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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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Squib
Points: 149
Madam Marsh says:
This is a subject on which it would be possible (and tempting) to write VOLUMES, and I may post something more substantial later, either here or in the forums, but for now, a couple of comments:
--I RESENT being endlessly lectured by ignorant buffoons in positions of authority. They get there by nefarious means and proceed to issue decrees (numbered or not) designed to limit our access to information, ideas, and individual rights. You can probably think of several such people, both literary and actual. In the case of our exorcist pal and some of his ilk, it is no accident that such folk are sometimes referred to as 'shepherds' and their followers as 'sheep'.
--It is a popular tactic when someone in a position of authority is in trouble, to try to divert public attention from the issue at hand. Corporate, political and religious heads have chosen this route a zillion times. Sometimes it works. Much too often, in my opinion. Let me hasten to say that I do not judge entire groups of any kind based on the misdeeds of a few (especially on this most painfully historic date) but SOME in the Catholic Church are in big trouble , and have been for some years, because they are guilty of one of the greatest of crimes: the abuse of children of whose souls they are supposed to be the stewards. I will not get into my opinions of church officials who have let these abusers be shuffled off to other churches to repeat their crimes and ruin so many young lives. But I will say that if Mr Exorcist is so concerned about the souls of children and protecting them from evil, how about applying his energies to exorcising the demons masquerading as leaders and helpers in his own church?
Posted Sep 11, 2006 at 4:37 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 11
EddiePotter says:
Well if the pope's exorcist says so that you should respect other peoples beliefs and thwy should respect our own.
Posted Sep 11, 2006 at 7:19 PM EST
Prof. Alfred W. Mandoore
Points: 2445
JAYSTARR says:
The pope exorcist never seen God or the devil, so how can he call Harry the devil?
Posted Sep 11, 2006 at 8:48 PM EST
Witch
Points: 979
Butterbeer says:
Would it really matter if the pope even thought that harry was the devil? would it stop you from reading it? i hope not.
Posted Sep 11, 2006 at 10:17 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 31
Nuero_toxin says:
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.
We all know what this is.... Natzi Christian hate groups that Proberly have not even see a cha[ter of a book. And is baseing their information on heresay and The fact that it deals with MAGIC. (Which if they knew the difrence between their head and a hole in the ground they would know is neither good or evil BUUUUUT how it is used. (Cathlics are not the only group. Baptist and even some sects of Lutherns are on the hate wagon also.)
Posted Sep 12, 2006 at 3:41 AM EST
Celtic Epona
Points: 6699
Val-Halla says:
Harry Potter 'The Devil'...this exorcist guy must be off his rocker! He sounds positively insane!! JK Rowling's HP books aren't evil and the characters shouldn't be called 'The Devil' or anything else like that. Her books have have a positive effect rather than a negative one - those books got childeren interested in reading again. Getting childeren interested in reading...evil...I think not!
Posted Sep 12, 2006 at 7:44 AM EST
Little Morning Star
Points: 2830
Nellas Telrúnya-Took says:
May the pope rot in Hell.
I hope I'm not offending anyone by saying that. Probably am. But still, that is such bull. Horrors they commit? God, like he even read the books!
Posted Sep 12, 2006 at 10:20 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1805
Swimangel57 says:
Well, that first comment is just ridiculous. Stalin and Hitler??? Are you kidding me?!?! That is just absurd. I am glad to see that not everyone at the Vatican is against Harry though. Some people have some common sense.
Posted Sep 12, 2006 at 11:37 AM EST
Auror
Points: 3252
Tenshi says:
Yup I think that's a bit much... I s'pose maybe Voldemort, but every book has a villain or supreme evil... He's not a fan of fiction, is he?
Posted Sep 12, 2006 at 3:05 PM EST
Student
Points: 268
Her Royal Jennyness says:
If HP is the devil, what does that make the Cheif Excorsist???
Posted Sep 12, 2006 at 3:37 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 800
Dr EraseR says:
I think this is hilarious , I don't think this exorcist guy has even read it the horrors they committed and the atrocities that were committed on their orders. what is he talking about ?
Posted Sep 14, 2006 at 1:31 PM EST
Student
Points: 266
TheORIGINALMrs.Snape says:
there are REAL horrors out there in the world than there are in a story; so Mr.Exorcist guy, you should be more worried about the devil being in you than in a FICTION book.
***p.s. Someone send a memo to this exorcist man discribing the difference between reality and fiction.***
Posted Sep 15, 2006 at 7:33 PM EST
Student
Points: 266
TheORIGINALMrs.Snape says:
Sorry to double post, i just hope no one takes what i posted to the heart. it's just an expression.
Posted Sep 15, 2006 at 7:36 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 82
Hufflepuff is Love. says:
As a catholic I have to resoect their descision.
But I just have to disagree.
I love the Harry Potter series.
And to there is nothing bad about it.
Posted Sep 16, 2006 at 3:13 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 708
gildavis says:
Here is a great example of a man making a pronouncement about something he hasn't seen or experienced.
If you listened to people who do things like that and acted on their advice then chances are good you'd be goose stepping down the street before long.
Posted Sep 16, 2006 at 8:51 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1899
Hermione5 says:
Ridiculous... And better read them before saying anything... being "the Vatican" doesn't make you different - you have to know something before you have the right to condemn it!!!!!!
Posted Sep 17, 2006 at 2:47 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2137
True*R/Hr*Love says:
I really doubt whether he has even read the books! People jump to conclusion because it's about witchcraft but does that seriously mean that it's evil? I think not!
Maybe next time before making large accusations, they should actually read the books or research they're point of view!
Posted Sep 17, 2006 at 9:18 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 27
doyoubelieveinMaGiC09 says:
Even the pope would like these books if he read them...
Posted Sep 17, 2006 at 4:33 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1448
Wulfric_Brian says:
This cracks me up. It doesn't make me mad or anything, it just amuses me how incredibly ignorant some people can be. I mean, Harry Potter is obviously Satan. He has been described many times as a young boy with a lightning shaped scar who battles evil. Wait. No he hasn't.
Posted Sep 17, 2006 at 6:07 PM EST
Princess of Anime
Points: 7539
Allenoray Mozart says:
YEAH.... You can actually tell Harry Potter is a devil by reading the books.
*snorts*
I thought all of this crap calling HP a devil was over. Guess I was stupid for thinking that. ><
Posted Sep 17, 2006 at 11:44 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 305
hoggywartswitchwannabe says:
i wonder why he thinks that. I don't think he is a dvil. it is just a book come on.
Posted Sep 18, 2006 at 9:28 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 1
Senor Siyoveo says:
It won't be over until something definitive is issued from the pope but that probably won't happen
Posted Sep 19, 2006 at 3:53 PM EST
Witch
Points: 629
Melde says:
AAAAAAAARGH!!! I HATE THE POPE!!!
WHY - WHY DOES HE DO THIS TO US??
WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO HIM?
WHAT HAS JK ROWLING DONE TO HIM?
Oops.. I shouldn't shout.. sorry..
heheh.. just... *mumbling* express my self..
*hawks*
yeye.. Well! Now, POPE! You should REALLY
start to take out that big marsmellow you stack into your brain like.. 40 years ago!
You big baboon!
Posted Sep 20, 2006 at 1:34 PM EST
Student
Points: 266
TheORIGINALMrs.Snape says:
the more i read, the funnier it gets. hell, the pope might actually have the entire HP collection underneath his bed and here he is saying it's evil and what not.
Posted Sep 21, 2006 at 10:32 AM EST
Witch
Points: 690
Ginny_Weasley_Potter says:
The devil jajajaja what ever. There's more evil out there than reading a FICTION I mean FICTION Anybody can see the difference between REAL andFICTION
PS.
Read the books first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted Sep 21, 2006 at 3:43 PM EST
Muggle Executioner
Points: 5173
ThunderofHisSky says:
Personnel from the Vatican can sometimes be close-minded.... like we always say, Harry Potter is a fight against good and evil. The only thing that seems to make it devil-ish is the magic which is continued to be misunderstood until today!
Posted Sep 21, 2006 at 9:50 PM EST
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