Why theists really hate Harry Potter

[Catholic_Lady]

You know, the sad thing is the real reason they hate Harry Potter is because some of them don't understand that The Onion is not a legitimate news source. I wish I were making this up.

Yo! In a world so often bereft of small pleasures, I would like to thank Rev. Rye for linking me to a letter written by a Christian fundamentalist who takes an Onion article seriously. I want to read more of Christians taking Onion articles seriously. It is a newly-found hobby.

For those who didn't click the link:

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Dear Christian, This is the most evil thing I have laid my eyes on in 10 years . . . and no one seems to understand its threat.
The Harry Potter books are THE NUMBER ONE selling children’s books in Barnes & Noble or Waldenbooks storefront.

Go to Amazon.com and read the reviews. Hear the touting by educators and even Christian teachers about how “It’s great to see the youth so eagerly embracing the reading experience!”

Harry Potter is the creation of a former UK English teacher who promotes witchcraft and Satanism. Harry is a 13 year old ‘wizard.’

Her creation openly blasphemes Jesus and God and promotes sorcery, seeking revenge upon anyone who upsets them by giving you examples (even the sources with authors and titles) of spells, rituals, and demonic powers.

I think the problem is that parents have not reviewed the material. The name seems harmless enough . . . Harry Potter. But that is where it all ends. Let me give you a few quotes from some of the influenced readers themselves:

“The Harry Potter books are cool, ’cause they teach you all about magic and how you can use it to control people and get revenge on your enemies” said Hartland, WI, 10 year old Craig Nowell, a recent convert to the New Satanic Order Of The Black Circle. “I want to learn the Cruciatus Curse, to make my muggle science teacher suffer for giving me a D.” (A ‘muggle’ is an unbeliever of magic.)

Or how about the REALLY young and innocent impressionable mind of a 6 year old when asked about her favorite character:

“Hermione is my favorite, because she’s smart and has a kitty,” said 6 year old Jessica Lehman of Easley, SC. “Jesus died because He was weak and stupid.”

And here is dear Ashley, a 9 year old, the typical average age reader of Harry Potter: “I used to believe in what they taught us at Sunday School,” said Ashley, conjuring up an ancient spell to summon Cerebus, the three-headed hound of hell. “But the Harry Potter books showed me that magic is real, something I can learn and use right now, and that the Bible is nothing but Boring lies.”

DOES THIS GET YOUR ATTENTION?

If not, how about a quote from High Priest of Satanism: “Harry is an absolute god send to our cause,” said High Priest Egan of the First Church Of Satan in Salem, MA. “An organization like ours thrives on new blood (no pun intended) and we’ve had more applicants than we can handle lately. And, of course, practically all of them are virgins, which is gravy.”

(Since 1995, open applicants to Satan worship has increased from around 100,000 to now . . . 20 MILLION children and young adults!)

It makes me physically ill, people!

But, I think I can offer you an explanation of why this is happening.

Children have been bombarded with action, adventure, thrills and scares to the point Hollywood can produce nothing new to give them the next ‘high.’ Parents have neglected to see what their children are reading and doing, and simply seem satisfied that ‘Little Johnny is interested in reading.’

AND . . . educators and the NEA are PUSHING this with NO WARNING as to the effects or the contents.

Still not convinced? I will leave you with something to let you make up your own mind. And finally, a quote from the author herself, J. K. Rowling, describing the objections of Christian reviewers to her writings:

“I think it’s absolute rubbish to protest children’s books on the grounds that they are luring children to Satan,” Rowling told a London Times reporter in a July 17 interview. “People should be praising them for that! These books guide children to an understanding that the weak, idiotic Son Of God is a living hoax who will be humiliated when the rain of fire comes … while we, his faithful servants, laugh and cavort in victory.”

My hope is that you will see fit to become involved in getting the word out about this garbage. Please FWD to every pastor, teacher, and parent you know. This author has now published FOUR BOOKS in less than 2 years of this ‘encyclopedia of Satanism’ and is surely going to write more. I also ask all Christians to please pray for this lost woman’s soul.

Pray also for the Holy Spirit to work in the young minds of those who are reading this garbage that they may be delivered from its harm.

Lastly, pray for all parents to grow closer to their children, and That a bond of sharing thoughts and spiritual intimacy will grow between them.

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The part about the virgins being gravy got me the most.

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Now a days, I pretty much just scroll through the Today's Posts section every couple of days or so and see if there are any interesting thread topics to look at. This thread, like pretty much all others, is filled with anger and hateful blanket statements about an entire group of people. I always wonder if the people who make those comments and/or kudos those comments know that they are acting no differently from the hateful type of Christians they condemn - putting human beings into boxes, strawmanning them, and throwing them away as though they aren't each individual people. This is the type of thing the religious fundamentalists types have a reputation of doing.

I get it. This is an atheist forum. This is where atheists come to release the frustration, anger, hurt, and/or isolation they feel as a result of being atheist in a mostly theist world, or any past bad experience they've had from people of faith. Which is fine, I understand. What y'all get here (your own space of like minded individuals) is what we get in church or religious group gatherings. This is a safe haven. An echo chamber. Three years as an active member of this forum has shown me that this just isn't the place for diverse groups of people to come and have productive discussions about their differences and attempt to understand each others' point of view... even though they disagree. And that is fine.

Anyway, I'm not sure why I rambled off about that in this thread. I guess every time I pop in to visit, I am reminded once again of why I've backed off.

We miss you. 

That's not all that goes on here. I think you are characterizing the whole forum according to the one thing that bothers you. But I understand how and why it does bother you...

Thanks for popping in.

PS:   This is a standard emoji now... if that does anything to entice you back.

It isn't so much that it "bothers" me as it is that this isn't the place for honest discussion about differing view points.

[downbeatplumb]

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Now a days, I pretty much just scroll through the Today's Posts section every couple of days or so and see if there are any interesting thread topics to look at. This thread, like pretty much all others, is filled with anger and hateful blanket statements about an entire group of people. I always wonder if the people who make those comments and/or kudos those comments know that they are acting no differently from the hateful type of Christians they condemn - putting human beings into boxes, strawmanning them, and throwing them away as though they aren't each individual people. This is the type of thing the religious fundamentalists types have a reputation of doing.

I get it. This is an atheist forum. This is where atheists come to release the frustration, anger, hurt, and/or isolation they feel as a result of being atheist in a mostly theist world, or any past bad experience they've had from people of faith. Which is fine, I understand. What y'all get here (your own space of like minded individuals) is what we get in church or religious group gatherings. This is a safe haven. An echo chamber. Three years as an active member of this forum has shown me that this just isn't the place for diverse groups of people to come and have productive discussions about their differences and attempt to understand each others' point of view... even though they disagree. And that is fine.

Anyway, I'm not sure why I rambled off about that in this thread. I guess every time I pop in to visit, I am reminded once again of why I've backed off.

I read a couple to see what the fuss was about, but honestly I've read much better books. I found them ok but I cant explain the adulation they received.

[mlmooney89]

I enjoyed the harry potter movies, although I'm probably more of a Tolkien fan.

However I would call this a fairly weak straw man argument (for many Christians anyway).

More of a Tolkien fan because you read both sets of books or watched the movies?

I read a couple to see what the fuss was about, but honestly I've read much better books. I found them ok but I cant explain the adulation they received.

A couple? But after that long info about how the books get deeper she gave us you don't specify if you got through the filler books 1-4. There is more story in the last 3 books than the first four.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I enjoyed the harry potter movies, although I'm probably more of a Tolkien fan.

However I would call this a fairly weak straw man argument (for many Christians anyway).

More of a Tolkien fan because you read both sets of books or watched the movies?

I read a couple to see what the fuss was about, but honestly I've read much better books. I found them ok but I cant explain the adulation they received.

A couple? But after that long info about how the books get deeper she gave us you don't specify if you got through the filler books 1-4. There is more story in the last 3 books than the first four.

The Deathly Hallows was delayed in publication because she wrote over seven hundred pages. It was very intense and aimed at mature teens.

[Angrboda]

I don't know regarding the Onion article and the letter. I think it's more an example of a tendency to read and accept the things we read uncritically. At a recent discussion about "Fake News" I confessed that I tended to engage in a lot of uncritical acceptance of content from secondary sources, and don't spend a lot of time double-checking things, so I don't necessarily consider myself above the fray. It's more a symptom of the general overload that exists in a world where there is so much going on and our resources for coping with it evolved millennia ago to solve different challenges. I recently faulted Roadie for believing largely propagandic claims of conservative sources, but as noted, I doubt I'm immune from doing likewise. My only personal gripe is a tendency, common among creationists, of misrepresenting sources and particularly of repeating claims from secondary sources and claiming the primary literature as a source. That practice has become a breeding ground for error among conservative religious people.

[mlmooney89]

Let me say first that I LOVED the world of Harry Potter. I mean all out geeking it for years. I had everything and knew everything about the world. Then book 7 ended and the worst thing happened. Everything was perfect and worked out just like it should. I could seriously go on a ten minute rant about the ending of the series. It ruined the series for me. That being said I will try to refrain from ranting off topic.

I had a HP themed party for my birthday when I was 12 and my aunt kept trash talking it because her "preacher said it was bad" as a newly 12 year old I sat down with her and asked her why. Mind you I was Christian at this point. I explained how it wasn't even about the magic it was about a boy finding a world that he belonged in with people he loved. She said "doesn't matter there is still magic in it which isn't okay."

Also being from a small town that only had a one screen theater it was a huge deal to us that the dick head that owned the theater wouldn't play HP because it was against his religion. Even as a Christian I hated that man and still hold a grudge against him.

[RoadRunner79]

I enjoyed the harry potter movies, although I'm probably more of a Tolkien fan.

However I would call this a fairly weak straw man argument (for many Christians anyway).

More of a Tolkien fan because you read both sets of books or watched the movies?

I never read the Harry Potter books; and I grew up on Tolkein.

Actually don't read too many fiction books lately. I just can't seem to get into them.

[downbeatplumb]

I enjoyed the harry potter movies, although I'm probably more of a Tolkien fan.

However I would call this a fairly weak straw man argument (for many Christians anyway).

More of a Tolkien fan because you read both sets of books or watched the movies?

I read a couple to see what the fuss was about, but honestly I've read much better books. I found them ok but I cant explain the adulation they received.

A couple? But after that long info about how the books get deeper she gave us you don't specify if you got through the filler books 1-4. There is more story in the last 3 books than the first four.

I read the last few.
and the prisoner of Azkaban.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

It isn't so much that it "bothers" me as it is that this isn't the place for honest discussion about differing view points.

LOL

[robvalue]

It’s more likely to be real...?