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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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Witch
Points: 894
darkside rocker says:
That story is abunch of rubbish.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:29 PM EST
Forgetful Werewolf
Points: 14831
Patronus_Potter says:
Well that is just plain crazy... Obviously the first Vatican offiial quoted (Rev. Amorth) has never read a Harry Potter book and if he has has misunderstood on a truly epic scale and s just spouting fundementalist bull-poo.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:33 PM EST
Longbottom is My King
Points: 4729
Kelin says:
Does this guy even know about Godwin's Law? Could he be anymore less original comparing Harry Potter to Hitler? *laughs*
Who cares what this guy says anyway!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:37 PM EST
Witch
Points: 914
hp-luver says:
I don't get it. Harry Potter is just fiction and most Christians usually make a big deal out of it. I mean, if they just read the book, they'd reconsider what they're saying about it.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:37 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1104
Ravenclaw Tower Dude says:
That stupid 'exorcist' and stupid pope. It's not like his oppinion matters, he just thinks it does. I also think the new pope looks like the emperor from the star wars movies...but anyway... I'm a Christian. And I think that the Harry Potter series are probably one of the best things a person could read. There are no evil "atrocities" except those created by Lord Voldemort. And for goodness sake, its a book! None of it is real! And I've just about had it with this new pope and his people-as a Protostant, his opinion means nothing to me, and I advise all the rest of the world out there to listen to me. But back to the point: The Harry Potter books do more good than he (the pope) has or ever will do!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:42 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1426
~Hermione says:
That's his personal opinion... I'm glad that at least one person (Monsignor Peter Fleetwood) has read the book and agreed with us, that Harry is a good person.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 7:54 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 302
xGryffindorGirlx says:
Wow. Now Harry Potter is the devil, huh. Well if it is then I'm a guard of the underworld! haha
That excorist should get his head checked!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:00 PM EST
Witch
Points: 860
Fabrima says:
Oh well, I have nothing to say about these people who keep saying these things about Harry Potter. They said the same thing about Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny. We all know they are fairy tales and that what should count. Who wouldn't like to read books that make us imagine a different world? Of course all worlds must have it good and bad. That is the conflict, to make the good overcome the bad. But as I say again, it is just a science friction book. What make this book so amazing and for all the younger children to read it, is that it based on a little boy of their age. Books like these help children to expand their mind and make them to think not only in the box but out of the box. Also, it help children to understand that just because you are small, doesn't mean you can't make a difference.
All I know J.K. Rowling was a teacher and is a mother. She wouldn’t do anything that would affect her or anyone child. These people who wrote those horrible things should take a while and read the books and stop criticizing other people because of their talent.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:00 PM EST
Witch
Points: 844
~Silver Potion~ says:
Articles like this just make me sad. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Christian and I make every effort to follow how the Bible tells us to live. I've never found anything in it that would convince me reading Harry Potter is bad. I just think that it is ridiculous when people take a work of fiction that happens to come from an amazing imagination and compare it to Hitler. That is so shocking I hardly know what to say. It's a shame that someone would actually try to encourage children not to read. I hope people continue to read Harry Potter for the great books that they are and ignore such ignorant comments.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:04 PM EST
Head
Points: 466
MissPygmyPuff says:
My cousins are Born-Again Christians and are adamantly against Harry Potter. I respect them and all others who think Harry Potter is something bad, but I will continue to believe that HARRY POTTER IS AWESOME!!!!!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:06 PM EST
Witch
Points: 529
HPotters_Girl says:
They should just leave the book alone if they haven't read the book then they dont know what they are talking about.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:15 PM EST
Auror
Points: 4080
RON's all up in heRmiONe says:
Just when I thought people couldn't get any crazier with Harry Potter. Harry Potter is not satanic, the books teach moral lessons about life, stuff like that(I guess), it doesn't teach us to start worshipping the devil and blow up our teachers or parents, it teaches us good things. The only thing they believe that is devil-like is the magic part. If this book didn't have magic, they wouldn't call it satanic. JK Rowling is Christian, she belongs to a Christian Church(I think), she is not satanic and neither is HP!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:16 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1588
Rons_girl says:
*sighs* Its a book, can't these people realise that. How ever much I would like for it to be real, its only a book. A fictional *sniff* world with fictional characters!
I bet anyone who claims Harry Potter to be evil or the devil has never even read the books! Ugh thats why it bothers me so much, they don't even give it a chance! *stomps off because this has made her angry*
Quote of the day: The lesson is in the struggle, not in the victory!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:18 PM EST
Magical Me
Points: 8420
Nutty4Harry says:
Are you serious?!?! That is just WRONG...I mean really...the DEVIL? And what is he basing these "findings" on?? I highly doubt that this exorcist has actually read the Harry Potter series. This is just nuts!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:38 PM EST
Witch
Points: 566
lupinsgal24 says:
There are so many things going on in the world that the church should worry about - and this ain't one of them! As I say - if you don't like it, don't read/ watch it!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 8:42 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1841
Remmy4193 says:
Ohh come on! That is pretty harsh to say that. I mean, sure it disagrees with what they believe in but it doesn't majorly contrdict every single big and little thing.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 9:16 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 377
Michelle&Felicis:) says:
AHAHAHAHAHA
this sir, rev. Gabriele, is it? reminds me of Jam's mom in the movie DETROIT ROCK CITY L0L!!!
This people from the Vatican are so bored and running out of stupid ideas to win even more money that they start talking about the very first thing they can think about.
I do believe in God, a lot, but not in the Vatican and stuff. They only want money, it's like a fraud!
I mean God Himself says that he doesn't want golden toilettes! It's just that people here don't know what else to come up with to keep them bussy.
Whatever, I just get a little exited commenting in this topics..
thanks
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 9:59 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1375
Phoenix Phire says:
Will it ever end? That is ridiculous! I think we have another case of a non-reader talking about something they have no idea about.
Harry Potter the devil....I've heard everything now.
I definitely agree with Monsignor Peter Fleetwood instead.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 11:22 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2292
HP&MJ says:
Was it a slow news day over at the Vatican? I mean, come ON! The exorcist either hasn't read the books, is having a laugh or is a bit like Mad Eye - seeing the Devil hiding in every dust bin.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 11:23 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 421
Pochacca says:
Oh my goodness. I cannot believe that the catholic church is saying this again. My family is catholic and I remember a some years back ago when the Pope said that Harry Potter was bad and my mom made me tear up all my hard back cover Harry Potter books. I was so sad... The Harry Potter books aren't even about the devil... sort of. Just like Fleetwood said - it's about good and evil and how goodness would triumph over evil.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 11:33 PM EST
Squib
Points: 171
toms_lilangel says:
I think that is friggin' BS!!! They are dissin' the book and probley never read the whole series. Okay, so there are witches and wizards and they use good and bad magic and killing curses and what not, but it aint about that (although, the devoted HP fans know that...)
My great-grandma is a Catholic and she doesnt thing anything is 'bad' about the book. She even went into the theater with me and watched the first 3 movies with me.
I dont mean to get into the whole religion discussion, but there were mant instinces in the Bible where there are acts of magic :Jesus turning water into wine...the parting of the Red Sea, the ressurection (even the HP books know you cant tamper with death and try and bring them back...), healing the sick, making the blind see.... what the heck would you call those situations?...
People like that get on my NERVES!!!
Posted Sep 7, 2006 at 12:29 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1437
allilau says:
Harry Potter deals with fundemental good & evil. It's the way it is in our world and in theirs. JKR is a christian, there is no way that she would write a series accordingly to so-called pagan evils and rituals. This series allows us to believe that heart, faith and courage may finally overcome evil and tempation, there's no harm in that!
Posted Sep 7, 2006 at 1:01 AM EST
Constant Reader
Points: 2848
Starla Jean says:
The books deal with good and evil...and as the other guy pointed out...the baddies loose in the end. I can't believe in this day and age that people still hold to these beliefs...that books lead children to the devil. That guy is going to have a lot of work on his hands if he has to exorcise the demons from all of the Harry Potter fans. Good luck buddy
Posted Sep 7, 2006 at 1:17 AM EST
Witch
Points: 803
ShiningShina says:
Where do these people even get these ideas from? Does the word magic somehow create a linkage to satanic in his mind?
Posted Sep 7, 2006 at 1:54 AM EST
Student
Points: 205
Nicky says:
I wonder who read the book for Amorth as he certainly hasnt read them himself. I always feel sad for such people who speak just to make noise!
Posted Sep 7, 2006 at 2:17 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1976
AncientJoy says:
I hesitate to even respond to this display of ignorance, but in defense of my Christianity, I have to remind others that not all Christians share the Rev. Amorth's opinion. And that includes all denominations [cmenges] (Catholic, Baptist, and Lutheran included) In fact, I personally see more of Jesus in Harry, than I do the Enemy (who, I can't help but believe, truly enjoys it when he gets more credit than he is actually due. Especially from those who should know better!!)
Posted Sep 7, 2006 at 2:45 AM EST
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