'HARRY' CATCHES HELL FROM CHRISTIANS

New York Post ^ | 11/24/01 | TODD VENEZIA

[kattracks]

November 24, 2001 -- Is Harry Potter the spawn of Satan?

That's the opinion at one Christian school in southern Australia, where parents voted yesterday to forbid students from reading about the bespectacled wizard and his preteen cohorts.

The vote was just part of a widespread anti-Harry backlash by religious conservatives angered by the best-selling books' blatant celebration of witchcraft and the occult.

[Demidog]

I'll ask you then. Have you ever read Midsummer Night's Dream?

[Bush2000]

If you want to read it, fine. But it doesn't need to be in the schools.

< sarcasm > And while we're at it, let's get rid of all those other bad books ... Huck Finn, Shakespeare's works, Slaughterhouse Five, The Scarlet Letter, Goosebumps, Grapes of Wrath, Catcher in the Rye, Brave New World, 1984, Tarzan, Little Red Riding Hood, etc. < /sarcasm >. I can almost picture you and all the rest of the brownshirts throwing those books on the fire. Imagine ... you and the Nazis have a lot in common.

[Bush2000]

I'll ask you then. Have you ever read Midsummer Night's Dream?

You want these folks to actually admit they've read 'satanic' literature and didn't fall into moral peril?

[185JHP]

The Holy Bible is an anvil that's worn out a lot of hammers. I've read that Voltaire said, before he died and found out the truth, "In 100 years, there won't be any Christianity!" 50 years after that, a printing press he owned, before he died and found out the truth, was being used in a house he owned, before he died and found out the truth, to print Bibles. The Lord God has never been, nor will He ever be, successfully mocked.

[FreedomFighter86]

After hearing this so many times I have been inspired to purchase several copies of the books and send them out to the local schools as Christmas' gifts...

[Bush2000]

If you believe that witches and witchcraft are not real then you are the one who is denying reality.

I don't deny that there are misguided losers who 'practice' witchcraft; however, (1) by any reasonable scientific standard, I have yet to meet anyone who could transform themselves into a cat, levitate, or fly on a broomstick, (2) reading a work of fiction containing references to witchcraft does not make you a witch nor does reading a book about the Mafia turn me into John Gotti, (3) there's a mountain of difference between fantasy and reality -- you might try pulling the reality knob every once in a while, instead.

[JoeSchem]

Are you stupid? No one believes that Harry Potter is real...

Of course there is no Mr. Harold Potter, Esq. But there are many people who believe in magic. Somebody's buying those astrology books and New Age crystals!

[JoeSchem]

I wonder what these morons think of Shakespeare.

That he's a better writer than Rowling.

[JoeSchem]

Sarcasm, dude, sarcasm. Get a grip.

I know the difference between clever sarcasm and a death threat. And I'm sure you do, too.

[WaterDragon]

I personally do not believe ANYthing said by the American Library Association. They're worse than the NEA.

EVEN IF it were true that some parents tried to get the book banned from libraries, these people are not, never have been organized enough to accomplish that. If they were, Clinton would never have been elected. LOL!

People who look down on people who look down on people......ugh!

[JoeSchem]

The list goes further. Loons also include paranoid people that cause trouble by attacking a charming children's book.

If it's a private school, then they're minding their own business. Hasn't JK Rowling made enough money without having to force her books on private schools?

[Skooz]

I have a better idea. Why don't you write us a new improved Bible so all of your pithy and poignant thoughts about what we should believe/say/do/think can be condensed down to one volume? That way, we won't have to consult you everytime we wish to believe/say/do/think something to see if it's okay.

[WaterDragon]

I certainly agree with you (at #37) that attacking religious parents who are doing what they feel is best for their children is far worse than those parents' attempts to ban the book from schools or libraries.

Personally I'd like to see "Heather has two mommies" and such trash banned from schools and libraries. But a fantasy tale......it isn't going to happen.

But people should stop attacking parents; stop attacking Christians. Doing that makes the attacker look pretty stupid.

[Skooz]

But people should stop attacking parents; stop attacking Christians. Doing that makes the attacker look pretty stupid.

After reading the posts on this thread, that is pretty obvious.

[Bush2000]

Harry Potter books glorify and promote Neo-Paganism for the consumption of children. No Christians should allow anyone to sell that kind of filth to their children

Hey, if you want to implement that policy for your own kids, fine. But don't ram your twisted views down my throat or my kids' throats. Because we can distinguish fantasy from reality -- thank you very much -- and we have no desire to practice witchcraft. And we don't need your Biblical interpretation to save us.

[Bush2000]

That he's[Shakespeare's] a better writer than Rowling.

Nice dodge. You are apparently not that knowledgeable about the Bard of Avon. Witchcraft permeates his works. Guess that means you've brought 'the Evil One' into your heart without even realizing it. LOL.

[angelbaby1111]

I am a Christian. I just got home seeing Harry Potter with my ll and 15 year old. Not once did I think of Satan. It's pure fantasy and was very enjoyable. This legalistic thing by Christians is very shallow. I'd challenge them any day. I loved it and give it two enthusiastic thumbs up.