Pope Opposes Harry Potter Novels - Signed Letters from Cardinal Ratzinger Now Online

[JKirkLVNV]

TPJCatholic:

Catholic Exchange

1. Harry Potter is a global long-term project to change the culture. In this generation of youths, inhibitions against magic and the occult are being destroyed. Thus, forces re-enter society which Christianity had overcome. **This sounds like a conspiracy theory. **
2. Hogwarts, the school of magic and witchcraft, is a closed world of violence and horror, of cursing and bewitching, of racist ideology, of blood sacrifice, disgust, and obsession. There is an atmosphere of continuous threat, which the young reader cannot escape. This may go some way toward describing what happens at Hogwarts in part, but it certainly doesn’t paint an accurate picture of Rowling’s world. Also, the kid could close the book.
3. While Harry Potter appears in the beginning to fight against evil, in fact the similarities between him and Voldemort, the arch-evil adversary in the tale, become more and more obvious. In volume five, Harry is being obsessed by Voldemort, which leads to symptoms of personality disintegration. So we’ll see if Harry conquers.
4. The human world becomes degraded; the world of witches and sorcerers becomes glorified. Muggles don’t come off very well, do they?
5. There is no positive transcendent dimension. The supernatural is entirely demonic. Divine symbols are perverted. Not at all true. Goodness prevails.
6. Harry Potter is no modern fairy tale. In fairy tales, sorcerers and witches are unambiguous figures of evil and the hero escapes their power through the exercise of virtue. In the Harry Potter universe there is no character that endeavors consistently to achieve good. For seemingly good ends evil means are being used. Not at all true. There are plenty of characters that come down on the side of light and goodness. Also, I’m guessing she hasn’t much use for Gandalf the Wizard in Tokien’s Lord of the Rings (and he was a devout Catholic).
7. A (young!) reader’s power of discernment of good and evil is blocked out through emotional manipulation and intellectual confusion. I’ve not met a single child of whom this is true, either in the school where I teach, or among my Catholic nieces and nephews, who are mad about the books.
8. It is an assault upon this generation of youth, seducing it playfully into a world of witchcraft and sorcery, filling the imagination of the young with images of a world in which evil reigns, from which there is no escape, on the contrary, it is portrayed as highly desirable. This would mean that they cannot understand the difference between fiction and non-fiction. Not usually an issue after third grade.
9. Those who value plurality of opinion should resist the nearly overwhelming power of this peer pressure, which is being accomplished through a gigantic corporate and multimedia blitz — one which displays elements of totalitarian brainwashing.
   Again, shades of a conspiracy theory. I suppose it could be true, but I’m always suspicious of them. For one thing, a conspiracy usually involves more than one person, which basically means you have a committee, and we all know how well those work out.
10. Since through the Potter books faith in a loving God is systematically undermined, even destroyed in many young people, through false “values” and mockery of Judeo-Christian truth, the introduction of these books in schools is intolerant. Parents should refuse permission for their children to take part in Potter indoctrination for reasons of faith and conscience.
    It’s true that thus far the Triune God hasn’t shown up, but He doesn’t show up in LOTR or The Chronicles of Narnia, either, at least not overtly. But there are lots of hints at transcendent goodness in all of the books, because they have heroes and heroes, by definition, transcend. I doubt very seriously that faith in God is undermined, and I fail to see either a mockery of Judeo-Christian truth. The author sounds to me like my granny (whom I love very much, may she rest in everlasting peach and may the Light of Heaven shine upon her), who believed that all the blame for the ills of modern society could be laid squarely at the feet of the Beatles.

I haven’t read them all. I lost interest and couldn’t get through the fifth one. Rowlings writes well enough, but she’s no Tolkien and he pretty much ruined all other fantasy for me.

Cardinal Ratzinger’s response seems pretty pro forma to me. It’s not a denunciation from the Chair of Peter, as someone else has said.

 

[HagiaSophia]

The Catholic Insider is a podcast by father Roderick Vonhögen, Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Utrecht, The Netherlands and is carrying the following two blurbs on Harry Potter.

Vatican Radio addresses Pope’s alleged condemnation of Harry Potter!

Vatican Radio clears up the confusion about pope Benedict’s alleged condemnation of the Harry Potter series! Listen to a special podcast in which a Vatican official says that there’s nothing wrong with Harry Potter.

catholicinsider.com/scripts/index.php
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
" ’ Pope misinformed about Harry Potter’

“Pope Benedict XVI has been misinformed about the contents of the Harry Potter books and the intention of their author, J.K. Rowling’”. According to Dutch philosopher and catholic theologian Roderick Vonhögen, a priest from the diocese of Utrecht, the news that the pope would oppose the Harry Potter novels is the result of a publicity stunt by German writer Gabriele Kuby.

Kuby, the author of the book Harry Potter - gut oder böse (Harry Potter- good or evil?) has recently published scanned copies of letters signed by Cardinal Ratzinger, in which he praises her book for enlightening people about Harry Potter, “because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly”.

Old news

“It’s old news, conveniently brought back into the media to promote Kuby’s book in the media-frenzy surrounding the publication of the sixth Harry Potter novel”, says Vonhögen. “These letters date back to March 2003, before Cardinal Ratzinger’s election as pope, and were widely discussed in the German media. Personally, I think Ratzinger’s reaction was based on incomplete and incorrect information.”

According to the Dutch priest, who is the author of a podcast (an internet radio program) about the symbolism and themes in the Harry Potter series, Kuby’s book distorts the contents of the Harry Potter novels. In ten arguments she accuses J.K. Rowling of manipulating young readers and confusing their moral discernment by presenting them a world full of violence, racism, witchcraft, curses and possession. Thereby, Rowling would seek to “systematically destroy” faith in a loving God. "

catholicinsider.com/scripts/index.php

 

[mumto5]

Harry is a Christian , maybe even Catholic - he has a godfather! Or did :crying:

 

[bcuster]

I have enjoyed reading each of the 7 Harry Potter books. Here are some of the good things I found there:

Much like C.S. Lewis’s “Magic before the dawn of time,” Harry is saved (and eventually defeats Voldemort) with Love and self-sacrifice.

After years of relativist morals in children’s literature, children are once again pondering Good and evil, loyalty, perserverence, personal sacrifice, honesty, responsibility for one’s actions, the strength of family love…

Much like, JRR Tolkien, Harry Potter is not an alegory. It is a wonderfully imaginative story of good vs. evil, love vs. hatred, life after death, good and love triumph. This tale brings hope to many children (and adults) that there is more to life than what we have here on earth. Much like the Communion of Saints, those who have died act as Patrons (Patronus) to the living.

As with all literature, it can be hijacked by those who read into it things that the author did not attend. Neo-pagans may use the books to support their twisted agenda. They can do that with “The Lord of the Rings” also where there is magic, and wizards, and hobbits, and talking trees, and unspeakable evil–that are overcome by love, honesty, loyalty, perserverence, and many other virtues.

I understand that some are worried about children being influenced by the worldly culture. I would rather see a family read Harry Potter together and talk about the similarities and differences between Harry Potter and the Way, the Truth, and the Light than watch most of what is on the TV set, in Movies, in video games etc.

 

[Duffyo7]

Swell, another opinion by someone who’s probably never read one of the books.

Honestly, doesn’t the Vatican have something better to do with its’ time?

Scout :tiphat:

It’s time is about saving souls from damnation…The books stink of sulpher.

 

[Nohome]

It’s time is about saving souls from damnation…The books stink of sulpher.

Got to ask, have you read them? I think people fear them because children are so keen about reading them. They assume something is amiss because children actually want to read.

The HP books made a reader out of my daughter. She no longer goes to the library to ask about a book to read, she requests an entire series.

Nohome

 

[Mag_Uidhir]

Haven’t read them, have no intention of reading them, I have better things to do with my time, I prefer religious books, DIY books, music, my 4 children and 3 grandchildren, gardening and a multitude of other things so I never did get on the HP train, have no time too.

 

[Nohome]

Ten Arguments Against Harry Potter

What a bunch of tripe!

1. Harry Potter is a global long-term project to change the culture. In this generation of youths, inhibitions against magic and the occult are being destroyed. Thus, forces re-enter society which Christianity had overcome.

One could say the same of C.S.Lewis, but I guess he was Christian so it was not such a threat

1. Hogwarts, the school of magic and witchcraft, is a closed world of violence and horror, of cursing and bewitching, of racist ideology, of blood sacrifice, disgust, and obsession. There is an atmosphere of continuous threat, which the young reader cannot escape.

Really? I missed those pages. The school gets Christmas and Easter recess. They must only celebrate the secular holiday.

1. While Harry Potter appears in the beginning to fight against evil, in fact the similarities between him and Voldemort, the arch-evil adversary in the tale, become more and more obvious. In volume five, Harry is being obsessed by Voldemort, which leads to symptoms of personality disintegration.

Most 10 year olds who have read the book understand how and why the main character’s personality develops.

1. The human world becomes degraded; the world of witches and sorcerers becomes glorified.

Are we talking about C.S. Lewis again?

1. There is no positive transcendent dimension. The supernatural is entirely demonic. Divine symbols are perverted.

Like the love of a mother saving a child? I don’t recall any “devine” symbols to pervert.

1. Harry Potter is no modern fairy tale. In fairy tales, sorcerers and witches are unambiguous figures of evil and the hero escapes their power through the exercise of virtue. In the Harry Potter universe there is no character that endeavors consistently to achieve good. For seemingly good ends evil means are being used.

Making the series soundly based in the realities of this world.

1. A (young!) reader’s power of discernment of good and evil is blocked out through emotional manipulation and intellectual confusion.

No, that’s just adult non-readers!

1. It is an assault upon this generation of youth, seducing it playfully into a world of witchcraft and sorcery, filling the imagination of the young with images of a world in which evil reigns, from which there is no escape, on the contrary, it is portrayed as highly desirable.

Again C.S. Lewis

1. Those who value plurality of opinion should resist the nearly overwhelming power of this peer pressure, which is being accomplished through a gigantic corporate and multimedia blitz — one which displays elements of totalitarian brainwashing.

It aint peer pressure, it’s good reading that makes kids line up to buy the books.

1. Since through the Potter books faith in a loving God is systematically undermined, even destroyed in many young people, through false “values” and mockery of Judeo-Christian truth, the introduction of these books in schools is intolerant. Parents should refuse permission for their children to take part in Potter indoctrination for reasons of faith and conscience.

:yawn: Nothing but alarmist drivel!

Nohome
(who actually read the books)

 

[Nohome]

Haven’t read them, have no intention of reading them, I have better things to do with my time

Like criticize things you don’t know about?

 

[Mag_Uidhir]

Like criticize things you don’t know about?

I’m not one of those laser beam type of movie fellows, I can’t criticize them, except those type of books don’t interest me.

If it’s true the Vatican don’t encourage them then there it is from the top.

I’m not totally against fantasy, I liked the Star Ship Enterprise stuff though I know they weren’t really beamed up !

I liked Land of the Giants in my childhood, and wanted to be one so I could beat up all those people at school that I brushed with, Lost in Space too.

I’m not a reader, only if it’s knowledge will I bother picking up a book, HP could be a suttle way to desensitize our children, who knows, like I say, I haven’t read them.

People camping out over night to obtain a copy made me wonder, what tha hell is going on with people ? I may never know.

Think I’d rather watch Road Runner, Tweety Bird or Tom and Jerry, maybe I should read HP. difficult choice

 

[Nohome]

I’m not one of those laser beam type of movie fellows, I can’t criticize them, except those type of books don’t interest me.

Fair enough.

If it’s true the Vatican don’t encourage them then there it is from the top.

The vatican never said the books were bad. The news story is about a personal letter, not a vatican document. In fact, in 2003, Vatican officials actually said the books were O.K.

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2722077.stm

I’m not a reader, only if it’s knowledge will I bother picking up a book, HP could be a suttle way to desensitize our children, who knows, like I say, I haven’t read them.

All books are knowledge. Come on, even Jesus used stories to teach!

People camping out over night to obtain a copy made me wonder, what tha hell is going on with people ? I may never know.

They do this for football tickets too. It is more a publicity stunt more than anything else.

Think I’d rather watch Road Runner, Tweety Bird or Tom and Jerry, maybe I should read HP. difficult choice

You listed what some consider very violent and racist cartoons. T&J glorified smoking! If you aren’t interested in the HP series I woulnd’t read them. I read them because my child was interested and I wanted to read them before she did (like all her other books). I liked them very much.

Nohome

 

[edwest2]

I think all Christians need to have a sensitivity to sin in their lives. The current secular culture in America is trying to erase this. Nothing is sinful or causes guilt or shame anymore in the secular world.

As the Bible tells us, we are in the world but we are not of the world. I feel like I am in a strange land because most of the things I’m told single guys like me should be doing I don’t want to do because of my love for Jesus Christ.

The Harry Potter books, like everything children read, need to be reviewed by the parents. Because of their widespread popularity, it is important to look at the books and the movies with the mind of Christ.

And since we are all on the internet, it’s important to do your own research when anyone claims the Pope said this or that.

God bless,
Ed

 

[Mag_Uidhir]

You listed what some consider very violent and racist cartoons. T&J glorified smoking! If you aren’t interested in the HP series I woulnd’t read them. I read them because my child was interested and I wanted to read them before she did (like all her other books). I liked them very much.

Nohome

Yes probably, even some nursery rhymes nowadays aren’t considered to be politically correct.

If my only sin was reading a Harry Potter book I’d be a happy man.

Enjoy your books. :tiphat:

 

[CathCentrist]

Ten Arguments Against Harry Potter
Catholic Exchange

http://www.catholicexchange.com/ius/vm/ahd_pinline.gif

1. Harry Potter is a global long-term project to change the culture. In this generation of youths, inhibitions against magic and the occult are being destroyed. Thus, forces re-enter society which Christianity had overcome.
2. Hogwarts, the school of magic and witchcraft, is a closed world of violence and horror, of cursing and bewitching, of racist ideology, of blood sacrifice, disgust, and obsession. There is an atmosphere of continuous threat, which the young reader cannot escape.
3. While Harry Potter appears in the beginning to fight against evil, in fact the similarities between him and Voldemort, the arch-evil adversary in the tale, become more and more obvious. In volume five, Harry is being obsessed by Voldemort, which leads to symptoms of personality disintegration.
4. The human world becomes degraded; the world of witches and sorcerers becomes glorified.
5. There is no positive transcendent dimension. The supernatural is entirely demonic. Divine symbols are perverted.
6. Harry Potter is no modern fairy tale. In fairy tales, sorcerers and witches are unambiguous figures of evil and the hero escapes their power through the exercise of virtue. In the Harry Potter universe there is no character that endeavors consistently to achieve good. For seemingly good ends evil means are being used.
7. A (young!) reader’s power of discernment of good and evil is blocked out through emotional manipulation and intellectual confusion.
8. It is an assault upon this generation of youth, seducing it playfully into a world of witchcraft and sorcery, filling the imagination of the young with images of a world in which evil reigns, from which there is no escape, on the contrary, it is portrayed as highly desirable.
9. Those who value plurality of opinion should resist the nearly overwhelming power of this peer pressure, which is being accomplished through a gigantic corporate and multimedia blitz — one which displays elements of totalitarian brainwashing.
10. Since through the Potter books faith in a loving God is systematically undermined, even destroyed in many young people, through false “values” and mockery of Judeo-Christian truth, the introduction of these books in schools is intolerant. Parents should refuse permission for their children to take part in Potter indoctrination for reasons of faith and conscience.

catholicexchange.com/vm/index.asp?vm_id=36&art_id=29398

Typical radical evangelical extreme fundamentalist hooey

 

[estesbob]

Typical radical evangelical extreme fundamentalist hooey

To put it mildly.

 

[estesbob]

Haven’t read them, have no intention of reading them, I have better things to do with my time, I prefer religious books, DIY books, music, my 4 children and 3 grandchildren, gardening and a multitude of other things so I never did get on the HP train, have no time too.

Well that makes you an expert in what is wrong wtih the books. I swear when i read people run down these books i wonder if there is a different version of the Harry Potter books out there that i havent run across.

 

[Grace_Angel]

It’s time is about saving souls from damnation…The books stink of sulpher.

I think the books are not good, but that is a"gut feeling" that something is amiss. leaving out magic and darkness etc.
The Chief exorcist of Rome Fr Gabriel Amorth has also spoken out against them.
GraceAngel.

 

[estesbob]

I** think the books are not good, but that is a"gut feeling" that something is amiss.** leaving out magic and darkness etc.

Why?

The Chief exorcist of Rome Fr Gabriel Amorth has also spoken out against them.
GraceAngel.

Can you give us a link? Has he read the books?

 

[estesbob]

It’s time is about saving souls from damnation…The books stink of sulpher.

Do you think when Harry kills people in the books the killings are justified?** I would like others to refrain from responing to this until Duffyo7 does since he does appear to have a special insight into these books.**

 

[Nevarlander]

The Chief exorcist of Rome Fr Gabriel Amorth has also spoken out against them.

Father Amorth has also made some claims about the number of exorcisms he has performed which simply do not add up. I believe he has wonderful intentions, but I simply don’t trust the man.