Anti-Potter People v2

Version 1 of this thread is here (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=340).

No person who considers themselves Christian can read this book without partaking of Satan's cup; therefore, he deceives himself mightily who thinks that, after reading Harry Potter, he will be accepted by the Lord at His table. Trying to do this will only "provoke the Lord to jealousy", moving Him to act against us.

We strongly believe that Satan is greatly using these Harry Potter books to capture children for his own kingdom, and conditioning them to accept his values and attitudes. Then, when Antichrist does arise, he will find legions of children and young people ready to accept him, worship him, and finally accept his mark.
Of course, we know Harry is amazing! But, why do some people think that Harry Potter is solely responsible for moral breakdown in society, and how do you feel about them?

BEACUSE THOSE PEOPLE DIDNOT KNOW HARRY POTTER.........they just don't understand him.........they are just saying because kids are mad about it and they just talk about it andh it annoys them........if you see harry closely the misery....the pain...the strain...all makes him a man with strong character.....although he is losing everything..he knows what is waiting for him out there but still determined and optimistic!!!!that's what i have observed!!!

Well, everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but to come with a statement like that you should at least know what you're talking about. I think that between 95 and 99% of those who critisize the HP books publicly haven't even read them, and they probably never will. It's really their loss, the vast majority of parents do not care if some religious fanatic (wether it be a christian or muslim) thinks Harry Potter is work of the devil.

It makes me sick to hear people talk like this. I am a religious person; my family is a religious family; we have all read Harry Potter. Every argument that Anti-Harry Potter people use has been discussed and refuted by scholars everywhere. There is no base or justification for any of the arguments used by these people.

In an effort to understand these people, I have attempted to read books by them. It was so difficult to read this trash that I gave up. I have never read more ignorant statements in my life. I suggest that THEY read THESE books, written by RELIGIOUS people who are, in actuality, NOT "partaking of Satan's cup."

God, the Devil, and Harry Potter : A Christian Minister's Defense of the Beloved Novels by John Killinger

The Gospel According to Harry Potter: Spirituality in the Stories of the World's Most Famous Seeker by Connie Neal

The Wisdom of Harry Potter: What Our Favorite Hero Teaches Us About Moral Choices by Edmund M. Kern

A Charmed Life: The Spirituality of Potterworld by Francis Bridger

Looking for God in Harry Potter by John Granger
DESCRIPTION: "Millions of children, even Christian children, are reading the mega-selling Harry Potter book series and are exposed to the Harry Potter movies. John Granger, a devout Christian, teacher of classic literature, and father of seven children, first read the Harry Potter books so he could explain to his children why they weren't allowed to read them. After intense study, however, he became convinced that the books are underestimated as literature--and reflect important Christian truths. In Looking for God in Harry Potter, Granger gives parents and teachers a roadmap for using the Harry Potter books to teach Christian truth to children."

...and many others that can be found on Amazon. These Anti-Potter people need to get a grip, clear out their eyes, and start to focus on things that really are tainting today's children. Harry Potter should be the LEAST of their worries.

All I have to say, is that they need to know the story behind the books before they even decide whether they're going to hate the books.

When I read the first book, I thought it would be extremely stupid. I was SERIOUSLY WRONG. All I can say is, if in doubt, try it.

Can't blame them. People have different sets of values and beliefs they follow and believe. Perhaps one of those is to see Harry Potter as devilish lure to get people into witchcraft. I have absolutely nothing against them as my boss at work is completely against the books. It just becomes unfathomable when some people resort to burning the books, condemning JKR for supposedly spreading "evil" for writing the story, banning them from public libraries, so on and so forth. Then again, that is what's great about my home country, the US. You have freedom of speech and it lets you do as your heart desires as long as it doesn't go beyond what is legal. I mean, burn the books if you will. You won't see me spending money on something I'd just throw away. http://www.cosforums.com/images/smilies/winking.gif

Godrics Heiress wrote
I mean, burn the books if you will.

I'm not sure I agree with you. It's symptomatic of a greater evil (like regurgitating toilets) As was said 'Those who start burning books, shall end burning people later.'

No person who considers themselves Christian can read this book without partaking of Satan's cup; therefore, he deceives himself mightily who thinks that, after reading Harry Potter, he will be accepted by the Lord at His table. Trying to do this will only "provoke the Lord to jealousy", moving Him to act against us.

We strongly believe that Satan is greatly using these Harry Potter books to capture children for his own kingdom, and conditioning them to accept his values and attitudes. Then, when Antichrist does arise, he will find legions of children and young people ready to accept him, worship him, and finally accept his mark.

YO if your gonna start preaching like you know what your talking about how bout you get your information STRAIGHT!!! The anti-christ already ha come and his name was Lucifer. Lucifer wa the anti-christ and he had his demon worshipers, but Lucifer (aka the Devil) was the Prince of Death and when Jesus died and then rose again, he ultimately defeated the Prince of Death and his demons knew it. Now that the Devil has been defeated by Christ the Savior, when Christ returns he will ultimately put an end to the Devil and Hell for eternity! Now this is of course based on the Christian religion but that is where most of the arguments are coming from. Now that the antichrist cant come again, he cant take children as his worshippers. So im sorry but i think i finally put a rest to your case. If you dont believe me you can rwad the Bible, its a good piece of Lit. You can find some of this in the readings of Mathew

I'm not sure I agree with you. It's symptomatic of a greater evil (like regurgitating toilets) As was said 'Those who start burning books, shall end burning people later.'
Hehe, I'm talking about the freedom to do so. I'm not asking anyone to do it. I'm not saying it's okay to burn books. I just really don't care. I won't be persuaded to burn my HP books if I see my neighbors doing so. I'd be indifferent about it. I myself won't go to great lengths to glaringly resent JKR's work if I were to hate her books (which, quite obviously, I love more than getting enough hours of sleep and rest and studying for my classes); I'd be a quiet opponent of her Harry Potter.

Simply put, JKR is just this talented, amazing writer with a helluva imagination who likes to share her piece to us. I don't ever think she's spreading infamy and the likes for writing something about witchcraft.

Part of an article I read said the Pope supports Harry Potter ;)

This is a good example of many Christian's (not ALL of them) arrogance. They think EVERYTHING has to comply with THEIR beliefs. Frankly I wouldnt care if Harry Potter were against the Christian moral code. I'd still love them for what they are.

Part of an article I read said the Pope supports Harry Potter ;)

This is a good example of many Christian's (not ALL of them) arrogance. They think EVERYTHING has to comply with THEIR beliefs. Frankly I wouldnt care if Harry Potter were against the Christian moral code. I'd still love them for what they are.

I think about the same... I am catholic but I read all the books and love them...

There is just one thing I wonder about: I have never heard the discussion of Harry Potter spoiling the minds and morals of the readers here in Austria...
where did the discussion come from?

Someone in my class says that they don't read Harry Potter because it's the devil's sorcery. We all kind of looked at him strange. But I know it's because of his religion but I think he's Catholic. I'm Catholic and I read the Harry Potter books

No person who considers themselves Christian can read this book without partaking of Satan's cup; therefore, he deceives himself mightily who thinks that, after reading Harry Potter, he will be accepted by the Lord at His table. Trying to do this will only "provoke the Lord to jealousy", moving Him to act against us.

We strongly believe that Satan is greatly using these Harry Potter books to capture children for his own kingdom, and conditioning them to accept his values and attitudes. Then, when Antichrist does arise, he will find legions of children and young people ready to accept him, worship him, and finally accept his mark.

Errrr was this person joking?

While I obviously disagree with the statement which opened this thread, I do believe it is fair for people to hold their own opinions (within reason, this does NOT mean that I say racism/sexism etc can be justified on the basis its their opinion), I say let them express their views, and we the more *enlightened* ;) can just sit back and smirk at their ignorance.

I had a friend at school who I got along really well with, but suddenly in the last 2 years of secondary education he went really religious, now this didn't affect my opinion of him, what annoyed me was the way he tried to force his beliefs on us, and that is what I find wrong with opinion that Harry Potter promotes satanism and so on. These people are trying to force their opinion on us AND to burn these books, or whatever.

I would suggest to them to give them (the books) the chance, and if they say no, then fine, I would try look at it from their point of view too, but they do not even appear to want to give these books the chance.

grrr

I had a friend at school who I got along really well with, but suddenly in the last 2 years of secondary education he went really religious, now this didn't affect my opinion of him, what annoyed me was the way he tried to force his beliefs on us, and that is what I find wrong with opinion that Harry Potter promotes satanism and so on. These people are trying to force their opinion on us AND to burn these books, or whatever.

That's so true. Everyone has the right to their own opinion but the problem is when they dont respect other's right to an opinion.

I had to give a persuasive speech in a class last year, and I decided to speak on Harry Potter. I didn't expect everyone to agree with me, but one girl kept attacking me and saying I had no morals. She was attacking me personally, and not listening to a word I said. I thought I had a very convincing argument. I systematically went through the books and found lessons that they teach to children that are helpful. Things like racial discrimination (mudbloods) and the difference between a good or evil person being choice. Most of the class was receptive, but this girl was not. I guess some people are so set in the idea that harry potter is bad, they can't listen to anyone who says otherwise. (by the way, I got an A on the project-go JKR!)

I'm not sure I agree with you. It's symptomatic of a greater evil (like regurgitating toilets) As was said 'Those who start burning books, shall end burning people later.'That sounds so true.

In a world with spells, defending against the dark arts, trials of friendship of loyalty, bravery, courage, all traits suggesting good, godly behaviour, it strikes me as very odd that it can be called remotely satanic. How on earth can an adolescent teen somehow weaken kids into the temptations of the devil? Isn't Harry constantly using spells, as good, to thwart Voldemort's plan? It's like connecting a bedpan to a forest fire...

I am a Roman Catholic, and we have no bans whatsoever on these books, they're are fully permitted, and even encouraged to be read, because they teach us moral values in a captivating world. It ticks me off to see people trying to force beliefs on young children, because of some unfounded rumours. Aren't the young people our future, so shouldn't we help them by letting them think for themselves?

No person who considers themselves Christian can read this book without partaking of Satan's cup; therefore, he deceives himself mightily who thinks that, after reading Harry Potter, he will be accepted by the Lord at His table. Trying to do this will only "provoke the Lord to jealousy", moving Him to act against us.

We strongly believe that Satan is greatly using these Harry Potter books to capture children for his own kingdom, and conditioning them to accept his values and attitudes. Then, when Antichrist does arise, he will find legions of children and young people ready to accept him, worship him, and finally accept his mark.


This is so......yeah, nevermind. I'm Christain myself, and obviously I have no problems with reading the books. If these people think Harry Potter will cause the rising of the Anti Christ, they've obviously been living in a hole where they can't see everything in the world that is so so much worse than a children's book about a boy wizard.

I agree that there are a great number of people out there who think that HP i the devil in disguise when they haven't even read the books. It is obvious they do not know the stories since Harry is the one fighting evil.

I had a friend of mine have to go to school and curse a teacher out. The teacher sent my friend's son home from school, she said she would not allowed him to read Harry Potter books at school and that his mom must be a degenerate to let him read it. When my frined talked to this teacher she found out the woman had never read it!

I can't quite understand why people get so worked up about things like this anyway. Why don't they wory about the drug pushers and child molesters? That is the real evil out there!

Well, I'm not really much of a supporter for our side, and I'm barely devoted to Catholicism/Christianity , I'm just one of those people that went through a lot of bad stuff in life and realized It's not faith that gets you through the day, its your own wits.

Anyways, in my opinion all those people out there who are yelling burn HP and what-not, I pity them because most of them are better off then a lot of people, yet they spend their time calling HP Satanic and what-not instead of doing REAL things the church does, like helping those who need it, not this bull in order to justify themselves in God's eye or whatever, because thats all it is.

At this time I'd like to borrow a quote I like, something that Sean Connery's character said in Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade

"Maybe you should try reading books instead of burning them"

I had to give a persuasive speech in a class last year, and I decided to speak on Harry Potter. I didn't expect everyone to agree with me, but one girl kept attacking me and saying I had no morals. She was attacking me personally, and not listening to a word I said. I thought I had a very convincing argument. I systematically went through the books and found lessons that they teach to children that are helpful. Things like racial discrimination (mudbloods) and the difference between a good or evil person being choice. Most of the class was receptive, but this girl was not. I guess some people are so set in the idea that harry potter is bad, they can't listen to anyone who says otherwise. (by the way, I got an A on the project-go JKR!)
Wow, you're brave, I'd never be able to speak about HP at my school, it's not appreciated as literature. I can't believe your teacher wouldn't stop the girl who was attacking you, at my school any kind of violence is punished, even defense. (which is something I can rant about later.) Back on topic, people who hate HP haven't read them, or are the type of people that hate everything that isn't um traditional. Traditionally speaking, magic is a bad thing, (I'm thinking Salem Witch Trials here, although the evil wasn't the 'magic' at all) but in JKR's books, the magic is secondary to the plot, which is about good against evil to promote good. They're very complex books, and they're all delivering a moral message, whether intended (which isn't) or not. (Which gives me the idea that I can use HP to lift the defense 'violence' people from getting expelled or suspended, thanks!)

Let me start by saying I am not the faintest bit religious so I think that the Anti-Potter people have some serious issues.

I happen to live in a town abundant with Anti-Potters. At my high school if Harry Potter is ever mentioned it is in an insulting way. Anyways, onto my story...

About a year ago I was invited to my best friend's house for the afternoon after school. It didn't take long for us to get bored so while he was on his computer chatting with people, I whipped out PoA (fourth time through it) and then his mom walked in. I am not afraid to be blunt when I say she was a hardcore religious fanatic. All of a sudden she started scowling at me--saying I shoud "trash the book and read something more appropriate!" <Insert 10 minutes of arguing and no help from my, heh, "Friend" here.> I ended up leaving 20 minutes later walking back to my house (good thing I lived less than a mile away.)

The next day at school, my "friend" said that it would be best if we weren't friends anymore and just left me like that. Words cannot describe how disgusted I was...

I'm not really religious either, though I do have respect for all the different religions and their belief systems. Crazy Christians, however, crack me up. I can't listen to one of the "Potter is Satanic" theories and keep straight face. It's like in CoS when Fred and George found the whole "Potter is the Heir of Slytherin" thing hilarious, and they'd say things like "Make way, seriously evil wizard coming through!"

Potter is Satanic! Woo hoo! 666 baby! ;)

RabidSalad, I am so sorry that happened to you. I would've been so disgusted too.

okay....I go to church every Sunday. I'm an averagely good kid. What else do we need? I don't worship Satan. Some people might think I do.

They do this with lots of stuff popular.

Dungeons and Dragons for instance. Awhile back, some guys got drunk and decided to play 'real' D&D one dude killed another guy. Well, anybody with brains coulda known it was the alcohol, but they blamed it on D&D and that Satan possessed them through the game and forced them to do it. That's just asinine. Then the same idea would go for the SIMS because that's all D&D is. Or any other game with spells and role playing.

I actually know a guy who said, "HP should be banned from schools. He was a major church dude. Well, it didn't go thru. His only thought was that the words made the children love the Devil or something like that. It was stupid."

I heart Jesus.

I remember seeing something on the news about these evangalizing rednecks (no offense to southern-state Christians out there) burning Harry Potter books on their grill. Jesus, people, you'd think they'd have something better to do than to burn children's books :rotfl:

Plus, I remember some freak on the Christian News Network saying that Harry Potter, along with mini-Buddhas and fortune cookies, bring Satan into the hearts and homes of the good, God-worshipping people of America.

WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE *hides her little Buddha statue somewhere*

But, anyway, to each his own. If they ('anti-HP peoplel') don't like Harry Potter, then they don't have to buy the books. If they want to dance around burning Harry Potter dolls and DVD's, well, that's their decision. Whatever floats your boat.

No person who considers themselves Christian can read this book without partaking of Satan's cup; therefore, he deceives himself mightily who thinks that, after reading Harry Potter, he will be accepted by the Lord at His table. Trying to do this will only "provoke the Lord to jealousy", moving Him to act against us.

We strongly believe that Satan is greatly using these Harry Potter books to capture children for his own kingdom, and conditioning them to accept his values and attitudes. Then, when Antichrist does arise, he will find legions of children and young people ready to accept him, worship him, and finally accept his mark.

The way they are talking about this, is as if JK Rowling has suddenly changed the books from Harry Potter and the _________ to Lord Voldemort/Tom Riddle and the________! It's Lord Voldemort that is spreading the evil in the books, NOT Harry! And anyway, everyone who has read Harry Potter hates Voldemort and Harry is the good force, over Voldemort who is the bad force!!

Then, when Antichrist does arise, he will find legions of children and young people ready to accept him, worship him, and finally accept his mark.

The way they are talking about this, is as if JK Rowling has suddenly changed the books from Harry Potter and the _________ to Lord Voldemort/Tom Riddle and the________! It's Lord Voldemort that is spreading the evil in the books, NOT Harry! And anyway, everyone who has read Harry Potter hates Voldemort and Harry is the good force, over Voldemort who is the bad force!!

Yes, it is quite interesting and amusing that, described in the quote from the Anti-Potters, is what Voldemort has in HP world. Voldemort, the EVIL one, the one whose demise is the major plot line of the books. Of couse, I am just stating the obvious, and these people would understand this if they read the books.

I think it is sad that people are judging these books as satanic..when mickey mouse uses a magical wand in fantasia..is he using the dark arts?...I find nothing in the books to support these claims..I remember talking to my mother in law when this all started...At that time I had never read any of the books..and the movies had not been made..but at that time I felt it was a little over the top..now that I have read the books..I feel even stronger about this...yes they use magic..which I suppose if the characters were wiccans it would be one thing..but for heaven's sake they celebrate Christmas and Easter...are these not Christian holidays ?..So obviously the characters must have Christian beliefs...And Harry is the good (in the good vs evil) Voldemort is the evil and the books never give you any idea that evil is the way to go...Harry has never waivered...yes he has been a typical kid and done some rule breaking..but it is a story..it is make believe and in the pretend world we can do a lot of things that we only wish we could do in the real world. So I suggest, that those out there who want to burn the next Harry Potter book that comes around, look somewhere else for corruptive literature. I personal think that they could find more Christian ways to educate children..then to show them that they have to be scared of a harmless book...Maybe they should read the books themselves before they jump to conclusions. These books have gotten many kids and adults to read..when they would not have before..(as in myself..I have always hated reading..wouldn't pick up a book to save my life...then I found Harry Potter) Now I am even considering reading other books too.

These are the type of people who just cant accept change. Saddly the usually are on the far FAR right of the isle, the side im on, some times i just want to shoot them

Hello my first post yay :p .


This is a time wear I would like to read minds. I would realy like to know what goes on in these guys head it would be very interesting, How can someone think like that realy dont like the books? Fine, but why hate it why say its satanic? They are scared same with D&D(and every other good RPG) Someone does something stupid and rather then blame themselfs the parants of the dead would rather blame something else. The media is a exuse and to make them feal even better about what happened they say it had something to do with satan so now there son no longer did there son do something stupid he was just possessed by the devil, and if the parant is a minister(or something similer) he can tell the world and *save* them after all It feals even better if you are doing something *good* because of a tragity.


Basicly a small group trying to stop the pain of a loss makes others thing the way they do.

I'm an anti-anti-Potter fan if you know what I meen.

I am a christian but you don't see me complaining! :p
To quote Emerson from MuggleNet:
Then reading the books is totally out of the question!
:lol:

Yea but that D&D satanic thing turned out to be true!

:)


I don't understand it myself. I never judge something before I read it.

I think it is sad that people are judging these books as satanic..when mickey mouse uses a magical wand in fantasia..is he using the dark arts?...

You will always find someone who thinks so.
Some ppl think war is good, sentence to death is something that has to be done sometimes, that we actually never step on the moon or that you follow a destiny and do not have any choice in your life... Some even think Rael is really a god sent by the little grey people or Michael Jackson comes from another planet or that Marylin Manson actually satan's friend and kills chickens on stage or...

well those are things I don't get... but this is the way it is...

I have a family member who hates hp because it deals with witchcraft and that makes a conection with the devil it ashames me (sighs)

What I find extremely amusing about all of this is that the children seem to understand that magic isn't real, and that it's just a fantasy series, while the adults are raving on about how it's Satan's Bible.

:)

I live in the "Bible Belt" of the US, so I sometimes get a bad rap, if you will, about my reading of HP. It's not as bad as some people I know, because my dad is a pastor. It's funny to see the expressions on people's faces when they find out I read Harry Potter. :rotfl:

I can understand if you don't like the books because you geniunelly read them, and then decided you didn't like them. That's OK. Informed dislike is fine; its the ignorant hate that rubs me the wrong way.

Adelaide

I can understand if you don't like the books because you geniunelly read them, and then decided you didn't like them. That's OK. Informed dislike is fine; its the ignorant hate that rubs me the wrong way.

Adelaide

Here Here!!!! I dislike when people have no clue what there talking about.

I had this HP club on www.bolt.com and within the first week of starting it...someone hacked my club and made everything say...."SilverWilver is evil and Harry Potter is the Devil"

It said that like 100 times all over my page. I had to wipe out everything and start all over again on that club....it sucked

Yeah well, meaning no offence to anyone who does belive this quite frankly trash, there are some idiots out there who live by the pope's every word, he says they ain't godd they ain't good simple.

GodricHollow wrote
he says they ain't godd they ain't good simple.

Actually when he was asked he said he saw nothing wrong with them. It's not the Catholic Chrurch that opposes them but some sects in the US. Do you think he read them in La?tin

this is the most ridiculous thing ive ever read!? i can see why some people in the catholic church would think that books preaching equality would be satanic...i mean we dont want to be equal do we!? That would be awful!

Can we remember that these people are using this as an excuse for attention or something like that? If they were really against "magic" They wouldn't be zeroing in on HP - they would be against any fantasy or sci-fi book written. These people are fanatics who jump on any bandwagon to say it's the devil's fault instead of looking at why people really do the things they do.

There are always idiots who throw caution to the wind and do stupid things trying to copy something from a book, movie or TV show and get themsleves killed. It is not the entertainment industry's fault that people are morons. Even the show on MTV JAckA## - has a disclaimer that they are professionals - not to try it at home - and how many times do we see people gettnig hurt trying to copy these guys? And how about the kids who watched that football movie whre the guys laid in the middle of the road so some real geniuses decided to try it for real but in the middle of a four lane higway and got run over. PLEASE!

I agree that the Anti-Potter folk need to get a life and worry about real issues. Things like the homeless, starving people, and the spread of AIDS and terrorist attacks, these people try going to prisons to convert the sinners there instead of trying to bash young children for reading some of the best fictional stories ever written!

I don't understand people like that, those who will condemn something that might possibly (and I have never yet seen a case with Harry Potter) lead a child to practice witchcraft, which they have deemed "unholy" and "bad". I am sorry if you are an incredibly religious person, but I have seen some of these uber religious people promote the death penalty, and war which cause pain, (someone mentioned these 2 things above, and I apologise for repeating) but they will deny children something that brings them pleasure, and even has moral lessons. And one more thing, the children in Hogwarts are CHRISTIAN, they celebrate CHRISTMAS, they don't take the lords name in vain once during the books (as far as I can remember) and there has been no sinning involved really. I actually think Harry is a little to perfect at times. And they call the books satanic.

I had a really disturbing encounter with the 'anti-potter' people just recently. I got my nephew OotP for his 13th birthday (I get him a new HP book every year) and my brother got him a really cool "Seeker" HP shirt. After he opened them, one of the women at the birthday party said, "Well I don't like all this Harry Potter stuff - it will lead kids into practicing witchcraft." I thought she was kidding - so I said something smart alek like "Yeah, and soon they will all be participating in satanic rituals." Well, her face turned 5 shades of red and she said "Well, I really believe it will lead kids into practicing witchcraft. My preacher said that it makes kids try to practice spells and want to be witches, which will lead them into drugs and prostitution." I was completely stunned! My mum then piped up and said, "We let all of our kids watch The Wizard of Oz and Bewitched, and it didn't harm them any" At that point we all kind of let it drop, because this was a birthday party and not a time for debate! But it really upset me!

My brother (my nephew's dad) is extremely religious, has read all the HP books, and isn't in the least bit worried that my nephew is going to start worshiping satan because he likes HP!

And my mum had a good point too - I love The Wizard of Oz, and watched the TV show Bewitched as a kid. I can remember trying to wiggle my nose like Samantha (the witch) but it certainly didn't make me want to be a witch. Doesn't every kid imagine being able to do some kind of magic? It is part of their imagination - just like a game of cops and robbers, or cowboys and indians.

The woman at the birthday party gave my nephew a toy water gun as a gift - I happen to think a gun of any kind is more violent that a fairy tale book! I don't have a lot of patience with people who have base their beliefs on someone else's opinion. This woman couldn't give her own reasons for disliking HP - her dislike was based on what her preacher had said. URGH!

Sorry to rant - but this was my first real encounter with an HP bigot - and the encounter left me frustrated!

Don’t forget Treasure Island, Alice in wonderland, and a whole bunch of great books that could be read to children to help their imagination to soar. It is funny how people can make a view yet not read something or even want to read it, they rather have someone else to tell them what to think.

About a year ago HP came up while talking to one woman who said that her preacher had done this HUGE anti-Potter thing (rally, book burning, weeklong prayer and fasting fest... amazing amount of energy put into this thing) and she was really convinced that the books were going to bring about the end of the world... until her son - who had never EVER read a book himself in his life - picked up HP and couldn't put it down. One small victory for literacy and imagination.

On the same point, most adults absolutley LOVE the Genie from Aladdin to bits, yet moan over something as simple as this!? It's simple really, you don't like it, you don't buy it, belive it's about the Devil, don't buy it, why do people try to wreck other people's fyn? Is it because they think thst the author's done a crud job? It's the same with The Lord of the Rings, just because most of the Haradrim actors used in The Return of the King were black and Sauron looked remarkably like the Devil, I mean come on! If you just want to spoil it for the rest of us you can bloomin' well buzz off!

Wowzas...I think JKR is a great writer too, but I don't think that she's great enough to make any Christian of strong faith say "Hey! I just read this book about a teenage wizard! This is obviously the true path...what was I thinking with that Bible thing..."

If Christians are true Christians, they'll still be Christians even after reading Harry Potter.

I'm a Christian and I don't think anything's wrong with HP. The people who are so against it probably have never read it so they just take someone else's word for it and end up looking ignorant in the process. My brother, for instance, is a Christian, too, but he thinks HP and everything that goes along with it is evil to the core. Whenever the rest of my family (myself included) try to argue the point that nothing's wrong with it, he just turns a deaf ear. If he would actually read the book he would find that there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

And one more thing, the children in Hogwarts are CHRISTIAN, they celebrate CHRISTMAS, they don't take the lords name in vain once during the books (as far as I can remember) and there has been no sinning involved really.

That's not what makes one a Christian, but I see what you're getting at. Harry Potter books teach courage, love, sacrifice, friendship, good vs. evil, forgiveness, loyalty, and all sorts of (Christian) morals that some shallow minded Chrisitians overlook, especially without even reading the books.

I'm a Christian and of course I love Harry and a majority of my church friends are just as crazy about him. One of my strongest points about this involves C.S. Lewis, probably the most dominant Christian theologian of all time. He wrote the Chronicles of Narnia, which involve many of the same things (i.e. spells, witches, centaurs, etc.) as our beloved Jo uses. I believe that this was her favorite book series growing up, from what I've been told. Lewis also lead J.R.R. Tolkien to Christ, who is probably the most famous fantasy writer of our age!

Please ignore those confused, judgmental, and shallow minded Christians that insult Harry Potter books without reading them. Don't hate on them, and realize that they inaccurately represent the Christian faith.

Oh yeah, and keep reading Harry. I will.

Personally, I am agnostic and don't believed in organized religion and abhor religious fervor. My husband, an active duty soldier on his 2nd deployment to Iraq, has "found God" over the last few months. He hasn't touched my HP books, and heaven help him if he ever even hints at it lol. I subscribe to Frued's beliefs on this matter (if you haven't the faintest clue what I'm talking about go ahead and read it lol).

Fanatics, by definition, are over the top. They see evil in everything and everyone in an attempt to make themselves feel more secure in the world. I just shake my head and pity those who insist on book burning, reduce their wives to slaves because the bible says women are inferior, and use *** bible to substatiate all manners of horrific, non-Christian acts. And I pity those who insist that HP is devil-worshipping material the most :eyebrows: .

Honeslty, if a child reads HP and begins sacrificing small animals to Satan, there are probably more issues going on in his life than his having read JKR's novel, and those problems were there long before that fateful trip to the bookstore.

My religious sister has knocked HP so much that her kids question the fact that I let my kid read HP. Yet she has never read a word of an HP book much less enough to form an opinion. And on top of all that, she lets her kids read the Chronicals of Narnia! God is protrayed as a lion, there's definitely a witch or two and *oh My* talking animals. I don't even discuss it with her anymore, I get too upset.
As far a children wanting to practice witchcraft... The witchcraft that we need to worry about it the Satanic worship stuff, not Rictusempra (a tickling spell). My son learned to play chess because of Harry Potter and Ron playing in the books. If other children want to try to fly a broomstick, their parents haven't doing their jobs and teaching the children what's real and what imagination is! I've never heard my son or any of his HP fan friends say they seriously want to fly a broomstick or perform a magic trick. They alway say 'what if we could, what type of spell would you want to do?'.
Sorry it's so long, I'm opinionated on this subject! It really gets my blood boiling (it that a magic spell?)

Well I have an anti-potter story.

My 'friend' suggested we read the same book so we can discuss character development and plot line. I told him he'd have to wait unless he wanted to read GoF, because at the time I was in the middle of reading it, and I told him I'd have to read OotP right after.

This was all done via email.

He never emailed me again. He works in my company and he doesn't even look at me anymore. The Harry Potter discussion was the last thing we spoke about, so I can only imagine that this is what freaked him out.

OK it is one thing to say kids are impressionable, but I'm a grown woman and have been a Pagan before JKR even printed her first book. Not that I ever though that HP was Pagan to begin with.

I think anti-potter people are no different than those who burned witches back in the day...only because murder would be against the law is the reason I'm not roasting.

I'd really like to know how they can say this when the author herself is a Christian. Besides, it's only a fairy tale book. Just because we read it doesn't mean we devote our lives to the world of Harry Potter, and believe one day we'll get our letter. Maybe whoever wrote that gets a little too into the books he reads. We don't worship Harry Potter as our God; we read J.K. Rowling's books for entertainment. And the author of that article said that you can't read the book and.. what was it, be accepted by the Lord at His table. They obviosly didn't read the book, for fear of being damned to hell. Yes, there's dark magic in the books, but if you've read it, you'll find that Harry Potter is part of the 'good side'. And again, if that person had read the book, he'd find out that it's fairy tale magic, like the Tooth Fairy, Santa Clause, Pinochio, Cinderella, and so on; not the stuff real people practice to cast spells on people, Wicca, I think it's called. That person really needs to get HIS priorities straight.

Wow the whole series is #7 on the 100 most banned books list. Along with other books, which most of them I have read. I mean "Blubber" by Judy Blume...Geez.

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm

*sigh* well I guess the book I'm writing about pedaphellia will be well recieved. Looks like I'll have good company.

not the stuff real people practice to cast spells on people, Wicca, I think it's called. That person really needs to get HIS priorities straight.

People have this misconception about Wicca. People who practice Wicca are bound by the rule of 3 and do not put spells on people...or they are not supposed to. There is a Rede that states this.

Please, Please do not say anything negative about a religion. Thanks.

Here's a good story:

I'm Jewish... And I went to a synagogue once that absolutely hated Harry Potter. They fired a teacher from their Sunday Hebrew School because the teacher allowed her students to read it. Why do they hate it? They say it is an Anti-Semetic novel (I didn't bother to hang around and listen to why, though)! I think this synagogue is also the same one that tried to say that Barney was Anti-Semetic as well (not that I like Barney, but Jeez :rotfl:). I think these people were paranoid.

I must ask... is there anyone out there who finds these books Anti-Semetic?

I must ask... is there anyone out there who finds these books Anti-Semetic?

Ummmm...no.

I don't see it as Anti anything.

I must ask... is there anyone out there who finds these books Anti-Semetic

I think its amazing how serious people take the books and try and work out all these hidden meanings in the book. I mean JKR would surely never go out and knowingly write a book to go against any race or religion. She is just putting her amazing imagination to use and it kinda baffles me how people read this as being against certain religions

I agree People should atleast read the book before they even complain and... it has CHRITSMAS !!!!! enough said at that lol

Quote:
No person who considers themselves Christian can read this book without partaking of Satan's cup; therefore, he deceives himself mightily who thinks that, after reading Harry Potter, he will be accepted by the Lord at His table. . . .


I'm a Christian, and I have to say, from my Christian viewpoint, that whoever made this statement must have missed the part in the Bible where God said we are NOT to judge each other, He reserves the right of judgment unto Himself. So who does this hypocrite think s/he is to tell me I won't be accepted at the Lord's table because I read Harry Potter? (Maybe s/he read the Bible as closely as s/he read the HP series.) Unbelievable!

Wow... I must say that I'm amazed (and freaked out a bit) after reading some of the stories posted here. I have met many people who hated HP, many of them didn't even bother to read it but "sure it does suck" "sure LotR is better than this ****" or "sure it's a book for children, not for the oh-so-adult me", but actually noone has even mentioned HP being evil. AND I'm living in Poland, the (according to stereotypes) most christian-devouted country there is...

I did however, just out of curiosity, go Googling around a bit ("harry potter is evil" was the catch phrase I used), and found out that these guys... even made a movie telling how evil HP is - the praised (by them) "Harry Potter - Witchcraft repackaged". Now this got me thinking a bit - if they are really just trying to convert people, they would distribute the video for free (or at most at the cost of producing and delivering the medium), right?

Wrong.

It costs a whopping 21 dollars (in DVD format). Well, that's kind of much if you are not trying to earn money, but to convert people, and are doing this not for profit. Whom these guys are trying to fool? In my opinion, it's one of the most evil things to try to cash in on people's ignorance.

Not that I think that all Cristians in general are ratb*stards like those guys, not even those who claim that HP is evil (actually most of them just publish articles about it on the Web, with free, and open to everyone access, doing just the opposite of those guys). I believe that they believe they are doing the Right Thing, but honestly... If you open a book just to find evil in it, then sure you are going to find it. If on the other hand you open a book trying to find good in it, then you will as well. It all just depends on the attitude of the reader. If you are forced by the surroundings to believe that HP is evil, and attempt to read it like a sort of anti-Bible, then that's what happens. So just a plea for all of them: stop looking for evil in HP! Try just once to read it, and look for good, and I'm sure you will find lots of it in there, just as I, and many, have.

A funny story:

When Book 5 came out last summer, my sister and I (both very adamant HP fans) were in the middle of a road trip to South Carolina, and had just entered the state. We had heard that some book burnings had taken place in the state, and we were a little worried about going to buy the book at a local Wal-Mart. We did it, and safely, but still... it was a good laugh :-D

I was raised Catholic, though I've forsaken my upbringing to follow my own beliefs. For being in Catholic schools my whole life, never once was Harry Potter EVER frowned upon in any way, shape, or form. However, my religion books did say that Divination was against the practices.

As an explaination to anyone who may not have been brought up in a Christian household, the origins of these beliefs come from the second commandment (I think it's the second): "Thou shalt not put any other gods before me, and let me guide your life." People that follow divination and horoscopes to the extent that it "guides" their lives, that's against the commandments. Some people just take it WAY too far.

So many of these people got their information from this article: http://hoaxinfo.com/potter.htm

It went around a few years ago and was published in "The Onion" a known SATIRICAL newspaper. My sister sent it to me as an email - I'm a Christian and she didn't think I should be reading the books. This was her amunition - until I pointed out that it was SATIRE.

How sad it is when people stop recognising humour, satire and irony.... I'm glad that God at least has a sense of humour (otherwise we wouldn't!)

My mother won't watch the HP movies because she thinks they're evil. But I haven't the heart to tell her that the preacher at our church and his wife love the movies. My mom is a good and kind person but she does have the occasional odd idea. She also loves Snow White. I told her "but mom, there's magic in that!" And she replied, "That's different because the witch is evil and its a cartoon." Computer graphics are too realistic for her. But I still love her.

I am fed with adults who complain about other adults reading HP because they say is a kid's book! When I was a kid I read a lot of books that were mainly for adults, and I wasn't told off for doing so. It annoys me when people cannot see a good book for what it is - just that, a good book.

No one is thought badly of as an adult for reading The Wind In The Willows or The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime, but when it comes to HP all hell breaks loose! I think HP has committed the ultimate sin - the series is well written, children and adults like it, and it has been commercially successful.

INo one is thought badly of as an adult for reading The Wind In The Willows or The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime, but when it comes to HP all hell breaks loose!

I love "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime" - great read!

I have always had a problem thinking of the HP books as being children's books. Perhaps this is because I first read them at age 33 and fell in love with the story. In my mind they have always been ageless books - books that I can read alongside my 13 year old nephew. Best of all, we can talk about them and our differences in age don't matter. Not many series can say that!

A bit more back on topic - when people try to make fun of me for reading HP because they are 'children's books' I just tell them they must not have read them if they think that!

I actually get more grief because I read HP websites and love HP chat rooms. I have even gotten made fun of by 15 and 16 year olds in chat rooms because they think I have no life! :p Thank goodness I have thick skin! Maybe it is more acceptable to read the books as an adult - but most people consider you really odd if you are a huge, obsessed fan as an adult!

I posted this in the "Harry Potter and the Bible" thread, but here it is again...

Why does Harry potter have to do with religion at all? Why can't it be just a good fanatsy book written by J.K.R., without everyone searching for G-d in it?

I posted this in the "Harry Potter and the Bible" thread, but here it is again...

Why does Harry potter have to do with religion at all? Why can't it be just a good fanatsy book written by J.K.R., without everyone searching for G-d in it?

That's a good question. I think that Anti-Potter people just want to start an arguement about it because of magic, or as they say "sorcery".

Please enlighten someone for whom English is not a first language - what is the difference between "magic" and "sorcery"? I thought they were synonymous, and completely replacabe one with other, and now you say it as if it was wrong to call it "sorcery"...

Please enlighten someone for whom English is not a first language - what is the difference between "magic" and "sorcery"? I thought they were synonymous, and completely replacabe one with other, and now you say it as if it was wrong to call it "sorcery"...

Sorcery and magic are the same thing. But the Anti-Potter people are saying that it's the source from the Devil, they are also calling it sorcery not magic. I hope I cleared that up for you. :)

All I have to say is, thank God I'm not a Christian......I'm a Catholic! And the Vatican has gone on record as saying they find nothing offensive about the Harry Potter books.

When I told my born-again brother-in-law about that (in the context that I would be giving copies of the books to my niece/goddaughter when she is old enough to read) he tried to protest.......to which I replied "It's the Vatican, dude".

Don't know why but he found it immensely amusing that I would put "Vatican" and "dude" together in the same sentence.

I am fed with adults who complain about other adults reading HP because they say is a kid's book! When I was a kid I read a lot of books that were mainly for adults, and I wasn't told off for doing so. It annoys me when people cannot see a good book for what it is - just that, a good book.


Is it anybody's business what you read? If you want to read a comic book, isn't that your business? I wish someone would say that to me. So it is OK for a kid to read an adult book, but not vis versa? What a screwy world we live in.

Here's a good story:

I'm Jewish... And I went to a synagogue once that absolutely hated Harry Potter. They fired a teacher from their Sunday Hebrew School because the teacher allowed her students to read it. Why do they hate it? They say it is an Anti-Semetic novel (I didn't bother to hang around and listen to why, though)! I think this synagogue is also the same one that tried to say that Barney was Anti-Semetic as well (not that I like Barney, but Jeez :rotfl:). I think these people were paranoid.

I must ask... is there anyone out there who finds these books Anti-Semetic?
JKR has gone out of her way to make the books completely religion free to keep them as universal as possible. There aren't any Jews in it, but there aren't any practicing Christians in it either. They celebrate a non-sectarian religion-free Christmas, but so do I and I am Jewish. I have a pretty good built-in anti-semitism alarm and it has not gone off yet. They may have been over-reacting to rumors that Harry is going to be a Christ-like figure. Otherwise I have no idea. :huh:

Now for my anti-potter people story.

I worked with three (count'em three) Christians that were horrified that I read Potter and they each preached vehemently to me about its evils. I tried repeatedly to point out that they spells weren't real, and you couldn't go out and buy the ingredients for potions and actually make the potions in the books. One of them knew enough to talk about Diagon Alley. He thought it was a real place and the books had told us how to find it. And they believed that brooms really can fly. However, they were all convinced that it was real and would lead directly to Satanism. I told them that the books were fantasies about loyalty, love, sacrifice, friendship, honor, decency, bravery in a fight of good against evil, but they were sure it was all a trick to make us become Satanists. They even shrunk away from my book when I brought it to work, since I guess evil was eminating directly from it. :no:

When I mentioned books like the Wizard of Oz and Chronicles of Narnia, they said that those books were different. Then I asked them to show me the crowds of new devil-worshippers produced by the HP books, and they said the Satanists wouldn't show themselves right away because they would bide their time. :shrug:

However, I also worked with someone who said his religion was Celtic Traditional (some kind of Wiccan). He thought the books and spells were real too. :eyebrows:

It's as old as religion really....the total disdain of anything 'magical' that my be 'satan's work".

When in reality Harry Potter is a story about what is moral and good, the people fighting on the side of good do it to save innocent lives and the bad men/women are surely to be vanquished.

I mean, in the Christian bible it has many stories of a similar nature. HP is a parabol of righteousness and and what makes people wicked. The bible is full of magic really. Fish and loves? Water into wine? In all honesty i think Jesus himself would have viewed HP as a wonderful way of getting morality across. After all most people dont like having things shoved in their faces, but learning it from a story put them less on the offense.

Not to mention.....since when cant people separate imagination and fantasy from how to lead your life anyway? TAo me if a person can read a book and go "Hey! Im becoming pagan now. Or Hey! Im Satanic now" then they were already thinking about it long before or they are extremely weak people who will probably read The Da Vinci code the next week and change their opinion then to as well.

Most of the people that hate Harry Potter probably haven't even read them because I used to think that the books were stupid but then I read one of the books and couldn't put it down.

All I have to say is, thank God I'm not a Christian......I'm a Catholic! And the Vatican has gone on record as saying they find nothing offensive about the Harry Potter books.

When I told my born-again brother-in-law about that (in the context that I would be giving copies of the books to my niece/goddaughter when she is old enough to read) he tried to protest.......to which I replied "It's the Vatican, dude".

Don't know why but he found it immensely amusing that I would put "Vatican" and "dude" together in the same sentence.Err sorry i cant resist. Isnt Catholic Christian? Im sure you mean Protestant :cool:

Anyways, i also wanted to mention that anyone who says you are 'dumb' for reading a 'kids' book needs to get a clue. Any book can hold morals for all ages, not to mention entertainment. Like im sure their collection of books is only full of Joyce, Dickens and Vonnegut. I bet you wouldnt find ONE book with Fabio gracing the cover of it :angel: And thats sarcasm.

Theres a difference between immature books and books written so where children can understand them.

Most of the people that hate Harry Potter probably haven't even read them because I used to think that the books were stupid but then I read one of the books and couldn't put it down.

You also have to look at it this way. Reading the HP series at this point takes a commitment. I mean each book is progressively larger than the last. And there are five to get through. Most people don't have the desire to make this type of commitment. However, if they started reading them, they'd realize that there was no way they could NOT read the next book. I'm just upset I had to stop after 5 because 6 wasn't out yet.

Some people say to me, "I'll just see the movies". But I didn't start reading until after PoA came out in the movies, and everyone was telling me the book had so much more. So my summer project was to read all of them from SS to OotP. And even though I saw the movies, I was very glad I read the books too, I want to slap myself for taking so long. My son has had them for years. Now we'll have to fight over who gets to read book 6 first. He will of course. :)


However, I also worked with someone who said his religion was Celtic Traditional (some kind of Wiccan). He thought the books and spells were real too. :eyebrows:


I'm no expert but I don't think so. Although some of the organic ingredients are real. Like wolfsbane and stuff like that. As far as the combonations and potions...I highly doubt it.

Err sorry i cant resist. Isnt Catholic Christian? Im sure you mean Protestant :cool:



Sorry, that was a sarcastic attempt at humor. I meant it as a way of subtly pointing out the fact that many people today use the term Christian perjoratively to identify with the "born-again" fundamentalist-type forms of Christianity that have become synonymous with the "religious-right" movements in politics. There are many negative connotations that have become associated with that word, and so I prefer to self-identify as a Catholic.

While technically Catholics are Christian, I'd like to point out once again that the Catholic Church as an institution has gone on record as saying there is nothing wrong with Harry Potter, fantasy and make-believe are healthy, and that the underlying moral messages found within the books are consistent with Catholic theology.

My 3 cents on the subject.

When SS came out I was caring for a 14 yr. old special needs girl. I suggested to her Mom that's she might enjoy HP and the SS movie. You would have thought I wanted to take her to a Satan Worship. I couldn't believe the moms reaction. She then went on to explain what a HORRIBLE book it was with witches and wizards and MAGIC. How could I even suggest such a thing. I then suggested something from Disney and peace was restored.

There are alot of people who make decisions based on little or NO information. I remember when the Last Temptation of Christ came out. I probably would not have seen it except for all the publicity of how anti - christian it was. I asked one of the picketers at the theater if they had seen the movie. She replied "NO". I asked how can you condemn something you haven't seen. She had no reply. I offered her my ticket but she didn't want to see the movie "it was evil"

Admittedly, everyone is entitled to their own opinion no matter how stupid it is. HP is very non-religious not anti-religious. They celebrate Halloween, Christmas & Easter maybe in a more fun, less religious way. They still are the Christian names for these special days not the pagan names. I wonder if these people read their kids fairy tales. Fairy tales are full of witches, wizards and Fairy godmothers.

Sorry, that was a sarcastic attempt at humor. I meant it as a way of subtly pointing out the fact that many people today use the term Christian perjoratively to identify with the "born-again" fundamentalist-type forms of Christianity that have become synonymous with the "religious-right" movements in politics. There are many negative connotations that have become associated with that word, and so I prefer to self-identify as a Catholic.

While technically Catholics are Christian, I'd like to point out once again that the Catholic Church as an institution has gone on record as saying there is nothing wrong with Harry Potter, fantasy and make-believe are healthy, and that the underlying moral messages found within the books are consistent with Catholic theology.

My 3 cents on the subject. Aa ha...sarcasm. They need a sarcasm font. Yes, it is very much like we are backpeddling into the Puritan times with the whole "Theres magic so it's evil" concept.

But then again alot of these religious nay-sayers are also the kind that wont listen to even Christian rock because (and i promise this is real, someone just told me this the other day) 'the drums in the song is the voice of Satan'.

There really is not argument for that kind of logic.

I was used to be anti Potter because some sort of organisation (www.bijbelenonderwijs.nl <- it's a dutch site) that told Harry Potter was really 'occult' and satanistic...
But then I wanted to read the books myself to check if all those things were true, and I couldn't find anything that was really ant-0christian, so that's why I became a Harry Potterfan...
I think that most of the christians are anti Potter because they didn't read the books and only read opinions of people who did read it... I know several people of my church who still belive that all those rubbish that Bijbel en onderwijs (Bible and education ?) tells them is true...
The only problem is that they just don't want to believe that Harry Potter isn't wicca and occult- I had several discussions with one person from B&O and he tried to convince me Harry Potter was wicca en really bad and that I had to stop with being a Freak- they just odn't want to listen, no matter what you tell them... Of course there can be Christians who DO want to listen, but I've never met one...

I wonder if these people read their kids fairy tales. Fairy tales are full of witches, wizards and Fairy godmothers.

I've often wondered this too! How about Roald Dahl "The Witches" and "The Wizard of Oz"?????

Here's my anti-Harry Potter story:

I had gotten my step-brother the first two books for Christmas about 3 years ago. My step-mom said that he couldn't read the books. I asked why not and she replied, "Pastor says." WHAT?!?! I was literally speechless.

My step-brother later said that she had thrown the books away, and he hadn't gotten a chance to read them (he wanted to, but was reluctant because of his mom and the church). I was so ticked off. She could have at least given them back to me so that I could get my money back, or taken him to return them and get another book.

I am of the opinion that every book on this wide earth should be read. Read "Mein Kampf" and "The Communist Manifesto." They will only serve to make you better informed. It doesn't mean that you have to believe or buy into what they are saying, but it can help to make your arguments stronger or round out your own beliefs. Same with Harry Potter. I just don't understand how anyone can have an opinon about something that they haven't read.

I am of the opinion that every book on this wide earth should be read. Read "Mein Kampf" and "The Communist Manifesto." They will only serve to make you better informed. It doesn't mean that you have to believe or buy into what they are saying, but it can help to make your arguments stronger or round out your own beliefs. Same with Harry Potter. I just don't understand how anyone can have an opinon about something that they haven't read.

Excellent point. I'm a strong believer in Education over Censorship. If we teach our children from a young age to look at things critically and teach them right from wrong with a full explaination as to why it is right or wrong, they will come to make their own decisions and demand for what is wrong or "evil" will drop! I believe anyone who reads the Harry Potter series would see that it is a moral story of good triumphing over evil. People who do right eventually win (well, kind of) and those who do wrong are punished. If people are worried about the witchcraft content, a good discussion with your kids is a great way to teach them your opinions on the matter and at the same time, get to know your own children and SHARE something with them!

lol @ Christians!

I myself am a Roman Catholic [which I don't follow a lot] and I have nothing against HP at all. My dad did have a problem with it during the time of the first movie, but he doesn't make such a big deal. Of course, I wasn't a fan back then and now I am and my dad, despite his religious values, doesn't really say much about the Harry Potter wallpaper I have and that I have been reading the books.

At first, I thought this thread was actually about people who disliked Potter. I didn't know that it was going to be religious people against Potter. Either way, I think I got one of my friends into Harry Potter again. I borrowed GoF from him then a few days later he started reading the fifth book. :)

It makes me sick to hear people talk like this. I am a religious person; my family is a religious family; we have all read Harry Potter. Every argument that Anti-Harry Potter people use has been discussed and refuted by scholars everywhere. There is no base or justification for any of the arguments used by these people.

In an effort to understand these people, I have attempted to read books by them. It was so difficult to read this trash that I gave up. I have never read more ignorant statements in my life. I suggest that THEY read THESE books, written by RELIGIOUS people who are, in actuality, NOT "partaking of Satan's cup."

God, the Devil, and Harry Potter : A Christian Minister's Defense of the Beloved Novels by John Killinger

The Gospel According to Harry Potter: Spirituality in the Stories of the World's Most Famous Seeker by Connie Neal

The Wisdom of Harry Potter: What Our Favorite Hero Teaches Us About Moral Choices by Edmund M. Kern

A Charmed Life: The Spirituality of Potterworld by Francis Bridger

Looking for God in Harry Potter by John Granger
DESCRIPTION: "Millions of children, even Christian children, are reading the mega-selling Harry Potter book series and are exposed to the Harry Potter movies. John Granger, a devout Christian, teacher of classic literature, and father of seven children, first read the Harry Potter books so he could explain to his children why they weren't allowed to read them. After intense study, however, he became convinced that the books are underestimated as literature--and reflect important Christian truths. In Looking for God in Harry Potter, Granger gives parents and teachers a roadmap for using the Harry Potter books to teach Christian truth to children."

...and many others that can be found on Amazon. These Anti-Potter people need to get a grip, clear out their eyes, and start to focus on things that really are tainting today's children. Harry Potter should be the LEAST of their worries.


I totally agree! there are so many books like that... like "harry potter and the bible" so I dont understand how all these people can say this stuff. I am a christian and I LOVE harry potter and I am not "partaking in satans cup" and I didnt get that idea while reading the hp books at all!

'People who start by burning books end with burning people.'

Its proven, hitler and the jewish holacast for example. And it comes back to relgion. religion shoudlnt be a factor involved in reading a good book, thats just surpressing the people which will cause a revolt and that 90% of the time causes war and death. Ultimatily the 'burning' of people.

I have yet to hear of someone actually 'buning' a harry potter book mostly because i think the above quote is pretty well known., and it would look really bad for the person if they did.





At first, I thought this thread was actually about people who disliked Potter. I didn't know that it was going to be religious people against Potter.

I agree, i thought it was about friends who dont read it and call harry : Pot-head and so on. but seeing the other threads in here i thought id add my two cents worth in. plus i like the quote, an awful lot.

I have two conversions, my sister and my father. Both truly disliked harry untill i brought him into their lives. But sadly not everyone wants to see what harry is and some people i love to bits still wont read the books... :upset:

?Ella

Here's my anti-Harry Potter story:

I had gotten my step-brother the first two books for Christmas about 3 years ago. My step-mom said that he couldn't read the books. I asked why not and she replied, "Pastor says." WHAT?!?! I was literally speechless.

My step-brother later said that she had thrown the books away, and he hadn't gotten a chance to read them (he wanted to, but was reluctant because of his mom and the church). I was so ticked off. She could have at least given them back to me so that I could get my money back, or taken him to return them and get another book.

I am of the opinion that every book on this wide earth should be read. Read "Mein Kampf" and "The Communist Manifesto." They will only serve to make you better informed. It doesn't mean that you have to believe or buy into what they are saying, but it can help to make your arguments stronger or round out your own beliefs. Same with Harry Potter. I just don't understand how anyone can have an opinon about something that they haven't read.Totally, in my opinion ignorance is the worst thing imaginable. To just assume something is evil without first researching it shows that someone is just blindly following what others say, and hasnt history shown us that such a thing can be catastrophic?

My church here in South Texas actually held a special brunch the day HP 5 came out and had a special sermon. But it was FOR the qualities of Harry Potter not against it. They said it was about time a moral story of good vs evil was written for kids to follow and enjoy as well as the whole world. I do not see too much religious upheavel over the books here at all really.

lol @ Christians!

I myself am a Roman Catholic [which I don't follow a lot] and I have nothing against HP at all. My dad did have a problem with it during the time of the first movie, but he doesn't make such a big deal. Of course, I wasn't a fan back then and now I am and my dad, despite his religious values, doesn't really say much about the Harry Potter wallpaper I have and that I have been reading the books.

At first, I thought this thread was actually about people who disliked Potter. I didn't know that it was going to be religious people against Potter. Either way, I think I got one of my friends into Harry Potter again. I borrowed GoF from him then a few days later he started reading the fifth book. :)

As I've said before earlier in this thread, the Vatican has gone on record as saying they do not have any problem with Harry Potter, there is nothing wrong with fantasy and imagination, and that the values espoused in the books are consistent with Catholic doctrine. So technically, your dad's "religious values" (if he considers himself a good Roman Catholic) shouldn't have a problem with HP.

Well, I am so shocked by some of the recent "Christian" remarks made by far-right "fanatics". They seem to be able to find some connection to the devil and satanic worship in everything from Harry Potter to Apple Computers (yes that's right - Apple computers are the devil's work - I wish I still had the link to this story), they even had a story on Madonna's wedding at Skibo Castle which they said things like Sting made an animal sacrifice! When you start really reading any of the rubish that these fanatics write I can't even imagine anyone believing them - that people just follow without ever questioning the "proof"!

In HP universe, it Magic is not looked on like a religion, its looked on as a "way of life" that you have the talent/power to be magical - we don't hear about gods/goddesses or rituals of worship. The fact that people can so literally take any mention of Magic as evil is beyond me.

If they were to look at the old religions such as Druid and other Celtic traditions they would see parallels between them and modern Catholic and Christian practices - many of the same "stories", traditions etc have all been incorporated.

I posted this question in another thread, but it is appropriate here, so I'll say this.

As we know, most of the anti-Potter people have never even fully read the series and don't fully comprehend that the book is fantasy, not satanism. But, by these 'anti-Potter' making it an issue, knowing how HUGE Harry Potter is, it does the one thing that the church in general is having trouble with - it is raising awareness about the church, and GUARANTEEING that the church will be discussed. Obviously, the church (and I speak of church in general terms, not one particular religion) has been undergoing a lot of criticism over recent years and many people are finding themselves leaving the church, by bringing Harry Potter into the mix, it almost guarantees a reaction, and as such, the church is once again being discussed. Ever heard the phrase 'any publicity is good publicity'?

by bringing Harry Potter into the mix, it almost guarantees a reaction, and as such, the church is once again being discussed. Ever heard the phrase 'any publicity is good publicity'?

You're probably right but I doubt it's going to make people actually want to join their particular church. Anyone who's actually read the books can see they're drooling nutters with an unhealthy interest in things satanic.

If these Anti-Potter people are the type of people found in heaven, I think I'd rather go the other way. Those people are psychotic.

However, I am of the belief that extremists such as those are not providing proper balance in their life, and, as a result, will be shot when they find themselves in a fiery pit rather than in the metaphorical mansion for which they were sure they were destined by speaking out against fantasy stories.

I posted this question in another thread, but it is appropriate here, so I'll say this.

As we know, most of the anti-Potter people have never even fully read the series and don't fully comprehend that the book is fantasy, not satanism. But, by these 'anti-Potter' making it an issue, knowing how HUGE Harry Potter is, it does the one thing that the church in general is having trouble with - it is raising awareness about the church, and GUARANTEEING that the church will be discussed. Obviously, the church (and I speak of church in general terms, not one particular religion) has been undergoing a lot of criticism over recent years and many people are finding themselves leaving the church, by bringing Harry Potter into the mix, it almost guarantees a reaction, and as such, the church is once again being discussed. Ever heard the phrase 'any publicity is good publicity'?

This is what scares me. Already after your post, people have said they just want to travel in the opposite direction of Christians, and the fact is, I don't blame them. Harry Potter has nothing to do with anything when to comes to faith in Jesus Christ. They're two separate issues altogether. As a person of faith, I am so frustrated with ignorance - but the ignorance stems from the organized church, which is a mere institution, so I really don't expect better.

I used to be the manager of A Bible College/Seminary bookstore at the height of the HP controversy. As soon as I had a chance, I ordered a bunch of copies of the HP books (it had only gone up to PofA by that time) and displayed them prominently by the front entrance. I cannot tell you how many people approached the counter when I was there, and would say things like "I have to say, I'm really surprised to see these Harry Potter books here - don't you know what they're about?". My first question was always, with a smile "Oh, have you read them?". Without fail, the answer was "Um, er, well, I, uh, erm, no". My response was always, "Wow, I would never dream of judging a book without having read it first". What can I say, I'm a bee-yatch and I enjoy it. I noticed in the lounges and lunch spots etc. a lot more people reading them before too long...

Its also a shame Christians hate Pagans/Wiccans. Some of the nicest people Ive ever met were Wiccan...

I remeber a long time ago, when I hadn't really known what Harry Potter was, I was on a trip with my parents. We were driving and the radio was on, and it was just when the 4th book came out, and the people were having this huge Harry potter discussion. They had a female speaker, and she was anti-Potter, and she was a person, who just went around to school, mostly religios schools, and talked to them about how Harry Potter was bad. And then after this woman had finsihed speaking, the people from the radio station invited kids to call in and say why they liked/disliked Harry Potter. And l remeber my mom said "Why are they making such a huge deal out of this? It's a kids book!"
All the kids that had called in had said they loved Harry Potter for many reasons, most were because it was magical, exciting to read. And after that, I found that everywhere, I noticed that the hype was getting bigger, and more and more people were saying it was so bad.
And like many people in this thread have pointed out, I wonder how many people that were speaking on HP and its relation to the devil, accually read the books. Most likely none. These people are so ignorrant. They sit around in groups, coming up with these things they "claim" to have found in Harry Potter. And they're all "good ,respected. Christian Pastors" or whatever. And then I think, it's just a book. What are they accomplishing by wasting their time, with lies? If they are such good, respected people, why don't they go out, and use their time with things that matter? Like helping people, instead of what they are doing. I just don't get why they work so hard, to try and take something so good away.
Anyway, thats just me babbling, but I have very strong opinions about this topic! :)

Some of it is a lack of responsibility now. I have worked pretty much full time with elementary children for over 7 years now and I have to say that kids are becoming more and more disrespectful and misbehaved on a whole. I have seen and heard many people say "well something has to have caused it." They look around for what is the most popular thing with the kids and want to put the blame on that. I've heard people say "don't let your kids read HP, they'll start acting out." Many times the reason the kids are acting out isn't b/c of HP and things like it. It's due to the lack of parental involvement in their lives. Most of the time, I've seen kids who almost can relate with Harry being an orphan when they are not one. They just have parents that give them the time of day. Many parents just don't want to admit that most parents don't parent nowadays, then when kids do things wrong it was b/c of something they read or watched like HP.

I think its really sad that there are parents out there that wont even let there kids read Harry Potter because they think its bad... and they havent even read it themselves! Theres so many ppl that judge the HP. books that havent read them... and then if they do read them... they realize they love them. And what about all those books like Harry Potter and the Bible... and tons more... I mean those are about how Harry Potter relates to Christianity... so how can ppl say its against it... I think J.K. does a nice job of keeping religion out of the books..the only part that is in it is christmas... but they dont talk about religion at all... UHHH it just makes me so mad that ppl that havent even read the books talk about how badly they hate them! it makes no sence!! And then they come on sites like these and complain about it... if you wanna complain, go to a site where ppl are against HP, not to a site where everyone loves it! I personally dont see how HP is involved with the devil at all... I mean yeah its evil stuff... but its FICTION! its not real! thats what ppl dont understand!!! ... sry ive kinda been jumping around on this... but ive just been saying things that pop into my head!:)

i feel the need to strangle something alive whenever i hear the phrase 'harry potter is gay'. not as in homosexual gay but as in the gay way that idiots use it as in "that is so gay (meaning stupid or wierd)" it bothers me out of my living mind. ^^

Its also a shame Christians hate Pagans/Wiccans. Some of the nicest people Ive ever met were Wiccan...

Ouch..... Some Christians sure have a lot to answer for! Christianity should never be about hate of some types of people. Sure, God hates some types of behaviour (things that cause hurt and pain) but ultimately Christians should reach out with love and acceptance, not hate and judgement! After all, Christ himself associated with some of the most sinful people of his time and did not discriminate!

As a Christian, statements like these hurt me so much because if that is the way we are perceived - I don't blame anyone for steering clear!

Trust me people, not all CHristians can be labelled like this! Plenty more seem to need to be asking themselves "What WOuld Jesus Do?"

Ouch..... Some Christians sure have a lot to answer for! Christianity should never be about hate of some types of people. Sure, God hates some types of behaviour (things that cause hurt and pain) but ultimately Christians should reach out with love and acceptance, not hate and judgement! After all, Christ himself associated with some of the most sinful people of his time and did not discriminate!

As a Christian, statements like these hurt me so much because if that is the way we are perceived - I don't blame anyone for steering clear!

Trust me people, not all CHristians can be labelled like this! Plenty more seem to need to be asking themselves "What WOuld Jesus Do?"
That's a great observation. I wish more thought that way.

i feel the need to strangle something alive whenever i hear the phrase 'harry potter is gay'. not as in homosexual gay but as in the gay way that idiots use it as in "that is so gay (meaning stupid or wierd)" it bothers me out of my living mind. ^^

I had quite a satisfying experience the other day when a 10 year old boy who is in a show with me at the moment came into the Green Room at the Theatre whilst I was re-reading OotP. He promptly said "I don't like Harry Potter. I find it way too childish."

I looked up at him curiously and said "Well, you're obviously not reading deep enough. You must be missing most of the layers."

He looked a bit ashamed and said "I meant I just didn't enjoy it". Which is an entirely different thing.

Grrr - kids trying to be smart *****!

If they are such good, respected people, why don't they go out, and use their time with things that matter? Like helping people, instead of what they are doing. I just don't get why they work so hard, to try and take something so good away.

This is one of the best quotes in this thread. And so very true. I couldn't have said it better myself.

:agree: I agree busy91, Orlisgrape hit the nail on the head with that comment.

I just read this article on a site that i stumbled across accidently where the person was on about how the books center around the occult, evil and anti-christian-ness. Saying that (referring to when voldemort came out of the cauldron in GOF) this sort of description is not suitable for children. I for one think that the author of this statement has neglected to remember the fundamental fact that, although children begin the Harry Potter books as children, the do eventually get OLDER. And what JKR has done is that she has accounted for this. She is writing these books for the same children she wrote them for in the first place. Who now are probably 20ish. So really, she is now catering for a young adult audience as well as a"kids audience". The beauty of the Harry Potter books is that they are universal for all ages, not some satan worshipping occult thing set up by a vigiliante against christianity. Come on people, they are great books that cater for children from like 7 to 107. I understand why perhaps those of pure faith would find some things in these books a tad detrimental to their religion, but unfortunatly almost everything on the planet created under the description of art has the potential power to offend. I suggest viewing these particular pieces of art in the way that the creator intended,The idea that a child could escape from the confines of the adult world and go somewhere where he has power, both literally and metaphorically is a nice idea for a story, not a way to summon satan so that he can take over and inherit the earth. In my opinion anyway. :) any thoughts?

Trust me people, not all CHristians can be labelled like this! Plenty more seem to need to be asking themselves "What WOuld Jesus Do?"
Yeah, some of the nicest people I know are Christian too! =P I know lots of nice people ^_^;

I suppose its never fair to paint any group of people with the same brush, even if its the group of people whom are supposedly the ones painting!

I agree. I was just commenting on an individuals comments, i hope knowone thought i was creating an unfair generalisation. This Harry potter-occult stuff can get pretty crazy though. :rolleyes: :gryff:

Oh c'mon, people. There is nothing generally accepted in this world, why should Harry Potter be?

I have a friend who believes Harry Potter is evil and anti-Christian because of the magic, and yet he reads all of the Lord of the Rings books. :huh: His argument is that Harry Potter is a modern book, and that Lord of the Rings is clearly a fantasy novel. But I have yet to run into someone who shouts Alohomora to turn the light switch on. (Although I might admit to thinking it in my head ;) ) I know not all Christians are like this, my family is very religious and they love the Harry Potter books. It's just that Christians are the main group that is making all of the anti-Harry hype. I have the best Harry Potter article from the Onion and it pokes fun at people who think Harry Potter is evil. For the picture it has three kids sitting an a circle with goofy wizard hats on, and in the center the words Adava Kedavra are written. The highlighted quote from the article is "I used to read the Bible, but after Harry Potter now I know it's nothing but boring lies." It just shows how ridiculous the anti-Harry argument is. I really doubt that any family who has strong faith (in whatever religion) will begin to question their beliefs because of Harry Potter.

:agree: I agree Spew member! I'm not sure it is just those of Christian Religion and don't want to single people out though.

The whole "Harry Potter endorsing evil" thing reminds me of the amazing documentary 'Bowling for Columbine'. If someone is going to do something, they will not be convinced to do so by one separate suggestion - subliminal or otherwise - it would, in most cases (i think) be a number of things that are activated by the final "trigger situation". To insinuate the HP is the SOLE reason and culprit for a child dabbling in the occult seems a little far fetched to me...would it not possibly be something to do with a child's upbringing also? :huh:

But I have yet to run into someone who shouts Alohomora to turn the light switch on.


Of course you haven't! That's because everyone knows Alohomora is used to unlock doors! :p

Of course you haven't! That's because everyone knows Alohomora is used to unlock doors! :p

:rotfl: You'll have to excuse me, I have two very big tests today and my mind is full to the limit of useless information, so I had to get rid of some of the important stuff...like what Alohomora is used for. :rotfl:

The whole "Harry Potter endorsing evil" thing reminds me of the amazing documentary 'Bowling for Columbine'. If someone is going to do something, they will not be convinced to do so by one separate suggestion - subliminal or otherwise - it would, in most cases (i think) be a number of things that are activated by the final "trigger situation". To insinuate the HP is the SOLE reason and culprit for a child dabbling in the occult seems a little far fetched to me...would it not possibly be something to do with a child's upbringing also?
I completely agree. (That was a great movie by the way.) If a parent is truly nervous that Harry Potter will damage their child, there must be another (or several other) underlying reasons that would make it so. It's very unlikely that a child is going to read Harry Potter and then decide to be Lord Voldemort the next day and rid the world of muggles.

I have a friend who believes Harry Potter is evil and anti-Christian because of the magic, and yet he reads all of the Lord of the Rings books. :huh: His argument is that Harry Potter is a modern book, and that Lord of the Rings is clearly a fantasy novel.

What a load! Because one book was written today and the other 50 years ago makes them different because of time? So any modern fantasy book is occult? I love people's logic at times. Not a very convincing one at that. I mean there are so many more arguments that can be made, and that is the one. I suppose he is trying to justify his reading LotR w/o sounding hypocritical.

It just shows how ridiculous the anti-Harry argument is. I really doubt that any family who has strong faith (in whatever religion) will begin to question their beliefs because of Harry Potter.

Thank you for this :clap:

If your faith is strong, no book can shake it. Maybe if a youngster is drawn to the occult because of this book, perhaps the parents should ask themselves is it the book or is it the beliefs?

But I guess they have to blame someone. The Devil is disguised in a book...right?! **sarcasim**

What a load! Because one book was written today and the other 50 years ago makes them different because of time? So any modern fantasy book is occult? I love people's logic at times. Not a very convincing one at that. I mean there are so many more arguments that can be made, and that is the one. I suppose he is trying to justify his reading LotR w/o sounding hypocritical.
I know, it was so frustrating trying to reason with someone who is arguing something so irrational. He also loves Star Wars, but that isn't like Harry Potter because it also isn't "modern day." Arrgghhhh!!!

If your faith is strong, no book can shake it. Maybe if a youngster is drawn to the occult because of this book, perhaps the parents should ask themselves is it the book or is it the beliefs?

But I guess they have to blame someone. The Devil is disguised in a book...right?! **sarcasim**

There are so many books out there with far worse ideas than Harry Potter. The Potter books have very organic ideas that deal with good and evil, right and wrong, these are themes that I'm sure any parent would want their child to read about. It just amazes me that anyone would think these books could be bad.

If you go to http://www.cuttingedge.org/news/n1485.cfm, you'll see just how much time people have on their hands. I mean really! Harry's eyes are green so he must be evil. :rolleyes: JKR uses 'vivid colors' so there must be an ulterior motive. Maybe she just likes these colors? Ever thought of that? :whistle:
While I personally admit to not being religious, this is ridiculous. I only read about half the article. I couldn't stand it. You don't know how, er, detailed they get, which makes me think they must of read HP alot of times. Oh! But wait! Surely then they'll go to hell! :rotfl: /sarcasm
I'm sorry if I offended anyone in this post. I just have VERY strong opinions on this matter. If someone had read HP and they truly didn't like it for what it was, then ok. But if they totally missed all the good stuff inside it, then they've got issues. Once again, sorry if I offended anyone!

If you go to http://www.cuttingedge.org/news/n1485.cfm, you'll see just how much time people have on their hands. I mean really! Harry's eyes are green so he must be evil. :rolleyes: JKR uses 'vivid colors' so there must be an ulterior motive. Maybe she just likes these colors? Ever thought of that? :whistle:
While I personally admit to not being religious, this is ridiculous. I only read about half the article. I couldn't stand it. You don't know how, er, detailed they get, which makes me think they must of read HP alot of times. Oh! But wait! Surely then they'll go to hell! :rotfl: /sarcasm
I'm sorry if I offended anyone in this post. I just have VERY strong opinions on this matter. If someone had read HP and they truly didn't like it for what it was, then ok. But if they totally missed all the good stuff inside it, then they've got issues. Once again, sorry if I offended anyone!Hey - thanks for the link, that was hilarious! I haven't read anything so funny in days, you really made my evening. Oh goodness people are amusing aren't they? I wonder why this person is so obsessed with colour though... that was a little odd. I mean, you read this great book with sport, adventure, magic, castles, danger... whatever and you think to yourself "woah! She said green!"

I went to that site. I don't think I've laughed so hard since seeing "Bowling for Columbine" for the first time. That was quite a Moore-esque site.

I don't think they back up one of their claims with actual evidence. They just say "Harry's eyes are green. Green is one of Satan's favorite colors." Where does it say in they Bible that Satan chose green as one of the colors to represent him? I mean, honestly.

I'm a very committed Catholic. As such, I believe that happiness can only be achieved through balance. These people have obviously achieved no level of balance. They think that by preaching on the internet against things they think are evil, instead of actually doing something about it, they're doing the world a service and securing a spot in heaven.

I just don't understand how people can consider themselves to be above everyone else when they don't actually do anything.

I saw this posted on the HPANA.com news and could not believe this article.

Original HPANA News: http://hpana.com/news.18305.html
Articles Site: http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/news/stories/20040915/opinion/1238228.html

Heres the full text:

Is Harry Potter just an innocent story for children? If anyone believes that, you need to wake up.

There is a saying, "There is a lot in a name." This is the definition of Harry Potter:

Harry -- to annoy greatly, harass, to plunder, lay waste, overrun.

Plunder -- to loot, take by force, as in war.

Potter -- to meddle, to be busy with petty and trifling matters, to work idly or in a desultory manner, to dabble, to be busy in an unsystematic way.

Meddle -- to interfere without right or necessity.

Desultory -- passing from one thing to another, without logical connection, aimless.

Dabble -- to do things without earnest effort.

Does that sound like a name that was picked innocently for these stories? It sounds like it was well-planned and picked especially for these stories. These books are very wisely and cunningly written, with intent to teach your children the exact opposite of that which the Bible teaches. These stories are full of instruction on witchcraft and satanic sacrifices.

I read a recent survey of Americans. One of the questions was -- Do you believe Satan is real? Sixty percent of those polled said no. They think he is just a symbol for evil. I have to disagree, because Jesus warns us over and over about Satan and his deceiving lies. So anyone that says Satan isn't real is calling Jesus a liar because Jesus said he is very real and also he is the loser. If everyone is going to heaven, why did God make a hell?

I'm one of the few who chooses to follow the winner, Jesus Christ, and believe what he did for me. He died, was buried, and arose on the third day, so my sins could be forgiven. What did Harry Potter do for you? God will not bless a country that would rather read Harry Potter than his word, the Holy Bible.

Jesus Christ is not a swear word, he is your only hope. He that hath an ear, let him hear.

Joy Bondra

Blue Rock


My Comments

First of all, where did they get the words plunder, meddle, desultory and dabble? Did they just pick random words out of the book? Those words have nothing to do with the overall plot of any of the Harry Potter books. And even if they did, I'm sure there are thousands of other books that use them too.

The second paragraph mentions, "satanic sacrifices." When does Harry, Ron or Hermione ever mention satanic practices? If they did, then I don't remember it :p .

The rest of it is incoherent babble that assumes the reader's personal convictions are the same and as strong as the authors. This is a ridiculous assumption. Just because you believe in something does not make it real.

I wish I could find an email address for them so I could send them a piece of my mind...

This topic is being discussed here (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=31486&highlight=anti) and a simillar thread can be found in the common room as well. Please do a search before posting to make sure your topic isn't already posted. Of course, it's up to the mods to leave this open or close it. :)

a simillar thread can be found in the common room as well.

Think this is what you are talking about? Anti-HP article (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=34721&highlight=anti%2A)

I think that people who look that deeply in to the meaning of Harrys name really need to get out more! :p

Hahahahahahahahaha.....what an article :rotfl: . I don't know about the rest of you out there, but i'm convinced Harry Potter is the source of all new age evil now :scared: ...hahaha!

:agree: I agree Duff! where did they get those random words from in conjunction with the HP books :huh: ?!

Holy smokes, the only reason for all this anit-hp stuff that i can think of is that someone dressed up in a cape and wizard hat, brandished and wand, knocked on their door (at halloween probably) and threatened to TRICK them if they didn't give them some candy ASAP. :rotfl:

Unbelievable.....

I saw this posted on the Harry Potter's Page website, and I have to say I was really disappointed it was listed as "news". (I believe it has now been taken off the news page)

Like many anti-Potter sentiments, people will twist what they think is in the books until they resemble something that fits their own adgenda.

To each her/his own, but I find it a bunch of bunk!

If you go to http://www.cuttingedge.org/news/n1485.cfm, you'll see just how much time people have on their hands. I mean really! Harry's eyes are green so he must be evil. :rolleyes: JKR uses 'vivid colors' so there must be an ulterior motive. Maybe she just likes these colors? Ever thought of that? :whistle:

:rotfl: Yes, she likes them, and this is the final proof she's trying to teach us the secrets of Druidic Magic Killing with the Vivid Color Shocks. :rotfl:
Thanks for the warning. My red jumper and yellow shorts will never look the same to me.

(And... what with those who have naturally green eyes?)

I don't think they back up one of their claims with actual evidence. They just say "Harry's eyes are green. Green is one of Satan's favorite colors." Where does it say in they Bible that Satan chose green as one of the colors to represent him? I mean, honestly.
Didn't you know? Green brings out the red in his skin, and really highlights his beard. He wore blue for a while, but realized that it made him look cold and pasty. He also likes chocolate, warm fuzzy socks and has a thing for antique trains. Basically the HP books are just a disguised expose biography of the big dark one. At least it's all out now.

I remember seeing a comic once who was talking about the big deal some Christians were making over Hallowe'en. He said Satan was coming up with all the great evil plots and said "I know! Candy! Cannnnnndy.... and children dressing up as hoboes! HA HA HA HA HA!!! *evil laugh obviously*." Can't you see the same thing? I know! Reading! That will bring their souls to me! And imagination!... oh they will soon be mine...

After reading this article I found myself completely aghast! I quickly ran to the movie shelf and removed all of my nephews Wiggles videos. You will notice that the use of their vivid colors are very similar to the evil Harry Potter. Just look at this picture.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/JMK/wiggles.bmp

If you look closely you'll notice that Dorothy the Dinasaur is green, we now know that green is satans favorite color. She may be a seemingly innocent dinosaur, or so we thought, Now we know that she is evil.
There is also use of the color purple and we know that purple is the sacred color of the period of time called Huath (Hawthorn), which runs from 13 May to 9 June. But is that all? Not nearly. Yellow-The sacred color of the Zodiac for the sign, Taurus is yellow and I'm now too busy throwing the DVD's in the trashbin so that my poor unsuspecting nephew is not brainwashed to go into the meanings of red and blue.

:rotfl: This is truly the silliest article I've ever read. :rotfl:

:rotfl: Spew member, that is great!!

Why, i feel like sacrificing a lamb already just by LOOKING at all of those colours in the same place at one time! :lol: :gryff:

:rotfl: It just goes to show that you can take anything and make it seem bad! It's strange, I sacrificed a lamb after my nephews visit last weekend. At least now I know what made me do it! :rotfl:

I am Christian myself, and I find what they're saying extremely stupid, without any basis at all.

It's so ridiculous. . . Harry's eyes are green, thus he must be a demon of Satan. What a load of rubbish. Where in the bible does it say that Satan's favorite color is green? These whackos must know the devil pretty well in order to know his favorite color, then!

My eyes are green, and I love that they are, because so are my mother's, and her mother's. Oh, but I guess I worship Satan because they are green, something of which I had no control over?!

It's obvious why Harry's eyes are green is because JKR's are. Not because it's supposedly Satan's favorite color. To me, green is the color of life. When I think of the devil, I think of black, because he doesn't deserve a color.

Even so, if they are going to stand beside that stupid green theory, why didn't they take the time to realize that the color for Slytherin, the "evil" house, is green?

What's really funny, is these nuts act like magic is real, but they're being good people by not using it. Most of the people who read Harry Potter don't believe in the wave-wand-something-happens sort of magic. I believe in miracles and stuff that just can't be explained, but not wand magic. That'd be just too easy.

No person who considers themselves Christian can read this book without partaking of Satan's cup; therefore, he deceives himself mightily who thinks that, after reading Harry Potter, he will be accepted by the Lord at His table. Trying to do this will only "provoke the Lord to jealousy", moving Him to act against us.

What's funny about that one, is that didn't THEY read the books to get all this idiotic, out-of-context information?!

And if they really want to take this "witchcraft is evil in any form" idea seriously, then they should have a page on how it was another of Satan's plans to take over the young people of this world to have the Wizard of Oz be made.

D'you want to know what REALLY gets on my nerves above all of this stupid stuff they say about Harry Potter? It's this, and it's at the end of every review of the books:

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, but have been very lukewarm in your spiritual walk with Him, you need to immediately ask Him for forgiveness and for renewal. He will instantly forgive you, and fill your heart with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Then, you need to begin a daily walk of prayer and personal Bible study.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, but have come to realize His reality and the approaching End of the Age, and want to accept His FREE Gift of Eternal Life, you can also do so now, in the privacy of your home. Once you accept Him as Savior, you are spiritually Born Again, and are as assured of Heaven as if you were already there. Then, you can rest assured that the Kingdom of Antichrist will not touch you spiritually.

If you would like to be become Born Again, turn to our Salvation Page now.

They make it sound like they're selling something, which I find really, really sick. Honestly, why didn't they say, "And if you call in the next twenty minutes, you will receive a weekend vacation for two in the Garden of Eden?!"

Oh No green is Satan's colour! :scared: Where's the weedkiller - stamp Satan out of my lawn. :evil:

AArgh red in dangerous. Watch out roses! Slash burn destroy :D

These people bring Christianity into disrepute. If ever I decide to worship Beelzebub at least I know where to get all the info.

They make it sound like they're selling something, which I find really, really sick. Honestly, why didn't they say, "And if you call in the next twenty minutes, you will receive a weekend vacation for two in the Garden of Eden?!"
lol I love this thread. It's so funny and a good way to vent, too(IMO).

They make it sound like they're selling something, which I find really, really sick. Honestly, why didn't they say, "And if you call in the next twenty minutes, you will receive a weekend vacation for two in the Garden of Eden?!"

:rotfl: :rotfl:

Would any normal person want to convert after reading that article? I think they would probably try to get as far away as possible.

So they picked 7, 8 "satanic related" words from a few millions of "non satanic" words in the 5 books... that's a very significative percentage, isn't it? :rolleyes:

Besides... how many children do know the hidden ethimology of those words?

And... did the person who wrote that article really read the books?

Isn't Jo Christian herself? Why would she write something against her own believements?

These people just judge before they know. I'd like to know if this person has ever actually thought of...oh I don't know...READING the book?

I extremely despise it when people say bad stuff about it before they even know what its about. Also, do they think that sending that out will stop people from reading it? Gee there must be someone out there who after reading the article said "Oh my goodness, I'll never read Harry Potter again because this random person said it was evil". :rotfl:

Didn't you know? Green brings out the red in his skin, and really highlights his beard. He wore blue for a while, but realized that it made him look cold and pasty. He also likes chocolate, warm fuzzy socks and has a thing for antique trains. Basically the HP books are just a disguised expose biography of the big dark one. At least it's all out now.

Yeah. :rotfl: He looked somewhat peeky in violet, but green is really his favourite.

This Satanic view of Harry Potter that these people hold is ridiculous. It drives me up the wall. To be honest, I would say these people have more issues than those who read Harry Potter. They've got Satan on the brain, not us. Oh yeah, and I love the images. Very medieval. I myself am a Christian, but I find these views to be absurd. As has been pointed out at least once (but probably more), most of these people have never even cracked the book. *sigh* I really have a hard time with those who don't actually know how to think for themselves. All they are doing is parroting whatever their church tells them. And saying green eyes makes a character evil is like saying a left-handed person is a demon.....if that's the case, then you all really should run away from me. :D

I do love this thread. I always feel better after I have vented.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

You guys are great.

I must say that when I was reading that article, my first thought was, "This has GOT to be some kind of joke." I mean, it seems as if these people are just searching desperately for anything that their own minds can twist to fit into their beliefs. Honestly... 'Harry Potter has green eyes. This is an obvious inclination of JK Rowling's Satanic evilness and her desire to eat you all up. HIDE YOUR CHILDREN!!!'

What's scary is that they actually believe in what they're saying. It's so... misguided! I myself am not Christian and don't belong to any organised religion, so it was a bit of a weird feeling to read things about how the Harry Potter books are 'leading children away from traditional Judeo-Christian values and towards Satan's own special set of values.' I mean, we're all decent human-beings, right? We all have basically the same sets of morals - It's wrong to kill, wrong to steal, war and violence is bad, peace is good, treat others the way you'd want to be treated, tell the truth, etc. If you look at most religions (correct me if I'm wrong), you'll probably find that they all have a code of conduct that goes along those lines.

It confuses me how narrow-minded people can be towards certain things. They can be prefectly nice and respectable in all other ways, but as soon as you bring up a particular point and they go nuts over it...

Some people take things too literally, the people who wrote those articles are taking things a little too far xD
Anyways, it was funny to read, how some people are so naive :D

lol I guess it would be just too hard to actually read the books.:lol:

[Edit]: This was in the newspaper back in June. It's a quote from a local pastor and I agree with him

'I don't think Harry Potter condones the occult anymore than Star Wars condones The Force. But I think some parents could feel that way. If they do, then it is their obligation or responsibility to not let their kids go see it.'

This was something another local pastor said in the same article:

"These books are not advocating the practice of magic per se. They are more using magic as a plot device to intrgue us about the story", he said. "But the real story has to do with the character that is developing in Harry and his friends."

I truly doubt that the people who wrote that article actually believe what they said. They're simply getting attention by going against the popularity of Harry Potter. It draws attention to their site, even if the people disagree. So... Don't go there! It'll only encourage them.

It's really sad how people just do things for money. My favorite example is Harry Potter and the Bible: the Menace behind the Magick. I recommend it only for those who laugh at anti-Potter people or for those who wish to get angry at anti-Potter people. The whole book is a load of codswallop, saying the usual about wiccan things in Harry Potter, and the characters actually being normal and- wait for it- lying and breaking rules for the greater good! Oh my gosh....what is the world coming to? We can't actually have human characters that aren't based on the character of Jesus! What an abomination! Friendship, morality, making good choices; People: these things must stop! The Potter books promote friendship and the classic battle of good vs. evil! We just can't have that.

Now that I'm done dripping with sarcasm... :angel:

I'm a little surprised nobody seemed to notice this, but they didn't randomly pick those words out of the books, they got them from the definitions of "Harry" and "Potter".

The article just seems to be a very thinly veiled advertisement for Jesus Christ. Using the name of Harry Potter simply attracts more attention to it, thats all.

Oh My God! That is so rude! Harry doesn't meddle, he helps. If he hadn't 'meddled' Voldemort would have come back in PS, Ginny would've died in CoS, Sirius and Buckbeak would have died in PoA, Cedric would have been killed in the maze by Krum in GoF and Voldemort would've heard the prophecy in OotP!!!! It's part of the story... and as for satanism, actually read the books!!!!!!!

See this thread.


Anti-Potter People v.2 (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=31486)

I have to say something. Some people devote their time to convincing people that you can't read HP without going to hell by giving an in-depth analysis for each book and how it's evil.
roksteady345: But they are either:
A) Not reading them; therefore, not giving the books a chance
B) Reading them and "going to hell"

okay well at school we all have gaggle email accounts and i went to a message board on harry potter and the were all being evil and saying any one who likes hp is g*y and a fool so when i stuck up for me and the rest of us hp fans they all got mad and are sending me emails that says im fruity and alot of other hurtfull stuff about HP im so mad i just got another one rrrrr...

okay well at school we all have gaggle email accounts and i went to a message board on harry potter and the were all being evil and saying any one who likes hp is g*y and a fool so when i stuck up for me and the rest of us hp fans they all got mad and are sending me emails that says im fruity and alot of other hurtfull stuff about HP im so mad i just got another one rrrrr...
In typing class, I go to CoS all the time and I don't care what the other people think. It's a lot different for a guy though, they really think you're fruity. Tey stare at me and I stare right back. You just gotta forget about them because you know they don't really care, or know for that matter, about Harry Potter. They just want to have some fun.

In typing class, I go to CoS all the time and I don't care what the other people think. It's a lot different for a guy though, they really think you're fruity. Tey stare at me and I stare right back. You just gotta forget about them because you know they don't really care, or know for that matter, about Harry Potter. They just want to have some fun.

no its in typing class but its on a gaggle wide message board so any one who has an account can be on even if they dont go to my school i dont care what the people at school say its just one person at school therw my copy of ootp in the mud and well i was mad..

Runs shrieking into thread in horror with this revelation: "Veggie Tales" is a popular series that teaches kids about religion in a fun way! But one of the main characters-----he's........gasp...............GREEN!!!!!! Aieeeeeeeee! GREEN is Satan's color, it's evil! "Veggie Tales" is EVIL!!!!!! Aieeeeee! Look out SATAN is coming for our CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!! Aieeeeee!!! Runs shrieking from thread

no its in typing class but its on a gaggle wide message board so any one who has an account can be on even if they dont go to my school i dont care what the people at school say its just one person at school therw my copy of ootp in the mud and well i was mad..
That's an expensive book! I would know, because I'm a proud owner of a replaced copy of it that belonged to my neighbor. :eyebrows:
So, the people in the message board were making fun of it?
And was this book throwing person one of those people who think it's satanic?

Runs shrieking into thread in horror with this revelation: "Veggie Tales" is a popular series that teaches kids about religion in a fun way! But one of the main characters-----he's........gasp...............GREEN!!!!!! Aieeeeeeeee! GREEN is Satan's color, it's evil! "Veggie Tales" is EVIL!!!!!! Aieeeeee! Look out SATAN is coming for our CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!! Aieeeeee!!! Runs shrieking from thread
NO IT CAN'T BE!!. I TRUSTED IT, I THOUGHT IT WAS FINE!! WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?? Wait, not only is the cucumber the-color-that-must-not-be-named, but THE PEAS ARE TOO!! AND THE GRAPE!!! *runs in and out of thread screaming while kicking random green objects*.

That's an expensive book! I would know, because I'm a proud owner of a replaced copy of it that belonged to my neighbor. :eyebrows:
So, the people in the message board were making fun of it?
And was this book throwing person one of those people who think it's satanic?

no they just dont like me there your age actually , and the people on the measage board werent just making fun of it they were saying things i dare not repeat on this site and were saying that we are all fools and f*gs and that ron and harry should do somthing disturbing.

So:
On one hand, we have the people who think Harry Potter is evil

On the other, we have the people who think he's g*y

On the third, radioactive hand, we have people who think it's a cheap copy off the Lord of the Rings.

See what they've done? they've given us 3 hands!! I'm sick of it!

te he me too (but i guess there intitled to there opinion but they dont need to send hate emails it hurts)

Oh yeah, TerrierMom, it's nice to know there are some adults agreeing with us!!

HA HA HA thats funny ! im Christian and i love the harry potter books ! actually im obsessed and i do not find them offensive at all ! never even crossed my mind ! anyways they celebrate christmas, easter how is it anti-christian ?
i just think some people don't like change. the fact that the whole harry potter world is made up !

Wow, I'm amazed people like that still exist. I was introduced to Harry Potter through a fantasy lit class our high school has for seniors (we were the first class). In the beginning, we were 'sorted' into houses based on which bell we were in. We had to read PoA for our first book, I had it read almost as soon as it was assigned and went on to read the rest of the HP books soon afterward. We played "Muggle Quidditch" and whatnot...

How does this relate? Fantasy lit in general and HP aren't really seen as EVIL around here, even though this is a pretty conservative suburb...

iThough it could be because we were a bunch of seniors playing Quidditch in a muddy pit..

Wow, I'm amazed people like that still exist. I was introduced to Harry Potter through a fantasy lit class our high school has for seniors (we were the first class). In the beginning, we were 'sorted' into houses based on which bell we were in. We had to read PoA for our first book, I had it read almost as soon as it was assigned and went on to read the rest of the HP books soon afterward. We played "Muggle Quidditch" and whatnot...

How does this relate? Fantasy lit in general and HP aren't really seen as EVIL around here, even though this is a pretty conservative suburb...

iThough it could be because we were a bunch of seniors playing Quidditch in a muddy pit..
MUGGLE QUIDDICH!! Please explain or start a thread or something, because that sounds fun!

It is really hard to describe, and the rules and way it was played seemed to change almost every time our classes played - refinement and whatnot. I'll have to look up the most recent variants from the end of the year last year OR go back to my old teacher (who actually dressed up as Lupin a few times last year) and get a copy of the final rules from him.

Oh, we had a girl with the last name of Granger who dressed up a few times as well - she was one of our class prefects...

It is really hard to describe, and the rules and way it was played seemed to change almost every time our classes played - refinement and whatnot. I'll have to look up the most recent variants from the end of the year last year OR go back to my old teacher (who actually dressed up as Lupin a few times last year) and get a copy of the final rules from him.

Oh, we had a girl with the last name of Granger who dressed up a few times as well - she was one of our class prefects...
this sounds like a cool class

this sounds like a cool class
yeah, no book throwing or persecution!!

he he but what did you play the game with (brooms)?or how does the game work are there the same players seeker, chasher etc.

So:
On one hand, we have the people who think Harry Potter is evil

On the other, we have the people who think he's g*y

On the third, radioactive hand, we have people who think it's a cheap copy off the Lord of the Rings.

See what they've done? they've given us 3 hands!! I'm sick of it!

And, of course, it's all the fault of Harry Potter's green peas... errr... green eyes. Read HP, and you will disturbed, perverted, radioactive, and you will have three hands (well, it can be useful for typing :scared:)

not only is the cucumber the-color-that-must-not-be-named, but THE PEAS ARE TOO!! AND THE GRAPE!!!

Oh, it souns wonderful... satanic cucumbers... :rotfl:

Runs shrieking into thread in horror with this revelation: "Veggie Tales" is a popular series that teaches kids about religion in a fun way! But one of the main characters-----he's........gasp...............GREEN!!!!!! Aieeeeeeeee! GREEN is Satan's color, it's evil! "Veggie Tales" is EVIL!!!!!! Aieeeeee! Look out SATAN is coming for our CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!! Aieeeeee!!! Runs shrieking from thread

Can I join you? *follows her shrieking*

Something really wierd happened. Two days ago I was posting in this thread, having a wonderfully fun time, like always at CoS, knowing that I didn't actually know anyone who thought HP was evil. The next morning (DUN DUN DUN DUN!!), I was getting on the bus with my neighbor, whom I barely know, and I asked her if she read HP. She said that she was not allowed to read it because their church said it was full of witchcraft. She said she's not allowed to celebrate Halloween. They celebrate "fall festival". She said it was because Halloween is Satan's birthday.

OK, first of all, if witchcraft isn't real, why does it bother anyone to have people reading a book series in which it is real? And people who think it's real, don't generally read HP! They're not going to take over the world. They don't have enough sense to figure out that they can't do magic in the first place.

Second, if you trace the tradition of Halloween to its roots, it's church related. For those of you who don't know, It's All Hallow's Eve, the eve of All Saint's Day (correct me if I'm wrong). All Saint's Day is a Catholic feast day. Whoever made up the Devil's birthday thing is very dumb and they just want to twist little kids' minds. How do they know when his birthday is? Must be a buddy thing.

Also, about the green thing. Doesn't everything mention green somewhere? Whatever happened to black and red?

Something really wierd happened. Two days ago I was posting in this thread, having a wonderfully fun time, like always at CoS, knowing that I didn't actually know anyone who thought HP was evil. The next morning (DUN DUN DUN DUN!!), I was getting on the bus with my neighbor, whom I barely know, and I asked her if she read HP. She said that she was not allowed to read it because their church said it was full of witchcraft. She said she's not allowed to celebrate Halloween. They celebrate "fall festival". She said it was because Halloween is Satan's birthday.

OK, first of all, if witchcraft isn't real, why does it bother anyone to have people reading a book series in which it is real? And people who think it's real, don't generally read HP! They're not going to take over the world. They don't have enough sense to figure out that they can't do magic in the first place.

Second, if you trace the tradition of Halloween to its roots, it's church related. For those of you who don't know, It's All Hallow's Eve, the eve of All Saint's Day (correct me if I'm wrong). All Saint's Day is a Catholic feast day. Whoever made up the Devil's birthday thing is very dumb and they just want to twist little kids' minds. How do they know when his birthday is? Must be a buddy thing.

Also, about the green thing. Doesn't everything mention green somewhere? Whatever happened to black and red?

Agreed whole-heartedly! :tu: I knew about it being originally a Catholic Holiday. You'd think these utterly religious people would know about that, not us.

Something really wierd happened. Two days ago I was posting in this thread, having a wonderfully fun time, like always at CoS, knowing that I didn't actually know anyone who thought HP was evil. The next morning (DUN DUN DUN DUN!!), I was getting on the bus with my neighbor, whom I barely know, and I asked her if she read HP. She said that she was not allowed to read it because their church said it was full of witchcraft. She said she's not allowed to celebrate Halloween. They celebrate "fall festival". She said it was because Halloween is Satan's birthday.

OK, first of all, if witchcraft isn't real, why does it bother anyone to have people reading a book series in which it is real? And people who think it's real, don't generally read HP! They're not going to take over the world. They don't have enough sense to figure out that they can't do magic in the first place.

Second, if you trace the tradition of Halloween to its roots, it's church related. For those of you who don't know, It's All Hallow's Eve, the eve of All Saint's Day (correct me if I'm wrong). All Saint's Day is a Catholic feast day. Whoever made up the Devil's birthday thing is very dumb and they just want to twist little kids' minds. How do they know when his birthday is? Must be a buddy thing.

Also, about the green thing. Doesn't everything mention green somewhere? Whatever happened to black and red?Darn it - there you go bringing logic into it. Never, ever bring logic into a discussion like that - it confuses people.

I've heard the Satan's birthday thing before (you know, that's why all my satinist neighbors have big balloon bunches tied to their doors and crackers with party hats on Halloween...) Yes, Hallowe'en is right before All Hallows day, but it was invented to cover up the pagan holiday of Samhain which was very popular, because let's face it, it was a heck of a lot of fun! But these folks celebrate Christmas, and that was originally a mid-winter pagan festival, and Easter still has most of its extremely pagan fertility symbols attached (bunnies, chicks, eggs). Don't really see the difference myself.

I'm currently dealing with an other sort of anti-Potter people: the academic type. None of them have read the books either, they just know their dreadful because they're popular. Can't really get much more condescending can you?

First off, most people who are against Harry Potter believe that witchcraft is real. Their concepts about it have been completely messed up. In fact, if you want I could trace their line of thinking back into the middle ages :evil: BWAHAHAHA!!! Make them actually SEE the pointlessness of their hissy fits!
Sorry....anyway. I don't have a clue why they say Halloween is Satan's birthday. :huh: I'm guessing someone decided to say that just because they got tired of the little goblins that would come to their door asking for candy. You know....might rot their teeth. I do have to mention though that Halloween comes from pagan festivals. The church just put holidays on that day (way back when) to encourage the pagans to become Christian. Apparently it worked. Everyone likes a holiday.
So...yeah....I would think these people would like to be past all these medieval ideas. I dunno, maybe it's more fun, but then wouldn't we need to bleed sick folks? :huh:


Academics? Oh.....I hate when they get so snotty. They really ought to get over themselves. People like that are the reason that I'm probably not going to go to grad school. They think they're brilliant and open-minded, but when it comes down to it they are no better than those who think green eyes are an indication of Satan.

Academics? Oh.....I hate when they get so snotty. They really ought to get over themselves. People like that are the reason that I'm probably not going to go to grad school. They think they're brilliant and open-minded, but when it comes down to it they are no better than those who think green eyes are an indication of Satan.

I agree, it's very annoying to see that kind of childish behaviour "Harry Potter is for little children and adults who can't read mature books..."

Maybe they've never realised that you can't be mature without respecting and appreciating the child that lives in you, even when you're 80.

Anyway, I don't think that Harry Potter is for children of satan worshippers, it's just a great story that reflects real people and the real world in a fantasy jacket.

Academics? Oh.....I hate when they get so snotty. They really ought to get over themselves. People like that are the reason that I'm probably not going to go to grad school. They think they're brilliant and open-minded, but when it comes down to it they are no better than those who think green eyes are an indication of Satan.Worse, these people are making literary judgements on books they have never read! I talked to one woman who was planning a really nasty article that bashed HP as a sidenote on a femenist theme... and she's never cracked a book! She didn't even seem worried about it to be honest, so I'm having a hard time respecting her work in other areas now because I'm really questioning her methodology.

Darn it - there you go bringing logic into it. Never, ever bring logic into a discussion like that - it confuses people.

I've heard the Satan's birthday thing before (you know, that's why all my satinist neighbors have big balloon bunches tied to their doors and crackers with party hats on Halloween...) Yes, Hallowe'en is right before All Hallows day, but it was invented to cover up the pagan holiday of Samhain which was very popular, because let's face it, it was a heck of a lot of fun!

So, the people who don't celebrate it are against the cover-up? :evil: And you know, using what evidence we have, the former Saint Lucifer's birthday could be narrowed down to about...365 days :p

And without logic, we might as well be sitting here having one way conversations and making up words. *starts mumbling*

I hate people who don't like Harry Potter. I can't see why people don't like it. I understand that people are religious, but Harry Potter isn't evil or anything. It's just Fantasy. It isn't real. People should like Harry Potter. It can help people. Harry Potter helped me through my depression and it can help others

I hate people who don't like Harry Potter. I can't see why people don't like it. I understand that people are religious, but Harry Potter isn't evil or anything. It's just Fantasy. It isn't real. People should like Harry Potter. It can help people. Harry Potter helped me through my depression and it can help others

It helped me through a down. It wasn't really depression. It's also helped me to almost totally disregard what other people think about me.

I think that it's ridiculous how some people think that Harry Potter is evil and connected to Satan. Personally, I'm not religious, so I don't fully understand how the religious people who think this get the connection between Harry Potter and Satan. Those people who think the Harry Potter books are the spawn of the Devil don't understand what Harry Potter is about and are too endulged in trying to be as saintly as possible, which I think is unnecessary and pointless. People who are like this should learn to lighten up sooner or later because eventually, their kids will most likely be reading Harry Potter in school. People shouldn't be so afraid of something new and different. It's not as if the Harry Potter books are going to give you cancer or come alive and start biting people on the bum or anything (unless the books were the Monster Book of Monsters or whatever the book Hagrid had for his class in the Prizoner of Azkaban).

Phsss. Satan my ***.

Thats crazy. Harry Potter isn't a tool of Satan. Still don't know where they came up with this...

Is anyone here that's not supposed to read HP, but they do anyway? Just wondering.

Or anyone you know who does this?

Is anyone here that's not supposed to read HP, but they do anyway? Just wondering.

Or anyone you know who does this?
i wasnt allowed to but then i started to read them anyway and now my mum knows how much i like them so she stoped trying to stop me from reading them.so thought it was not good for me and she works at a church soo..and when ever im reading HP at church (cause im there alot cause my mom works there) everyone gives me dirty looks :huh: because they dont think i should be reading such a book at church :angel: but ive gotten used to it. :p

I think it's the phenomena that's being attacked, more than the content of the stories. People see kids flocking towards some new trend or nuance in pop culture and the doubters freak out. I mean something that's become so popular so quickly must be bad too, right? Pllleeeease... I know for a fact that some people hate HP just out of spite, because it's "cool" to be different. In the end, I always thought that those people were just cowards.

It helped me through a down. It wasn't really depression. It's also helped me to almost totally disregard what other people think about me.

I know. A lot of people thought that I was stupid because I like Harry Potter, but I didn't care. I don't care what people think of me.

I know. A lot of people thought that I was stupid because I like Harry Potter, but I didn't care. I don't care what people think of me.
netheir do i. :p

I hate people who don't like Harry Potter. I can't see why people don't like it. I understand that people are religious, but Harry Potter isn't evil or anything. It's just Fantasy. It isn't real. People should like Harry Potter. It can help people. Harry Potter helped me through my depression and it can help others

No offence, but hate is a very strong word, and though I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't like the books, everyone has a right to form their own opinion, and if someone has actually read the books and still doesn't like them, than you can't really have a problem with that right? :)

i wasnt allowed to but then i started to read them anyway and now my mum knows how much i like them so she stoped trying to stop me from reading them.so thought it was not good for me and she works at a church soo..and when ever im reading HP at church (cause im there alot cause my mom works there) everyone gives me dirty looks because they dont think i should be reading such a book at church but ive gotten used to it.

Wow! That's not a very relaxing place to read a Harry Potter book i guess... :wow:
But I think it's great that you don't seem to mind. Maybe they'll see that even though you read the books, it doesn't change you, at least not in a satanic way! Maybe they even start to think less negative about the books :)

No offence, but hate is a very strong word, and though I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't like the books, everyone has a right to form their own opinion, and if someone has actually read the books and still doesn't like them, than you can't really have a problem with that right? :)



Wow! That's not a very relaxing place to read a Harry Potter book i guess... :wow:
But I think it's great that you don't seem to mind. Maybe they'll see that even though you read the books, it doesn't change you, at least not in a satanic way! Maybe they even start to think less negative about the books :)
i sure hope so it gets kinda annoying like some times they well point out that i read the same hp book and i just tell them how much i enjoy them and how many times ive read them and they give me a :huh: look and walk slowly away. :p i love your siggy.

Is anyone here that's not supposed to read HP, but they do anyway? Just wondering.

Or anyone you know who does this?


Yeah. I did this. My parents still don't know, mostly because I don't feel like getting into an argument with them. They already think I've become too liberal and such. *snort* They need to get out more. I think that if I told them, they have enough sense to not forbid me to read them anymore, but they might not let me be around my younger siblings anymore, because I might warp them. :huh: Don't ask.......Needless to say, they have not actually read them either. When I was really little I think they would have been able to deal with HP more than they do now. As I've gotten older they have grown more conservative. Well, if they don't like me thinking for myself, they have no one to blame but themselves. They taught me....hehe... :evil:


It helped me through a down. It wasn't really depression. It's also helped me to almost totally disregard what other people think about me.

It helped me too. It was at finals time, and was having all kinds of problems....depression, frustration, and just generally a really hard semester. Harry Potter is how I survived....and actually came out better than I was.

I'm a traditionalist Shinto believer, so I'm not really one to say that these books don't go against Christian values. I've done a little bible study, out of my own curiosity, and I think the radical anti-HP people are crazy.

I live in a small town, only about 20,000 people, and on the night before OotP came out, the downtown shop owners decided to have a huge celebration. All the shops were dressed up to look like Diagon Alley. You could get Every Flavor Beans and stuff from the candy store, buy the previous HP books at the bookshop, etc. It was a lot of fun, and my friends and I all went, being the rabid HP maniacs that we are. It was so exciting, everyone was waiting to get the fifth book, and we weren't really hurting anything. Okay, maybe a few plants were trampled, but other than that...

Anyway, about halfway through the evening, a christian protest group sets up camp right outside the bookstore where my friends and I were vigilantly guarding our spot as first in line (we got there 7 hours early:p). They started preaching about how we were all being led into sin, about how if we repented we would be saved by Jesus, blah blah blah. There's one guy about my age, mid-teens, and he starts speaking specifically in my direction about how 'Such sweet, innocent people should not be turned by witchcraft'. My friends and I were doing our best to ignore him, but I seriously felt like smacking him. It sickens me when people are brainwashed like this. It really does.

Of course, we know Harry is amazing! But, why do some people think that Harry Potter is solely responsible for moral breakdown in society, and how do you feel about them?

Actually, humanity in general is the cause for the breakdown in society but that's besides the point.

In this day and age of computers, TV, video games, etc, it is nice to see something that encourages kids to read a book. [Wait - I'm on a computer... :scared:]

I think people who believe that HP is the devil's work or whatever have either never read the books or are actively looking for something to twist around and use against others to further their religious cause.

Case in point - this story describes how the name Harry Potter is really evil.
http://www.hpana.com/news.18305.201.html

The utter lack of logic amazes me and I feel sorry for those people who have been banned from reading and enjoying the HP universe.
To ban any type of literature is the devil's work IMO.

[My apologies to anyone else who used already used this link in their post for this thread, and yes I know there is another thread on this exact hpana story]

I'm a traditionalist Shinto believer, so I'm not really one to say that these books don't go against Christian values. I've done a little bible study, out of my own curiosity, and I think the radical anti-HP people are crazy.

I live in a small town, only about 20,000 people, and on the night before OotP came out, the downtown shop owners decided to have a huge celebration. All the shops were dressed up to look like Diagon Alley. You could get Every Flavor Beans and stuff from the candy store, buy the previous HP books at the bookshop, etc. It was a lot of fun, and my friends and I all went, being the rabid HP maniacs that we are. It was so exciting, everyone was waiting to get the fifth book, and we weren't really hurting anything. Okay, maybe a few plants were trampled, but other than that...

Anyway, about halfway through the evening, a christian protest group sets up camp right outside the bookstore where my friends and I were vigilantly guarding our spot as first in line (we got there 7 hours early:p). They started preaching about how we were all being led into sin, about how if we repented we would be saved by Jesus, blah blah blah. There's one guy about my age, mid-teens, and he starts speaking specifically in my direction about how 'Such sweet, innocent people should not be turned by witchcraft'. My friends and I were doing our best to ignore him, but I seriously felt like smacking him. It sickens me when people are brainwashed like this. It really does.


That's terrible that they tried to ruin an event that was supposed to be special for you all. It's not like we all show up and protest outside of church or while religious groups are on retreats with signs that say "lighten up." :grumble:

That's terrible that they tried to ruin an event that was supposed to be special for you all. It's not like we all show up and protest outside of church or while religious groups are on retreats with signs that say "lighten up." :grumble:
LOL!! :rotfl:

I had something like that happen. I am the only Harry Potter nut at my school and last year, after the 5th book came out, people were asking me all the questions about it. I answered them, as long as the teacher wasn't talking. Anyway I was in chemistry and the teacher leaft and people were asking me all this stuff and I was just responding with my usual Harry Potter induces enthusiasm. the techer come back in, and I must confess I was still tlking loudly, and hands me this note. on it is that Bible verse about not doing witch craft and it had letters in the text picked out it capitals that spelt "harry potter and the occult". I waa really freaked out, why had he had it all printed out and ready?

I was quiet for most of the lesson then at the end I walked to his desk and said, "Are you seriouse?" and he say "deadly seriouse". so I ask, "have you read the books?".
he responds "No but I am Chrsitian and I believe that it premote witch craft.....blah blah blah the usual stuff".
I say "I am also a Christian and I have read them and think there is nothing wrong with them. so."..and mumble vaguy before leaving.


So I was very upset and my mum wrote him a letter... basically saing it was a governemnt school and that he has no write to make a student feel uncompfortable by trying to fource his beleifes on her. The letter was very scathing and told him that she, being and enlgish Teacher, and my Dad being a crurch of Christ minister ahd both read it and thourgh it was harmless, that it premotes some values that are central to Christianity, and that they trusted me to make my own decisions about these things.

he rang and wanted to set up a meeting but Mum knew itwould upset me, so he just had to apoligise and I have talked to him as little as possable since. I don't have him this year.

The hole affair was rather upsetting and I now keep my Potterness out of the class room, unless I know the techer likes it.

yes, so that is my little story of persicution, it still bugs me that he had this thing ready for me and I get this freaky picture of him at home printing it chanting "must save the unbelievers". But hey, what does he know? It not that he didn't like it that upsets me it was that he singled me out.

Actually, humanity in general is the cause for the breakdown in society but that's besides the point.

In this day and age of computers, TV, video games, etc, it is nice to see something that encourages kids to read a book. [Wait - I'm on a computer... :scared:]

I think people who believe that HP is the devil's work or whatever have either never read the books or are actively looking for something to twist around and use against others to further their religious cause.

Case in point - this story describes how the name Harry Potter is really evil.
http://www.hpana.com/news.18305.201.html

The utter lack of logic amazes me and I feel sorry for those people who have been banned from reading and enjoying the HP universe.
To ban any type of literature is the devil's work IMO.

[My apologies to anyone else who used already used this link in their post for this thread, and yes I know there is another thread on this exact hpana story]


Ok, that link was just scary. Not only is it illogical but it's inaccurate. Whoever put that together was stretching it to come up with a way to "prove" that Harry Potter contains evil, etc. After looking up Harry online, I have discovered that it means "army man or power" or "princely". You really can't misconstrue that to mean anything evil......at least, not without a loss of logic in the argument. The last name I can't find. But I would assume that Potter is a reference to the profession of potters, meaning they create things. Either way, I couldn't help laughing at such ridiculous attempts to prove the witchcraft in Harry Potter. Clearly at this point she is clutching at straws.

I'm a Christian and I don't understand how so-called "Christian" Anti-Potterites come up with the things that they do in trying to "prove" that Harry Potter is a tool of Satan. Maybe they are trying too hard. I mean come on, look at this stuff: Satan's favorite color is green, Book covers of the novels are steeped in Occultic symbols, Unicorns are a symbol of Satan, etc. There are more misinformation on these novels rather than the truth.

The truth is Rowling is a member of the Church of Scotland. Her favorite painting is Caravaggio's Supper at Emmaus where Jesus reveals Himself to the disciples after His resurrection. In an interview with The Vancouver Sun, she said it suits her to keep mum about her beliefs, "because if I talk too freely about that, I think the intelligent reader, whether 10 or 60, will be able to guess what's coming in the books."

Truth is that these critics are judging this woman too harshly. They lift information from the books without any context and their methods of criticism are questionable at best. They judge a book by its cover. They bear false witness against this woman. These critics neglect to read the Bible where it says Judge not and ye shall not be judged and don't bear false testimony against thy neighbor. Children are smarter than they give them credit for. These novels are just fantasy; nothing more.

I had something like that happen. I am the only Harry Potter nut at my school and last year, after the 5th book came out, people were asking me all the questions about it. I answered them, as long as the teacher wasn't talking. Anyway I was in chemistry and the teacher leaft and people were asking me all this stuff and I was just responding with my usual Harry Potter induces enthusiasm. the techer come back in, and I must confess I was still tlking loudly, and hands me this note. on it is that Bible verse about not doing witch craft and it had letters in the text picked out it capitals that spelt "harry potter and the occult". I waa really freaked out, why had he had it all printed out and ready?

I was quiet for most of the lesson then at the end I walked to his desk and said, "Are you seriouse?" and he say "deadly seriouse". so I ask, "have you read the books?".
he responds "No but I am Chrsitian and I believe that it premote witch craft.....blah blah blah the usual stuff".
I say "I am also a Christian and I have read them and think there is nothing wrong with them. so."..and mumble vaguy before leaving.


So I was very upset and my mum wrote him a letter... basically saing it was a governemnt school and that he has no write to make a student feel uncompfortable by trying to fource his beleifes on her. The letter was very scathing and told him that she, being and enlgish Teacher, and my Dad being a crurch of Christ minister ahd both read it and thourgh it was harmless, that it premotes some values that are central to Christianity, and that they trusted me to make my own decisions about these things.

he rang and wanted to set up a meeting but Mum knew itwould upset me, so he just had to apoligise and I have talked to him as little as possable since. I don't have him this year.

The hole affair was rather upsetting and I now keep my Potterness out of the class room, unless I know the techer likes it.

yes, so that is my little story of persicution, it still bugs me that he had this thing ready for me and I get this freaky picture of him at home printing it chanting "must save the unbelievers". But hey, what does he know? It not that he didn't like it that upsets me it was that he singled me out.
That's terrible, I can't believe he did that to you-he could have been fired for that! I'm glad your parents stuck up for you. If it were me, I would have made a point to wear my Harry Potter shirt the next day, :evil: but you sounded like you handled it really well.

Thanks Spew member (wish I knew how to quote)
Unnfortuantly we have to wear uniform, Australian government schools have different rules, so, alas, no Harry Potter T shirt. I did contue to parade into his class with my Harry Potter pencil case.

I have a younger friend who is on his class now and he heard her say "3 days" and asked "untill what?".
To which she responded "Untill the release of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkban".
She says he kind of mumbled and walked away so at least he has learnt his lesson. Although he probably blames me for "corrupting" her.

Thanks Spew member (wish I knew how to quote)
Unnfortuantly we have to wear uniform, Australian government schools have different rules, so, alas, no Harry Potter T shirt. I did contue to parade into his class with my Harry Potter pencil case.

I have a younger friend who is on his class now and he heard her say "3 days" and asked "untill what?".
To which she responded "Untill the release of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkban".
She says he kind of mumbled and walked away so at least he has learnt his lesson. Although he probably blames me for "corrupting" her.

:rotfl: The poor guy, he's surrounded by evil! :lol: I'm sure the pencil case worked fine. :evil:

That's terrible that they tried to ruin an event that was supposed to be special for you all. It's not like we all show up and protest outside of church or while religious groups are on retreats with signs that say "lighten up." :grumble:

Lol...I had to go to bed before, so I didn't even get to finish my story:p

Anyway, three weeks after the HP thing, my town flooded from a huge rainstorm and two people died. A day or so later, the same protest group wrote a letter to the editor saying that the citizens of my town were being repaid for the great evil they had commited by celebrating the evil that is Harry Potter, and that the people in the city who had supported this event (A.K.A. My mum) were going to pay most dearly.

I think they were sued or something.

Lol...I had to go to bed before, so I didn't even get to finish my story:p

Anyway, three weeks after the HP thing, my town flooded from a huge rainstorm and two people died. A day or so later, the same protest group wrote a letter to the editor saying that the citizens of my town were being repaid for the great evil they had commited by celebrating the evil that is Harry Potter, and that the people in the city who had supported this event (A.K.A. My mum) were going to pay most dearly.

I think they were sued or something.Those guys believe in a really scary god! Is this their method of recruiting new members? Yikes...

Lol...I had to go to bed before, so I didn't even get to finish my story:p

Anyway, three weeks after the HP thing, my town flooded from a huge rainstorm and two people died. A day or so later, the same protest group wrote a letter to the editor saying that the citizens of my town were being repaid for the great evil they had commited by celebrating the evil that is Harry Potter, and that the people in the city who had supported this event (A.K.A. My mum) were going to pay most dearly.

I think they were sued or something.


What a bunch of a**holes. I really dislike people like this. First of all it is extremely rude. I feel horrible for the friends and family of these people. To have to see garbage like that. People can beleive whatever they want but I hate it when they try to impose their own beliefs on me. I am glad I never run into people like this, because I have a real mouth on me, and would get them to go nuts.

I think people who believe that HP is the devil's work or whatever have either never read the books or are actively looking for something to twist around and use against others to further their religious cause.

Case in point - this story describes how the name Harry Potter is really evil.
http://www.hpana.com/news.18305.201.html
That link only makes me laugh. Also, they didn't actually say "evil"

Lol...I had to go to bed before, so I didn't even get to finish my story:p

Anyway, three weeks after the HP thing, my town flooded from a huge rainstorm and two people died. A day or so later, the same protest group wrote a letter to the editor saying that the citizens of my town were being repaid for the great evil they had commited by celebrating the evil that is Harry Potter, and that the people in the city who had supported this event (A.K.A. My mum) were going to pay most dearly.

I think they were sued or something.

Thats sickening! I loathe people who say things like that.
Thankfully I believe in Divine Retribution... :evil:

I live in the Bible Belt, so we have people who think Harry is evil. I know some people who aren't allowed to read it, but they don't go around talking about how evil it is. I know some people who aren't allowed to read the books because of the "frightening themes and situations" too.

ammi_asakura wrote
Anyway, three weeks after the HP thing, my town flooded from a huge rainstorm and two people died. A day or so later, the same protest group wrote a letter to the editor saying that the citizens of my town were being repaid for the great evil they had commited by celebrating the evil that is Harry Potter, and that the people in the city who had supported this event (A.K.A. My mum) were going to pay most dearly.

So what have the people in Florida done? It must be a hotbed of vice and corruption given the pounding it's getting :rotfl:

They're talking through parts of their anatomy not designed for the purpose

Lol...I had to go to bed before, so I didn't even get to finish my story:p

Anyway, three weeks after the HP thing, my town flooded from a huge rainstorm and two people died. A day or so later, the same protest group wrote a letter to the editor saying that the citizens of my town were being repaid for the great evil they had commited by celebrating the evil that is Harry Potter, and that the people in the city who had supported this event (A.K.A. My mum) were going to pay most dearly.

I think they were sued or something.

Of course. Their God is normally sitting on some cloud with a huge stone, ready to throw it on our heads if we read wrong books. :nc: Kind of Wotan or another deity of rage and revenge. And these people call themselves Christians. :rolleyes:
I'm a Christian too, but I hope if I deserve it, I will go to another part of heaven. :p

:upset: when my mum first joined our old church, in an attempt to "cleanse me" they burned ALL MY HARRY POTTER BOOKS and my CD's. They made me throw them in the fire. When my mum found out (they made me do it when she wasn't home) she called the pastor a psycho and left the church. She got me other copies, all hardcovers like I used to have, but it just doesn't feel the same....

:upset: when my mum first joined our old church, in an attempt to "cleanse me" they burned ALL MY HARRY POTTER BOOKS and my CD's. They made me throw them in the fire. When my mum found out (they made me do it when she wasn't home) she called the pastor a psycho and left the church. She got me other copies, all hardcovers like I used to have, but it just doesn't feel the same....

You have got to be kidding! That's terrible. That's exactly what you want to do if you want to scare people out of going to church. :grumble: