Should I read Harry Potter books?

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If you think that not reading a book you already aren’t interested in makes you holier, well whatever. I’m practically a saint because the library is full of frivolous secular books I haven’t read! But unless you can account for every second of your time being spent in prayer or corporate acts of mercy, then you’re in no position to judge others for enjoying harmless, non-religious pursuits. To imply that spending time reading a fictional book is sinful because that time could be spent doing other, holier things is hypocritical when you go around all the time watching TV, movies, reading newspapers, reading other books, talking walks, going for bike rides, painting flowers, or whatever you do for recreation or mental stimulation.
 
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with reading Harry Potter books on a spiritual, moral, or religious level. But from a LITERARY perspective, you could probably be spending your time reading better books or at least a wider variety, especially if you mainly focus on the Harry Potter series and books of like genre.
 
We are not compromised Catholics. You don’t know me. I don’t agree with your view on Harry Potter because you and the other HP detractors have not been able to mount a credible defense of your views aside from a few misleading and downright false allegations. I am talking about labeling HP as new age and the allegations of Rowling as a witch.
 
Harry Potter for me is just light reading.

I’m done reading the books and am now reading a book on Maxwell’s equations, to me one of the most elegant mathematical equations to ever describe the natural world.
 
We are all called to be good Catholics,reading HP is indeed again Faith and Morals,its ones own free will to do so ,especially when it comes to children. i don’t claim to be a good Catholic, but trying to be one,as i believe that every Catholic does so.
 
If you truly believe that every Catholic tries to be a good one, calling some “compromised” doesn’t express that well.
 
I’ll one day be getting a Gryffindor shirt since according to the sorting hat I belong in Gryffindor and according to Pottermore my Patronus is the Seal.
 
While I have read Harry Potter and will read it again someday, there is a series that I love and am making my way through again. I wonder what the Harry Potter detractors would think of Drizzt, the Dark Elf Ranger?

In R.A. Salvatore Drizzt books there are demons, dragons, Drow (Dark Elves), Elves, Halflings, Barbarians, Gnomes, Orcs and many other races and creatures. There is magic and war.

Its a great series and my favorite even beyond The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
 
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According to Pottermore my house is Ravenclaw and my patronus is a winged Granian horse which is funny since I’m terrified of horses 🐎.
 
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Oh yes, I think we all need some light reading for amusement. I was just pointing out that the OP might consider more of a variety of reading material, if they are not doing so already. That’s quite a switch on your part!
 
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Have you read the Silmarillon?

To me that is my favorite Tolkien book and I like it more than the Hobbit or the Lord of the Rings.

You may also try Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series about a wizard who lived in Chicago.
 
I have read some of the Silmarillon, but not the whole thing, many many years ago. I plan on reading it once again after I read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, which is after I read through the whole Drizzt series which is 30 books long.

There will be a 31st book coming in September I believe and I am really looking forward to it!

I will take a look at the Harry Dresden books as well.
 
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@Magdalene you are right! I second that! And yes, I believe the dominican in the video, probably the Harry Potter books contain no internal inconsistencies against the faith - I also give that much, not having read the books myself. And thank you for your answer.

Now, let’s be good Catholics while we are at it!

Every time Harry Potter comes up, I suppose a fan (like youself) won’t like the bashing against those books the exact same way I don’t appreciate the bashing against Fr.Amorth - coincidentally an author I appreciate. And especially so, if we sense that the arguments aren’t true.

The traditional word for this is a “POLEMIC”. And there are edifying (and interesting catholic) ways to go about a “polemic”. So, both the “blanket” condemnation or “unreserved apologetic” of JKWraling are at extremes that don’t quite solve anything. One of the underlying things here, is truth. No catholic should appreciate a lie or play along with a lie (and some of the accusations against both authors in this thread are “over the top”.)

So let’s analyze the “polemic” - because the “polemic” is inseparable of JKWralings books.

Enough to say that within the catholic church some authors said they appreciate Harry Potter, and others said they didn’t. Articles were published in “L’Osservatore Romano” going both ways. Personally, even beyond the first analyses (like the one by dominican in the video) I’d go with the line of critic by Edoardo Rialti, that I’ll link bellow. But that is just me.

Vatican slams Harry Potter as 'wrong kind of hero'

Harry Potter "the wrong kind of hero", warns Catholic expert in English literature.
www.christiantoday.com www.christiantoday.com
 
Well that interview was disturbing.
Is Fr Ripperger espoused by the those who fear everything? Or is does he tend to be more mainstream? 🤔
I’m asking.
My children LOVED the HP books.

How is that most people see this as harmless fiction, and this Priest view is as demonic?
 
Maybe you can answer this? I see you also posted that “interesting” youtube?

“Compare notes on Judas becauses Judas is difficult to get out of people”?

Maybe I heard it wrong but is Judas now a deamon that possess people and one needs an exorcist? Can this be explained by someone?
 
@Tulitas @MichaelP3 @lonegreywolf20 @Sarcelle @meltzerboy2 @Server_and_Lector_MH @angel12 @LumineDiei @Allegra
Our Times: The Age of Martyrs

by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

On the side of truth, no one has better expressed what is going on than Marshall McLuhan, the Canadian philosopher of social psychology. “The modern media,” wrote McLuhan, “are engaged in Luciferian conspiracy against the truth.” Millions of words are published every day and heard over the radio and television. Consciously and deliberately, much of this written and spoken communication is not true. It is estimated that ninety percent of the books borrowed from American libraries are fiction. Whole nations are living in a dream world created by the media, and the dreams are scientifically calculated to keep the human mind from contact with reality.

We define “truth” as conformity of the mind with reality. On these terms, must we not say that the evil spirit is demonically successful in deceiving whole nations by filling their minds with lies?
Click to expand...
http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Martyrs/Martyrs_001.htm

@Francis

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
@Francis, I loved the second paragraph in your post. It is worth more than all the HP books put together.

God bless.
 
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I can assure you, my mind is in full contact with reality.

It’s these claims against books like Harry Potter wich I believe e to have lost contact with reality.

That is however only my opinion, such is what you just posted is as well.
 
May I ask what profit and increase in sanctity your reading of “fantasy” books brought to those around you?
 
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