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Sunday, February 01, 2015
On Harry Potter...
... with warm thanks to the reader who sent me the suggestion...do read this...
Interesting. How do you explain that a number of well respected exorcists state that Harry Potter is undoubtedly occult. That the books contain dangerous black magic and can and have brought demonic infestations into homes?
I would explain that I have been told this many times, and that the number of "well respected exorcists" who have made these claims, and given specific instances of demonic infestation being specifically linked to this children's book seem, on investigation, to be a bit vague.
Exorcists, for very good reasons, are discreet about their work and apart from giving general, and wise, warnings against dabbling in black magic or the accult, tend to refrain from gining too much information and certainly from mentioning specific books or other items. A diocesan exorcist has a specific task for which he has been commissioned: he rarely talks about it, and in general only does so when he is no longer involved in this work. JB
Hmm. This is certainly not the first time I have heard this. I am afraid the reply, while certainly well intentioned, doesn't seem to refute the claim that many exorcists have indeed said that the material is problematic. If there was even a hint or risk that these books contained spiritually problematic themes and elements, I would be firmly keeping myself and my family away from them.
Fr Chad Ripperger and Fr Gabriel Amorth are not at all vague on the subject. They both condemn the books because of personal experience of the effect they've seen on people who've read them. Also because they know the contents of the books.
I am of course aware of the criticisms of the Potter books: that is why I wrote the piece on my Blog.
Fr Amorth is an exorcist in the Rome diocese: he has not given any instances of demonic infestation of homes arising from the books. It is not clear if the other writer is an exorcist (although all priests can excercise this minsitry, it is usual to have some specifically given this task in each diocese).
Both men are of course entitled to criticise the books, whether or not their have read them.
Read my previous comment again and reflect on it. Generalised comments about the Harry Potter books do not prove that the books "contain black magic and have brought demonic infestations into homes".Remember that it is perfectly possible for well-intentioned people to criticise something, only to discover later that their criticisms were unfounded.
Fr Chad Ripperger is certainly an exorcist and has reported seeing demonic activity in homes. And as Dennis says, if there's even a hint of this I would keep my family well away from these books. I read many of them myself and they are filled with dubious (to say the least) behaviour. Harry frequently 'breaks the rules' he lies, he's disobedient, he cheats. Yet every time he's rewarded. He even trashes Dumbledore's office and that's fine "because he's upset"
I find it very disturbing, also, how many people become very angry and defensive when the books are criticised. To such and extent it would seem the readers have a disordered attachment to them. Ask yourself why that would be. They're just children's stories aren't they? Hmmm. I love Lord of the Rings, but I don't get angry when other people don't like the books.
There's a good article here by someone much wiser than I am. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/harry-potter-and-the-death-of-god-by-michael-d-obrien
But nobody has got angry and upset except you. And any defensiveness is on your side, along with passionate language "..."keep well away from..." "disordered attachment...".
Don't worry about it, but realise that you haven't convinced us. Even the discussion about the question of being an exorcist took you into defensive mode:"certainly an exorcist" - just the name of the diocese and a statement of the fact would have been normal.
You began your comments with unsupported assertions about "a number of well respected exorcists" and some suggestion of certainty that the Harry Potter stories "brought demonic infestation into homes". We needed some sort of numbers for the exorcists, and some rather more specific information than generalised assertions about infestations.
It really won't do. Of course you are entitled to dislike the books. But you are now simply offering other reasons for disliking them and drifting away from your original attempt to suggest occult links.
Time for this discussion to close. Thank you for your contribution.
7 comments:
Interesting. How do you explain that a number of well respected exorcists state that Harry Potter is undoubtedly occult. That the books contain dangerous black magic and can and have brought demonic infestations into homes?
I would explain that I have been told this many times, and that the number of "well respected exorcists" who have made these claims, and given specific instances of demonic infestation being specifically linked to this children's book seem, on investigation, to be a bit vague.
Exorcists, for very good reasons, are discreet about their work and apart from giving general, and wise, warnings against dabbling in black magic or the accult, tend to refrain from gining too much information and certainly from mentioning specific books or other items. A diocesan exorcist has a specific task for which he has been commissioned: he rarely talks about it, and in general only does so when he is no longer involved in this work. JB
Hmm. This is certainly not the first time I have heard this. I am afraid the reply, while certainly well intentioned, doesn't seem to refute the claim that many exorcists have indeed said that the material is problematic. If there was even a hint or risk that these books contained spiritually problematic themes and elements, I would be firmly keeping myself and my family away from them.
Dennis
Fr Chad Ripperger and Fr Gabriel Amorth are not at all vague on the subject. They both condemn the books because of personal experience of the effect they've seen on people who've read them. Also because they know the contents of the books.
Dear Chloe
I am of course aware of the criticisms of the Potter books: that is why I wrote the piece on my Blog.
Fr Amorth is an exorcist in the Rome diocese: he has not given any instances of demonic infestation of homes arising from the books. It is not clear if the other writer is an exorcist (although all priests can excercise this minsitry, it is usual to have some specifically given this task in each diocese).
Both men are of course entitled to criticise the books, whether or not their have read them.
Read my previous comment again and reflect on it. Generalised comments about the Harry Potter books do not prove that the books "contain black magic and have brought demonic infestations into homes".Remember that it is perfectly possible for well-intentioned people to criticise something, only to discover later that their criticisms were unfounded.
JB
Fr Chad Ripperger is certainly an exorcist and has reported seeing demonic activity in homes. And as Dennis says, if there's even a hint of this I would keep my family well away from these books. I read many of them myself and they are filled with dubious (to say the least) behaviour. Harry frequently 'breaks the rules' he lies, he's disobedient, he cheats. Yet every time he's rewarded. He even trashes Dumbledore's office and that's fine "because he's upset"
I find it very disturbing, also, how many people become very angry and defensive when the books are criticised. To such and extent it would seem the readers have a disordered attachment to them. Ask yourself why that would be. They're just children's stories aren't they? Hmmm. I love Lord of the Rings, but I don't get angry when other people don't like the books.
There's a good article here by someone much wiser than I am.
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/harry-potter-and-the-death-of-god-by-michael-d-obrien
Dear Chloe
But nobody has got angry and upset except you. And any defensiveness is on your side, along with passionate language "..."keep well away from..." "disordered attachment...".
Don't worry about it, but realise that you haven't convinced us. Even the discussion about the question of being an exorcist took you into defensive mode:"certainly an exorcist" - just the name of the diocese and a statement of the fact would have been normal.
You began your comments with unsupported assertions about "a number of well respected exorcists" and some suggestion of certainty that the Harry Potter stories "brought demonic infestation into homes". We needed some sort of numbers for the exorcists, and some rather more specific information than generalised assertions about infestations.
It really won't do. Of course you are entitled to dislike the books. But you are now simply offering other reasons for disliking them and drifting away from your original attempt to suggest occult links.
Time for this discussion to close. Thank you for your contribution.
JB
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