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estesbob
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I beleive it was the same letter where he announced all non-catholics were going to burn in eternal hellfire…
Pope Opposes Harry Potter Novels - Signed Letters from Cardinal Ratzinger Now Online
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Julianna
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hey, bob. I saw this thread…and thought…“where is bob”? It never ceases to amaze me the thousands of threads…ad naseum on Harry Potter. I am getting hysterical from laughing so hard.
As far as the title of this thread goes…I truly believe that there are some folks out there who are waiting for the Pope to come out with a laundry list of books, movies, music, restaurants, food/beverages, cars, clothing, TV programs and news…that the faithful are banned from participating in.
Has common sense been thrown out the window…?..has free will…left the building?
If this happens…there will be high demand for caves…because many folks would have to live there.
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catechumen08
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I see. I don’t particularly recall that being issued with that letter, though.
Well, I’m of the opinion that you have to make up your own mind if there’re no existing guidelines from the Vatican, but if the Vatican has expounded on the issue, then I’m much more inclined to listen.hey, bob. I saw this thread…and thought…“where is bob”? It never ceases to amaze me the thousands of threads…ad naseum on Harry Potter. I am getting hysterical from laughing so hard.
As far as the title of this thread goes…I truly believe that there are some folks out there who are waiting for the Pope to come out with a laundry list of books, movies, music, restaurants, food/beverages, cars, clothing, TV programs and news…that the faithful are banned from participating in.
Has common sense been thrown out the window…?..has free will…left the building?
If this happens…there will be high demand for caves…because many folks would have to live there.
No, it’s not ex cathedra or extraordinary magisterium, but I think I will trust the Pope on this one.
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doodleduh
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rlg94086
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The statement by the Pope is pretty weak, and from what I’ve seen in the movies so far, it is love conquering evil. Perhaps someone who has read the books can correct me, but is that the overall theme? If so, I would say the Pope is wrong in his assessment.
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Chancellare
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IMHO, literatures that extol human virtues while totally omitting God cannot offer any similarities to “the Way the Truth and the Light”, with all due respect.
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Chancellare
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Had it been on the best-seller list, I won’t be surprised if people will insist that there are many ‘love conquering evil’ themes in Mein Kampf. In today’s relativistic world one can find ‘love’ in a pack of ecstacy pills and tell the world that one has conquered ‘evil’. The Pope’s assessment is needed in today’s world.
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Tig
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I have only read two of the Potter books. I agree with you. To get children to read for 5 minutes, instead of TV or roaming the mall, is a huge plus. 
The Pope has his opinions on this - fine. So do I. And opinion it is for the both of us. If one sees all manner of horror in those books, then make sure your kids don’t read them. I saw nothing in the two books I read to cause such alarm. Again, if you have read them and object, then don’t let your kids read them. Simple.
Thanks to the author for writing them. And to the kids for reading…
-Peace-
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estesbob
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Your reading list must be very, very short.
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estesbob
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WOW-so lets see-those who have not read the books have determimed the books promote demonology, abortion, rapeing children and extermnating Jews. Do you have any idea how foolish you look?
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estesbob
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Ratzinger was pope in 2003? How could Cardinal Ratzinger have an opinon on several books that had not yet been written?
As I said before it is embaraasing to see the lows professed Catholics will go to when they perceive other Catholics are enjoying themsleves. The “Pope condemns” Harry Potter" nonsense plays into every Protestant stereotype of mindless Catholics taking daily instuctions from the Pope as to what to beleive and how to act.
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MichaelTDoyle
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I think the books smuggled the cross to the new age folks out there. Gave them a glimpse of the way of the cross. Also, the books held up the traditions of Christmas which I think is wonderful and a subtle reminder to those all too ready to throw Christianity away. The reason for the season is Christ and the HP books had the season in them.
I definately think, particularly with Snape, they brought in Christian themes.
just my 2 cents
I definately think, particularly with Snape, they brought in Christian themes.
just my 2 cents
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MaryD7
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I think a reposting of this link so kindly posted above by Sarah Jane is in order at this point:
jimmyakin.org/2005/07/pre16_on_harry_.html
What kills me about the all the reasons people have for putting this book under the ‘evil’ category are the same reasons I heard growing up about boycotting certain things, whether they be books, movies, events … and this was in a fundamentalist Protestant church.
It’s funny but things deemed too Catholic oriented often made the list.
People should be careful when starting an ‘evil’ literature list … you may find yourself on the wrong side one day.
jimmyakin.org/2005/07/pre16_on_harry_.html
What kills me about the all the reasons people have for putting this book under the ‘evil’ category are the same reasons I heard growing up about boycotting certain things, whether they be books, movies, events … and this was in a fundamentalist Protestant church.
It’s funny but things deemed too Catholic oriented often made the list.
People should be careful when starting an ‘evil’ literature list … you may find yourself on the wrong side one day.
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estesbob
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This paragraph is particularly teling in light of the hyperbole against these books we have seen in this thread:
"Some of the people seeing the LifeSite-inspired headlines on this subject will be non-Catholic fans of Harry Potter, and in their estimation the Catholic Church will have the Church’s credibility lowered one more notch."
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Steeltemplar
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I have never read Harry Potter. Will I do so? I don’t know. Maybe someday. I have some other stuff on my list and that combined with reading for school makes me busy. For instance, I am into P.G. Wodehouse (Jeeves and Wooster author) these days.
Anyway, I honestly think it is a bit much to attack Rowling’s work while at the same time embracing C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien (both of whose works I have loved). In general, one has to make a clear line between what is written as fiction and what is non-fiction. And Harry Potter is very obviously fiction. Who on earth would read these things and think that they could become a wizard or what-not? It’s like saying that after watching Star Wars, I am going to go use “The Force” to mind control my Calc proff into giving me an A+. Of course that won’t work! (Which is a pity for my Calc grade…)
Whether it is Harry Potter, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Star Wars, or even Sailor Moon - it doesn’t matter - if it’s fiction, then it is not meant to be taken as real.
The real problematic things to look out for are:
Anyway, I honestly think it is a bit much to attack Rowling’s work while at the same time embracing C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien (both of whose works I have loved). In general, one has to make a clear line between what is written as fiction and what is non-fiction. And Harry Potter is very obviously fiction. Who on earth would read these things and think that they could become a wizard or what-not? It’s like saying that after watching Star Wars, I am going to go use “The Force” to mind control my Calc proff into giving me an A+. Of course that won’t work! (Which is a pity for my Calc grade…)
Whether it is Harry Potter, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Star Wars, or even Sailor Moon - it doesn’t matter - if it’s fiction, then it is not meant to be taken as real.
The real problematic things to look out for are:
- Direct attacks on Christianity.
- Promotion of immoral behavior as good.
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Mag_Uidhir
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Where did I state I was an expert ?
I stated what I do with my time, reading HP books isn’t one of them.
No !
actually since you read them can you tell me which one is the best ? I might read one to determine if I could read another, I need to see what all the fuss is about.I’m not a prolific reader, if it don’t educate me I don’t care for it, if it’s about casting spells and ghouls then I don’t wish to know that, I’d rather say the Rosary.
I wish some people would defend their faith with the same vigour that they defend HP books.
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Steeltemplar
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I think that like much fiction, especially fantasy, it is meant for entertainment primarily. Perhaps that does not educate one directly per se, but it does have good effects on one’s creativity, I think. And in general it can be good times.
For instance, I mentioned I was reading P.G. Wodehouse a lot recently. I won’t learn much probably from reading books about a clueless British aristocrat (Bertie Wooster) whose valet Jeeves gets him out of silly predicaments through humorous schemes. However, when Bertie’s friend Gussie Fink-Nottle is in love with Madeline Basset but can’t find it in him to propose to her because he is a frightful chump with no spine at all, then the hilarity that ensues in trying to solve the problem is good times indeed.
Yes, that would be nice. I know that I certainly spend a lot of time defending the faith, but it would be so much easier with more help.
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Melissa
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To be honest, I think the best of the series is the final book. However, there’s a lot of development of characters that has gone on in books 2-6 that would make it very difficult to skip there. Although I’d really recommend reading the entire series if you are so inclined, I would say to read book 4 (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Skip the movie version, though–I found it intensely disappointing (well, movie-PoA & GoF are both very disappointing compared to the books, OotP was too short by far but at least didn’t annoy me).No !
It occurred to me (and this is a more general comment, and not just aimed at the poster quoted in the above snip), that part of what bothers me about those opposed to Harry Potter novels (and thus why I will defend having read them myself and permitting my children to read them) is that while it is a matter of supreme indifference to me whether any HP novel opponent reads/doesn’t read these novels (except insofar as I believe that they should actually read the books to have any opinion other than ‘not for me’), those who are opposed to the novels seem to be making far more of an issue of it, almost as though ‘reading the Harry Potter novels’ is equivalent to ‘eating meat sacrificed to idols’ (and then being the ‘professional weaker brethren’).
In one of these threads, it was well stated by another poster (estesbob, was that you?) that the problem those who do read the novels have is the opponents “pretending concern for the Truth with so little regard for truth”.
Point in fact–the lead to this whole thread. A) the man who is now Pope Benedict XVI was not pope at the time he wrote the letters in question B) the letters in question are not about the Harry Potter novels, but concern a book about the Harry Potter novels and C) it is rather hypocritical of LifeSiteNews.com to criticize the media of the world for misleading via headline that then Pope John Paul II approved of the novels (and they would be correct in that criticism–the headlines were misleading, and then turn around and do the very same thing themselves when the slant favors their pre-existing opinion.
Don’t like the Harry Potter novels? Fine, don’t read them. There are thousands of novels in the world that I personally will never read (even if they’re in a language I can read) just because I don’t want to. No one is obliged to read any particular work of fiction. However, if you’re in the ‘don’t like Harry Potter novels’ camp, please do not say that I am committing sin by reading them while repeating lies from second- and third-hand sources and not caring when told that those sources are in error.
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Tig
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Duh to me! I should check facts.
TY for pointing out the obvious in your 1st paragraph. Duh to me again… Anyhow’s, still say if ya don’t like the books, don’t read or let your kids read em. I would hope that before judging any book, one should read it or at least a bit to check it out. After all, the Bible can be pretty racy and has some decidedly awful things therein.-Peace-
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estesbob
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Start at the begiining-the first two books are short and not as well written as the rest but you need to follow the character development all the way through.
I do and if you look at those defending the books in CAF you will find they do also. I firmly beleive that the near hysterical attacks on theses boks by some Catholics makes it much, much harder for us to defend our Faith. One does not have a lot of credibilty in defending the “Real Presence” after they have been observed throwing a hissy fit about a fictional boy who send letters via Owl.
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