Wow! Harry Potter Might Have Ban Lifted!!

[Linkster]

For those of you not living in the "bible belt" you probably never hear that the Harry Potter books are banned - and hated by some Christian groups as satanic around these parts.

a quote I read today might help in understanding the mentality:
"Many real-world occultists and Wiccans are using the popularity of Harry Potter to bring kids into their practices. We have one extreme that's accusing Potter author J.K. Rowling of being Satanic. The others don't worry about the books at all. I'm desperately trying to get people to look at reality, which is usually middle of the road. You can't say they're deeply Satanic, but you can't say they're harmless. I am against giving them to very small children, and you need to be very careful with ages 7 to 10."
Needless to say this opinion is very strong but now the ban is slowly lifting - "the books have topped the American Library Association's list of most protested books since 1999" but are now falling out of that position. Some churches even burned the books down here.
An article from back in 2001 kinda gives ya a feeling for the new Nazi regime that is sweeping the country:
http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/...ditorial2.html

[Surfn]

I have to say I have some great friends in your area. But they are hard headed born again homophobic rednecks...no not Klan. lol

[SirMoby]

The government can NOT control an educated and open minded society. You must control information, close thier minds and feed them prejudice and hate in order to control them.

The Potter Books spend too much time on the subject of testing your limiting beliefs. Children could start thinking themselves and asking questions. That would suck

[Lemmy]

Harry Potter leads to satanism. Teletubbies are gay. Next they'll say that porn makes people horny. In some ways America is a really fucked up place.

[SirMoby]

Originally Posted by Lemmy

Harry Potter leads to satanism. Teletubbies are gay. Next they'll say that porn makes people horny. In some ways America is a really fucked up place.

Did you know that a "Gay Alert" was issued about SPonge Bob Square Pants? How can anyone issue a "Gay Alert" and keep a straight face?

[Lemmy]

Originally Posted by SirMoby

How can anyone issue a "Gay Alert" and keep a straight face?

By using the same logic as when they propose a constitutional amendment to preserve the sanctity of marriage and protect American family values. I always thought Sponge Bob looked queer.

[Useless]

Originally Posted by Lemmy

By using the same logic as when they propose a constitutional amendment to preserve the sanctity of marriage and protect American family values. I always thought Sponge Bob looked queer.

Anyone who believes that there is a such thing as sanctity of marriage hasn't seen my wife and I drunk at a party.

I've always thought that this country would be a great place if it wasn't for religion.

[Smutferret]

There is absolutely NO excuse, in a "free" society, for ANY book to be banned.

[Osiris]

Originally Posted by SirMoby

Did you know that a "Gay Alert" was issued about SPonge Bob Square Pants? How can anyone issue a "Gay Alert" and keep a straight face?

Dude, I couldn't even read that^ and keep a straight face. I busted out laughing and am still grinning as I type!

[Head Boy]

It might do some good if we all converted to Wicca.

[GunnCat]

Those bible thumpers don't want anybody competing with their imaginary man in the sky judging our every move, deciding our fate whether or not we go to some perfect place or our worst nightmare when we die.

[MorganGrayson]

Thank you, Head Boy. I think I love you. |love|

For the edification of anyone who might care, a "true Wiccan" (Wicca has idiots, just like any other religion, but I'm talking about the real ones here) do *not* proselitize. We do not go out looking for members...especially children. There *are* Wiccan children, of course, but they were taught within the atmosphere of their family.

Now, having gottten that out of the way, and speaking now as a parent...I am highly in favor of anything that makes children read. What the marvelous J.K. Rowling has done is create a series of books that children can't wait to get their noses in. She has made readers out of a *lot* of children who were never readers before.

I wish the religious wrong would read occasionally. Then my middle child might not have gotten pulled into the principal's office for wearing a "Satanic symbol." *sigh* She was wearing an ankh. She attempted to explain it was the Egyptian symbol of life and probably as far from what the idiot principal was thinking as it could get. (The school did, in fact, offer history classes, but apparently the principal wasn't required to attend.) She also ended up explaining the pentacle, and how the point at the top indicated "spirit over all." Yes, the Satanists swiped the symbol and turned it upside down...but they did the same to the Christian cross. Their use of an upside down cross didn't make the cross itself a Satanic symbol any more than their use of the pentacle upside down made the pentacle itself a Satanic symbol.

I apologize. My rant has gotten off topic. I haven't read the Harry Potter books, but my youngest (she's 23) has...and getting her to read had been a tad difficult before. She devours J.K. Rowling.

[GunnCat]

Morgan, you ever read the 5th Sacred Thing?

[terry]

My wife picked up the new Harry Potter book at Costco today.. she just loves it!

[Useless]

Morgan, I bet that principal doesn't call any Christians into his office for wearing crosses around their narrow necks. I'd love to see what he could have possibly have done even if it was a symbol of Satanism.

[MorganGrayson]

UW...no, he doesn't. As a matter of fact, he allowed a "Christian Club" to meet on campus and pray around the flagpole daily. I pulled my kids out of the school.

No, GunnCat, I haven't read it, but I looked it up on Amazon and put it on my wish list. Starhawk collaborated on a book called "Circle Round," also known as "get the book" in my household. ("Circle Round" helps explain and celebrate the Sabbats, and has some great recipes my daughter likes to make.)

[GunnCat]

It's a really good book. It has the declaration of the 4 sacred things.

[Surfn]

Originally Posted by SirMoby

Did you know that a "Gay Alert" was issued about SPonge Bob Square Pants? How can anyone issue a "Gay Alert" and keep a straight face?

I watched that with my grand daughter for several years and never got the impression he was gay. If anything he comes off as gender neutral to me. Then they get popular make a movie and this gay shit happens...WTF???

[Smutferret]

I've met many Wiccans over the years and not one has ever tried to convert me or impose their views or beliefs on me. Christianity, on the other hand, seems to make it a common practice.

What really gets me about Christianity is the way it attempts to use fear and guilt to control and suppress it's followers and then, in turn, attempts to use it's followers to control and suppress everyone else.

I'm quite fond of ancient Egyptian culture and symbolism. I have an Ankh right here on my desk. I also have two ebony carvings that were made in Egypt, one of Anubis and one of Bast. My girlfriend bought them for me a couple of years ago from a Wiccan shop downtown. They lived on top of my monitor until last month when my girlfriend bought me a flat screen (she must really love me huh? ) and I haven't picked out their new living space yet.

Sorry, I didn't mean to leave such a long, somewhat of topic, post.

Regards,
SF

[MorganGrayson]

Smutferret...I enjoyed reading your post very much.

Wicca has few rules. The most famous part of the Wiccan Rede is "an it harm none, do what ye will." Far from being a license to do whatever one pleases, that one short phrase puts severe restrictions on a Wiccan's behavior. (Christians may recognize the similiar "do unto others...")
Wiccans basically agree to assist and answer serious questions from those interested in Wicca. That's about it. Wiccans will assist those either already converted or considering converting...but never go door to door with pamphlets.

It's interesting that part of Wicca is respecting all Paths. Part of Wicca is also the first advice given "we advise against telling anyone you're Wiccan." Wiccans are to respect all Paths but not be stupid enough to expect that respect to be returned.

[Qon]

Originally Posted by SirMoby

The government can NOT control an educated and open minded society.....

you don't REEEEALY believe this do you?






...

[Certifiedbitch]

i also bought a copy of that Harry Potter..$29.99 for that book alone but it's a good one.

well, this world is free for every opinion.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by Smutferret

...What really gets me about Christianity is the way it attempts to use fear and guilt to control and suppress it's followers and then, in turn, attempts to use it's followers to control and suppress everyone else...

Have you read The Davinci Code? While the story itself is fiction, the portrayal of the role the Catholic Church over the centuries is right in line with your "control the masses" idea.

[MindyBlingBucks]

Ohhhhhh. . .It's funny how anything that becomes really popular becomes the focus of severe scrutiny from anything that sees it as a threat.

Funny thing about it is that they're saying that the Harry Potter books are wicked, because of the use of magic. . .what about Merlin from the King Arthur tales? He's been the top wizard since I can remember, and those stories are famous. Everyone knows about Merlin, and he even helped King Arthur search for the Holy Grail, supposedly.

Where's the wickedness there?

[Smutferret]

Morgan, I'm glad you enjoyed it...

"Do unto others..." and "an it harm none, do what ye will." are great guidelines and when I'm ruler |king| of the universe, will be tattooed on the arse of every politician.

Toby, no I haven't read The Davinci Code.

I know my girlfriend has a copy of it around here someplace. She's a reading machine, which makes me SO jealous. I'm visually impaired to a point where it's fairly tedious to actually try and "read" a book. I generally opt for the audio book if possible, maybe I'll pick up a copy on CD in the near future.

I consider my earlier comment to be more of an observation than anything else, however. |cool|

Regards,
SF