Banning Harry Potter

[Dror]

Judge rules on Potter book challenge

Here's part of the piece:

At Tuesday's hearing, Mallory argued in part that witchcraft is a religion practiced by some people and, therefore, the books should be banned because reading them in school violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

"I have a dream that God will be welcomed back in our schools again," Mallory said. "I think we need him."

So, if I understand her right, she wants to keep Harry Potter books out of public schools because they violate separation of church and state (she obviously doesn't know a thing about Wicca!), but she also wants to welcome her (presumably Christian) God back into schools. This cracks me up--doesn't she understand that she's contradicting her own argument? No wonder the judge ruled against her!

Dror

[Dr T]

It takes so long for each book. Hurry up with the last one. I'm ready to read it.

[Dror]

It takes so long for each book. Hurry up with the last one. I'm ready to read it.

Oh, I know. What do you suppose Rowling will do for her next project?

BTW, I'm surprised we don't hear of people challenging Tolkien's books for promoting 'worship of the Valar!'

Dror

[Outshined]

What do you suppose Rowling will do for her next project?

Word is that she may write an eighth Harry Potter book...

Just when you thought Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was going to be the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling's billion-dollar series, the author has suggested that she might indeed write an eighth book which will serve as a sort of Harry Potter encyclopedia. So no, we won't get another Potter adventure, but this might be a chance to flesh out under-used characters, as well as let fans fully immerse themselves in the Potter world. Says Rowling, "I might do an eighth book for charity, a kind of encyclopedia of the world so that I could use all the extra material that's not in the books."

http://www.cinematical.com/2007/05/14/j-k-...ry-potter-book/

[Dror]

<div class='quotemain'> What do you suppose Rowling will do for her next project?

Word is that she may write an eighth Harry Potter book...

Just when you thought Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was going to be the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling's billion-dollar series, the author has suggested that she might indeed write an eighth book which will serve as a sort of Harry Potter encyclopedia. So no, we won't get another Potter adventure, but this might be a chance to flesh out under-used characters, as well as let fans fully immerse themselves in the Potter world. Says Rowling, "I might do an eighth book for charity, a kind of encyclopedia of the world so that I could use all the extra material that's not in the books."

http://www.cinematical.com/2007/05/14/j-k-...ry-potter-book/

Sort of a reference work, eh? That actually sounds pretty cool. I'll look forward to it! Thanks for letting me know.

Dror

[Dr T]

BTW, I'm surprised we don't hear of people challenging Tolkien's books for promoting 'worship of the Valar!'

Dror

I know Dror. Her next project might be buying another very expensive something.

[sixpacktr]

The funny thing is, I just moved from Loganville GA where this woman is from. She was castigated daily on the Neal Boortz show when she would do this (every year for the last couple of years). The woman is a closed minded nut job.

Let's see: Good confronts and fights Evil. Harry vs Voldemort. Frodo/Sam vs Sauron. The Pevensie Children vs. the White Witch. King Theoden/Gandalf vs. The Witch King. Us in our everyday lives. Sometimes we win, sometimes we don't do so hot.

Harry Potter is not about witchcraft.

[Brother Dorsey]

So, if I understand her right, she wants to keep Harry Potter books out of public schools because they violate separation of church and state (she obviously doesn't know a thing about Wicca!), but she also wants to welcome her (presumably Christian) God back into schools. This cracks me up--doesn't she understand that she's contradicting her own argument? No wonder the judge ruled against her!

Dror

The problem is most people have no clue what the "separation of church and state" originally meant...our founding fathers are rolling over in their graves as we speak.

The clause was written to keep the government from telling people what religion to belong to or to having a national religon. You have to remember the main reason people emigrated to this country in the 17th & 18th centuries...to avoid religous persecution. In Sweden alone you had to be a member of the national church. The separation of church and state was to keep the government out of running the church or having anything to do with it, or forcing people to be members of any given church. Not to stop people from praying or displaying their beliefs in a public place. If the liberals and the ACLU really believe that stopping my children from asking God to bless their food at lunch in school is a violation of the separation of church and state then they can send me all their evil money which states "in God we trust"

[StrawberryFields]

Laura Mallory, who argued the popular fiction series is an attempt to indoctrinate children in witchcraft, said she still wants the best-selling books removed and may take her case to federal court.

Would Rowling really have such a diabolical plan?

[JcDean78]

I do not understand why people get their panties in such a bunch over this. There are many good fights out there to fight and this is simply not one of them. Its not about being a witch but is pure fantasy in a totally made up world which is no different than Star Wars, Lord of The Rings, and others of similar lines.

The story does touch on some real issues that we can relate to and that is overall the story is about good vs evil. Now lets see which way the writer goes with this last book. Will good win or will she give in and do as most modern stories these days and kill off the last of the good characters and end on a dark note which is what I suspect? After all, she already has killed off a ton of good characters for simply the wow factor... which is why I stopped reading her trash long ago.

It will be interesting to see how it all ends and what the writers real message is to the Children who read her books. The final book will judge all those that came before.

[Dr T]

Harry Potter is not about witchcraft.

Witchcraft is a major part of it.

[sixpacktr]

Witchcraft is a major part of it.

Dr T.,

I know that it is in the book, but the book is not about witchcraft. It is about a boy that confronts an evil influence and how he reacts/is acted upon by that influence. He just happens to be a wizard. Just as The Lord of the Rings was not about the magic/charms/tokens that are used, but rather the struggle of one little creature against a dark, menacing force.

Now, if she ended every book with a "how to" section for conjuring up spells or demons, etc., I'd have a completely different take on it. She just happened to tell a story about a boy that is a wizard...

[JcDean78]

Harry Potter is not about witchcraft.

Witchcraft is a major part of it.

Its pure fantasy. Its no more about being a witch than veggie tales is about being a Vegetable!

[sixpacktr]

Will good win or will she give in and do as most modern stories these days and kill off the last of the good characters and end on a dark note which is what I suspect?

JC,

I had heard that she does kill off Harry to avoid future sequels by others. I hope not, because I still like the good guy winning after a tremendous struggle (ala Rocky, Star Wars, John Wayne movies, etc.).

[JcDean78]

<div class='quotemain'>

Will good win or will she give in and do as most modern stories these days and kill off the last of the good characters and end on a dark note which is what I suspect?

JC,

I had heard that she does kill off Harry to avoid future sequels by others. I hope not, because I still like the good guy winning after a tremendous struggle (ala Rocky, Star Wars, John Wayne movies, etc.).

Yea exactly, she just looks to be going down the dark path here. I personally think the stories are trash because of where it is leading and whatever "moral" she is trying to convey I am not sure of but we will find out soon enough with the final book and then we will know what the books are really about and what the message is. Depending on that will depend on if we allow our kids to read the books.

I am just really get sick to death of all these movies and stories coming out where the bad guys win and the good guys fail. I am just sick to death of it and I think this series has been headed in that direction.

[Dr T]

Hey Six,

I've read and reread them all. I know they are not a "how to" on magic. Like I said that, Magic (witchcraft/wizardry is a major part of the books. Throughout, they are doing magic, casting spells, learning various "magical arts" (potions, divination, etc.) It is set in that world.

[Blessed]

So should we as "Christians" support something that is based around witchcraft?

[Dr T]

Good question Blessed. I saw a book called the Bible and Harry Potter (or something like that). I'll have to pick it up and see what their thesis is. For now, I enjoy them as fantasy, they're fun, and I'll read the last book when it comes out.

[Blessed]

I have seen all the movies and thought they were good... being it was good vs evil type scenarios. And most likely, I will see the one due out this summer as well.

However, my previous question has me thinking about something else... where do we draw the line as CHristians as to what we will support?? Do we go and watch rated R movies? Isn't it being hypocritical if we do?

I don't have any answers... just questions from the Peanut Gallery. :-)

[JcDean78]

So should we as "Christians" support something that is based around witchcraft?

How about other fantasy items? Should we support Star Wars? Star Wars is all about the magic force and the powers that come with it. It could be seen as a form of "witchcraft". How about Lord of the Rings? Need I really go into all that is in that one? Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe? How about that one? They got a Lion posing and acting very much like Christ!

How about Pirates of the Caribbean? Should we boycott that as it encourages our children to be pirates. As we all know Pirates were killers, thieves, rapist, and generally the scum of the earth. While the movie is just about "fantasy" it is far more based on real life than Harry Potter could possibly be.

What is witchcraft? Is it using herbs that can help heal people? How about using an innovative way to do something better than those around you? Many were burned at the stake by the lynch mobs for nothing at all.

These are all stories and fantasy. They are nothing more. I think the articles of faith sum up how we handle any situation.

"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

As for the R-rated comment, I never check ratings of movies. If I think something is trash, I will not watch it... if I think something is good then I will. That same article of faith should apply to all we do. Ratings are soo subjective and by people who do not share my values or perspective.

[StrawberryFields]

I was a BIG Time Harry Potter fan. As the books progressed they became darker and darker in my opinion.

[sixpacktr]

Blessed,

You bring up a really good point, and it weighs on me from time to time. My daughter loves to go to Victoria's Secret for her undergarments. Being a guy, I think that Victoria's Secret is one of the best stores EVER! But, being a priesthood holder and trying to be a disciple of Christ, I have a hard time with her buying from there because I think that they more or less soft porn. And I can't support that.

The same goes for some of these loudmouths that champion causes I totally disagree with. I can't in good consciense spend my hard earned money to allow them to continue bloviating about topics I absolutely do not agree with.

Now, I may seem a tad hypocritcal here, which is my prerogative, but to me HP is harmless. I know that is deals with WC and other such things, but to me it is on the same league as LOTRs and Star Wars, etc. I see it as the basis for the story, not as championing WC, etc.

As for R-rated movies, I don't attend them or watch them. I have in the past, and feel bad that I did. I don't see a lot of PG-13 movies either. It seems that a lot of movies I want to see, mainly war movies, or westerns, are given an R rating for excessive violence, whereas a lot of PG-13 movies, which a lot of Mormons would consider as "safe" since it isn't that forbidden "R", basically are along the lines of "Boob's a Poppin" with all sorts of raunch and bathroom humor. Why? Because while those under 17 aren't "supposed" to get into R rated movies by themselves, there aren't any restrictions on PG-13. So don't show these young minds someone getting killed in a war movie, that is bad, but show as much breast and sex as possible to them because that is okay. Make love, not war, right? D#@* 60's hippies!

I get a little miffed about it, as you may be able to tell!

[prisonchaplain]

<div class='quotemain'>

Witchcraft is a major part of it.

Dr T.,

I know that it is in the book, but the book is not about witchcraft. It is about a boy that confronts an evil influence and how he reacts/is acted upon by that influence. He just happens to be a wizard. Just as The Lord of the Rings was not about the magic/charms/tokens that are used, but rather the struggle of one little creature against a dark, menacing force.

Now, if she ended every book with a "how to" section for conjuring up spells or demons, etc., I'd have a completely different take on it. She just happened to tell a story about a boy that is a wizard...

While I am not of a mind to ban the book, and I have watched the first movie, I would not want my under-12 children to see it. The book does glorify the world of witchcraft, and, for a few, has spurred in interest in the real-life practice of magic. Obviously, the is an issue for people of faith to grapple with in their homes, not the secular state.

Ironically, Prez. Clinton probably did more to bring balance to this whole thing of church/state/school balance. The Equal Access doctrine said that you have to allow faith-oriented clubs in schools if you allow other clubs. It reminded teachers that if you have "free reading time," children can choose to read the Bible, the BoM, or Rush Limbaugh. He would not sanction sectarian prayers, but neither did he shut out the influence of faith. Good balance in troubling times.

[a-train]

Perhaps reading should be banned. Writing too.

Perhaps if a witch put a spell on that chick, she would ease up and let the kids read their books.

Next she'll say that Annie is satanic because the musical makes kids adore a wealthy lifestyle and think that success is measured in materialism. Plus, it's full of evil dancing (dancing is evil) and Annie's red hair is symbolic of Satan.

Perhaps musicals should be banned also. Movies too, those gotta go. Let's just not teach our children language or anything at all, they're just getting confused by all this mess.

-a-train

[StrawberryFields]

One of the required reading book for our local high school is Something Wicked This Way Comes. Has anyone read that book? IT WAS A BIT CREEPY but was good.