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

[Fitswimmer]

Well the thread may be four years but all the dire predictions have come true. Millions of teenagers have joined covens. Misdirected spells have resulted in parents being turned into ferrets, teachers being turned into stone and worst of all the construction of Quidditch fields have destroyed much of the landscape in rural America.

There is a major problem around schools with Owl dung and the return of house elves had put millions out of work. Meanwhile the do-nothing Congress refuses to create a Minister of Magic to reign in all this unauthorized magic.

All because so many of us did not panic over what we mistakenly thought were harmless children’s books. May God have mercy on our souls

Thank you for a much needed laugh…

 

[Nohome]

But we have more divorces?

The divorce rate in the United States has declined steadily since its peak in 1981 and is now at the lowest level since 1970.

usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-05-11-divorce-decline_N.htm

more abortion

Abortion rates are at their lowest since 1976.

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/16/AR2008011603624.html

more killings

The homicide rate (and all violent crime) is in decline.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_the_United_States

more drug use

Drug use is on the decline.

monitoringthefuture.org/

more alcoholism

Alcoholism is down too.

www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/underagedrinking.html

more delinquency in juveniles

Nope, it’s dropping.

nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9747&page=13

more graphic scenes on tv.

Well, you get one out of seven.

Maybe if everybody was reading Harry Potter, we would watch less TV and this too would decline.

Nohome

 

[rlg94086]

The divorce rate in the United States has declined steadily since its peak in 1981 and is now at the lowest level since 1970.

usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-05-11-divorce-decline_N.htm

Abortion rates are at their lowest since 1976.

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/16/AR2008011603624.html

The homicide rate (and all violent crime) is in decline.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_the_United_States

Drug use is on the decline.

monitoringthefuture.org/

Alcoholism is down too.

www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/underagedrinking.html

Nope, it’s dropping.

nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9747&page=13

Well, you get one out of seven.

Maybe if everybody was reading Harry Potter, we would watch less TV and this too would decline.

Nohome

Wow! Well then, the evidence is clear. We need all kids to read Harry Potter…this will apparently lead to a Utopia.

 

[duskyjewel]

Well the thread may be four years but all the dire predictions have come true. Millions of teenagers have joined covens. Misdirected spells have resulted in parents being turned into ferrets, teachers being turned into stone and worst of all the construction of Quidditch fields have destroyed much of the landscape in rural America.

There is a major problem around schools with Owl dung and the return of house elves had put millions out of work. Meanwhile the do-nothing Congress refuses to create a Minister of Magic to reign in all this unauthorized magic.

All because so many of us did not panic over what we mistakenly thought were harmless children’s books. May God have mercy on our souls

Just the other day, my daughter Petrified her brother, and it was awful! Too bad I can’t get the teachers at school to turn the bratty kids into ferrets and bounce them off the floors! And don’t even get me started on the mess the kids make when they get lazy and start Summoning everything instead of getting up off their butts to get it! Now, if I could just get the hang of cooking and cleaning like Molly Weasley… I would kill to be able to pull off Scourgify!



And look what just popped up on AAA: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=4108633#post4108633?rd=

 

[Nohome]

Just the other day, my daughter Petrified her brother, and it was awful! Too bad I can’t get the teachers at school to turn the bratty kids into ferrets and bounce them off the floors! And don’t even get me started on the mess the kids make when they get lazy and start Summoning everything instead of getting up off their butts to get it! Now, if I could just get the hang of cooking and cleaning like Molly Weasley… I would kill to be able to pull off Scourgify!

Last summer I was moving furniture. I asked my 12 YO to help and she took her wand and said “wingardium leviosa” and gave me a smart smirk. I looked at her and said “crucio”!

Nohome

 

[mini_me640]

**Harry Potter Author Reveals Books’ Christian Allegory, Her Struggling Faith **

christianpost.com/article/20071018/harry-potter-author-reveals-books-christian-allegory-her-struggling-faith.htm

After years of averting questions on whether Christian themes were present in her wildly popular Harry Potter books, author J.K. Rowling finally opened up this week about the Christian allegory in her latest book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

During a press conference at the kick-off of her “Open Book Tour” on Monday, the British author told reporters that while religious themes were always present she purposely refrained from referencing any particular religion in order to conceal the ending.

“To me, [the religious parallels have] always been obvious,” Rowling said. “But I never wanted to talk too openly about it because I thought it might show people who just wanted the story where we were going.”

And where did the story end up? (Spoiler warning: Read no further if you don’t want to find out what happens.)

Apparently, the last installment of the series is about resurrection and life after death.

In “Deathly Hallows,” Harry visits his parents’ graves at Godric’s Hallow and sees two biblical references on his parents’ tombstones, reading: “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death,” and "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

The first refers to 1 Corinthians 15:26 and the second is a direct quote from Jesus in Matthew 6:19.

By the end of the book, Harry becomes the “Master of Death” and “resurrects” from the dead the spirits of his parents, his godfather, Sirius Black and his old teacher Remus Lupin.

 

[Fone_Bone_2001]

I realize you are not debating the importance of obeying the Magisterium because that would mean you are in schism with the Church.

There was never any implication that I was.

I also realize that Fr. Amorth is not the Holy Pontiff. But once again, he would know more about battles with the devil than you would and, again, I defer to his expertise before I would defer to yours.

Indeed he does, but the topic of this discussion is not “battles with the devil” - it is the Harry Potter series.

The case is easy and the evidence you have presented cannot combat it. God’s Blessings to you, too.

I have not presented any evidence in detail; I have simply asserted that the worldview that the Harry Potter series promotes through its plot structures, themes, and symbolism are demonstrably Christian and have encouraged you to consider that possibility.

For specific examples in support of my claims, you could look here for starters:

amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook/2005/07/okay_one_more.html

It’s not a very long read. Certainly much shorter than John Granger’s Looking for God in Harry Potter, which is also very good.

Well the thread may be four years but all the dire predictions have come true. Millions of teenagers have joined covens. Misdirected spells have resulted in parents being turned into ferrets, teachers being turned into stone and worst of all the construction of Quidditch fields have destroyed much of the landscape in rural America.

There is a major problem around schools with Owl dung and the return of house elves had put millions out of work. Meanwhile the do-nothing Congress refuses to create a Minister of Magic to reign in all this unauthorized magic.

All because so many of us did not panic over what we mistakenly thought were harmless children’s books. May God have mercy on our souls

Well said. Interestingly enough, your post made me think of what happened after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (the last book in the series) came out. Its plot and ending were so explicitly Christian that the vast majority of Harry-haters haven’t said “boo” since.

But we have more divorces, more abortion, more killings, more drug use, more alcoholism, more delinquency in juveniles, more graphic scenes on tv. All the devil’s handiwork and, no, I don’t blame Harry Potter for all our societal ills. I was just quoting an expert in the field, Fr. Amorth.

Fr. Amorth is not an expert on Harry Potter, which is the topic of this discussion. He is an expert on the supernatural and on spiritual warfare. Those are two completely different subjects.

The divorce rate in the United States has declined steadily since its peak in 1981 and is now at the lowest level since 1970.

usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-05-11-divorce-decline_N.htm

Abortion rates are at their lowest since 1976.

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/16/AR2008011603624.html

The homicide rate (and all violent crime) is in decline.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_the_United_States

Drug use is on the decline.

monitoringthefuture.org/

Alcoholism is down too.

www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/underagedrinking.html

Nope, it’s dropping.

nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9747&page=13

Well, you get one out of seven.

Maybe if everybody was reading Harry Potter, we would watch less TV and this too would decline.

Nohome

Wow! Excellent points!

**Harry Potter Author Reveals Books’ Christian Allegory, Her Struggling Faith **

christianpost.com/article/20071018/harry-potter-author-reveals-books-christian-allegory-her-struggling-faith.htm

After years of averting questions on whether Christian themes were present in her wildly popular Harry Potter books, author J.K. Rowling finally opened up this week about the Christian allegory in her latest book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

During a press conference at the kick-off of her “Open Book Tour” on Monday, the British author told reporters that while religious themes were always present she purposely refrained from referencing any particular religion in order to conceal the ending.

“To me, [the religious parallels have] always been obvious,” Rowling said. “But I never wanted to talk too openly about it because I thought it might show people who just wanted the story where we were going.”

And where did the story end up? (Spoiler warning: Read no further if you don’t want to find out what happens.)

Apparently, the last installment of the series is about resurrection and life after death.

In “Deathly Hallows,” Harry visits his parents’ graves at Godric’s Hallow and sees two biblical references on his parents’ tombstones, reading: “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death,” and "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

The first refers to 1 Corinthians 15:26 and the second is a direct quote from Jesus in Matthew 6:19.

By the end of the book, Harry becomes the “Master of Death” and “resurrects” from the dead the spirits of his parents, his godfather, Sirius Black and his old teacher Remus Lupin.

Thanks for the article!

 

[Steeltemplar]

The divorce rate in the United States has declined steadily since its peak in 1981 and is now at the lowest level since 1970.

usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-05-11-divorce-decline_N.htm

Well, I think that this particular statistic might be deceptive. The sad truth is that marriage is on a steady decline in western society and cohabitation is steadily increasing in its place. Not only does this point to increasing moral decay, but it also means that the statistics for divorce are going to be skewed. People who are in a cohabiting situation live as if they were married, but need no formal divorce to end the relationship.

 

[Steeltemplar]

As far as Rowling’s “Christianity”, it should be noted that she openly supports the practice of homosexuality. That is not a Christian value at all, but is a blatant heresy and one which is damaging to youth.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Harry_Potter#Progressive_values_and_diversity

(Yes, yes…it is Wikipedia…but it was an easy summary of the matter and the sources are linked)

While I am not especially against Harry Potter, I really think that I would prefer to introduce youth to far better Christian fiction such as J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis.

 

[estesbob]

As far as Rowling’s “Christianity”, it should be noted that she openly supports the practice of homosexuality. .

Can you point to me in any of the seven books where homosexuality is mentioned in any way shape or form?

What was Tolkiens view on homosexuality? Don’t you need to determine that before you allow your kids read his books?

 

[Steeltemplar]

Can you point to me in any of the seven books where homosexuality is mentioned in any way shape or form?

It doesn’t really matter. If someone is a fan of Rowling, they will likely find out about Dumbledore and end up reading the interviews, etc. Regardless, it does put a hole in the idea of Rowling being a faithful Christian.

What was Tolkiens view on homosexuality? Don’t you need to determine that before you allow your kids read his books?

Tolkien was an orthodox Catholic, so he was against homosexual practice.

 

[Fitswimmer]

It doesn’t really matter. If someone is a fan of Rowling, they will likely find out about Dumbledore and end up reading the interviews, etc. Regardless, it does put a hole in the idea of Rowling being a faithful Christian.

Tolkien was an orthodox Catholic, so he was against homosexual practice.

Do you know this for certain? Was he ever asked a direct question or made a direct statement as Rowling has?

I think it’s a big assumption to make without facts.

 

[Steeltemplar]

Do you know this for certain? Was he ever asked a direct question or made a direct statement as Rowling has?

I think it’s a big assumption to make without facts.

Tolkien was known to be an orthodox Catholic. So unless you have evidence otherwise, then it is to be assumed that he believed all that being an orthodox Catholic entails. The burden of proof falls to anyone who would accuse him of going against the Church’s teachings.

 

[Fitswimmer]

Tolkien was known to be an orthodox Catholic. So unless you have evidence otherwise, then it is to be assumed that he believed all that being an orthodox Catholic entails. The burden of proof falls to anyone who would accuse him of going against the Church’s teachings.

I was just curious, since you were so absolute about it I figured that you had read something he said about it.

I liked the Lord of the Rings better than the Potter series anyway. The Potter series was cute, but nowhere near the quality of the Rings.

 

[Steeltemplar]

I was just curious, since you were so absolute about it I figured that you had read something he said about it.

I liked the Lord of the Rings better than the Potter series anyway. The Potter series was cute, but nowhere near the quality of the Rings.

I love Tolkien’s work. Excellent for youth and adults both. I remember fondly my teenage years when I first read The Hobbit and then The Lord of the Rings

 

[Fitswimmer]

I love Tolkien’s work. Excellent for youth and adults both. I remember fondly my teenage years when I first read The Hobbit and then The Lord of the Rings

Me too, I spent an entire summer under our maple tree reading and then re-reading them! Good times.

I re-read them again when the movies came out, just because I was enjoying returning to that world.

 

[estesbob]

Me too, I spent an entire summer under our maple tree reading and then re-reading them! Good times.

I re-read them again when the movies came out, just because I was enjoying returning to that world.

I read this series every year during tax season. I him enjoy curling up with a Harry Potter book after a long day of doing tax returns. And the best part is since I’ve read the books so many timesI don’t have to worry about missing anything. It’s like to visit with an old friend during the most hectic time of my year

 

[Nohome]

I liked the Lord of the Rings better than the Potter series anyway. The Potter series was cute, but nowhere near the quality of the Rings.

I often say HP is a good read, but not good literature. LotR is a classic and as such is in a completely different league.

Nohome

 

[Transformer]

As far as Rowling’s “Christianity”, it should be noted that she openly supports the practice of homosexuality.

I am not aware of a shred of evidence supporting this statement, and I don’t believe you until you provide me with one. As far as I know, the only relationship potentially involving gay sex mentioned in Harry Potter ends in the murder of an innocent girl and one of the most beloved characters in the book choosing to live celibately for the rest of his life.

 

[Steeltemplar]

I am not aware of a shred of evidence supporting this statement, and I don’t believe you until you provide me with one. As far as I know, the only relationship mentioned in Harry Potter involving gay sex ends in the murder of an innocent girl and one of the most beloved characters in the book choosing to live celibately for the rest of his life.

Well, I would not make this up:

thestar.com/entertainment/article/269527

Now, it is a point of contention as to whether or not this matters in terms of if the books are good for children. There is no mention of Dumbledore’s homosexuality anywhere in the books. But that Rowling herself supports the practice of homosexuality is openly known now.