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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: 579
sweetj364 says:
that is rediculous! Harry Potter is FICTION people! i mean really i cant beileve they would even publish that kind of stuff! i bet the Catholic Church is feeling pretty bad right now!
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:26 PM EST
Witch
Points: 718
Hedwig,express says:
I respect their beliefs but I'm pretty sure Harry isn't evil. Just like Beuwolf Sp? He is going up against evil, and I'm sure He isn't called the Devil.
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:28 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 925
aeschere says:
The "Holy C" is just upset that their piece of fiction, the Bible, is not being read as much as Harry Potter.
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:30 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 346
Order_Member_#1 says:
Man,practically lots of people think harry potter's the devil,geez,why can't they just shut about this.
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:32 PM EST
The Goddess
Points: 2829
Moonface says:
Harry Potter=Stalin, Hitler, Devil!!!!
?
NO WAY!
They are going way to extreme, it's a children's book. A story. An entertainment that doesnt make us believe anything except Good always wins and people make their own destinies.
Psh!
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:33 PM EST
Witch
Points: 560
TheBabblingHousewife says:
I am Catholic, and I've never heard of the church having an exorcist. I suppose he needs to make sure that people think his job is needed!
If Harry Potter is the “king of darkness, the devil”...I hate to think what Voldemort represents. Harry and the "good" people are fighting evil...tell me how that's a bad thing.
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:41 PM EST
True Weasley
Points: 5529
~GinnyWeasley~ says:
I heard about this it was on a Morning show over here in Australia last sunday ... and everyone thought it was just stupid ... and i agree
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:42 PM EST
Sirius's Veil Thrower
Points: 4666
SiriusBlacksGodDaughter says:
Wow. Well, I repsect their believes, but I would have to disagree.
I agree _sapphire_ ! I mean, these people can't tell us what we can and can't do...sure they can help make up our minds for us...but we have our own freedom for a reason. What we do and read through our lives is up to us. And I do respect their believes...but if they read it, maybe they would think differently. They read the defined print...not the reality of it...I hope this makes sense.
~Drish~
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:42 PM EST
Witch
Points: 651
Therin Ennui says:
Ah, Catholicism, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:42 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 331
xParselmouthx says:
Hmm I wonder how many people have converted to Satanism because of Harry Potter?? Hahaha. NONE. Exorcists have no idea what they are talking about in my opinion.
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:49 PM EST
Witch
Points: 827
crazyeme says:
This is beyond ridiculous. Whoever this exorcist person claims to be, I'll bet he's never even read a page of a HP book. I absolutely HATE people that judge things that they have no personal knowledge on! They're so blinded it's unbelievable! Why do we even bother listening to them!
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:50 PM EST
Mrs. Draco Malfoy
Points: 27909
Arika Granger Malfoy says:
WOW!
I hate when they do this!!!
Oh well.......
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:52 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1829
Lady Leo says:
The Pope is crazy because Harry Potter is not the devil. Voldemort is very extremely close to the devil though. and he is like Hitler.
Circe*
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:52 PM EST
Ravenclaw Ambassador
Points: 3243
Nevar says:
That's ridiculous. How dare they compare the characters to the monstrosities of Hitler and Stalin? The Vatican is a bit confused, I think.
N
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 9:53 PM EST
The Dark Knight
Points: 5789
minister for magic says:
I don't understand these things. Why make such a fuss over Harry Potter being evil when it is not true at all.
I am a religious catholic but I really love Harry Potter.
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:01 PM EST
Prof. of Muggle Studies
Points: 4241
Elishka says:
Oh, I read this article when it was listed originally in the side bar. It was so hilarious that I printed it off for several other people to read.
First of all, the guy has no right to speak of "magic" being evil when the prayers and incense and other acoutrements of the rites he practices are little more than magical incantations with interesting "potions."
Second, as a Christian (and former Roman Catholic), I have a hard time believing that prayer can reach people but an exorcism has to be performed in proximity to the person who is supposedly possessed.
Third, most "demonic possessions" cited in the past were in fact brain disorders (such as schizophrenia and the auditory hallucinations that accompany them). Good grief, among the early Jews it was believed that a physical disorder (such as blindness) was the result of sin. I have a very hard time believing there were successful exorcisms of any kind. Divine healing I can believe in, but you can't cast out a devil that isn't there.
Finally, this jerk is further proof that people attack that which they don't understand and what, therefore, they are afraid of. People with inappropriately strong and fanatical beliefs often attack anything in popular culture because they believe it takes something away from God -- as if God weren't big enough to handle such things on His own.
Ah..this gets me onto another rant, so I'll leave it for now.
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:04 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2436
emmafan says:
myself being a catholic think that the books are not devil worship or anything like that, as you van see because i'm a Harry Potter fan and all, and i think that the vatican needs to get it's thoughts in order and have the same views on these issues.
General
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:04 PM EST
Goddess of the Moon
Points: 10740
dee_dee says:
some people still live in the time of the Spanish inquisition... perhaps we should burn JK on the stake for writing books about wizards... or perhaps they should read the book before they judge it...
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:09 PM EST
Witch
Points: 852
WitOfHermione says:
Im so confused, how can he possibly think that? If anything, its a display of the classic and timeless battle between good and evil, harry representing good and lv representing evil. In the end, if Harry sacrifices himself, he can almost be seen as following in the footsteps of Jesus christ. I guess it just always confuses me when people think a book about magic is evil. All of the books by C.S. Lewis contained magic, and yet C.S. Lewis is a christian author. No one questions that in this day.
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:09 PM EST
Hogwarts Jewel
Points: 3382
0*~Bubbles~*0 says:
Well poo on him, I doubt he has ever read the books, so he has no right!!
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:17 PM EST
Student
Points: 241
medea_smyke says:
Ugh. Stuff like this really puts me on edge. Know what? I'm a dedicated Christian and I try to be careful about what I read, but there is no way that I think that the Harry Potter books are demonic or evil. I feel certain that the men and women who says these things about the books haven't even read them. Can't they see that the only people doing "evil" are the bad guys and that JKR is clearly saying that they are wrong? Hello!! Gosh. Trying to protect your religion is good, but being ignorant in the name of religion is not.
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:19 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1041
*Peeves12 says:
Harry Potter is fiction. Harry is definitley NOT the “king of darkness, the devil”. He's the good one fighting the evil. All the evil characters in the books like Voldemort and the Death Eaters are the evil ones. Without them in the books, there would be no Harry Potter!
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:19 PM EST
Witch
Points: 913
MaeMuffin[DOT] says:
at least someone is on our side...
Oh well.....
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:25 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1194
Godric11 says:
Well, this is as old as the series itself.
I'm catholic and my priest loves HP...I doubt he's condemded to heck.
But nothing dealing with witch-craft will ever be popular with any religous group....in my opinion.
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:25 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 787
Beyondfreedom3 says:
Is fiction evil? Can it be? I wonder...I mean, the ideas and personas in fiction can be considered evil, but the point is that fiction is the use of your own imagination steered by the words of another. Who knows?
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:28 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1492
*PotterPrincess* says:
Well, I must say that I certainly don't agree with that. But I see how they can think that it is bad seeing as it says that sorcery is bad in the bible, but we all know it's just fictional and nothing to do with reality. JKR has said that its all from her imagination. Nothing of the story relates to real people or real situations, not even the characters are real. I don't see how it can be harmful to just have a little fun. People watch movies all the time and people don't just start to believe everything they see in movie, why should a book be any different? I gone on and made a really long post, and that probably no one is going to read, which is the bestest part. :D. Anyway, Harry Potter is fine. there's nothing bad about it. :D
Posted Sep 5, 2006 at 10:30 PM EST
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