Pope Benedict Opposes Harry Potter Novels

[Hildebrand]

Thepeug:

They’re entertaining novels. Nothing else.

I am glad you like them and understand they are novels.

I know a 12 boy who had a lightning both on his forehead and who pretend to be Harry Potter. By 13 he was into porn, South Park, sick jokes, etc.

I am NOT saying Harry Potter will lead to anything bad. Only saying his parents let him (a former altar boy) to be parented by society.

 

[Karin]

Hildebrand:

That is not it. Reading certain books and watching certain movies can warp your reality and be an obstacle in your relationship with God. Heck, watching certain news casts can warp your sense of reality.

Look at the “Star Wars geeks”. They spend much of their time watching, talking about, obsessing over, etc the “Star Wars Saga”. I don’t mind Star Wars for myself (I saw Ep III last month and thought it was awful ) because it will not shake my faith and I understand its development. Star Wars does have Oriental spirituality elements which are at strong odds with Christianity.
I find it funny, or maybe I just dont see things the way you do…but can somethings be about entertainment or does religion always have to play a role?

It is knowing your child, not allowing your child to be raised by society but by you. If all you do is give your kids Harry Potter, Star Wars, the Hulk, Brittany Spears, Christina Aguilera and all the other pop culture books and “artists” and Hollywood films, you are doing you your child a grave disservice. Heck, as much as my two sons would love to live the way you descibe…they dont. I raise my children along with their father…not society. But in that sense they can see age appropiate films shows etc They also understand the Harry Potter is make believe.

Harry Potter books *may *harm a child’s spiritual development and relationship with God. By making the child less interested in God and more interested in the attractive story involving kids, wizards, flying brooms, monsters, villains, insects, exotic animals, mystery, and so on.

If your child is not interested in religion and loves Brittany Spears, wearing skimpy clothing, playing with bratz dolls, etc then maybe Harry Potter books could be a help to your kid (I am only hypothesizing) because it introduces your child into a mythical story that can draw your child away from the over sexualized reality your child is in. Then you can explain Catholicism in relation to the Harry Potter Books - a life and death struggle between good and evil, angels, demons, saints, virtue, sacraments… If a parent were going to introduce children to a fantasy book, I would choose Lord of the Rings (not the movies, the books). The Lord of the Rings books are highly pro-Catholic and are easy to related to our faith. The Lord of the Rings Books are IMHO appropriate for children who are practicing Catholics.

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/arts/al0160.html

 

[Hildebrand]

Karin:

Heck, as much as my two sons would love to live the way you descibe…they dont. I raise my children along with their father…not society. But in that sense they can see age appropiate films shows etc They also understand the Harry Potter is make believe.

I am happy they understand Harry Potter is make believe. I think most “well-rounded” “normal” kids do.

“Sin City” is age appropriate for adult Catholics.

 

[Isidore_AK]

Hildebrand:

I am glad you like them and understand they are novels.

I know a 12 boy who had a lightning both on his forehead and who pretend to be Harry Potter. By 13 he was into porn, South Park, sick jokes, etc.

I am NOT saying Harry Potter will lead to anything bad. Only saying his parents let him (a former altar boy) to be parented by society.

I’d bet anything that it was the result of the popular culture he was exposed to at school, as opposed to anything he read.

I hate to say it, but at 13 most boys are into ‘porn’ (maybe not the hardcore stuff yet, but they’re most definately interested), cursing, dirty jokes, etc. Thats ‘The Way It Is’ in the USA today. I remember in the 80’s…you learned to cuss about third grade (just don’t get caught!), you usually managed to snag a playboy from an older friend’s (or older brother, friend’s older brother, etc.) porn collection in 6th or 7th grade, would tell dirty jokes (very sexually explicit jokes) in school from about 7th grade on.

Its a jungle in our public schools…and let me tell ya, the private Christian & Catholic schools aren’t much better…they hide it well, but they have the same problems as public schools.

Heck, my wife’s best friend caught her son smoking pot with the church youth group…

Now, I’m not condoning any of this. I think its wrong, but when I was a kid I did everything that everybody else did…and that was in the 80’s & early/mid 90’s. From all reports, its much worse now…

I seriously don’t think ‘Harry Potter’ has anything to do with it…

 

[john_ennis]

Karin:

Most people kids included read these books for entertainment…I would love to know how many people after reading these books denounced the Catholic Church and turned to witch craft, sorcery or satanism???

There have been 2,109 so far.

Seriously, the fact that I don’t know of a single girl who tossed her parents’ values and became sexually promiscuous as a result of reading Judy Blume’s Forever, doesn’t mean I’m going to let my adolescent girls read it.

Look, we’re allowed to make judgments about the healthfulness of literature based on our reason and instinct even without statistical data.

Peace.
John

 

[john_ennis]

Hildebrand:

Oh please.

Nobody is saying a book burning/banning should be in place again.

I know. It’s so funny–and educators (some) tend to be the worst about this. You have a problem with a book, and it’s “censorship!”

I think we ought to start opposing parents who censor what kids eat as well.

Who do they think they are, worrying about their kids’ physical or spiritual health?

Peace.
John

 

[Hildebrand]

Isidore_AK:

I’d bet anything that it was the result of the popular culture he was exposed to at school, as opposed to anything he read.

I hate to say it, but at 13 most boys are into ‘porn’ (maybe not the hardcore stuff yet, but they’re most definately interested), cursing, dirty jokes, etc. Thats ‘The Way It Is’ in the USA today. I remember in the 80’s…you learned to cuss about third grade (just don’t get caught!), you usually managed to snag a playboy from an older friend’s (or older brother, friend’s older brother, etc.) porn collection in 6th or 7th grade, would tell dirty jokes (very sexually explicit jokes) in school from about 7th grade on.

Its a jungle in our public schools…and let me tell ya, the private Christian & Catholic schools aren’t much better…they hide it well, but they have the same problems as public schools.

Heck, my wife’s best friend caught her son smoking pot with the church youth group…

Now, I’m not condoning any of this. I think its wrong, but when I was a kid I did everything that everybody else did…and that was in the 80’s & early/mid 90’s. From all reports, its much worse now…

I seriously don’t think ‘Harry Potter’ has anything to do with it…

I did not say it was Harry Potter and don’t think it had anything to do with it.

I was saying the boy went along with the current culture and his parental involvement, particularly on the part of his father was non-existent. So what the child did was embrace the “American culture”. He was never grounded in anything and was influenced by the media (not the TV news, but American media in general).

If families would pray the rosary every night and spend more time together, our children would be much better off and possess some armor against the world’s effect on and influence over them. But that is another topic altogether.

 

[Hildebrand]

john ennis:

I know. It’s so funny–and educators (some) tend to be the worst about this. You have a problem with a book, and it’s “censorship!”

I think we ought to start opposing parents who censor what kids eat as well.

Who do they think they are, worrying about their kids’ physical or spiritual health?

Peace.

John

I agree and respect the decision of loving parents who’s make decision of the best interest of the child. They know their child and do not want provide anything unhealthy to him or her.

Some kids are more susceptible to gaining weight than others. Some kids are more sensitive to stories like Harry Potter than others.

 

[Hildebrand]

Isidore_AK:

I seriously don’t think ‘Harry Potter’ has anything to do with it…

Also, our kids need real role models.

For a kid who loves Harry Potter books, one of the characters of the story may be a role model for them. Maybe they are the best the child knows of, but having Harry Potter and friends as role models will probably not lead to a furthering in holiness and relationship with God. In addition, the books are filled with wizards, spells, and many other things that can bring a child away from desiring the eternal good and enter a fantasy world which does not exist.

 

[john_ennis]

Hildebrand:

Also, our kids need real role models.

For a kid who loves Harry Potter books, one of the characters of the story may be a role model for them. Maybe they are the best the child knows of, but having Harry Potter and friends as role models will probably not lead to a furthering in holiness and relationship with God. In addition, the books are filled with wizards, spells, and many other things that can bring a child away from desiring the eternal good and enter a fantasy world which does not exist.

A very sensible post. Some books my daughter brings home have nothing in them overtly alarming, but at the same time have nothing but characters who act and talk in ways which, if your own child were doing it, would require constant correction from you.
If you think of the book as a manner in which the author (some man or woman you don’t know at all) sits in your living room and talks for hours at a time with your adolescent child, while you are out of hearing range, you suddenly become much more cautious.

Peace.
John

 

[mlchance]

Let’s not overlook the horrible things that can happen when people take material such as Harry Potter too seriously as a guide for occult activity.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[Digitonomy]

Nan S:

And how many parents, thrilled to have their kids reading anything, even know that the Catechism of the Catholic Church says,

“All practices of magic or sorcery … are gravely contrary … are to be condemned …”

Emphasis on ALL.

How about emphasis on PRACTICES? I see no indication that the Catechism is condemning the literary depiction of magic.

If you hold that 2115-2117 condemn the works of HC Andersen, the Grimm brothers, Walt Disney, JRR Tolkein, CS Lewis, and others, that’s fine. But I think yours is a minority view.

 

[Thepeug]

Agreed.

 

[Hildebrand]

Digitonomy:

How about emphasis on PRACTICES? I see no indication that the Catechism is condemning the literary depiction of magic.

If you hold that 2115-2117 condemn the works of HC Andersen, the Grimm brothers, Walt Disney, JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, and others, that’s fine. But I think yours is a minority view.

JRR Tolkien’s “Middle Earth”…

Gandalf - lesser angelic being

Saurman - lesser angelic being which fell

Sauron - angelic being which fell and became the Lt. of Morgoth.

Valar - High angelic beings

Morgoth - fallen high angelic being having most of the characteristics of Satan. Not able to create living beings, only able to corrupt them (i.e. Elves → Orcs).

Elves - how man was suppose to be on earth before the fall in the Garden of Eden

Eru (Ilúvatar) - God (the Creator)

Man - his salvation is hidden from him for the time being, to be revealed later on. It is believed by some that God may become man to redeem humans.

I could continue if you want with “Secret Fire” and “Flame Imperishable”… but I’ll stop here.

 

[Shiann]

Hildebrand:

JRR Tolkien’s “Middle Earth”…

Gandalf - lesser angelic being

Saurman - lesser angelic being which fell

Sauron - angelic being which fell and became the Lt. of Morgoth.

Valar - High angelic beings

Morgoth - fallen high angelic being having most of the characteristics of Satan. Not able to create living beings, only able to corrupt them (i.e. Elves → Orcs).

Elves - how man was suppose to be on earth before the fall in the Garden of Eden

Eru (Ilúvatar) - God (the Creator)

Man - his salvation is hidden from him for the time being, to be revealed later on. It is believed by some that God may become man to redeem humans.

I could continue if you want with “Secret Fire” and “Flame Imperishable”… but I’ll stop here.

This is all very true, but I don’t follow your connection with the post you quoted from Digitonomy.

Sorry

 

[Adonis33]

I think comparing Harry Potter novels and other fantasy fiction is not a fair comparison. You have to look at the intension of the author. I understand from an interview that Rowling wanted to introduce children, or make them aware of witchcraft. I’m not saying that she wanted to make minions of her readership, but the point I’m trying to make is that she isn’t merely trying to entertain the masses.

CS Lewis, on the other hans, was writing a christian parallel with his fantasy, while Tolkkien was writing an anti-war piece (I believe).

 

[mlchance]

Adonis33:

I understand from an interview that Rowling wanted to introduce children, or make them aware of witchcraft.

We’re better off not believing internet hoaxes and “news” reports from the Onion. Rowling has never made such a claim. In fact, in real interviews, she states her total disbelief in the occult. For example, there is this excerpt from an interview with Katie Couric:

Rowling: “I think that’s utter garbage. I absolutely do not believe in the occult, practice the occult. I’ve never… I’ve met literally thousands of children now. Not one of them has said to me you’ve really turned me on to the occult, not one of them. Now I’m convinced that if that’s what my books were doing, I would by now have met one child who would have come up to me, covered in pentagrams and said, ‘Can we go and sacrifice a goat later together, will you do that with me?’ It’s never happened, funnily enough.”

**Couric: **“You find it very annoying, I can tell.”

Rowling: “Well occasionally I do, just occasionally I do. Because I am being accused of something quite horrible. So of course I’ve got to defend myself.”

**Couric: **“What do you believe in? I’m just curious about your belief system — God, heaven?”

**Rowling: **“Oh, I do believe in God.”

Couric: “You do?”

Rowling: “Yeah, which I’ve said before, but that just seems to annoy them even more For some reason. I don’t think they want me on their side at all.”

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[wabrams]

Hildebrand:

By 13 he was into porn, South Park, sick jokes, etc.

You just described most males when they start to hit puberty.

 

[Hildebrand]

Shiann:

This is all very true, but I don’t follow your connection with the post you quoted from Digitonomy.

Sorry

I was saying - putting J.R.R. Tokien in the list with Walt Disney is not correct. J.R.R. Tolkien’s “magic” is VERY different from Snow White, Cinderella, and the rest of them.

In his work, Tolkien mentions how Middle Earth “magic” is not magic, but that is how the common people of ME see it.

Fireworks = magic in M.E.

 

[Hildebrand]

wabrams:

You just described most males when they start to hit puberty.

Is that how bad its become?