy Spirit! Are some of them demons? Sure! Are they all? No. Most of the time when someone relies on his or her “muse,” they are relying on waiting until their own imagination comes up with something and then attributing it to some non-existent “muse” that they think helped them.

I’m not saying you absolutely have to read Harry Potter or even that you ought to. I’m not even some huge fan. I just get upset when people get on it, or anything else, without giving it a chance, and especially without letting it speak for itself.

Nice response. Thanks! ( I don’t think I could fit in one of those 800 page Harry Potter books in between all my Catholic books!)

 

[johnshelby]

i have the new HP book now, haven’t started reading it yet, but i will
in the next few days…

there are people who shouldn’t read the HP books, just like the ones
who read the DiVinci code as serious work… i saw a program on the
National Geographic channel just last night, about the book, and it’s claims… they didn’t say the facts in the book were correct, but then they didn’t exactly go to any lengths to disprove them either… i was
kind of disappointed…

anyway…

Harry Potter books are no more dangerous than the Wizard of Oz or Peter Pan, or other fantasy books of that vein… unless we make them dangerous…

 

[Lazerlike42]

johnshelby:

i have the new HP book now, haven’t started reading it yet, but i will
in the next few days…

there are people who shouldn’t read the HP books, just like the ones
who read the DiVinci code as serious work… i saw a program on the
National Geographic channel just last night, about the book, and it’s claims… they didn’t say the facts in the book were correct, but then they didn’t exactly go to any lengths to disprove them either… i was
kind of disappointed…

anyway…

Harry Potter books are no more dangerous than the Wizard of Oz or Peter Pan, or other fantasy books of that vein… unless we make them dangerous…

The thing that makes me the most upset is when someone says that kids shouldn’t be reading HP but should read the Chronicles of Narnia and Tolkien instead, because these were Christian writers who put Christian ideals into them. The fact is that if a kid can’t tell that the magic is bad or wrong in HP isn’t gonna be able to tell that Gandalf is bad either.

 

[MooCowSteph]

jimmy:

If the pope wanted a book on a banned books list, it would have been on the list long before your friend heard of it. I would say what your friend has heard is completely false.

I agree with you. I am looking for something to show her that there is no longer a banned books list. The “Harry Potter is evil” stuff I’ll avoid because it’s opinion and I’m not trying to change her opinion. I merely want her to know the facts before she forms her opinions based on what she thinks is official church teaching.

 

[crobynb]

Harry Potter books are no more dangerous than the Wizard of Oz or Peter Pan, or other fantasy books of that vein… unless we make them dangerous…

Exactly! Good point. How are Toy Story, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Care Bears and other childrens stories/movies/cartoons/books any different. The difference is the parents or guardians who instruct their children on differentiating between right/wrong, evil/good, and fact from fiction!! Fantasy, pretend, and make believe are not evil when your heart and intentions are innocent. (just my opinion! )

 

[BeluvdLily]

I’m just amazed by all the hoopla and controversy over these books. They are fiction. They are stories for children (and adults), just like someone said above about Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, etc. Give me a break. If people are that easily led astray they certainly have a lot more problems than reading Harry Potter. I think they’re great books and would never keep a child from reading them. People who are really into witchcraft are going to be looking for something a lot darker than these stories. To me it’s much ado about nothing.

Amie

 

[paramedicgirl]

crobynb:

hmmmm . . . was this supposed to be another HP bashing thread?

Sorry, but your meaning escapes me…

crobynb:

I like the books very much. I do not think my soul is in danger for having read them and for having watched the movies.

I agree that people who think these books jeopardize their faith should not read them. Those who take a different approach are most likely not influenced by them.

crobynb:

But to each their own - and truly I applaud your daughter for sticking up for what she believes in at such a young age. That is a blessing that some adults still do not have. She will have an advantage in life with faith so strong.

I believe she is basing her reaction to the books on the phrase in the act of contrition where we promise to avoid the near occasion of sin.

 

[Writer]

sanpablo:

The main theme of the book is that love is the most powerful force in the world, so I doubt it’ll ever get banned consider that.

There is reportedly a lot of Christian symbolism in the books, but some of it is somewhat veiled. I don’t see a problem anymore, although I used to be a little more concerned.