What do protests about Harry Potter books teach us?
What justifies keeping some books out of the hands of young readers?
On Monday, June 26, 2017, Harry James Potter — the world’s most famous wizard — will celebrate his 20th birthday. His many fans will likely mark the occasion by rereading a favorite Harry Potter novel or rewatching one of the blockbuster films. Some may even raise a butterbeer toast in Harry’s honor at one of three Harry Potter-themed amusement parks.
But not everyone will be celebrating Harry’s big day. In fact, a vocal group of Christians — usually identified as “Bible-believing” or fundamentalist Christians — has been resistant to Harry’s charms from the start. Members of this community, who believe the Bible to be literal truth, campaigned vigorously to keep J.K. Rowling’s best-selling novels out of classrooms and libraries. They even staged public book burnings across the country, at which children and parents were invited to cast Rowling’s books into the flames. These fiery spectacles garnered widespread media coverage, sparking reactions ranging from bemusement to outrage.
What could justify the use of such drastic measures to keep these books out of the hands of young readers? (Cont'd)
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Most readers of Rowling’s novel – including many Christian readers — interpret the characters’ tutelage in spells and potions as harmless fantasy, or as metaphors for the development of wisdom and knowledge. Similarly, they read incidents in which Harry and his friends disobey adults or make questionable choices as opportunities for characters and readers alike to learn important lessons and begin to develop their own moral and ethical codes.
For some fundamentalist Christians, however, Harry’s magical exploits pose an active danger. According to them, Hogwarts teaches the kinds of witchcraft explicitly condemned as punishable by death and damnation in the biblical books of Deuteronomy and Exodus. They believe the books must be banned — even burned — because their positive portrayal of magic is likely to attract unsuspecting children to real-world witchcraft.
I would be more concerned with liberals teaching 5 and 6 year olds about transgenderism.
By definition, Christians might believe in the supernatural , but not in witchcraft.
They're kind of the same thing.
How so?
That's kind of silly, actually. People used to be tortured so that they would admit that witches existed. It was heretical to not believe in witches.
Angels aren't supernatural? Demons? Satan?
Witchcraft also incorporates supernatural elements, much like christianty does.
Don't forget the miracles and visions.
What are you afraid of happening if grade school students learn that someone in their class might be transgendered? Does someone exhibiting tolerance towards others scare you?
In Harry Potter that would be the "Swish and flick!"...
I don't know, some people are just full of themselves I guess....
It tells me there are a lot of ignorant people in the world who consider their life's work to be spreading their ignorance over as wide a demographic as possible.
Buzz, you hit the nail on the head, and then some!
I think if the fundies don't like the books, they shouldn't read them. It's that simple.
True....those fundies are as bad as the left wingers when it comes to censorship and burning and banning books.
Unfortunately, they're not happy unless everyone else cannot read them.
It's the old "do as I say" thingy
Man...I am so sick of people trying to tell me what I can or can't do
Religious fundamentalists are never that logical. They think that their beliefs determine the rights of others. If they dont you like the idea then you can't do it, but if you do the same to them you are trampling on their rights.
Seems the same for some Liberal types too, if I don't agree with what that guy is saying, he doesn't have a right to say it. to anyone......a la Berkley.
Rowling is a better writer and enjoyable to read
My children and I enjoyed reading the Harry Potter books together. But, just like the fundamentalists on the Left have periodically banned "To Kill a Mockingbird" and either banned or rewritten Mark Twain's novels (which condemned racism, etc BTW) it's no surprise that ignorant fundamentalists of both Right/Left or Christian/non-Christian still exist.
Actually it's usually the racist RWNJs who have tried to ban those books, apparently because they don't like children being exposed to those truths about the south.
That's been true for a long, long time.
However in recent years I have seen the beginnings of a new trend-- many on the left acting basically the same way-- wanting to ban things they don't like.
Traditionally the left was supportive of free speech and other democratic values-- but I've been seeing strong evidence that its starting to change-- and I find this alarming!
(The vanguard of this move away from democratic vaslues seems to be strongest on many college campuses).
So a group of people dumb enough believe the bible as the absolute truth (despite it being the result of centuries of the game "telephone" and severe edits) wants to ban a fictitious book about a "wizard kid"?
I hope they don't expect to be taken seriously.
Maybe you're onto something there it may just be fear that this fantasy book could replace theirs. You know with the right marketing, punishments, etc and a 1000 or so years it could happen
We need to rename the Bible with a more accurate title. The Goatherders Guide to The Universe is catchy.
And move it to the fiction section.
I'm an equal opportunity offender of people who believe myths to be facts.
Why? Muslims eat goats. They also use their milk
I have always considered the religion section in a bookstore to be fiction or anthropological mythology.
That's what some of them do. What's the problem?
Meaning that's what they do for a living. What should I call them...shephards? They're still herding goats, aren't they?
Gender identity isn't malleable, despite your beliefs. Physical gender is malleable.
Oh....you're right. Not all Koran readers are goat herders. Some are professionals and others are terrorists.
but some Koran readers are goat herders, aren't they? There are some goat herders that read the bible. You do know what a goat herder is, don't you?
You're repeating yourself
You still do not understand gender identity, so it is a waste of my time and the abuse of my keyboard to continue this conversation with a brick wall. Denying that gender identity exists or trying to reinforce the birth gender identity doesn't solve the problem, despite your approval.
I know religious people-- in many cases devout Christians-- who believe the Bible is allegorical and not meant to be taken literally.
Often the problem in discussions of this sort is that sometimes we tend to over-generalize about an entire group based on the behaviour of of only some of their members...
I don't think I'm over-generalizing it. The group as a whole believe that, somehow, this book applies today. And as they apply it to today, they cherry pick what applies. They, all of them, omit the evil that this "God" committed. And on the rare occasions that they do acknowledge it they attach a nonsense happy ending.
What Do Protests About Harry Potter Books Teach Us?
That some people have broomsticks up their asses?
LOL!
BTW, speaking of broomsticks: after things quiet down here on NT for the night-- would anyone like to get together for a friendly game of Quidditch?
Actually - the appropriate response is for parents who disprove to tell their children not to read the books. The New Testament gives instruction on how Christians should conduct themselves and interact with other Christians. It does not say anything about PACs or lobbying or forcing others to behave according to their standards.
The protests point out the Dominionists and Reconstructionists in our midst.
The only thing ever came of attempts to ban books was turning banned books into best sellers...
The only thing ever came of attempts to ban books was turning banned books into best sellers...
I see NT is afflicted by gad dum gubble bum, too...
It wouldn't be hard. I swear those movies are on tv constantly.