I was on MuggleNet.com a while back and read about yet another "Christian" on a crusade to rid public schools of Harry Potter. I wrote a letter to this woman, not expecting a reply. She sent me a pleaseant e-mail in reply and told me that she was forwarding my letter to a friend of hers who was an anti-Potter Roman Catholic.
A few weeks later, I received a package from her filled with articles on how Potter is Satanic and such. This is the letter that I am putting in the mail to her today. (I have deleted any identifying information from this posted version of the letter.)
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September 8, 2006
Dear Ms. F.,
I apologize for the delay in my response, but I received your package the day after I had surgery. Once I’d recovered, Fall semester had started. With nursing school (taking 12 credit hours) on three different campuses, my job as a pharmacy technician, and as a parent to a lively toddler, I have very little time to sit down and write a letter. (Not to mention that I am neck deep in party planning since Isabella turns 3 later this month…) Today is Friday and I have the day off from school and work, and my daughter is at school, so instead of writing a statistics paper, I will respond to you. Here goes.
First, your letter made me shake my head. I am going to answer your allegations and then I am going to refer you to the ultimate Christian authority on Harry Potter -- Mr. John Granger. I am sending you my copy of his book “Looking For God in Harry Potter.” Like you, he was against Harry until he decided to read the books so that he could explain to his kids why they were bad. Mr. Granger, unlike many Christian “experts” on the topic, is schooled in the classic languages and classic literature, so he has a deep understanding of what the underlying messages of Rowling’s books are … and what they aren’t. I encourage you to read this book, if only to see what the other side of the Christian community thinks. I would appreciate getting this book back since I have many notes in the margins to myself. There are three chapters that you might find interesting, and I have them marked. Take your time with it … just don’t destroy it or throw it away. I read your stuff, now please give mine a look.
Ok, I am going to take your letter page by page and answer your questions:
LETTER -- PAGE TWO
“Our pope made this point when he spoke out against it. So did the Vatican Exorcist, Fr. Amorth.”
1. The “pope” never spoke out against Harry Potter. Cardinal Ratzinger made a comment about the novels. That was long before his move to the Throne of St. Peter. The POPE has not spoken out against Potter. (See the attached article.) Ratzinger’s comments were not Papal decree (he was only a cardinal then and his opinion is just that, an opinion) and it certainly isn’t infallible teaching. You must be careful when you say that “the Holy Father has said such-and-such.” If that is the case, then we can take ANYTHING that he has said or done during his long life and say, “well THE POPE did this so it must be OK.”
2. I am aware of Father Amorth’s comment. If you remember, I included it in my term paper. But, it is still an opinion. You find no problems with mentioning the Vatican’s address on the New Age problem, but refuse to acknowledge that one of the very authors of this draft, Father Don Peter Fleetwood, spoke IN FAVOR of the novels, saying that we all grew up with stories about “fairies, magic, and angels.” He went on to say that the Potter novels “aren’t serving as a banner for anti-Christian ideology.” That is his expert opinion, and since Pope John Paul II deemed him intelligent enough to help write the church’s OFFICIAL STANCE on the New Age movement (which you love to talk about), his opinion isn’t just mere hogwash. Not only did Father Fleetwood make this comment, he made this comment during a Vatican press release for the New Age document.
“but real magic is in there also, in detail.”
Really? Where? I’ve read the entire series -- all six books in print to date -- numerous times. I grew up with a best friend that spoke several language (including Latin) and understand a lot of what is said in the books. Please show me, in detail, where the “real magic” is because I have seemed to missed it in my numerous reads.
Perhaps you are simply confusing invocational magic (the occultic act of calling in demons and spirits to do your bidding) and incantational magic which is what fairy tales and books such as the Potter series use. THERE IS NOT ONE OUNCE OF DEMONISM IN THE POTTER SERIES.
“Harry regularly disobeys authority and lies, with no consequesnces.”
What?! And you claim to be reading “one” of the books. Yes, Harry does things. We all do. Not one person on this earth is perfect -- not even you or your kids. Yes, your kids tell “white lies.” All kids do, so do adults for that matter. Have your ever bumped into a friend after she’s been to the salon and she asked “what do you think of it?” If you thought it was hideous, but told her that “it looks lovely” then you are guilty of lying, too. We all make mistakes in judgement. It is how we atone for our sins that matters. Harry makes mistakes. Kids like him because he is just like them. And yes, Harry gets into trouble. He does not get by with bad behavior. He loses house points (which causes alienation by his peers), he has served quite a few evenings in detention, and he has even faced expulsion from school. Those sound like consequences to me.
“There is a big difference in Harry Potter and ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ The main character was a sweet little girl, and the children identified with her, not the wizard, who turned out to be a fake anyway.”
Really? Do you recall a character named Glenda? When Dorothy lands in Oz, she is in munchkin land and a mysterious bubble floats in. A beautiful woman in pink appears out of it and asks if Dorothy is a “good witch or a bad witch” to which Dorothy replies that she is “not a witch at all.” She then asks if Toto is the witch. Again, Dorothy says no. Glenda introduces herself as the witch of the north and Dorothy is in shock saying that she thought that witches were old and ugly (or something to that nature.) Glenda laughs (and the munchkins all giggle) at this remark. She tells Dorothy that “only BAD witches are ugly.” She also places the Wicked Witch of the East’s ruby slippers onto Dorothy’s feet. She tells her to “keep tight inside them. Their magic must be very powerful or [the wicked witch of the west] wouldn’t want them so badly.” Glenda protects Dorothy while she is in Oz even places a spell on the slippers so that the wicked witch couldn’t touch them.”
(And that snow fall in the poppy field wasn't a fluke in the weather. It was an enchantment from Glenda to save Dorothy & Co. from the poisonous sent from the Wicked Witch.)
“The Vatican document on the New Age addresses this problem. Read my materials to get a better understanding.”
You assume that I am an ignorant Catholic. You also seem to assume that I am some young mother that you can railroad with your “knowledge” of Potter and the Catholic faith. You are probably older then me, but not by much, I can assure you. First, that document was partially written by a “Harry lover” (see above). Secondly, I have a best friend who is a priest. We were best friends throughout high school and kept in close contact during our post high-school educations and experiences. He was the ONLY AMERICAN chosen to attend the Pope’s seminary in Rome. He is Bella’s Godfather. He would NEVER, EVER allow me to introduce anything to her that he thought would endanger her immortal soul. He and I keep in touch and he knows of my like for reading. He has never read the books, but only because his schedule is tight. I am sure that he will, at some point, read them so that he can draw his own opinions. But being that he is a classicist, and knowing Chris the way that I do, I honestly think that his opinion will echo those of Father Fleetwood and of Mr. John Granger.
I, too, am a convert to the faith, and only left Protestantism after a lot of research and soul searching. I am not some hillbilly Catholic who takes her faith for granted … it’s a well-known fact that converts tend to know the faith more than cradle-Catholics. Just because I don’t Bible thump doesn’t mean that I do not know my faith. I am deeply into Catholic apologetics. I have been known to attend anti-Catholic sermons at Baptist churches and challenge the Pastors, which usually ends with them not being able to answer a query and asking to have me escorted out of the church. Remember that. I mention that for a very good reason.
LETTER -- PAGE THREE
“Michael O’Brien … he has read four volumes of the Harry Potter series THREE TIMES.”
This is going to sound snide, but whoop-de-doo. I’ve read the ENTIRE SERIES more than “THREE TIMES.” And I still think that he’s wonky.
O’Brien talks about Rowling’s use of symbols, but MOST of the symbolism in the series is CHRISTIAN. (I point you to chapter 9 of Granger’s book.) O’Brien says, when talking about the works of Tolkien and Lewis, that they “firmly underline the fact that defeat of radical evil depends on humility, courage, love, self-sacrifice -- in short, our natural human virtues.” This sounds like a description of the Potter series! Harry is not especially gifted in his abilities, but always manages to defeat Voldemort (who is definitely “radically evil”) through his all of the traits mentioned above.
He goes on to say that “there is not even a whiff of divine presence” in the Potter series. Perhaps this gentleman should take a “Christian symbols 101” class along with one on Latin and the classic novels of the last century. (And to think that I always thought that Christmas and Easter -- both of which are observed in the books -- were Christian holidays. Silly me.)
Both Tolkien and Lewis weathered a similar backlash in their day. Today their books are sold in Christian bookstores. C.S. Lewis made the following statement to Christian critics who objected to his use of magic in his Narnia series: “Do you think that I am trying to weave a spell? Perhaps I am; but remember your fairy tales. Spells are used for breaking enchantments as well as inducing them.” (From John Granger’s book, referenced from Lewis’ “The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses”)
“Our parental rights are being compromised in many ways in our society.”
I could not agree more. I am avidly pro-life and am dumbfounded that I have to jump through hoops in order for my daughter to be able to take Children’s Tylenol at school, but when she is old enough to get pregnant, she can go and kill her child without anyone calling me first. Isabella attends a private preschool now and will go to Catholic school later on because I do not want my child to be taught certain things in school. It has nothing to do with Harry Potter and more to do with imposed sexual education in public schools, as well as “diversity classes” that teach kids to accept non-traditional families and the act of homosexuality. Her spiritual and sexual education should be spearheaded by her father and me, not some tree-hugging atheist on a school board who is a certified member of N.O.W. and Klan -- oops Planned Parenthood.
“We have a right to say no to that … parents and teens can still buy Harry at the stores or go to the public library.”
Sure you can, but you can only deny the ability of YOUR children to read certain books, but not all kids. I am personally against most forms of Protestantism. I abhor the King James Version of the Bible. (King James is rumored to have been homosexual. His relationships with Robert Carr and George Villiers raised some eyebrows during his reign. I wonder how many Protestants know that. Then there were his “witch trials” … and to think that anti-Catholics love to talk about the Inquisition while brandishing their KJV Bibles.)
With that in mind, I think that if my child were to go to public school that all Protestant versions of the Bible and Protestant “apologetics” material should be banned from the school libararies. In my opinion, reading books that ENCOURAGE apostasy from the church is much worse than reading a fairy tale. Potter is welcome in my home, the likes of Martin Luther and John Calvin are not.
Protestant parents and their kids can get their KJV bibles and their anti-Catholic books at a bookstore or they can go to the public library. If they want to read things other than what I deem worthy to be read, then they will have to go out of their way to do so. Sure, they pay taxes on schools, too, but I don’t care. What I say goes. They can take their perverse, heathenistic curiosities elsewhere.
See how that sounds?
I have no right to tell other Parents what their kids should be able to get out of the school library. All parents pay taxes that go towards what is stocked in those libraries. Why should it be your way or the highway? Perhaps your taxes should be higher and mine less since it will be YOUR books in the schools. If you abhor public school selections so much, home school your kids or put them in Catholic school. It’s a public school system, not a place for you to stand on your soapbox, elbow-to-elbow with those who hate your faith (read: anti-Catholics) and to tell others what they will or won’t read.
The scene from “Field of Dreams” comes to mind where they are at a school board meeting about banning the works of “Terrance Mann.” One character stands up and says, “Who’s with Eva Braun here? Who wants to BURN BOOKS? Who wants to spit on the Constitution of America? Anybody?”
“Harry lovers can go to the public library, or to the book store, or to the grocery store to get those ‘precious’ books on the occult.”
Again, you make me want to bang my head on a wall. Perhaps, you could put your foot down as a parent and tell your kids that they are not allowed to read the Potter series. You have absolutely NO RIGHT to tell other kids what they should read! AND THE POTTER BOOKS ARE NOT ABOUT THE OCCULT!! Read up on the classic languages, classic novels, and Christian symbolism. I really hope that you will at least read through Granger’s book. He was at the same point that you are now, but his intent to “prove” that these books were bad led to something more. His education in languages and classic literature enabled him to understand something that those without that background don’t -- THE POTTER SERIES IS A CHRISTIAN SERIES.
LETTER -- PAGE FOUR
“I say ‘Praise God’ for the people who are courageous enough to speak out against Potter.”
I’ve never heard anyone praise ignorance before, but you know what they say about opinions. To each his own … but there are things that require our attention much more than a kids’ book.
“Would you want Isabella to read a book on Phillip the Pedophile … or Fred the Fornicator? Think about it.”
(This is my favorite part of your letter, by the way.) What is it with anti-Potter Christians? You are all obsessed with sex! As my grandma used to say, “If I had a dollar for every time that I head that, I’d be rich.” Your buddy O’Brien claims that the Potter novels contain “spicy sexuality.” Stephen Dollins kept inserting image of barely clad women in his idiotic book. There is no sex in the Potter series! You are comparing apples to oranges. I would never let my child read about anything of a sexual nature, especially regarding rape, which is what having sex with a child is.
There is nothing in the Potter series to endanger her. As a matter of fact, Children’s literature and shows are full of fairies, magic, and wizards. We grew up with it, for that matter. I grew up watching the following with a devout Christian Grandmother: I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, The Wizard of Oz, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Fantasia, Sleeping Beauty, & Snow White to name a few. I mean, honestly, what more is a “Fairy Godmother” then a “good witch” like Glenda?
I’ve been paying attention to what is in kid’s show these days, too, and in the last couple of weeks, this is what I’ve noticed: Nearly 90% of Disney cartoons contain some form of magic; Dora the Explorer has gone on several magic adventures (just this week she helped a wizard find his wand and saved sleeping boots by completing four magical tasks to become a true princess.” That Dora! What a horrible influence!) PBS Kids Sprout has shows that showcase magic here and there, depending on the episode … Sagwa, Dragon Tales, etc. Then there is Nick Toons with the above-mentioned Dora, Blue’s Clues, Spongebob Squarepants, and my personal favorite, The Fairly Odd Parents.
“You are the only devout Catholic that I know who is hooked on books that glorify the occult, who is spending precious time and money on something that is greatly offensive to Our Lord.”
That is quite a judgemental comment. My father was a police officer when I was growing up and one of the training courses that he took was on the occult. I have that red and black “Guide to Satanic & Occultic Crimes” in my attic. Interesting reading. I assume, though, that you only speak of Potter and I again tell you that Potter does not glorify the occult and I ask you again to PROVE that does. Show me from the novels, verbatim, any occultic practices. You can point to the terms used in the books and print some papers written by like-minded (and well-intentioned) folks, but it proves nothing. Your hearts are in the right place but until you read the books without a bias (you know, just *trying* to find something to stage a coo about), until you understand Rowling’s use of languages and classic literature, you simply cannot write an accurate review of Potter’s role in a Christian’s life. If Potter was such a Satanist, why isn’t the Church of Satan using him to attract younger members? Why don’t the other occultic religions do it? Because Harry has nothing to do with their practices! And by the way, the group with which I went to see the first two movies were from my parish.
We go on to your attachments now …
To begin with I recall you mentioning something written by the folks over at Cutting Edge ministries. Perhaps it was in the Halloween article that I’ve misplaced. (I will probably find it right after I mail this.) Cutting Edge ministries is the organization to which the notorious Stephen Dollins belongs. (I am working on a site about him at http://dollins-debunked.tripod.com/) Cutting Edge Ministries, while fervently anti-Potter, is also fervently anti-Catholic. Their site, while listing a link for information about Harry Potter, also lists a link about six places up called “What Saith Rome?” At http://www.cuttingedge.org/news/n1334.cfm, they say that “traditional Roman Catholicism is pure White Magic Satanism.” I refuse to give an ounce of credit to anyone who says such about the Church that Christ founded. And I am shocked that you, you who question my Catholicism, would side with such a group. (If Phil the Pedophile wrote a seemingly intelligent essay on why Potter is evil, would you use it as a source?) Sure, those guys over at Cutting Edge Ministries hate Harry Potter, but they hate Roman Catholicism and the Pope more.
When I come across that Halloween article, I will send a note because there was something else that I wanted to point out … I just can’t remember what it was at this moment. (I am running off of on a couple of hours of sleep…)
The letter from the teenager:
While this child had something wrong, being someone who loves Developmental Psychology, it occurred to me that either she had something else going on in her life that stemmed the change (and, possibly, she had a zealot influence in her life that pointed her towards Potter as the reason for her problems) or she was simply following the crowd and Harry was easier to blame than her friends.
You and your cohorts point out that children have “developing brains” and that Potter scrambles them, but you seem to miss the fact that psychologist USE the Potter books with troubled kids to much success (my developmental psych professor last year stated that she was going to require some classes to read the Potter novels because they so aptly show the development of self and emotions of preteens-to-teens). By the way, the brain is still developing at age 18.
I’d have to hear this girl speak and to be able to ask her questions before I believed that she had a wonderful life and then she read Potter and it all went to crap until she was miraculously saved from Harry and his demon hounds. Perhaps she should speak to a psychologist because this almost sounds like a text book bipolar disorder instead of something to do with a novel. Or a case of an adult using a child to obtain a certain end.
The article about Richard Abanes:
The part that you highlighted is false. Abanes says that the series contains what he calls “real world occult practices, including spiritism and astrology.” Harry, Ron, and Hermione do not sit around reading their horoscopes in the “Daily Prophet” each morning. And “spiritism”? What on earth is he talking about? Things such as Divination and “Fortune Telling” are in the books and Rowling makes it known that the she is not a fan. They are shown in a comical sense, and the main characters detest them. Hermione calls it a “Wooly Art” on one novel.
Abanes also says that the books, “encourage stealing, deceiving, lying, cheating, and hypocrisy.” These books do quite the opposite. Let Mrs. Weasley catch any of her kids doing this kind of stuff, or try being caught by Deputy Headmistress, Prof. McGonagall. Again, I’d like to see this man’s “proof” of such a statement. I have to wonder why so many people buy into this kind of rubbish without actual proof. I want to see, to read for myself, the materials that stem an idea or a rebuke. Prove your opinion, otherwise it holds not water. It is no more than an opionion.
It seems that Rowling -- a professed Christian herself who’s novels are actually filled with Christian allegories if you have enough classical knowledge to pick it up -- is enduring some of the same backlash the Lewis and Tolkien themselves endured in their times. The interesting thing is that the LOTR and Narnia series are “Christian classics” now. Give it 20-30 years and Harry will be one, too.
Ironically, you reference Abanes in an attempt to BAN books, something which Abanes is against. He said in an interview with Belinda Elliott of CNN.com that “I am not for book banning or book burning. I want to be really clear about that.”
As I mentioned above, I take anything that an anti-Catholic says with a grain of salt. I was not familiar with Abanes, so I did some research on him. Based on reviews of some of his books at Amazon.com, his bias against the faith is palpable.
Your New Age Articles:
I do not see the purpose in sending those along as they have nothing to do with Harry Potter. (Being that I am in the middle of school to obtain my BSN, I was humored that you are against psychology and kinesiology.)
The article by The Cross and the Veil:
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but Harry Potter does not offer indoctrination into occultism. I had to laugh at that until I realized that this is honestly believed by some. Harry Potter does not contain “real world” magic and I defy another to show me one place in either of the six books where Harry, Ron, or Hermione (or even Dumbledore for that matter) call in Demons to do their bidding or do anything that Satanists do.
Again, any reference to divination or “fortune telling” is ridiculed in the series. Just ask any Potter fan what they think of Prof. Trelawny or her class.
Merkie says that instead of letting our kids read Harry Potter or anything to do with fairy tales, that we should give them stories about Teresa of Avila or Padre Pio. While these are wonderful saints, I daresay that very few preteens/teens would be entertained by them. If you try to raise a child completely sheltered from the outside world, they will rebel when they get older. <<<cut to remove reference to somene raised in a strict home ...>> She went away to a small college about three hours from home. She went NUTS. Drinking, partying, and experimenting with sex. She proudly proclaimed that she was still a virgin when asked but only because she had stayed away from vaginal intercourse. Everything else was fair game.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand.
For some reason, the anti-Potter camps LOVE to mention the scene in book three where Harry loses his temper and blows his “Aunt” Marge up like a balloon. (Marge isn’t really his aunt. She is the sister of his Uncle Vernon, which Harry is only related to by marriage.) Some background on Marge: At the beginning of Book One, Ms. Figg, who normally keeps Harry every year on Dudley’s birthday has broken her leg and can’t watch Harry. Dudley is Harry’s cousin and they are the same age with the exception of a couple of months. Dudley is the apple of his parents’ eyes … and Harry is a slave. They are the same age, but Harry’s birthday is never celebrated. Dudley’s is. Harry is never allowed to go on the birthday outings and is sent to stay at Ms. Figg’s house. This is from the book:
Aunt Petunia gets off of the phone and says, “Mrs. Figg’s broken her leg. She can’t take him.” She jerked her head in Harry’s direction. Dudley’s mouth fell open in horror, but Harry’s heart gave a leap. … “We could phone Marge,” Uncle Vernon suggested. “Don’t be silly, Vernon. She hates the boy.”
That is our first mention of Marge. She isn’t mentioned again until book three. This is the scene in question … and I ask you, what would YOU have done at his age? (He is 13 in this book, by the way.)
Book Three: (Chapter Two) Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, “I’d better be off in a minute, Petunia. Marge’s train gets in at ten.” … “Aunt Marge?” [Harry] blurted out. “Sh-- she’s not coming here, is she?”
Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon’s sister. Even though she was not a blood relative of Harry’s (whose mother has been Aunt Petunia’s sister), he had been forced to call her “Aunt” all of his life. Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she bred bulldogs. She didn’t often stay at Privet Drive, because she couldn’t bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits stood out horribly vividly in Harry’s mind.
At Dudley’s fifth birthday party, Aunt Marge had whacked Harry around the shins with her walking stick to stop him from beating Dudley at musical statues. A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerized robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for Harry. On her last visit, the year before Harry started Hogwarts, Harry had accidentally trodden on the tail of her favorite dog. Ripper had chased Harry out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight. The memory of this incident still brought tears of laughter to Dudley’s eyes.
“Marge’ll be here for a week,” Uncle Vernon snarled, “and while we’re on the subject” -- he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Harry -- “we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her.” … “as Marge doesn’t know anything about your abnormality, I don’t want any -- any funny stuff while she’s here.” … “We’ve told Marge that you attend St. Brutus’s Secure Center for the Incurably Criminal Boys.”
“What?” Harry yelled.
“And you’re sticking to that story, boy, or there’ll be trouble,” spat Uncle Vernon. …
(Vernon goes and gets Marge. She dotes on Dudley upon her arrival … we pick up here.)
Ripper began to growl as Harry sat down. This directed Aunt Marge’s attention to Harry for the first time. “So!” She barked. “Still here, are you?” “Yes,” said Harry. “Don’t say ‘yes’ in that ungrateful tone,” Aunt Marge growled. “It’s damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn’t have done it myself. You’d have gone straight to an orphanage if you’d been dumped on my doorstep.” He forced his face into a painful smile. “Don’t you smirk at me!” boomed Aunt Marge. “I can see that you haven’t improved since I last saw you.” She took at large gulp of tea, wiped her mustache, and said, “Where is it that you send him, again, Vernon?”
“St. Brutus’s,” said Uncle Vernon promptly. “It’s a first-rate institution for hopeless cases.”
“I see,” said Aunt Marge. “Do they use the cane at St. Brutus’s, boy?” she barked across the table.
“Er--”
Uncle Vernon noddled curtly behind Marge’s back. “Yes,” said Harry. “All the time.” “Excellent,” said Aunt Marge. “I won’t have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. A good thrashing is what’s needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred.”
(A few days go by with Harry avoiding Marge like the plague …)
“You mustn’t blame yourself for the way the boy’s turned out, Vernon,” she said over lunch on the third day. “If there’s something rotten on the inside, there’s nothing anyone can do about it.” Harry tried to concentrate on his food, but his hands shook and his face was starting to burn with anger.
Marge reached for her glass of wine. “It’s one of the basic rules of breeding,” she said. “You see it all the time with dogs. If there’s something wrong with the bitch, there’ll be something wrong with the pup --”
At that moment, the wineglass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand. … Both Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were both looking at Harry suspiciously, so he decided he’d better skip dessert and escape from the table as soon as possible. Outside in the hall, he leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. It had been a long time since he’d lost control and made something explode. He couldn’t afford to let it happen again. … if he carried on like that, he’d be in trouble with the Ministry of Magic.
(we go through the week with Harry thinking about something else every time Marge started on him … going somewhere else in his mind. Then came the final evening of the visit. They make it through dinner without a hitch and Vernon gives Marge a large glass of brandy. She is going on and on about Dudley, who is obese, talking about how she likes a “healthy-sized boy.”)
“Now, this one here --” She jerked her head at Harry, who felt his stomach clench. “This one’s got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred.” … “It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I’m saying nothing against your family, Petunia” -- she patted Aunt Petunia’s bony hand with her shovel-like one -- “but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here’s the result right in front of us.” (Harry tries HARD to ignore her) “This Potter,” said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, “you never told me what he did?”
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. “He -- didn’t work,” said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at Harry. “Unemployed.”
“As I expected!” said Aunt Marge, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. “A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who --”
“He was not,” said Harry suddenly. The table went very quiet. Harry was shaking all over. He had never felt so angry in his life. … (Vernon tells Harry to go to bed and Marge tells him to stay put.) “Go on, boy, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk, I expect) --” “They didn’t die in a car crash!” said Harry, who found himself on his feet. “They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hard-working relatives!” screamed Marge, swelling with fury. “You are an insolent, ungrateful little --”
(From here Aunt Marge goes silent as she swells up. Scared, Harry flees from the room, grabs his school trunk, and to leaves. It is night and he is alone on the streets. He fears expulsion from Hogwarts … )
However, Potter critics, such as Merkie always say the following about Harry to prove that he is an immoral person: “Harry magically attacks a troublesome aunt by causing her to blow up like a balloon -- with no repercussions.” Harry did not get expelled, no. But, I honestly think that Marge got what she asked for. Were someone to talk about my father like that … well, let’s just say that I wouldn’t have taken it with a smile, either.
Another common anti-Potter trick is to say that all muggles in the books are “stupid, antagonistic, archaic.” Some are, but most aren’t. Hermione (as was Harry’s mother) is muggle born. There are anti-Muggle persons in the wizarding community, just as there are racist persons in our own world. Author Weasley, for example, is a staunch defender of Muggles.
These books aren’t about teaching kids to learn to “manipulate” adults. I’d like to see one of the characters try to manipulate the likes of Mrs. Weasley, Prof. McGonagal, or Dumbledore. Even the bad kid, Draco Malfoy, respects and obeys his parents.
Anytime a Christian writer claims to be a reformed occultist, I always wonder if they are simply another Mike Warnke. Stephen Dollins turned out to be one. Time and research will only tell when it comes to Merkie.
In ending …
Rather than blaming Harry for kids turning out badly, perhaps we should be looking at the toll that single parenting and a government that rewards promiscuity and laziness is taking.
“Plan B” can now be bought over the counter, abortion is done on demand throughout pregnancy (there are doctors in Colorado and Kansas who specialize in late-term abortions), condoms are passed out in schools, and our government rewards women who have a bunch of kids (generally by different men … something that has stemmed the use of the phrase “my baby’s daddy”) with money!
Rather than Harry Potter, perhaps we should point the finger at a government who doesn’t care and a “gimme” society that ignores its kids. Kids who don’t know, or hardly ever see, their fathers. Latchkey kids who come home every day to an empty house or apartment with only zappable microwave food to eat and a television to baby sit them until it’s bed time. What about parents who are too self-absorbed to pay attention to their kids? I can honestly say that I have NOT been in the grocery store or Wal-Mart in long time when I didn’t see/overhear a child being berated or abused in some form. When a parent hits a child or belittles them in public, I always make a point to walk by and make a comment. I cannot fathom ever taking my child for granted, but it seems to be the style of parenting that is “in” these days. Perhaps I am too attached to my child, but I’d rather be a loving, doting mother than one who ignores, hits, or belittles her offspring.
Harry Potter cannot be blamed for kids that go wrong. Their parents are. There is no subsitute for a good, two-parent household rooted in faith and values. When a child grows up in a truly loving, compassionate, strong family, they have the tools to defeat evil. Sure, Satan will tempt them, but their strong roots and value system will win out in the end. Yes, there will always be an exception, but that is my view on raising children.
I appreciate your concern for my reading of Harry Potter and for my child’s well-being. I really do. I also realize that this letter might sound snide. Visual cues and tone of voice are absent so I do not know how you will take this letter. This comes from one concerned Christian who thought Harry was horrible until I read Harry. I also send along a book written by a man who was against Potter until her read Potter. Perhaps a background in languages and Classic literature do make the difference. Rowling majored in languages and classics in school, and those who seem to have a knack for that kind of thing get the true meanings from the books. I do not claim to be a know-it-all about these things (I can only speak one language) but I have been exposed enough (and I have a veritable walking encyclopedia of languages and classics who is just a phone call away) to understand that these books aren’t what you think they’re about.
But I still stand by my original stance on book banning. You have no right to tell other kids what books to which they will or will not have access. You are the parent to your kids only. You can lay down the law to them and ban certain things in your house, but do not come into mine and tell me that my tax money should only pay for books for which you approve. Let the librarian know that your kid is not allowed to check out books by Rowling or books on the occult. Let your school principal know that if a teacher is talking about Potter that you want your child excused from the discussion. It simply is not your place to demand that other parents bend to your whim. I sincerely hope that parents in your county are standing up against this modern day witch hunt and book banning.
Perhaps you might want to take the advice of one of the sources that you sent to me in an attempt to sway me from Potter: “I am not for book banning or book burning. I want to be really clear about that.”
Sincerely,
Pam
Cc: L.M.
P.S. You do NOT have permission to copy or to distrubute my correspondences with you. I do not want to be involved in your attempts to ban books, to tell other parents what their children can and cannot get out of the school library system that they, too pay taxes towards, or to push an agenda set aside by anti-Catholic evangelicals.
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