Pope condemned ‘subtle seduction’ of tales of wizardry


HARRY POTTER has come under attack from soul-sucking dementors and basilisks, but he faces his most formidable adversary yet in the form of the Pope.
A letter written by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, before he was elected Pope in April, condemns the boy wizard as a potentially corrupting influence on children.

The Cardinal, then the late Pope John Paul II’s “enforcer” as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, revealed his views in a letter to the author of Harry Potter — Good or Evil?, a book published in Germany. The Cardinal appeared to sympathise with Gabriele Kuby’s thesis that Harry Potter corrupts the young, distorting their understanding of the battle between good and evil. “It is good that you enlighten people about Harry Potter because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul before it can grow properly,” he wrote.

The Cardinal, who had been sent the book by Kuby, encouraged the writer to send her work to another member of the Church who had made an announcement on behalf of the Vatican praising J. K. Rowling’s books. Mgr Peter Fleetwood, a British priest who helped to draft an official document on New Age phenomena in 2003, said that the Harry Potter books were moral stories that taught children about the importance of making sacrifices to overcome evil.

“I don’t think that any of us grew up without the imaginary world of fairies, magicians, angels and witches,” he told a conference at the Vatican. “They are not bad or a banner for anti-Christian ideology.” Rowling, he said, was Christian by conviction and in the way she wrote.

Austen Ivereigh, a spokesman for Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’ Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, said that the Pope’s comments were strongly worded but that Catholics were not bound by them.

“This was evidently Cardinal Ratzinger’s view when he wrote that letter,” he said. “As Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith he never issued an authoritative document on the subject so there is no question of Catholics . . . needing to take a single view. Personally I think they are a great read.” Harry Potter has a history of upsetting Christians. A pastor in New Mexico included the stories in a book-burning ceremony. Jack Brock, a priest from the Christ Community Church, said: “God says in Deuteronomy that witchcraft is an abomination. Whatever God hates, I hate.”


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1693365,00.html

Last time I checked on the news, nothing bad has happend whenever someone (a kid especially) read a Harry Potter book, no doorways to Hell, no demons beign summoned, nothing....  ::)

Well I think Ratsinger's response is pretty much an EXPECTED and canned message from the Catholic church.  The Vatican has practically ALWAYS condemned any popular ideas and cultural phenominon throughout history.  They despise it when someone or something else in the world steals their thunder.

Yay Ratzinger, get rid of that ridiculous bloody wizard, then whilst your at it.. PISS OFF YOU PREHISTORIC PILE OF MONKEY CRAP!

I have a hatred for Harry Potter bordering on maniacal, i'd ten times rather read the entire frigging trilogy than see the embodiment of evil that is Pope Palpatine live one more day.

I've enjoyed the books myself.. and I've never let the Catholic Church affect my decisions.. so.. I guess I'm fine with it.  ;D

What's this, Dean Wormer for Pontiff?
No more fun of any kind!

Well I think Ratsinger's response is pretty much an EXPECTED and canned message from the Catholic church. The Vatican has practically ALWAYS condemned any popular ideas and cultural phenominon throughout history. They despise it when someone or something else in the world steals their thunder.
Fake morality gurus like the Pope have always had nasty(and untrue) things to say about popular culture and modern tastes...I bet whoever was Pope when rock n' roll came to fruition condemned the music AND its icons...Wonder what the Catholic Church thought of Elvis(the Pelvis)Presley? What the Church thinks of modern artists such as Marilyn Manson(I personally DETEST Marilyn Manson ALICE COOPER in his heyday had way more TALENT)...or Slayer(Don't like them either but to each his or her own...)or TV shows like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,or The L Word?

Fake morality gurus like the Pope have always had nasty(and untrue) things to say about popular culture and modern tastes...I bet whoever was Pope when rock n' roll came to fruition condemned the music AND its icons...Wonder what the Catholic Church thought of Elvis(the Pelvis)Presley? What the Church thinks of modern artists such as Marilyn Manson(I personally DETEST Marilyn Manson ALICE COOPER in his heyday had way more TALENT)...or Slayer(Don't like them either but to each his or her own...)o


Ratzinger said something in the mid 90's condemning a lot of popular rock groups... i think the beatles and zeppelin and a few other very popular groups were singled out. The article is on amiright somewhere.

Ratzinger has a lot of nerve to criticize celebrities,pop icons,modern music...look at the shambles his Church is in with the pedophile priests and the question of womens' roles in the Church...and getting involved in right-to-die issues....

Fake morality gurus like the Pope have always had nasty(and untrue) things to say about popular culture and modern tastes...I bet whoever was Pope when rock n' roll came to fruition condemned the music AND its icons...Wonder what the Catholic Church thought of Elvis(the Pelvis)Presley? What the Church thinks of modern artists such as Marilyn Manson(I personally DETEST Marilyn Manson ALICE COOPER in his heyday had way more TALENT)...or Slayer(Don't like them either but to each his or her own...)or TV shows like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,or The L Word?


Not sure of the church, but here are my answers...

1.  He's ok.
2.  Not a big fan of Marilyn Manson, I like Alice Cooper alot better.
3.  Not a really big fan of heavy metal.
4.  I liked watching The L Word, unfortunatly I only got to see season one, as for Queer Eye For The Straight Guy, you see one makeover reality show, you have pretty much seen all of the them.

As for Harry Potter, I have books one and five, and the first three movies on DVD.

So my favorite charecters are Hagrid, Hermione, Sirus Black, and  Professor Snape.

By the way.... we are talking about the same guy who thinks The Eagles and The Beatles are evil....  ::)

BTW, read the new book yesterday and it was pretty good :)


I did too... that a 652 page book can be read in a day and isn't a picture book means it's pretty good

Ratzinger doesn't get that HARRY POTTER is a FICTIONAL BEING...and ROCK MUSIC IS JUST MUSIC.

Gawd,I've been listening to popular music since the age of SIX...and I'm no devil-worshipping heathen LOL!

I have to wonder what he thinks of Christian rock....he might think P.O.D. are wolves in sheep's clothing..LMBOROFL

Ratzinger just makes me LAUGH by saying absolute NONSENSE about pop culture!!!

LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!

Ratzinger probably thinks NASCAR corrupts one's morals!! Drivers sponsored by beer companies...not to mention Dave Blaney driving a car sponsored by JACK DANIEL'S...

Gawd,I've been listening to popular music since the age of SIX...and I'm no devil-worshipping heathen LOL!


I am! I wonder what that means about Adult Alternative...

ok i do think ratzinger is a little paranoid but i can under stand why hes against the book. i mean its pretty simple, it has witch craft and hes the overly religious pope. however i dont really like the books either. i dont have any thing against them, they just dont intrest me>