o wow

TBH, i'd given the Church of England more credit than that. PS is a great family film, kids love it, and I don't know anyone who won't at least tolerate it. We watched it in my house, even thought there was no-one under 20 there. I could understand if they were showing the Exorcist or the Omen. Where's the harm if it can bring the family together in peace on Christmas day for a few hours?

Yeah. A lot of issues are popping out about the movies and books about Harry Potter. However, the issue became bigger when BBS showed PS on the day of Christmas. They went overboard. I hope that the arguement between BBS and the Church would stop soon.

Like Emma, I would normally defend Harry potter, But I dont think they should have aired it on christmas, A little to far I guess.

Granted it probably shouldnt have been aired on Cmas, but the BBC probably figured that the movie would give the kids in families who dont celebrate Cmas something to watch, and even kids who do. I remember plenty of times when I was a child that we were left alone with nothing to do, would have been great to watch a decent movie.

What everyone really needs to know/remember is that the Church of England is still basically Catholic, not quite, but close enough, and the Catholic church did not admit that the Earth revovled around the sun until 1997, im sure Catholics themselves believed and admitted it, but the Vatican didn't authorize it as OK until then.

Besides, as a christian, what, in the bible, is deemed "natural"? burning bushes that dont burn to a crisp? The plagues of Egypt that happened when Moses said they would? God IS supernatural, end of story.

There's magic in the bible, theres mention of Sorcerers and people like that, they're associated with satan however, but people have to grow up and realize that, ok, real ones are evil, in the eyes of the churches, (that power is coming from somewhere) but everyone knows that Harry Potter is Fantasy, its a wonderful world where people can escape to, that deals with people who have similar problems as the rest of us (socially, and, to an extent, school (homework, other students, teachers)). I don't think HP as encouraged people to take up witchcraft as a profession, but it did get children (at least here in the US) to read again. Who doesnt like watching their fave book become a movie?

I probably went off topic, I'm sorry if I did, but I honestly get tired of all that. The only book/movie the church(es) is attacking seems to be HP, I didnt hear all that hubbub about LOTR, or any of the books im reading, ridiculus if you ask me. All parents need to do is tell their children the difference between real and imaginary.

I agree with you. There are countless movies that contained "supernatural things." It's totally unfair for Rowling and the directors and others who are related to the HP books and movies.

Hahaha I think that's funny.

Uh no. The Church of England, the title, is portestant fresh from the reformation of the Church. The title means the church belongs to England and is not just in it making the reigning monarch the head. Catholic head of Church is the Pope. I think you got a bit muddled.

The Church OF England - Christian = Head of State = Queen Elizabeth II

The Church IN England - Catholic = Head of Catholic State = Pope

It's unfair but the complaint is justified, this once.

Well it is not 'supernatural'. But whatever. People are always going to say stuff like that about HP. Even though it is pretty annoying.

Ah challenge the “supernatural” notion. The magic is purely mechanistic; wave the wand THIS way and say THESE words and things happen. Magic is like gravity or electricity. It’s a force just lying around waiting to be used.

But if some church or even an individual wants to stand up and say, “God told me so!” that’s their business. Free speech and all that.

I said that it was related very closely to the Catholic Church. Henry VIII was very catholic, but wanted a divorce so parted from the Pope. But since he was Catholic, the church of england was basically catholic, I suppose one could say that whatever the royal family is, the church of england is. It was started by Henry VIII to get a divorce, but he was catholic, Edward took over, he was raised protestant so the church of england was protestant, then it was mary who was catholic, so the church was catholic, then Elizabeth, who was very much protestant, so the church was protestant.

"Henry VIII did not want the English church to depart from its traditional faith and practice. The Ten Articles he issued in 1536 to summarize his position made only slight concessions to Protestant tenets."

Despite the appearing protestant church in england now, it still has very close ties with catholicism.

Ive learnt quite a bit from that ^
I do kinda agree that it was going a bit too far, showing it on a day of religious worship, but its only a 1 and a 1/2 film shown on TV...

Well I dunno but I hadn´t got problems with it being showed on a day of religious worship...not at all...Christmas is time for the family...and I think the first two HP films are family films..but that´s just my opinion....

I still maintain that it was a good idea for families who don't do Christmas, and also for the kids who are stuck visiting relatives and nothing going on. I remember being 8 and bored out of my mind while the adults yakked away in the other room. I woulda killed for some entertainment.

I think its a ridiculous accusation. It is their station so shouldn't they be free to air what they like?

Harry Potter is good for any time! HP rocks!

This is ridiculous... I am a Catholic and I see nothing wrong with Harry Potter... Ok so they use magic... So what! I think I know what is real and unreal. So they have a villian... So does every other book... They say it turns kids towards Satan... I see nothing at all which mentions the devil in the series. In my religion book (if I read it correctly) they state that lets say you go get your palm read or get a psychic reading, you can do it only if you do it for fun and don't take it seriously. Far as I am concerned I think magic (as in real life) is rubbish as in what many Churches say about it.
I never see them say anything about LotR, Cinderella (Fairy Godmother who uses magic), Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and many other things... I would rather see them complain about books and stuff which teaches you how to make a bomb...

Just my 2 cents.

It may have close ties but it is not Catholic. You`re claiming that them being Catholic makes them ignorant to understanding things (the sun & so forth) but it remains that showing HP on Christmas Day was asking for trouble.

It`s not about them complaining about HP, it`s about the concept of showing something so distracting from the true meaning of Christmas, on Christmas day. As much as I don`t agree entirely with what they said, I still don`tagree with the principle.

The BBC only showed it for the money, which, at the end of the day, is all they`re about. But they should`ve at least engaged their brains and realised it would`ve caused trouble. The same amount of people would`ve watched it, if it was shown Boxing Day so really I think they may have just done this all for publicity. As the saying goes, any publicity is good publicity & the BBC are getting plenty of it from this.

I understand their feelings but I don't agree at all. It's all a bit Puritanical if you ask me. (Nobody did, point taken, but I'm listening to a song called "I Don't Care" so yeah.)

My sentiments exactly.
I'd like to ask one of those book-burners what exactly is harmful about Harry Potter. It deals with witchcraft, yes, portraying it favourably but let's be realistic here.
It's a children's book.
Why don't they burn Goldilocks and the Three Bears? Housebreaking and bears talking sounds a little more subversive than good vs. evil.

In my opinion these accusations is nonsence. And has any of them has actualy read the books?

blah. Creating silly problems. :/

They are just books of fiction. Jo didnt set out to offend anyone when she wrote them she wrote them for enjoyment and entertainment. It involves magic but so do the best fairy tales you are told when your parents want you to go to sleep. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast all include magic and villains and nothing is said about them. I think that if people just read the books to enjoy and not to criticize then theyd understand a bit better that Harry Potter isnt that different from what children have been reading for years.