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SEPTEMBER 5, 2006 at 8:29 PM
Posted by GERI
Source: CBC via YubaNet via Moreover
Additional controversy seems to be popping up once again in reference to the Harry Potter books and the Vatican. This time, chief exorcist, Rev. Gabriele Amorth states
that fictional character Harry Potter is the “king of darkness, the devil” in an interview with Vatican Radio last week.
Rev. Amorth goes on to compare the Potter characters to Stalin and Hitler, and says:
You can tell by their behavior and their actions, from the horrors they committed and the atrocities that were committed on their orders. That's why we need to defend society from demons.
You may remember that last year in another interview on Vatican Radio, Monsignor Peter Fleetwood, an expert on New Age and former official at the Pontifical Council for Culture said that:
...I remain firmly convinced that the Harry Potter novels are very well written. They are written on the classical plot of good versus evil in the standard way that the old myths were written. The characters are built up around that: the goodies and the baddies so to speak, and I can't see that that's a bad thing for children, when goodness, and the people on the side of goodness are portrayed as the ones who will eventually win. Harry's enemies resort to all sorts of evil things, and they are the ones who loose in the end. I don't see what's wrong with that, and I can't see that does any harm to children.
It would seem that personnel from the Vatican cannot agree on Harry Potter.
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The Usual Suspect
Points: 3421
Orchid says:
Why can't these people just stop a minute and start to assess the differences between fiction and reality?
As the Monsignor himself said: ...these novels are well written. Last time I checked, a novel is not reality.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 4:52 AM EST
Dumbledore's Muse
Points: 2959
Alchemical Auror says:
I think Rev. Gabriele Amorth is clearly an extremely narrow minded, poorly educated man. I am willing to bet my left arm that he has not even read the books!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 4:55 AM EST
Divine Intervention
Points: 2619
PhantomFingers says:
Well thats just silly! Harry's not that, Voldemort maybe. At least that Fleetwood guy has got the measure of it!
There are far worse fiction novels out there that promote violence and 'evil' and how about books that are written about the devil!?!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 4:59 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1916
Rita Marvolo says:
this isn't really relevant, we know that people on the VAtativano are always candening everything.
in my opinion HP books are very educating because there's the good and evil thing is kinda educating not only for litte children but for adults to!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 5:00 AM EST
Student
Points: 206
Meg Row says:
...and people wonder why i'm against religions now. All this non sense. I think if I had these books when I was 7 I would have had a much better experiance at school and done better. Imagination is very important to everyone's development. Ugh. Headache forming...
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 5:04 AM EST
Witch
Points: 936
Lilium says:
Oh My God!!! The only good reaction here is lauhging! HAHAHA!!! This guy has no idea what he's talking about! I can't believe I'm really reading something like that! [b] This time, chief exorcist, Rev. Gabriele Amorth statesopens in new window that fictional character Harry Potter is the “king of darkness, the devil”[b/] is he joking?!?
[b]Rev. Amorth goes on to compare the Potter characters to Stalin and Hitler, and says:You can tell by their behavior and their actions, from the horrors they committed and the atrocities that were committed on their orders. That's why we need to defend society from demons.[b/] really??? Come on people! Defend us from Harry Potter!!!! The only good in this story is that not everybody agree.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 5:05 AM EST
Points: 865
superduperpotter says:
How can anyone call harry potter the devil.Harry POtter is the best thing that ever happened to the book and film industry.And not to mention its the best thing that happened to us HPANA'ers
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 5:07 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 96
Mini Ginny says:
I think that they need to realise that Harry Potter is fiction. It's a story to entertain us. All books have villains, some are worse than others but Harry Potter isn't a demon! That's just taking the matter a bit too far. The books don't have any evil effects on people either!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 5:19 AM EST
Squib
Points: 141
SamJ says:
What a Crock! This sort of rubbish is always popping up by Narrow minded relgious freaks, (no offence intended as I do follow cristian belives).
The vatican is just jelous as Harry Potter no doubt has a much large fan base that religion. But come on the're all meant to be grown ups. Calling the hero of millions the devil is pathetic.
I think the Pope's exorcist has just made the vatican look foolish. Resorting to name calling when they havent got all of the facts.
LONG LIVE HARRY POTTER
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 5:23 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 485
The_Spectra says:
'King of Darkness, the Devil'. That's harsh. Quite uncalled for. But it is comming from the Chief Exorciist...
*cough*
Poor Harry! Being compared to Hitler and Stalin like that! Aren't we supposed to look for the good in people? Hitler and Stalin achieved some (if very very very minor) good for their people. We all should know that evil is hardly ever black and white and easy to recognise. Especially the Vatican.
Anyway Harry isn't evil. He's selfless and is willing to sacrifice himself for the common good. KEEP IT UP HARRY!!! WE'LL ALL KEEP READING REGARDLESS!!!
T^o^P
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 5:33 AM EST
Witch
Points: 633
filipipa says:
you can't imanine how hard i laughed when i saw the title of this new... the church this days loves to not tolerate anything new. And then, are children the only ones who confund fiction with reality? This new shows me the contraire. And besides, i don't think they read the books, or else they wouldn't be talking about demons. Oh well. Nothing personel, but his is one reason for which i hate most of the catholic church.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 5:54 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1922
emma_wannabe says:
okaaay.
I'm catholic but i have to say that first guy was talking crud.
hell0o0o0o0o. devil???
i have 3 points to prove this dude is crazy...
number 1. its FICTION
number 2. its written by a CHRISTIAN
number 3. its CHILDRENS book
does a FICTION CHILDREN's book written by a CHRISTIAN equal SATAN?
-iSaBeL
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 5:59 AM EST
Custodian of Miracles
Points: 3264
MadamDumbledore says:
People please be aware that this is not an offical stance that the Catholic Church has made regarding the books. The comments made are just that, they are COMMENTS and the personal opinion of a clergyman.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 6:20 AM EST
Angel of Insanity
Points: 2808
Sunlight Dust says:
You know, it's stuff like this that drove me away from the Catholic Faith that my family has followed for hundreds of years. I mean, my grandma goes to Church every day, and I attend a Catholic Girl's School, so you'd think I'd be Catholic, right? No. Despite the fact that I've had my Confirmation, I am now an Athiest. And it's narrow-minded comments like this that turned me down the path of having no religion.
You know what? I'd rather burn wherever their Satan lives and enjoy reading fiction books than follow every single thing the church says.
And if Harry Potter is Satanic, then the Church should take a look at the David Eddings books, particularly the Belgariad, Malloreon, Elenium and Tamuli. They're great books, but they clearly make a mockery of the church at some points, and has heresy written through the whole thing with fictional Gods and the like. They're much worse than HP, but you don't hear the Church complaining.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 6:27 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1012
Enchanting Fairy says:
Im sorry but this is quite silly. I agree with what the Fleetwood person said.
I don't see what's wrong with that, and I can't see that does any harm to children.
Well said. I mean, how can Harry Potter be a bad thing for children??
You can tell by their behavior and their actions, from the horrors they committed and the atrocities that were committed on their orders.That's why we need to defend society from demons
Wait a minute, he is saying we need to defend society from the big bad demon that is Harry Potter?? Give me a break.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 6:31 AM EST
Points: 8027
deemz says:
Harry Potter the devil?!?!
HAha, made me laugh!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:03 AM EST
Witch
Points: 818
Naneferkaptah says:
Yet another proof for human stupidity... But what to expect from somebody who is an exorcist?! I mean, really, who does believe in demons here - HP fans or him?!!
This fellow definitely never read a single page of HP, otherwise how could he say something so idiotic? If anybody in the HP books is like Hitler and Stalin, than it is Voldemort, and last time I checked, the books were about fighting him!!!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:19 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1826
snapelupinfan says:
I 'm not upset any longer because there are always some narrow minded pesople out there.
More important: we have read so many news about "Harry Potter is evil" that it is in my opinion no longer important.
Just let them think what they want to think and don't react.
I daresay there are more important things who should be posted in the news section!!! Not this rubbish!!!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:30 AM EST
Witch
Points: 754
Griselda Marchbanks says:
Well, if what Harry Potter stands for is evil then it's a good thing that it's fiction. Better it's in a book than people actually going out there and doing it. Oops I forgot there are worse things going on in the world right now than Harry Potter. Not to say that Harry Potter is bad, but look at the wars going on right now over religion. Maybe the Vatican should concentrate on more important things that actually matter.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:42 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 85
pixie22 says:
Well he used to say they were well written now he is saying that harry is the prince of darkness? It sounds to me like someone is upset about the ending of book 6. Well it doesnt bother me if he thinks this, but what is it going to do for all the young children who's parents wont let them read the book. I think that before parents let pastors and priest scare them away from harry potter they should read the books!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:52 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 906
*The*Physical*Being* says:
What absoute balderdash! i wonder if this this exorcist has actually read the books properly!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:58 AM EST
Witch
Points: 506
JenniferS says:
Okay I think I speak for most Harry Potter fans when I say "Rev. Gabriele Amorth, you're an idiot!".
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:06 AM EST
Parselmouth
Points: 29083
Thestral Eyes says:
Uuugh here we go again, some more religious crap. And people wonder why im Atheist *rolls eyes* Everythings EVIl and the DEVIl and blar blar blar...seriousely, get a brain and move in to this century and away from the flippin dark ages.
"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," Ratzinger told Kuby in his letter.
Who says the readers are going to be christian anyway? Pompus self richeous...person.
I wonder if hes read His Dark Materials...he wont be at ALL pleased with that. Harry potters a walk in the park compared to that *grins*
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:23 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2353
Loretta says:
This argument is getting way too old. I wonder if Rev. Amorth has even read the books.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:32 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1600
jenn007a says:
Im glad that some people arent stupid and see that there is nothing wrong with Harry Potter! Harry Potter is the king of darkness, give me a break! Sometimes it just gets so ridiculous!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:41 AM EST
Witch
Points: 634
Tammyant says:
I guess like anyone else they all have their own opinions.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:42 AM EST
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