Some Christians Still Denounce Harry Potter as Dangerous

[irishpatrick]

That’s fine, I have no problem with your beliefs.

I’m just saying, be careful how you project them. It may cause more harm than what you are opposed to.

For instance, had the religious community come out and said oh the Davinci Code is a great piece of fiction. Dan Brown would be Dan who? To many people.

I am not projecting this to the world. I am projecting this stuff to people I thought were on the same team. Catholics.

This is, after all, a Catholic board with mainly Catholics posting (not all, but the vast majority). So frankly, I thought I was posting in friendly territory…I was clearly wrong.

 

[curlycool89]

Does the book present the act as “morally acceptable?”. I know that it is described as a forbidden, immoral spell earlier in the series. Does a hero’s flaw automatically become a moral act in literature? I prefer complex characters, rather than fairy tales.

Yes. Just this. That’s the whole idea behind have a 3-dimensional character. They have depth, they have motivations, they have feelings, wants, likes, and dislikes. The have goals, hopes, and fears.

Characters that are personifications of good are, well, boring. The fact is that there are only 2 of those in history: Jesus and His mother, and they each had a special divinely appointed vocation to live. Every last one of us is imperfect and flawed, and I would expect fictional characters to follow a similar pattern.

The reason that we don’t see Harry reflecting on his use of the cruciatus curse is because he goes right from that into a battle. Now, I think it’s fair to say that when you’ve entered a life or death situation, it’s not a real good time for self-reflection (and it’s basically impossible with all the adrenaline rushing in). And the book pretty much fades out after the battle, so we didn’t get to see what happens to them the next day, or the next week, or the next month.

Interesting. So, where is God mentioned in Lord of the Rings? Obviously, the heroes of that series were also guided by Satan.

True. God (Eru Iluvatar for those not in the loop) is actually not portrayed as a very active God in LOTR. Actually, most of the work in the Tolkien-verse is done by the pseudo-pantheon of Ainu and their servants the Maia. You’d never actually know it just from LOTR, but Gandalf is a Maia, a sort of angel.

 

[rlg94086]

I am not projecting this to the world. I am projecting this stuff to people I thought were on the same team. Catholics.

This is, after all, a Catholic board with mainly Catholics posting (not all, but the vast majority). So frankly, I thought I was posting in friendly territory…I was clearly wrong.

We are on the same team and this is friendly territory. Perhaps, you should reflect on this before writing posts where you question whether your fellow Catholics would prefer Harry Potter to meeting the Pope or would not listen to the Pope if told something directly by him, etc. You are hardly in the place to be playing the victim now…

 

[bbarrick8383]

I am not projecting this to the world. I am projecting this stuff to people I thought were on the same team. Catholics.

This is, after all, a Catholic board with mainly Catholics posting (not all, but the vast majority). So frankly, I thought I was posting in friendly territory…I was clearly wrong.

Which you should have expected.

Catholics should and do come in many flavors. Some good, some bad. Just because some of them do not see any harm in HP with their family does not make them a lesser Catholic than you.

 

[DawnInTexas]

Which you should have expected.

Catholics should and do come in many flavors. Some good, some bad. Just because some of them do not see any harm in HP with their family does not make them a lesser Catholic than you.

Yes, but none will escape facing Divine Justice.
Not all Catholics go to Heaven.

Faith and Morals are still dictated in the Catholic Faith. Always was, always will be.

Anyone who intentionally endangers another (one of these little ones)-when they know different-will face the consequences:

Harry Potter and The Great Divide
Harmless?

…Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matt 18:6)…

Now you know.

Woe.

God Bless you.
+Jesus, I Trust In You!
Love, Dawn

 

[rlg94086]

Yes, but none will escape facing Divine Justice.
Not all Catholics go to Heaven.

Faith and Morals are still dictated in the Catholic Faith. Always was, always will be.

Anyone who intentionally endangers another (one of these little ones)-when they know different-will face the consequences:

Harry Potter and The Great Divide
Harmless?

…Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matt 18:6)…

Now you know.

Woe.

God Bless you.
+Jesus, I Trust In You!
Love, Dawn

Just curious, but do you believe that Msgr Fleetwood is destined for Hell?
catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0504069.htm

In the letter, Cardinal Ratzinger suggested Kuby send a copy of her book to Msgr. Peter Fleetwood, then an official at the Pontifical Council for Culture.

Msgr. Fleetwood told Catholic News Service July 14 that he received a copy of the book in 2003 and wrote Kuby a four-page letter explaining where he thought she may have misunderstood or read too much into the books. He said he never heard back from her.

The monsignor, now an official of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, said the primary focus of parents and teachers he has spoken with about the books is how enthusiastic children are about reading them.

On a moral level, he said, the books “pit good against evil, and good always wins.”

"The people who complain about Harry Potter are the same people who complain about priests, bishops and catechists watering down church teaching about the devil and evil," he said.

 

[MarianD]

There are so many things wrong with this world—way too many things for us to be sitting here whining about Harry Potter. Anyone who is “influenced” by Harry Potter needs to get a reality check and then an IQ test. People play around and have fun by saying the spells, playing fake Quidditch games, etc. but no one takes it seriously.

Harry Potter’s helped me in Latin class too. The spells have Latin names and they help me with vocab.

That said, I can’t wait to see pt. 1 of the Deathly Hallows in the theaters. AND…I was extremely disappointed when I didn’t see Emma Watson at Brown University last weekend.

 

[curlycool89]

Yes, but none will escape facing Divine Justice.
Not all Catholics go to Heaven.

I’m not sure if you’re even realizing it, but you’re basically insinuating that Catholics who don’t see HP as " completely evil" are all going to Hell. That’s not very kind nor charitable. Nor is it your place (or any person on this Earth’s place) to even insinuate such a thing.

 

[rlg94086]

I’m not sure if you’re even realizing it, but you’re basically insinuating that Catholics who don’t see HP as " completely evil" are all going to Hell. That’s not very kind nor charitable. Nor is it your place (or any person on this Earth’s place) to even insinuate such a thing.

Yep…pretty much puts the rest of the comments in perspective, doesn’t it?

 

[RSD]

Hey, listen. I’ll try again. I am by any definition I know of a faithful Catholic. Not a good one, I am sorry to say, but always trying to get better, by obedience to the laws of the Church, by prayer, by receiving the sacraments, by trying to learn more about the teachings of the Magesterium (sp?). If I could have the wonderful gift of meeting the Holy Father I would prefer that to any earthly pleasure I could imagine. In fact, when he came to Washington D.C. I was fortunate enough to get a ticket to his Mass, and I went. I did not read any Harry Potter books instead of going. But since he did not invite me for a lengthy private audience, I have had plenty of time to read the books as well. AND I love (not tolerate) the Harry Potter books as a gift from God that teaches me more about how to love and serve him. I have been distressed several times while reading this thread that some people who are trying to stress the importance of rejecting HP in order to stay closer to the Church seem, by their tone, to have forgotten what Jesus said is the first commandment.

Much like Harry Potter, some of these people in trying to do good do some harm. I hope that in the end they will, like Harry Potter, be willing to give their lives for the sake of those they love. I hope that in the end they will do justice to others who have fought for the right, even if some of them did so in a way that did not look right at the time. I hope that as these people open themselves more and more to thanking God for His gifts, they will be more receptive to the gifts in these good books.

 

[A_Fortiori_33]

Sometimes a good book is just a good read. That seems to be what most posters are saying. I’ll bet the farm that those who read HP are not going to be divinely judged as miscreants and I haven’t read the series.

 

[Reservoir_Dog]

Yes, but none will escape facing Divine Justice.
Not all Catholics go to Heaven.

Faith and Morals are still dictated in the Catholic Faith. Always was, always will be…

Watching HP will send some of you catholics to hell?

 

[Janet1983]

Sometimes a good book is just a good read. That seems to be what most posters are saying. I’ll bet the farm that those who read HP are not going to be divinely judged as miscreants and I haven’t read the series.

I don’t believe that either. I did read them and I thought they were indeed rather fascinating. As to whether or not they are dangerous I might not be able to defend them as I did dabble into Wicca in the aftermath.
I did throw the series away about a year ago. One might or might not think that this was a good decision, but I decided to purge my library. Among the books that made their way into the trash were also a couple of books on Wicca.

Having said that I think that these novels are a nice read when one is mature enough in one’s faith and able to discern properly.
I am also a reader of Dan Brown novels, even though I do not believe that what he writes about is actually 100% true. He takes a couple of facts and a lot of fiction and spins a rather intriguing story out of them, but that doesn’t make me believe in his theories.

In the end the only problem is what we make out of what we read. If it leads us to sin, then it becomes a problem, and if it doesn’t why shouldn’t we read it? If it does however cause a brother to stumble we might not wish to advocate reading it.

 

[ORD_NASILA]

I suppose, then, that you’re against kids watching Star Wars and the Wizard of Oz?

You bet your shoe phone I am. I still remember the traumatic experience of being taken to see the Wizard of Oz by my older sister. As soon as those witches flew in I was out of my seat and up the aisle in a heartbeat causing my sister to state that she would never take me to the theatre again.

God Bless you PRmerger.

                   Regards,     ORD.



      * "Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows"* (Matt.10:31)

 

[ORD_NASILA]

Yes, but none will escape facing Divine Justice.
Not all Catholics go to Heaven.

God Bless you.
+Jesus, I Trust In You!
Love, Dawn

Hello Dawn, I’m just back from getting an ear bashing from the academics on the “Young Earth Theory” thread, and as Job says to God, " I am escaped by the skin of my teeth!". Talking of which, Job I mean, I met an SDA Pastor last year from Pueto Rico. He was to give a talk on the Book of Job, and he started off by saying, “You have forced me to learn English, yet you expect me to pronounce Job as if it had an “E” on the end,” ( i.e. JOBE. ). He refused categorically to do so and so he said Job as in job (occupation). Nobody minded because he was a very entertaining fellow. He is a suppoter of the “Cafe Style” worship services, not my cup of tea if you’ll forgive the pun. You can see him on the net if you care to, his name is Pr Jose Rojas. I think you would enjoy it. So, why did I come on your post?? Oh now I remember! I wanted to ask you if you could modify your statement above to read:- “Not all Christians go to heaven.”

God Bless!

           Regards,   ORD

           *"Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows"* (Matt.10:31)

 

[DawnInTexas]

…Oh now I remember! I wanted to ask you if you could modify your statement above to read:- “Not all Christians go to heaven.”

God Bless!

           Regards,   ORD

           *"Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows"* (Matt.10:31)

I focus on the Catholic Faith, not the 40,000+ other Christian Denominations. That’s their business. (I don’t mean to be snarky)—there are Catholics who, when it comes to Faith and Morals, which are dictated in Our Faith-will not heed the warnings given by those in Authority in our Church. This is a handful (and I’m still learning).

God Bless you.
+Jesus, I Trust In You!
Love, Dawn

 

[DawnInTexas]

Leafing through, I can see some started posting without reading through the thread.

We’d been going at this all day.

My last posts-I will refer you to what I was referring to-especially my post #194 on page 13, 197 and 208 on 14.

If 208 on page 14 doesn’t scare the bejeevies out of you, then, well…so be it.

There is much in that Table of Contents that should send a red flag to Parents. But if you want to go ahead and buy the incantation toys-have at it.

I’m off to Adoration.

God Bless you.
+Jesus, I Trust In You!
Love, Dawn

 

[DawnInTexas]

Watching HP will send some of you catholics to hell?

No, taking the next step, and buying your children incantation toys certainly could.

Much of what these toys teach-is strictly forbidden-in the Catholic Faith.

Read the thread-the posts for Monday, anyway. Our Pope, 3 major Exorcists in Our Church and more are quoted additionally.

Oh well.

God Bless you.
+Jesus, I Trust In You!
Love, Dawn

 

[DawnInTexas]

I’m off to Adoration. If nothing grabs your attention, I certainly can’t help you there.

God Bless you.
+Jesus, I Trust In You!
Love, Dawn

 

[Apollos]

Still “wasting your time” 4 pages after you apologized for your thread being a big waste of everyone’s time? … It’s becoming more and more difficult to take you serious my friend.

Thanks for saving me the effort, rlg.