BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Catholicism A Catholic View of Harry Potter

There's a new article about Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

My daughter and I were discussing that very issue today. Harry Potter is a little boy who is orphaned and in a situation of abuse. This is more of escapism and hope that things can be better in his life. As children we have always had fairy tales and myths in our life but that doesn't mean that we take it all literally and join any cults.

How do you feel about the article and Harry Potter? I've read all four books and saw the first movie.

Yes , cult joining is bad. Its a good thing he DIDNT join one. Instead went to a school and broadens his mind to things that he didnt believe before. Im glad it gives off a message to stay in school, believe in magic and other fairy talish things and sheds some good light on witches and magic. Personally I found the books delightful and enjoyed the first movie and plan to see the second. I cant believe parents are crying over this being 'satanic' and other horrible things! There the ones that tell their children santa claus is coming, and a fairy comes in at night for their lost teeth then tell them they lied and kill their dreams and beliefs. They say harry potter is evil cuz theyres magic and such, well how do you think santa fits into chiminey and tooth fairies get in through looked windows. And what about disneys movies? They have lots of fantasical creatures and magic yet theyre praised. Personally I feel the people against the movies/books should take a good look at themselves and wonder why theyre mad at the harry potter books before they scream burn them.

Sorry but whats Isd?
nice sig by the way

Harry potter is a British made film as the writer didnt want it Americanised (British word for dumbed down). In the end they had to call it harry potter and the saucereres stone in America as it was shown most American kids didnt know what a Philosopher was.

A search on the net for Philosopher's Stone brings up religious and pagan sites and comments. I have long been under the impression that it was not a dumbing down that caused the name change but a concern about some religious people attacking the phrase, "Philospher's Stone".

"I also discovered that the Philosopher's Stone was simply an alias of The Holy Grail."
http://www.geocities.com/usual_turbocharged_philosopher/_ThePhilosopherStone.html

"Harry and his friends research Flamel in the library.......Flamel actually was a 14th century alchemist. It is said that he was able to turn mercury into gold and that he did discover the Elixir of Life. .... So it does not appear to be all imaginary as she claims, she does have a rudimentary knowledge of the occult and certain people involved in Occultism which can only come from research or personal knowledge. "
http://www.letusreason.org/Current16.htm

Considering what the word sorceror means, I cannot believe it is more acceptable to someone who takes religious issue with these books.

In the documentry shown about her and her books on telivision the other nights. It interviews her and asked her why they changed the name for the american audience and she said it was because the concentration span of american children was about 18 months behind that of european children.

I personally "love" the Harry Potter books. I just bought a book today called The Gospel According to Harry Potter: Spirituality in the Stories of the World's Most Famous Seeker. It looks good.

I think it was a bad choice to change the book's title. It caused problems that would have been avoided.

I don't see how a book title has anything to do with the attention span of any child. I do know that the first book in the series is said to be at about fourth grade level while it is listed in my local public school as a seventh grade book.

If they can not handle reading the content of the novel then what does changing the title do to help American children?

Paula,

What problems do you think could have been avoided by not changing the title?