Posted on 03/17/2008 7:44:22 AM PDT by Terriergal
By John-Henry Westen
EDINBURGH, March 12, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The newly released edition of the Edinburgh University Student newspaper, the oldest student newspaper in the UK, includes an interview with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. In the interview Rowling claims to have received death threats from Christians opposed to her novels, calling Christian 'fundamentalists' "dangerous" and comparing them by inference to Islamic fundamentalists.
Asked if there were not some Christians who dislike the book 'intensely', Rowling replied, "Oh, vehemently and they send death threats." Questioned about the 'death threats', she added, "Once, yeah. Well, more than once. It is comical in retrospect. I was in America, and there was a threat made against a bookstore that I was appearing at, so we had the police there."
While she said she could stomach critics, she had little time for Christian criticism. "But to be honest the Christian Fundamentalist thing was bad," she said. "I would have been quite happy to sit there and debate with one of the critics who were taking on Harry Potter from a moral perspective."
Many Christians who have opposed the Potter series have done so after reading comments by Christian reviewers pointing out their moral and spiritual dangers. The opponents, who have been relying on the reviewers criticisms, have often avoided reading Rowling's lengthy Potter narratives, and Rowling uses such cases to paint Christians as if they were insane.
"I've tried to be rational about it," she told the paper. "There's a woman in North Carolina or Alabama who's been trying to get the books banned-she's a mother of four and never read them. And then- I'm not lying, I'm not even making fun, this is the truth of what she said-quite recently she was asked [why] and she said 'Well I prayed whether or not I should read them, and God told me no.'"
The interviewer notes that at that point "Rowling pauses to reflect on the weight of that statement, and her expression one of utter disbelief." Rowling then continued, "You see, that is where I absolutely part company with people on that side of the fence, because that is fundamentalism. Fundamentalism is, 'I will not open my mind to look on your side of the argument at all. I won't read it, I won't look at it, I'm too frightened.'"
"That's what's dangerous about it, whether it be politically extreme, religiously extreme...In fact, fundamentalists across all the major religions, if you put them in a room, they'd have bags in common! They hate all the same things, it's such an ironic thing."
Michael O'Brien, one of the most prominent Potter critics, has carefully read and analyzed the Potter books critiquing the spiritual and moral problems with Rowling's works. O'Brien commented to LifeSiteNews.com about Rowling's mockery of Christians who avoid her works.
"Regrettably, there is a strange new form of self-righteousness at work in the world-a psychological state of mind that is common to post-modernists such as J. K. Rowling," said O'Brien. "One of its symptoms is their inability to discuss on a serious level the truth or untruth of their cultural products. They avoid the real issues and instead take the 'ad hominem' approach-personal attacks against those who raise critical objections to the disorders in their books. From the vaccuum of real thought arises the dreary habit of classifying as a 'fundamentalist' any critic who bases his arguments on religious or spiritual grounds."
Added O'Brien: "This term is used against bomb-throwing terrorists, sweet grandmothers praying silently before abortuaries, and anyone who preaches the fullness of the Christian faith in church and media. It has become the utmost smear word, a weapon that is proving quite effective in silencing opposition. If you don't have an argument yourself, you just switch tactics and cry 'fundamentalist!' Supposedly all opposition will then collapse."
In previous interviews Rowling has said Christian criticism of her works come from the "lunatic fringe" of the church.
Prior to being elected Pope, then-Cardinal Ratzinger expressed an opinion opposing the Potter books. He sent a letter of gratitude to Gabriele Kuby who authored a work explaining the dangers of the Potter story, especially to young children. Made available by LifeSiteNews.com, Ratzinger's letter to Ms. Kuby stated, "It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly."
Father Gabriele Amorth, chief exorcist of the Vatican also condemned the books warning parents, "Behind Harry Potter hides the signature of the king of the darkness, the devil." Father Amorth criticized the novels for glorifying magic, which he explicitly refers to as "the satanic art", and for presenting disordered perceptions of morality in the supposedly heroic main characters.
See related LifeSiteNews coverage:
Pope Opposes Harry Potter Novels - Signed Letters from Cardinal Ratzinger Now Online
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jul/05071301.html
Harry Potter Feature Page:
http://www.lifesite.net/features/harrypotter/
Yada yada yada and cock a doodle doo
What bilge!
Wake me up when the head chopping commences
Just because Dumbledore was Homosexual doesn’t mean that every relationship he had with any other male character was based on sexual attraction.
I can see him being attracted to Grindelwald, like you said, but I find no evidence of attraction to Tom Riddle, Sirius Black, or Harry. Dumbledore always had a profound mistrust of Riddle and never liked him. There’s no mention anywhere in any of the books about any sort of attraction to Sirius Black. And Harry is 150 years younger than Dumbledore, so it would be silly so assume any sort of sexual attraction. I always assumed it was more of a father/son bond between them.
WTF are you talking about? She says she’s getting death threats from Christians, which is the whole point of the article. Do you DISAGREE that if a Christian is issuing death threats to an author, then they are comparable to Islamists?
Are you DENSE????
Wake me up when the head chopping commences. Until then I write you off as over the top hysterical. How dare you compare Christian fundamentalism to Islamic? You are wacked!
Sorry, but a true Christian would not issue a death threat. The comparison of the two religions based on some stupid person’s threat is offensive to all Christians.
Dude.
Calm down.
I’m not comparing Christian Fundamentalism to Islamic. I’m talking about someone who would issue a DEATH THREAT to an author. OK? In my opinion, someone who would issue a DEATH THREAT to an author, is no different than an Islamist. A death threat is a death threat, whether it comes from muslims against a cartoonist, or against JK Rowling from someone who calls themself a Christian. They’re obviously not Christian, and I am not in anyway making a blanket comparison between Christians and Muslims. If you are reading that into what I said, then you are the one who is hysterical, not me.
I agree, and that’s my point. Someone who would issue a death threat is not a Christian, but is no better than an Islamist. I am not comparing the two religions (and I don’t think JK Rowling is either), I am comparing individuals who issue death threats. I don’t see a difference between someone who calls himself Christian who issues a death threat, and an Islamist who issues a death threat.
Do you?
"Oh, that's just gay....err, oh yeah, it's me who is gay. Sorry sweeties."
There’s a difference between a dark side to some who profess Christianity and the teachings of Christ Himself. Those who practice that dark side are NOT followers of Christ, whatever label they use to try to justify or excuse themselves.
Jesus Himself said He wouldn’t recognize them.
Islam IS a dark side. I haven’t seen much in the way of teaching from the Koran, and there’s been enough posted on FR, that shows any sweetness and light.
You know, it would be a lot easier for you if you were able to condemn those who issue death threats.
God never forced or coerced people to follow Him. God gave very specific instructions to the Israelites as to how to treat the alien and foreigner who chose to live among them, and it was to treat them as one of their own.
God always gives chances. Any people who Israel dealt with were given a chance first. God judges sin, sometimes here on earth and sometimes after death. Why is it an issue as to WHEN He chooses to do it?
CFC: What are you saying, that no piece of art, no piece of literature, no creation of man, is worthwhile unless it invokes the gospel?
Wow, are you ever putting words in her mouth. She said no such thing.
The Gospel is God's message of love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. The Gospel is not being preached in those books.
Showing the contrast between good and evil and teaching *good* moral lessons is NOT the Gospel.
Your girl JK Rowling should do an updated “One Thousand and One Arabian Nights” with a spooked Muhammad being pursued by wizards goblins witches warlocks and demons. Then your girl will get some real death threats and much worse
Until then, I find exaggerated death threats from Christians extremely BORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRING
From the article:
“In the interview Rowling claims to have received death threats from Christians opposed to her novels, calling Christian ‘fundamentalists’ “dangerous” and comparing them by inference to Islamic fundamentalists.”
Yeah, she *claims*.
Please. It’s hard for me to muster up any sympathy for this poor little “victim” who has made nearly a billion dollars on a dumb kiddie story with a warped sense of morality.
Exactly! I am amazed how many people jump to her defense, and accuse people of not reading the article, when they have either not read it themselves or completely ignore what she claims.
I didn’t know it was Rick Warren in the photo. I previously had not idea what he looked like. After skimming through his Forty Days of Purpose Book a couple of years ago, it really didn’t matter much anyway. I know 7th graders who can write better books than that. What a distorted view of God that thing presents.
I really wish I knew more about how publishes get so many people swooning over a book to make it a best seller to people who are really not in-depth students of Scripture. Because there are some godly, spiritual men writing some real helpful Bible-believing material, but they are still desktop publishing.
If an author claims to be a Christian, and many, if not most readers see a Christian theme in a story, what qualifies you to claim otherwise.
I am particularly interested in how you interpret the ending of Harry Potter as unChristian or anti-Christian. What specifically about going willingly to one’s death in order to save one’s friends and defeat evil is unChristian or anti-Christian?
I’ve skimmed the first one. I don’t have to have but a teaspoon of slop to decide I don’t want a whole bowl of it.
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