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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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Auror
Points: 2363
Nataly says:
I surely disagree people just jelous Harry Potter's publicity....
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 12:48 AM EST
Squib
Points: 137
ny says:
I cant believe they would say that! But if they believe it then they believe it.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 1:00 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1150
Witch_one_counts? says:
YES!!! *HARRY POTTER IS THE DEVIL!!!* Now, how does he get that... "You can tell by their behavior and their actions, from the horrors they committed and the atrocities that were committed on their orders." when has Harry purpously hurt someone? Oh well, it seems some people are stupid and don't read the books before they make comments like that... well, lets just continue to ignore them, right?
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 1:19 AM EST
Malfoy by Nature
Points: 12528
WickeDraco says:
Just a while ago, I read an article about how the Pope agreed on Harry Potter and the nobility behind it. Plus, there was something about JK being a good Christian or something.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 1:23 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
(Moderator)
Points: 1687
jones_jj says:
I am Catholic, and I'm appaled by how the Church is reacting to these books. The chief exorcist may want to read the books before making comments. I think he is a bit confused on who the "King of Darkness" really is, and that is not HP. If anyone, I would have to say it's Voldemort not Harry. Monsignor Fleetwood, seems to be on the same page that the last Pope, John Paul II was on. He said the books promote reading, teach good and evil, and that good will eventually win out. Personally the Vatican needs to get their heads in the game really take a look at what the books are saying.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 1:35 AM EST
Professor
(Moderator)
Points: 1180
Vermin Jerky says:
I'm not shocked. New pope, new times. Good thing I don't listen to these people. Glad to know some Catholics have more sense than this, and the courage to say so.
Anyone who thinks that the character Harry Potter is either demonic or the devil either hasn't read the novels or needs help for obsessive behavior.
Let's see, Harry attends a school which observes Christian holidays, where we know Christmas hymns are sung (GoF: reference to "O Come All Ye Faithful") and the evil, nasty, horrible bad guy who ruined Harry's life is a clear reflection of Satanic mythology.
And this guy is still stuck on the word "witchcraft."
Sheesh.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 1:44 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1941
tsvety says:
No offence but he's crazy! The Harry Potter series are the best books I've read... EVER! Oh well...
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 2:11 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2138
Happy Pancakes says:
Umm.. That is really odd! How can they call Harry the King of Darkness or the Devil. It is absurd! He is a fictional character. And he is on the good side and is unlike true demons in the world!
Harry Potter is a great book for all kids!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 2:15 AM EST
Witch
Points: 955
witch46 says:
That guy is crazy!!! The books have practically got a Christian based messege!!! I think he's been a bit isolated lately!!!!:D
(the other guy was cool though!!!:D)
*~witch46~*
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 2:15 AM EST
Points: 1672
Something Blibbering says:
I think you have to be a bit crazy and unhinged, to be the chief exorcist in the first place!! I mean, you actually have to believe that you're casting demons out of possessed people -- in the modern age of enlightenment and science, that's just plain insane... Come on, how can anyone expect someone like that to be rational about anything at all?
If anything, it just goes to show that piousness doesn't equate righteousness. Osama bin Laden is also pious, in his own way -- but why should anyone care about anything he has to say? Ditto for the Vatican...
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 2:23 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2256
Harry Houdini says:
Wow! By the way performing 30,000 plus exorcisms does put a damper in me not believing in monster's.(NOT!) Black and White is Good and Bad. The Potter stories do tell the difference between the two. The example is Good Witches and Wizards and Bad Witches and Wizards. I think Religion does start every war, good and bad!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 2:30 AM EST
Harry’s Egg, Dan’s Duck
Points: 4742
Pearl* says:
*sighs* Well, ar least I know it's no use ranting on HPANA where each and every one of us loves HP dearly and already knows what utter rubbish this is... *sighs again*
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 2:33 AM EST
Witch
Points: 869
kat_snowyowl says:
How lovely. Good to know the Pope and his mates love sitting there in the Vatican reading Harry Potter and all that, huh?
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 2:33 AM EST
Points: 2167
AragornsLady says:
A fictional character is the 'the king of darkness, the devil'? Hmm, someone does not have enough to do. I may think Voldemort is an evil character, but they are fictional characters. It is insane and inane that a Vatican official would actually prepare a report on this.
That being said, Harry is not evil, Voldemort is. Obviously the man has the whole issue confused!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 2:48 AM EST
Witch
Points: 870
caraMEL_penguin says:
Why can't people just see that Harry Potter is a fiction!!!! Come on People!!!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 3:15 AM EST
The Warrior Sorceress
Points: 3333
Devilish Katlyn says:
As we all know, that's just a load of rubbish.
Somehow, I don't think this Reverend has ever READ the books. But it doesn't suprise me. People are quicker to condemn what they don't know and understand than what they are familiar with.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 3:31 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2209
Scarlett Kent says:
It's hard for me to imagine that Rev. Amorth can have read the books, and have come up with an opinion like that. People living in glass churches shouldn't throw stones!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 3:32 AM EST
Princess of Fantasy
Points: 2538
magiclover13 says:
These are just one of the many who think that Harry Potter is all about evil things, dark magic, etc. *sigh* There will always sadly be someone who disagrees with the best of things... :(
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 3:35 AM EST
Witch
Points: 916
aishaishaisha says:
It's so annoying when this happens! HP is not evil! Just because he's a wizard doesn't mean he's evil! It's a fictional book for goodness sake! No one's going to srtat going round with sticks poking people and going 'Avada kedavra!' Well I'm not anyway! hehe Sorry for my outburst but it's so obvious the HP books aren't evil when HP almost defeats Voldy every time!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 3:39 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2351
Skitch says:
Well, we all know that when there's a new pope in town, the opinions can change. Maybe the guy that said the books were alright hadn't gotten the memo that this pope was anti-Harry.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 3:50 AM EST
Friendly Deaf Angel
Points: 5169
Friendly Deaf Angel says:
Ok for one thing, why would they say that Harry Potter is the Devil. I know that probrably they are comparing it to the Da Vanci code probrably i am probrably wrong, but J.k.Rowling is a good arthur and she has not written anything wrong, as for the pope, well i am not saing anything about him because i go to church, but seareasy, who would think the Harry Potter is the Devil. i dont see nothing wrong.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 3:52 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 464
bruja-blanca says:
OK...And that is the people in charge of the catholic church?..mmmm no wonder...I feel sorry for all of them....really sorry ... what is next? women how vote is going to be eating by the monster under the bed? ..jjajajjajajajaja... I am sorry really sorry for them.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 3:52 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1588
Severus' Advocate says:
Outrage!! haha, but seriously, i mean, if he's read the books he can make assumptions, if he hasn't.. but anyway, i mean, Harry Potter books dont try and seduce people into dark arks or anything, they in fact have some christian aspects like 'Lily Potter saved herself for her only son' sounds familiar..and the whole theme of the books is..LOVE, if Harry was saved by love this makes him more Jesus-like than Devil! Voldemorts most like the devil here and at the end of the day, good wins, its good VS bad, it doesn't teach anything immoral..Heck even in disney movies they are witches and wizards, and badies it doesn't make them the devil, hahaa.
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 4:08 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2575
Miss Amortentia says:
I didn't know they had an EXORCIST....Sheesh...An EXORCIST in the 21st century..
They're taking all this too seriously...It's a fiction BOOK for God's sake...Satan isn't hiding in it!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 4:28 AM EST
Squib
Points: 162
mumof5wizards says:
WHAT AN ABSOLUTE CROC OF CROC!!!!! The vatican so-called's need to get a grip and stop their hypocrisy! Everytime their is something special like the Harry Potter books and films, some 'crack pot old fool' sticks their 'right said fred' nose in it just to sway people to them. Go preach to someone who cares!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 4:43 AM EST
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
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