Posted on 05/10/2010 9:58:40 AM PDT by mlizzy
A Catholic Caucus thread is designed for Catholics (not fallen-away ones or ones that disagree with the Church) ... did I go against that somehow?
This is something I plan on discussing in my Harry Potter Lit class. It is fascinating how Rowling eliminates religion. I read a paper about Harry being a Christ-like figure and Ron and Hermione were John and James. It should be a lively discussion.
I am however in disagreement with YOU, which is not at all the same thing as being in disagreement with the Church. There are pernicious books out there, but I have read the entire Potter series and don't find them to be among them. Check out R.L Stine and Christopher Pike for authors I would not have in the house.
Thank you for pointing me to the works of Michael O'Brien. I had heard of them, and had several of his books on my Amazon ‘order someday’ list. After reading this article, I am removing them, because I concur with the person upthread who considers him a loon.
I have heard both sides of the issue. I was struck because Michael D. O’Brien’s words/personal occurrences regarding his involvement with this book in his preface are surprisingly strong. If the devil wanted anyone NOT to write about something he was involved in, it would surely be Michael D. O’Brien. My husband, a scholarly type himself, who also writes, holds Mr. O’Brien in very high regard. In fact he shakes his head in amazement over O’Brien’s high intellect and ability to write. THAT’s why I posted this thread. And that’s why I think Catholics should at least consider O’Brien’s words regarding their own children’s activity with the series.
"It is good that you enlighten us on the Harry Potter matter, for these are subtle seductions that are barely noticeable, and precisely because of that have a deep effect and corrupt the Christian faith in souls even before it could properly grow." --POPE CRITICIZES HARRY POTTER
Was that an ex cathedra statement? Or just his personal opinion? Don’t bother answering, I already know. And I *DO* know the difference.
In fact, you need not reply at all. I’ll take my dissenting self off your illicitly-caucused thread.
Thanks for your critical comments. I agree with them; I was astounded to hear my Jewish sister say that Harry Potter was supposed to be a Christ figure, because I didn’t see him that way, but thinking about it, she was correct.
Fr. Elijah, Strangers and Sojourners and Eclipse of the Sun. I gave up after those.
Judith Anne, I have not read the series, but we have encouraged our daughter to not see the films. We had heard enough about Potter through “the priest,” (my brother-in-law) and his spiritual adviser (a saint in the making) to know that we should probably avoid them. But when I read O’Brien’s accounting, I was a bit shaken. The devil is powerful, even (or especially!) if he enters in small, tiny, ways.
Mildly humorous, essentially boring, as far as I am concerned.
The problem for me is that as the children grew up, the narrative got more and more bogged down with ordinary teen-aged angst. The last few books have had a real ‘Angel’ overtone, where everyone is downcast and depressed and not really sure they want to go through with all this.
The last book was the worst for that (and was really really long, into the bargain). The ending sort of tied things up, but far too quickly and with no real emergence from the nightmare that had intensified so deeply throughout the series.
I’m probably not even going to see the last two movies. I know how it comes out. I’m tired of sitting there being assaulted by semi-literate teenagers and have better uses for the money.
If he’s a scholarly sort, it might just be his response to the quality of Rowling’s literature...
I’m pretty sure Rowling worked very hard to remove all references to religion from the Harry Potter series. This is very hard to do because most magical practices integrate religious beliefs into them; in many cases (Shinto comes to mind) the are inseparable. You generally need a spiritual landscape for magic, and this is completely missing in Harry Potter - just have the right genes and you can wave a wand speak some works and get results; its more like “Psionics” in a lot of ways. I don’t think this could be accidental.
As for Harry Potter being Christ-like, I don’t buy that for a nanosecond, but I can see why some would work at looking for it.
Don’t know how he feels about Rowling, but he said he’ll pick up O’Brien’s book and write a review on it ...
**Satanic shivers**
I agree!
Don’t be fooled: the vampire culture is the spawn of the Harry Potter culture that has washed over our youth for a decade and still seduces parents into thinking it is all just “harmless entertainment.” Kids dressing up as sorcerers, blogging about vampires, dabbling in Wicca – it’s just plain seductive and evil. Our Baptismal Promises demand that we “reject Satan and all his works and all his empty promises,” and that includes demons, witches and vampires! --Father Thomas J. Euteneuer, exorcist
I don’t trust them books too!
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