PermaNews Archive: Thou Shalt Love Thy Potter

Over the years, Harry Potter has been both attacked and praised by the religious community. Many feel Harry Potter promotes withcraft and satanism, while others find profound messages of faith in the books.

Harry and beyond
Rabbi Richard Eisenberg offers his take on the 'Harry Potter' series, stating that the books stimulate us to look beyond life as we know it, and remind us that the things we perceive with our senses are not all there is.
August 17, 2003 at 2:55 PM; New Haven Register - Comments (70)

Community responds to book burning
You may be familiar with the recent story about the church in Greenville, Michigan that organized a Harry Potter book burning last weekend. It turns out that JK Rowling's books weren't the only items tossed into the bonfire - included in that list were the Book of Mormon and non-King James Version Bibles. Reactions from the community were understandably mixed.
August 7, 2003 at 12:30 PM; The Detroit News - Comments (166)

Another Harry Potter book burning
It's not uncommon to see a pastor leading a Sunday prayer denouncing evil. But this past Sunday at the Jesus Non-Denominational Church in Greenville, the congregation was taking action - a Harry Potter book burning.
August 4, 2003 at 1:53 PM; WZZM TV - Comments (162)

Torah references noted in Harry Potter books
Jewish Rabbi David Zauderer found "some of the strangest, almost magical, supernatural things" - like what you'd find in the Harry Potter adventures - in what used to be the bestselling book of all time.
July 25, 2003 at 5:49 PM; Jewsweek - Comments (48)

The HP controversy: fantasy or occult?
Steve Eighinger of the Quincy Herald-Whig writes about the controversial stances arising from the Harry Potter series' mass appeal -- is it an entertaining fantasy read or the first step towards the occult?
July 24, 2003 at 10:41 PM; The Quincy Herald-Whig - Comments (65)

Conservative Australian school bans Harry
"The Potter books portray and promote witchcraft as normal," said principal Bert Langerak of Maranatha Christian College in Australia. "It's a problem because as Christians we would say witchcraft and that kind of thing is not good, and yet Rowling portrays it as being good." His solution: Potter off the shelves.
July 2, 2003 at 11:44 AM; Herald Sun - Comments (54)

Religious zealots strike at Harry Potter again
A sign in a Kentucky town reading "Harry Potter is of the devil" has created some controversy for local residents. Meanwhile in Alabama, things are a little more level-headed, with religious leaders simply urging parental involvement. But over in Australia, one girl says Harry Potter is sucking in young people and misleading them about the awful truth.
July 1, 2003 at 6:35 PM; WKYT (Kentucky) - Comments (56)

Wizard and witch help religion
How's this for a change: Yahoo! News has a report on how media such as Harry Potter and "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" are helping UK Paganism grow.
June 19, 2003 at 10:49 AM; iharrypotter.net - Comments (7)

Religious attacks muted as Harry Potter 5 arrives
Harry Potter can breathe a bit easier these days -- the evil Lord Voldemort may still have it in for the boy wizard, but the lawyers, preachers and family groups seem ready to give it a rest. With the arrival of British author J.K. Rowling's fifth novel, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," set for Saturday, opposition to the orphan with the lightning-bolt scar and the high-performance broomstick is muted.
June 18, 2003 at 2:50 PM; iharrypotter.net - Comments (5)

Harry Potter: Love vs. hate
WitchVox.com has an excellent view of the Potter series from the Neo-Pagan perspective.
June 17, 2003 at 8:37 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (7)

Unitarian Universalist Church uses Potter as a teaching tool
According to Ohio.com, not all churches take issue with the boy wizard.
June 14, 2003 at 7:45 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (4)

A scholarly look at Harry Potter, teens and religion
A release from AScribe touches upon a new book written by University of Colorado at Boulder journalism professor Lynn Schofield Clark titled "From Angels to Aliens: Teenagers, the Media, and the Supernatural". For teenagers who are skeptical of religious institutions, films and television shows featuring supernatural themes may offer deeper religious reflection than conventional churches. Here, here.
June 11, 2003 at 8:46 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

Commentary: Anti-Potter folk back on the move
Constant Vigilence. I dislike posting these links because I disagree with what they represent. But the reson I post WorldNetDaily's rabble-rousing that Harry Potter is a method of recruiting for the occult. J.K. Rowling has said time and time again that her story has nothing to do with neo-Pagan theology. It is fiction and is a phenomenal story filled with detailed character development and a wonderful story of good vs. evil. My suggestion? Be watchful but ignore them. Attention only gets them[...]
June 11, 2003 at 8:03 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (2)

Harry Potter & Christianity
An interesting commentary on Christianity & Harry Potter from Christianity Today.
June 3, 2003 at 8:50 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (3)

Harry Potter vs. the evil vicar
No, it's not some representative of the church trying to ban Potter books. According to snippets from The Express sent to us by a reader, Bloomsbury rival Faber & Faber plan on releasing their own book on June 19th. It's called Shadowmancer, written by vicar Graham Taylor, of Cloughton. The book, allegedly rejected by Bloomsbury, is about an evil 18th-century Yorkshire vicar. More information in this article from February.
May 26, 2003 at 2:14 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (3)

Resident calls for removal of 'Harry Potter'
Another religious zealot has struck, this time in Fair Haven, Connecticut: Be careful what you read in the library. That children's book might be the first step toward selling your soul to Satan. At least, that is what Antonio Rivera thinks. At a recent Board of Education meeting, Rivera, a resident of Fair Haven, requested that the popular "Harry Potter" series be removed from city schools.
April 3, 2003 at 7:01 AM; Yale Daily News

Religious wrong doings
Yet again religious misinterpretation threatens books in our schools. When will they understand the Sci in Sci Fi means it's not real? Read the story here
March 31, 2003 at 2:45 PM; Godric's Hollow - Comments (1)

Speaker rails against Harry Potter
Harry Potter teaches children to be a part of the occult and should not be part of the public educational system, according to the featured speaker of the VCY America Radio rally. Citing a witch, the speaker said Scooby-Doo is the "grandpa of all pagan-friendly cartoons" and that there are pentagrams clearly shown in some of the more recent Scooby-Doo animated movies. There are others, he said, including Ghost Busters, Tiny Toons and Captain Planet. Click for more hilarity.
March 21, 2003 at 7:01 PM; Olney Daily Mail

Professors defend fiction's famous wizard
"The books are Christian in at least two senses. First, the books place love and truth as the objective goods at the heart of what it means to be a human, magical or otherwise. The characters always find victory through universal virtues such as courage in the service of honesty or friendship. Self-sacrifice, the willingness to put oneself in danger for another's sake, is one of the constant threads running through the series." Click for more refreshment.
March 16, 2003 at 10:41 PM; Zenit (Rome)

Gilderoy Lockhart & God...
Yahoo! has some excellent pictures of Gary Oldman [Sirius Black] from an unnamed awards ceremony, held last week. One can suspect that he has already started work on 'Prisoner of Azkaban,' so these pictures may give a slight idea of what Black will look like, minus the extensive hair and makeup. Oldman was there to present 'Potter' producer David Heyman with the Producer of the Year award for his work on 'Chamber of Secrets.' Also: Article from Northern Light The Christian Science Monitor has[...]
March 10, 2003 at 1:12 AM; TheSnitch.co.uk - Browse 4 Gilderoy Lockhart pictures - Comments (1)

Teenager disputes religious bias against Potter
A letter to the editor here begins: "I am a 15-year-old at Theodore High School. I am writing because of the letter to the editor on Feb. 12 titled, "Harry Potter fails the test." A couple of years ago, you could not pay me to read a book. Then I read Harry Potter, and now you cannot keep me away from books." Click for more.
March 8, 2003 at 1:42 PM; al.com/Everything Alabama

The split verdict on Harry Potter
While Harry Potter books remain banned in some places, there is a growing acceptance of the stories of the boy wizard, with a blessing of sorts from the Vatican recently and even new efforts to preach Christianity itself through them. One such effort is under way here at the Vanguard Church, housed in an old movie theater. The church, whose congregation is Southern Baptist, is presenting a series of workshops, "The Potter Project," intended to teach children about Christianity by play-acting[...]
March 8, 2003 at 4:01 AM; New York Times

Potter book seals the deal for Christians
A Protestant minister and academic whose specialty is the theological aspects of contemporary literature have put the final seal of approval on Harry Potter. Rev. John Killinger says Harry is not a devil or a witch, but a Christ-like figure. In a learned new book, God, The Devil and Harry Potter, he says the four Harry Potter novels are not only among the best reads of all time, but also "a modern interpretation of the gospel."
March 7, 2003 at 9:58 AM; The Ottawa Citizen/canada.com

A Christian Harry Potter?
The problem with the villains in children's books, says the Rev. Graham Taylor, is that they aren't scary enough. So, when he decided to create one of his own, he reached into the darkest recesses of his imagination. Taylor, 43, is beefy and ginger-haired, a former policeman of 10 years. He had to retire after thugs beat him senseless outside a pub in Pickering. "One of the kids knew I was also a priest, and as I lay there, I heard him say: 'Where is your God now, Graham?'" Click for more.
February 20, 2003 at 7:01 AM; Electronic Telegraph

'HP' and religion...
Lots of interesting news on the church front... The Vatican says 'Harry Potter' is alright! In a press conference on Monday, Vatican officials stated, "They [The 'Harry Potter' books] are not bad or a banner for anti-Christian ideology. They help children understand the difference between good and evil." Couldn't agree more! - - - Article from Yahoo! The 'Harry Potter' books have led Methodist minister Michael Hardstaffe to create church services based on the series. "I've always been interested[...]
February 3, 2003 at 11:12 AM; TheSnitch.co.uk - Comments (2)

New Potter-related book
A new potter-related book is to be released: Rebecca Sutherland Borah, assistant professor of language arts at the University of Cincinnati, and Nancy Jentsch, instructor of German and Spanish at Northern Kentucky University, are among 16 international teachers and writers who contributed to the book. Much of the book explores literary ancestors of the series, focusing on magic and fantasy and the British boarding school experience. Other sections look at the moral and ethical dimensions of[...]
January 27, 2003 at 1:41 AM; Muggle Pride Zone - Comments (1)

Harry Potter event for kids in grades 4-6 in Miami
A letter to the editor published in today's Miami Herald announces an event on January 18, 2003 hosted by the Youth Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida. The event will focus on "activities designed to show that the lessons in Harry Potter books are central to the Christian faith."
January 4, 2003 at 12:01 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

Bishop ponders Potter's future - Some question books' place in Catholic schools
Harry Potter hasn't been banned from Catholic school libraries in the Diocese of La Crosse. But Bishop Raymond L. Burke said Friday he is studying the popular books to determine whether they are appropriate for Catholic school students. He said the only question that has come up is this: "Does Harry Potter do evil things to accomplish good?" Committing acts of evil, even for good purposes, is against Catholic teachings, Burke said.
December 28, 2002 at 3:31 PM; Online La Crosse Tribune

Harry Potter: Occult propaganda?
North Jersey has this: MOSCOW - Prosecutors have opened an investigation into whether the Harry Potter series of children's books incite religious hatred, an official said Wednesday. The investigation was started at the request of a Moscow woman who was upset by the novels, said Svetlana Petrenko, a spokeswoman for the city prosecutor's office. Petrenko gave no futher details on the complaint. The Interfax news agency reported that the woman who sought the investigation believes the second[...]
December 26, 2002 at 8:34 AM; iharrypotter.net - Comments (2)

More about the Moscow prosecutors' investigation
An update on the news from Moscow. Moscow prosecutors have opened an investigation into whether the Harry Potter series of children's books incite religious hatred, an official said Wednesday. The spokeswoman for the prosecutors' office said that the investigation is one that it is required under law to conduct when a request is filed.
December 26, 2002 at 7:01 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

Harry goes on trial in Russia for promoting the occult
Harry Potter could go on trial for promoting religious hatred. Lawyers are investigating the books, which some parents claim promote wizardry as a religion. Prosecutors in Russia will decide whether any criminal charges will be filed after a complaint by a Moscow woman. JK Rowling's books are hugely popular in the country and the writer's publishers are threatening to sue over a highly similar local version, Tanya Grotter.
December 26, 2002 at 1:01 AM; The Hogwarts Wire

Harry Potter 'insulting'
A Russian woman is seeking to sue the Moscow publishers of Harry Potter, alleging the children's novels offend her religious feelings and incite to black magic, news agencies have reported. "It is still too early to talk of opening a legal investigation," a spokesman of the state attorney's office said. The department was still examaining whether the complaint was admissible.
December 26, 2002 at 12:01 AM; news.com.au

Wizard 'Potter' in hate inquiry
Prosecutors in Russia are investigating whether the "Harry Potter" series of books incite religious hatred. Svetlana Petrenko, a spokeswoman for the Moscow city prosecutor's office told The Associated Press, the inquiry was set up after a complaint from a woman in Moscow. The Rosman publishing house, which has the license for "Harry Potter" books in Russia, said it was "baffled" by the investigation. Petrenko gave no further details but the Interfax news agency reported the complainant believed[...]
December 25, 2002 at 3:31 PM; CNN

Harry Potter sparks row in Russia
Some people claim the books are anti-Christian
December 25, 2002 at 10:31 AM; CBBC Newsround

Prosecutors consider opening an investigation of Harry Potter
Moscow-based Rosman publishing house has published Russian-language editions of all four of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. The books have sold 3.5 million copies. The Moscow city prosecutor's office confirmed a report in Moskovsky Komsomolets that Alexandrov is studying whether the books violate Article 282 of the Criminal Code, which deals with instigation of ethnic, racial or religious enmity. Violators, if convicted, face up to five years in prison.
December 23, 2002 at 7:31 PM; Moscow Times

Harry Potter - "Evil" in the schools?
"Millions of American schoolchildren have a new subject in school," claims an article on chick.com, "witchcraft!" Well! Consider us duly warned. (Note that this article contains uninformed references to the Wicca religion.) Thanks, Ruhama, for the link.
December 20, 2002 at 2:31 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

Meaning of "Witch"
I was reading a book about witchcraft. I found out that the word "Witch" means "wise one". Also, Witchcraft is really a religion, with rules and everything. I didn't read further, it was getting quite boring. But I thought you'd find this info interesting.
December 6, 2002 at 7:17 PM; Inside Harry Potter - Comments (1)

Gleaning spirituality from Potter
I reported this a long time ago, but there has been so much mass media coverage over this issue that I thought it only appropriate that I continue the story. "Before Harry Potter was born, there was a wizard who went bad -- 'as bad as you can go. Worse. Worse than worse,' wrote author J.K. Rowling. When Connie Neal read those words, she saw what she calls 'a glimmer of the gospel': Before Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, there was an angel named Lucifer who went bad -- worse than worse. The[...]
November 23, 2002 at 12:53 PM; UKHarryPotter - Comments (1)

Christian critics split on "Chamber of Secrets"
An article from Christianity Today reports that religious press critics widely disagreed about the film. Some are of the opinion that the "moral center of [the] series is dead-on." while others believe that it "glorifies the occult in a glamorous way." (Thanks to The Wizard World for the link.)
November 22, 2002 at 12:14 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

Protesters denounce book-shredding ceremony
A large and unified group of protesters denounced the book-shredding ceremony that operated under the guidance of on Rev Douglas Taylor. "Protesters have denounced a Christian group for shredding Harry Potter books. The Rev Douglas Taylor and the 30 members of his Jesus Party based in Lewiston, Maine, say the books promote witchcraft and the pagan religion. Mr Taylor said he had wanted to burn books like he did last year but the city authorities wouldn't issue him a burning permit. The Reverend[...]
November 15, 2002 at 10:49 PM; UKHarryPotter - Comments (2)

"Harry Potter" recognised for its positive values
Thank you to Dark Mark for this link to an article from website The Leaven which mentions that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was named best family film by the leading Catholic media organizations in the nation. The film was praised for its "cinematic storytelling, production qualities and enduring human values."
November 5, 2002 at 11:47 AM; The Leaky Cauldron

Christianity = Harry Potter
He's been attacked by evangelical Christians as glamorizing the occult, but young wizard Harry Potter could be a powerful means of spreading the gospel, an ecumenical church group said. "Rowling's books, which have sold millions of copies worldwide, have been attacked by some Christians in Britain and the United States as a dangerous influence on children because of their focus on wizards and magic." full story at nytimes.com
October 17, 2002 at 4:27 PM; UKHarryPotter - Comments (1)

The banned list: Why some books are placed off-limits
From The Seattle Times: Kids in the United Arab Emirates aren't allowed to read Harry Potter books in school. The stories about the boy wizard are too violent, anti-family and go against the Islamic religion, government officials in the Arab country decided. But you don't have to go as far as the Middle East to find people trying to ban books. Last December in Alamogordo, N.M., a church pastor led about 500 people in a book-burning ceremony. They tossed copies of Harry Potter books as well as
October 17, 2002 at 3:00 PM; DarkMark

Christianity and Harry Potter
From Yahoo! News: Harry Potter (news - web sites) may carry a wand, ride a broomstick and count a werewolf among his friends but a new book claims the boy wizard's adventures are really full of Christian imagery and morals. I could run a weekly bible study using Harry Potter as a starting point. It is a gold mine of biblical truth if you look at it that way," Connie Neal, author of "The Gospel According to Harry Potter," told Reuters in an interview. J.K. Rowling (news - web sites)'s best-sel
October 11, 2002 at 12:39 PM; iharrypotter.net

Use Harry Potter to spread Christian message, churches are told
From :: Nola.com LONDON (AP) -- He's been attacked by evangelical Christians as glamorizing the occult, but young wizard Harry Potter could be a powerful force for spreading the gospel, an ecumenical church group said Wednesday. A new booklet published by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland cites J.K. Rowling's best-selling books as a good way of illustrating important themes like the battle between good and evil. The Harry Potter books "ask people to look again at the selfish material[...]
October 9, 2002 at 9:24 PM; TheSnitch.co.uk - Comments (1)

HP & JC
Publishers have named two entities that have kept them marketable and able to survive amidst the current economic downturn: Harry Potter and Jesus Christ. "The search for spiritual sustenance after last year's September 11 attacks has boosted the profits of religious publishers while children have demonstrated an insatiable appetite for the exploits of a boy wizard. With the industry hit by the current global downturn, the number of companies attending this year's Frankfurt Book Fair has dropped[...]
October 8, 2002 at 6:15 PM; UKHarryPotter - Comments (1)

HP among top to be banned
That's according to an annual report by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. Topping most of the lists was the Harry Potter series of books about a boy wizard. They drew 71 challenges in 21 school districts. All the challenges were rejected. Texas A-C-L-U executive director Will Harrell tells the Houston Chronicle that the highest number of challenges were based on mystical and pagan references in books. He says that suggests an organized, religion-based campaign. Challenges also were[...]
September 22, 2002 at 6:37 AM; Inside Harry Potter - Comments (1)

Dutch church celebrates Harry Potter themed service
Thanks to Annanova: A Dutch church has celebrated a Harry Potter themed service for children. The pastor donned a wizard's hat and asked the youngsters to come dressed as Harry. Pastor Joris Ridderbos says there are a lot of similarities between the story of Harry Potter and the life of Jesus. Potter books have been denounced and even burned by some Christian clergymen, who claim they promote witchcraft. The pastor from Haren, however, told the Haagse Courant newspaper: "The story of Harry[...]
September 21, 2002 at 2:39 AM; Inside Harry Potter - Comments (1)

From Radio Free Europe: "The series of children's...
... books about Harry Potter, the trainee boy wizard endowed with magical powers, have sold millions of copies around the world and made their creator, Joanne -- or JK -- Rowling, one of Britain's richest women. Harry Potter's many fans, adults as well as children, say the books and film are innocent entertainment in the tradition of fairy tales and children's fantasy. But Harry has attracted his critics too, who detect something sinister behind the tales of sorcery, spells, and magical creatures.[...]
June 8, 2002 at 10:51 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments

Hamilton's Catholic school board [Ontario, Canada]...
... is considering whether the wildly popular Harry Potter series of books should continue to be available in school libraries.
May 8, 2002 at 11:54 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments

Claims that sales of classical music CDs have at...
... last begun to rise are premature: what is selling are chillout compilations and soundtracks. Harry Potter can stay in Catholic classrooms, Saskatoon board rules. The Catholic school board has decided to allow Harry Potter books to be used in the classroom despite claims from some that the novels are ungodly and evil. Young Ethiopians have been celebrating their first Purim in Israel with a little help from the magic of Harry Potter.
February 28, 2002 at 11:41 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments

Providing a counterpoint to "Harry Potter"...
... bookburnings and bannings, here's part of what the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops had to say in their review of the film: Parents concerned about the film's sorcery elements should know that it is unlikely to pose any threat to Catholic beliefs. "Harry Potter" is so obviously innocuous fantasy that its fiction is easily distinguishable from real life. Harry uses his "magical powers" for good to fight evil. Parents and children can enjoy this fetching tale in the same spirit of the[...]
February 19, 2002 at 3:31 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments

For many people, eating chocolate is like a...
... religious experience. Now a Guiseley church is bringing our worship of the sweet stuff into new Sunday services. And it is also linking Harry Potter and even The Simpsons to themes in the Bible to get people into pews. It's Oscar nomination time in Hollywood. On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Pictures announces its glittering lists of movie contenders -- twenty awards, five people per award -- and the build-up begins. ... But the two films expected to dominate the 24 March ceremony are Lord of[...]
February 7, 2002 at 5:39 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments

Zoë Wanamaker, who portrayed Madam Hooch in Harry...
... Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is up for one of London's most prestigious theatre awards. She has been nominated for Best Actress at this year's Laurence Olivier Awards. (And thanks to IHP for pointing out that Alan Rickman (Professor Snape) is in the list of nominees also, for his work in "Private Lives"!) From The Globe and Mail: The Roman Catholic Board of Education has given the go-ahead for an investigation into whether it should continue to allow students to use Harry Potter books as[...]
January 17, 2002 at 5:35 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Browse 14 Alan Rickman pictures - Comments

The "Harry Potter" books rank #1 in the list of...
... the American Library Association's most frequently challenged books of 2000, according to an article printed in the Christian Science Monitor. Works from authors John Steinbeck and Maya Angelou are also included.
January 8, 2002 at 3:27 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments

Harry Potter is way ahead of Frodo Baggins in the...
... battle of the box office, but in conservative Christian churches, Frodo rules (from the Boston Globe). Quotage: Tim Keller, a conservative Presbyterian minister in Manhattan ... stirred up controversy when he tried to praise "Harry Potter" in a sermon at his church, arguing that the books do a good job portraying evil as a force in the world, portraying the power of the supernatural, and glorifying the importance of sacrificial love as seen when Harry Potter's mother dies saving her infant son.[...]
January 5, 2002 at 2:58 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments

CNN reports that a Harry Potter "hateline" has...
... been set up in Austria. A Monmouthshire school teacher is believed to be the model for the "evil" Professor Snape in the Harry Potter books (from the BCC News). It has been mentioned that Chris Columbus is playing phone tag with Ewan McGregor's agent, trying to pin the Scottish actor down for the part of Remus Lupin in Prisoner of Azkaban. (Thanks to everyone who pointed us to the news on The Usher.) Another article on this possible casting can be found here. Debate continues over Harry Potter;[...]
December 28, 2001 at 5:13 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments

The BBC news reports that "Boy wizard Harry Potter...
... is working his magic by drawing record box office takings across the globe." Australian witches are seizing on the worldwide Harry Potter craze to lure new recruits, claims one member of the Christian Democratic Party (from news.com.au).
December 11, 2001 at 12:49 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments

Ananova reports that Harry Potter leads to surge...
... in broomstick sales. From mlive.com: Harry Potter charms some Christian critics.
December 8, 2001 at 12:20 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments

Finally, a positive view from the Catholic...
... community about the Harry Potter phenomenon - from the Catholic Standard.
December 6, 2001 at 8:58 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

The Toledo Blade has an interesting article about...
... Christian authors looking at the Harry Potter series. (Thanks to Dennis from the Hogwarts Connection)
September 24, 2001 at 10:27 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Browse 5 Hogwarts pictures - Comments (1)

More anti-Potter from the radical Christian right
September 20, 2001 at 3:08 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

The Traditional Values Coalition has put out a...
... press release publicizing a video put out by conservative, radical Christian film company Jeremiah Films called "Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged" claiming that the Harry Potter book series is a recruiting tool for religion of Wicca who's practioners, according to Jerimiah Films, "incorporate radical feminism and homosexuality into their practices." Not a ringing endorsement (or remotely true) for either the books or the religion. This is the video being discussed in Florida Today the last[...]
August 20, 2001 at 3:51 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

Syracuse.com has an interesting article about a...
... Christian religious leader using Harry Potter to teach about Christian values.
August 20, 2001 at 1:05 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

Some interesting Letters to the Editor in Florida...
... Today about a recent editorial covering the view that Harry Potter is anti-Christian.
August 9, 2001 at 1:59 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

The Sacramento Bee has published a must-read...
... article on the Harry Potter discussion within the Christian community. Here are some excerpts, author of the article is Jennifer Garza Nearly all her life, Connie Neal has tried to follow a righteous path. So why are so many saying she has taken a wrong turn? Neal, 43, is a busy mother of three who lives with her husband and children. Two months ago, her book "What's a Christian To Do With Harry Potter?" was published. "By the way some people have reacted, you'd think I was teaching the kids[...]
July 7, 2001 at 12:26 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

The Halifax Herald tells us that Hogwarts opens a...
... branch in Canada Hogwarts, the fictional school for magic by British author J. K. Rowling recently opened an extension school at Dunbar Heights United Church, reports the United Church Observer. Some fundamentalist Christians have decried the Harry Potter books for their popularization of sorcery, but Susan Lindenberger, a curriculum consultant, used the books to help the church liven up its Sunday school.
June 16, 2001 at 10:54 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Browse 5 Hogwarts pictures - Comments (1)

John Welter from the Durham Herald Sun pokes fun...
... at Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Nancy Stouffer, Christians and the Wiccan religion in his most recent column about Stouffer's claims.
April 3, 2001 at 12:28 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

A reader sent us this article from ABCNews.com....
... Sounds like something the Dursley's would do. The congregation of a church in suburban Pittsburgh gathered around a bonfire Sunday night to burn Harry Potter books, Disney videos, rock CDs and literature from other religions, purging their lives of things they felt stood between them and their faith.
March 26, 2001 at 1:42 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

Australia's The Age has an editorial today about...
... the banning of the Harry Potter book series at the Nambour Christian Outreach College.
February 5, 2001 at 1:26 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

Christian Outreach College in Australia has banned...
... the Harry Potter book series from its library's shelves.
January 23, 2001 at 11:58 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

Apparently a bit of a row has errupted in Chicago...
... regarding Marshall Fields' use of a Harry Potter window display during the "religious" holiday season. So read up, browse About.com's fabulous gallery of the world of Harry Potter, and weigh in your opinion.
January 18, 2001 at 9:41 PM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

Americans aren't alone. All official bodies in the...
... district of Muensingen-Reitheim in southern Germany are boycotting a Harry Potter book because church leaders said it was unchristian.
November 28, 2000 at 11:08 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

It had to happen. From Dark Horizons: UK's The...
... Citizen newspaper reports that protesters are preparing to picket Gloucester Cathedral if plans to shoot the live-action film version of the children's novels goes ahead there as proposed. Seems some outraged churchgoers are "fiercely opposed to any portrayal of 'witchcraft'" and have been quoting passages from the book of 'Deuteronomy' to reporters. Nevertheless they're not united in their views, take the cathedral's Dean for example who sees it as a great opportunity: "Gloucester Cathedral is[...]
August 16, 2000 at 10:17 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (1)

In a March 2000 Salon article, Chris Gregory...
... defends Harry from both his feminist and Christian critics.
July 8, 2000 at 3:01 AM; The Leaky Cauldron - Comments (2)

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