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ruperts_babe · #1 (**permalink**) 08-02-2004, 11:58 AM

Harry Potter and the loose accusations - About HP's influence on the church

Summary:
Others say reading Harry Potter novels is dangerous. It's turning youngsters to witchcraft and driving them into the arms of the devil. Having not read Harry Potter himself, a columnist talked with some young people who have. None reported any change in church attendance.

Article:

Thanks to Wizardnews for this interesting article

Quote:

Reading Harry Potter novels is dangerous. It's turning young Kitsapers to witchcraft and driving them into the arms of the devil.

That's not my word. That's the word of Mike Haverluck, another community columnist writing in this paper. The Harry Potter novels are being read by school children, and now we have at least 75 Wiccans in South Kitsap High School, he says, and more than two dozen covens in the county, according to his source, a self-described Wiccan.*

These Harry Potter stories, the writer says, are softening us to the evils of witchcraft and numbing youth to biblical spirituality.

I wondered about this. So, having not read Harry Potter myself, I talked with some young people who have, ranging from a college bound Eagle Scout to an 11-year-old girl who began reading J. K. Rowling at age 7, who has read some of Rowling's books four times and others as many as eight and nine, and who has seen all the movies more than once.

"What lessons do you get out of the Harry Potter novels?" I asked

A. "Be brave." "Be loyal to your friends." "That kids can have disagreements but still be loyal to each other when it counts." "Stand up for yourself and your friends." "The importance of doing the right thing, even if there are undesirable consequences for you." "The importance of working together." "Be honest; tell people what you think." "The importance of accepting other people, even if they're different." "Nothing negative."

None reported any change in church attendance or an urge to take up witchcraft as a result of reading Harry Potter. None reported any devilish impulses. The 11-year-old thought she might even be a better person for it.

"What would you say about people who warn that reading Harry Potter is dangerous, that it drives young people into the arms of the devil?"

A. A 15-year-old boy: "That's kind of dumb. They probably haven't read the books." An 18-year-old boy: "They don't know what they're talking about. If they'd read the books, they'd know better." Another 18-year-old boy: "A bit absurd. The Harry Potter stories are no worse than fairy tales." The 11-year-old girl, rolling her eyes: "It's not true. At least not for anyone I know. Anyone who says that is probably just afraid of the concept of magic."

Mindful of the adage that people don't listen to reason, that reason just means what others have to say, I'll nevertheless insert here a little refresher on what we learned in high school about the rules of argument:*

If you're going to argue that A causes B, and if you're going to play by the rules of sound reasoning, you have to show first that A comes before B. A can't cause B if B comes before A. Next you have to show a causal relationship between A and B. A doesn't cause B merely because B follows A, any more than breakfast causes lunch because lunch follows breakfast. To put it another way, you have to show that B couldn't have happened without A. Or, that nothing but A could have caused B.

Did you notice that the aforementioned community columnist didn't play by these rules? Using an old trick that may have reminded you of Joseph McCarthy, he merely put A (reading Harry Potter) and B (witchcraft in Kitsap county) in the same sentence, then made a dazzling leap to a conclusion that reinforced his bias against any religion not his own. (Apparently some readers let him get away with it, judging by follow-up letters to the editor.)*

He assumes a causal relationship without showing one, and he assumes there were no Wiccans in the neighborhood before the Potter phenomenon. Or at least he doesn't tell us that there weren't.

If real evidence could be found that people are turning to non-Christian religions because of the novels of J.K. Rowling, it has yet to be shown.*

Loose accusation and unsupported claims just don't do the trick.*

It's more reasonable to suspect that people leaving mainstream faiths are just soured by a brand of religion that stirs up fear, that counts on fear to keep the sheep in the flock, that portrays Jesus as a vicious, vindictive, bloodthirsty figure cruelly merciless to his enemies and that sees all but its most devoted adherents as left behind and doomed to a world of unbelievable, indescribable suffering.

The SunLink

Wayfarer · 08-02-2004, 12:30 PM

Great article. Couldn't have said it better myself. All the Christian Right, in their ivory towers would judge the world without knowing a hill of beans. I am sure there a few people influenced to explore into magic and dark elements a bit because of HP but the major of us are just normal kids who read.

Andrew

Harry Potter Rocks!!!

First to Post!!!

cute_lil_angel · 08-02-2004, 01:42 PM

OMGpeople r goin nuts thinking devil coming .......jus by reading a book.thts sumthin :/

tabitoo · 08-02-2004, 01:48 PM

I don't care what anyone says. I love Harry Potter and always will. I admit I was a little apprehensive of it too until I read and realized how great the story truly is. I think the Wizard of Oz is more likely to make kids want to seek out the occult than Harry Potter. Some people are so blind and thick. At least read the books first before judging them.

bageLiciouss · 08-02-2004, 03:15 PM

That's a really great article. I'm sick of people who have never read the books making bad judements about them that are not true.

08-02-2004, 03:57 PM

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=1][COLOR=blue] this is a great article!! i have a friend whose mother wont let her watch hp or read the books!! (but shes allowed to watch lotr) i even walk around church reading hp books there! i absolutly hate it when people judge it and havent even read it....it really ticks me off.....HARRY POTTER 4EVER!!! :sorcerer:

**lightstar1154** · 08-02-2004, 04:04 PM

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've been dying for someone to write an artical about this. I'm Christian, and I can affirm that Harry Potter does nothing to loosen my religious values! If anything, it makes them stronger.

emmafreak · 08-02-2004, 04:20 PM

Yay, this article rocks! I like the 11-year-old girl who just rolled her eyes at the interviewer.

AndiC · 08-02-2004, 04:20 PM

Alas! Someone talking about Harry Potter and religion in one article and not saying it changes people's view on religion! Bout time I saw one of these...

TomFeltonLuver · 08-02-2004, 05:17 PM

Is it just me or do some people just not like Harry Potter?

Athena=Valor · 08-02-2004, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lightstar1154@Aug 2 2004, 10:38 AM
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've been dying for someone to write an artical about this. I'm Christian, and I can affirm that Harry Potter does nothing to loosen my religious values! If anything, it makes them stronger.

^^*nods in agrement*
I'm a christian as well, and it hasn't done anything to my faith to read HP.
I have a friend who thinks that JKR is a witch herself. *roll eyes in mad way* And of course, she hasn't read the books herself.
It's like my Dad said, people let there children read/watch LotR and the Narnia(sp?)series, and there's magic in them! What's the diff? Just because LotR has christian values, doesn't mean that the author was one. At the time it was written, christianity was more main stream then it is today. Everyone went to church... Even if they believed in God or not. It's just what the culture did at that time.
And THANK-YOU for the article! :flowersmile:
HARRY POTTER ROCKS!!!!!!!!

fleurdelacour17 · 08-02-2004, 05:57 PM

Like JKR said, 'If you're going to ban fantasy and witchcraft in books, then you are going to ban three-quarter's of literature.' :/

To all the 'grown ups' who really think that Harry Potter is satanic:

READ THE BOOKS FIRST!

ct potter24 · 08-02-2004, 06:11 PM

i agree with the article. how can you even judge harry potter if you hadn't read the book. go hp

Siriusly_in_Love · 08-02-2004, 06:20 PM

I'm glad someone wrote this article. I really wish people would read the books before accusing them of being Satanic. If I thought there was a bad message to the books - I wouldn't read them. Simple as that. I wouldn't force that idea on others because that's not what literature is about. You can't just ban books because you don't agree with what they say, or you'd have a very narrow minded population. I have never learned anything negative from Harry Potter because the morals and lessons are always good, and if anything I'm a better person from reading the books.

samanthalee1983 · 08-02-2004, 06:23 PM

As a Pagan I would like to say that some people do get curious about witchcraft because of things like Harry Potter... but most Pagans are well aware of the books/movies/tv shows that might foster this curiousity and we are quick to set the record straight that 'real magic' is nothing like what they've seen or read in fictional books etc. and most people, once they find out that, forget about 'real witchcraft' all together.

I'd also like to point out that many people have been 'leaving' the Christian Church for many years now. Long before HP ever came out. And also Pagans/Wiccans DO NOT worship the devil. Most don't believe in such a creature.

08-02-2004, 07:14 PM

I do not agree I think this is a terrible idea!

dobby1989 · 08-02-2004, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lightstar1154@Aug 2 2004, 09:38 AM
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've been dying for someone to write an artical about this. I'm Christian, and I can affirm that Harry Potter does nothing to loosen my religious values! If anything, it makes them stronger.

Yes Harry Potter doesnt even speak of religion its a childrens book..

PnutPotter · 08-02-2004, 08:04 PM

I still love Harry Potter!!! Obviously, those who say it promotes witchcraft have never read the books be4 in their entire life. Honestly, they go around saying 'don't judge books by their covers', and here they are doing it themselves. I mean really, such hypocrites!!!!! That just really, really, really upsets me.

And what that 11 yr old gurl said was tru, Harry Potter can teach ya all of those things, so, of course I'm gonna keep reading the books. No one at my skool cares (and note: i go to a catholic skool!), in fact they even took us to see the first movie. Ya know, I mean, at least I'm not spending 24/7 on video games or sumthin (not that video games are bad, but, just too much of it can be...I think :unsure: )

~*dangirl~* · 08-02-2004, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Reading Harry Potter novels is dangerous. It's turning young Kitsapers to witchcraft and driving them into the arms of the devil.

Give me a break!!!!

08-02-2004, 08:36 PM

The article is so right!! Why would kids be compelled to study dark magic because of Harry Potter? Harry is the hero of the books, and he is a good guy. Now, if Harry were studying Dark Magic, then I could see the problem. These people are ridiculus!

**fr2nc1z** · 08-02-2004, 08:59 PM

^ I agree! I dont think it would make children want to study dark arts or anything like that! I think the values showed in HP are good, ethical, and moral!

baby_bunny · 08-02-2004, 09:06 PM

well the people who think are idiots

potterxfan04 · 08-02-2004, 09:13 PM

thats... weird. well not weird its CRAZY!!! i love the harry potter books to death and i dont believe that if i go and buy a wand that those incantations would work!!! (it would be cool though haha, but its not like i'm gonna try it) besides, there are a BUNCH of other shows/movies/etc about the supernatural, even if its not particularly magic. so why are they ragging on harry for? he's our hero! <33

08-02-2004, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by samanthalee1983@Aug 2 2004, 10:57 AM
And also Pagans/Wiccans DO NOT worship the devil. Most don't believe in such a creature.

Totally agree with this statement b/c i know that wiccans/pagans believe that there is no good or evil being. People really ought to do thorough research.

How much does anyone wanna bet that the person who wrote the artical saying:

Quote:

Reading Harry Potter novels is dangerous. It's turning young Kitsapers to witchcraft and driving them into the arms of the devil.

is a biased liberal weenie?

seeing as how Harry is a hero and he knows right from wrong, how the hell does that make him convert kids to devil worshipers when they don't even believe in a devil?!??! (see above statements...)

I used to have a friend whose parents didn't let her read Harry Potter because there is magic and wizards in it... the funny thing is this person has worse morals and everything like that than any Harry Potter fan i've ever met!