Pope issue’s Fatwa on J. K. Rowling for Harry Potter book…

Source

“Pope Opposes Harry Potter Novels - Signed Letters from Cardinal Ratzinger Now Online”

“…As the sixth issue of Rowling's Harry Potter series - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - is about to be released, the news that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger expressed serious reservations about the novels is now finally being revealed to the English-speaking world still under the impression the Vatican approves the Potter novels.

In a letter dated March 7, 2003 Cardinal Ratzinger thanked Kuby for her "instructive" book Harry Potter - gut oder böse (Harry Potter- good or evil?), in which Kuby says the Potter books corrupt the hearts of the young, preventing them from developing a properly ordered sense of good and evil, thus harming their relationship with God while that relationship is still in its infancy…”

Oh wait, Catholics don’t issue Fatwa’s? Rowling won’t be killed for this? I’m sorry, my mistake. I guess when the top Catholic on the planet states his disapproval at something, its ends there.

Does it really end there?

I'm sure we're going to hear of book burnings somewhere, didn't the last Harry Potter book inspire a book burning festival in some ignorant town in either the UK or US?

Jeeze Pope Ratzinger, do you want to ban all fiction next, if God isn't the main premise behind the book? get a life Pope, deal with real issues, like pedophiles, aids, poverty, etc...I'm sure I can provide you with enough real issues to keep yourself busy other than criticizing a children's book, which encourages Children to read..



[edit on 7-13-2005 by worldwatcher]

I find it ironic and humorous that the head of an organization that worships a book of fantasy is judging another book of fantasy as "subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul" and therefore must be evil.

A kid reading Harry is enjoying a mythical fantasy world no different than any other fantasy book, which included that grand fantasy of them all - Jesus Potter and the Holy Scripture.

Originally posted by skippytjc
I guess when the top Catholic on the planet states his disapproval at something, its ends there.

This is completely ridiculous. You've basically stated that the RCC can't take a position on anything.

Ny, you miss my point entirely. You all have.

I am pointing out the outrageousness of Fatwas here, not the Pope or the Catholic church.

When has a representative of the Catholic Church, or any faith for that matter, demanded the head of somebody they dissagreed with?

But it seems a common practice among the Islamic extreme. (note I did not say all Muslims)

The Pope is just jealous that these kids are reading these LENGTHY books that are not the Bible.

I say, who cares as long as it gets kids to read? There are far too many illiterate people in this world, and the Harry Potter books have done some good.

Let's not forget that Pope Benedict was Cardinal Ratzinger at that point, and that he was probably speaking as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the "watchdog" of orthodoxy in the Church. Now that he's pope, things may be different... or they may not.

We'll just have to see what Pope Benedict, not Cardinal Ratzinger, has to say on the matter...

When has a representative of the Catholic Church, or any faith for that matter, demanded the head of somebody they dissagreed with?

The Catholic church is not as innocent as they seem.....

Look back about....500-1000 years and you will have your answer.

Other than that....does the CRUSADES ring a bell????

Originally posted by skippytjc
I guess when the top Catholic on the planet states his disapproval at something, its ends there.

... or perhaps the clerics of another faith who issue "fatwahs" are simply more honest about their dealings in death.

Salman Rushdie appears to be in pretty reasonable health these days.

preventing them from developing a properly ordered sense of good and evil

From what I've read of the books, namely all of them multiple times (see avatar) they do a damn good job of showing that bad is bad and good is good. If you want a better model of how a. social interactions in life work, b. what's right and how good and evil pay (does/don't, respectively) and c. is aimed at young'uns, well then you're going to have to write it.

Originally posted by SportyMB

When has a representative of the Catholic Church, or any faith for that matter, demanded the head of somebody they dissagreed with?

The Catholic church is not as innocent as they seem.....

Look back about....500-1000 years and you will have your answer.

Other than that....does the CRUSADES ring a bell????

But is the RCC still kiling people in the fashion that the muslim 'extremists' are? Your using what happened in medieval times to justify the ignorance of some muslims today. Ignorance, Deny It!

Your using what happened in medieval times to justify the ignorance of some muslims today. Ignorance, Deny It!

Oh NO NO NO!!!! Im am not using anything to Justify the violence, ignorance and extremeism of Muslims (the bad ones) and the teachings of Islam. How did you come up with that? Seriously..how?

Obviously you have NOT read my post in other threads to make such an assumption...or else you would know that I totally disagree the teachings of Islam and the religion as a whole.

I was answering a simple question....

When has a representative of the Catholic Church, or any faith for that matter, demanded the head of somebody they dissagreed with?

And I have already gave an answer

Ok, my bad! I need to pay more attention

if pope benedict is so confident of his own infallability why doesn't the man author his OWN book, aimed chiefly at these young people, extolling the virtues of the catholic faith and the importance of shunning heretical influences?

maybe this "humble" man is confronted with his own lack of charisma and ability to reach young people [his papal predecessor commanded a great deal of both] and therefore has to resort to a sour grapes tactic like bashing HARRY POTTER. well i think J.K. rowlings' message is better at presenting the positive aspects of the catholic religion that the vatican's is.....

i find it interesting that no similar fuss was made by pope john paul about STAR WARS.

[edit on 13-7-2005 by victor was right]

Originally posted by SportyMB

When has a representative of the Catholic Church, or any faith for that matter, demanded the head of somebody they dissagreed with?

The Catholic church is not as innocent as they seem.....

Look back about....500-1000 years and you will have your answer.

Other than that....does the CRUSADES ring a bell????

Hey, im not protecting the Cathilic Church in any way shape or form, but its still not publicly calling fatwas.

In todays day and age, it just seems like the Islamic Extreme is the only religous institution still calling for death to the unbelievers.

Oops

Sorry

[edit on 13/7/2005 by SportyMB]

I am only curious of one thing .............

of the subject: "Pope issue’s Fatwa on ..........."

How does one become an Islamic Pope?

Kinda like saying Osama is performing Benediction.

Go figger.

Misfit

Originally posted by skippytjc
Ny, you miss my point entirely. You all have.

I am pointing out the outrageousness of Fatwas here, not the Pope or the Catholic church.

It would seem that the Pope/Catholic church angle is much more interesting to discuss than yet another 'bash' on Islam for the extremists who have hijacked the name.

I do find this quote from the link interesting:
"It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly," wrote Cardinal Ratzinger.

It appears that the Pope would rather have the formative soul of children impressed with Catholic dogma and its subtle seductions than the fantasy of Harry Potter.

I just saw a story on TV of all places where some churches are using the 'good and evil' lessons of Harry Potter to interest the children in the teachings of the church. Smart people.

This is so funny like some said its ok to read the bible written by high men in caves as truth but its no no for Harry Potter

You people are so anti-Catholic that the church and its leaders are basically not entitled to their own opinions?

Certaintly, you each prize your "void-given right" to critique the viewpoints of others in this here interweb marketplace of ideas.

But HE, that infernal swinish prig of a Pope, damn HIM if he voices an opinion, right?

You all clucked and sputtered on about the void-awful anti-semitism of Gel Mibson's "Passion of the Christ."

But you are sent into pyroxisms of self-righteousness if someone else reviews a book. . .


And yet its these, these CHRISTIANS (so-called, of course) who are narrow-minded, hateful bigots, who won't let other people live their own lives and basically mind their own beesewax.

Is that it?

Deny . . . . Deny umm,


Deny the speck in thy brother's eye, apparently.