Bavarian-based Roman Catholic Gabriele Kuby, who wrote a book criticising JK Rowling's blockbusters, said the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger made the comments in an exchange of letters two years ago.
In March 2003, Ratzinger wrote thanking her for sending him a copy of "your informative book". He said: "It is good that you are throwing light on Harry Potter, because these are subtle seductions that work imperceptibly, and because of that deeply, and erode Christianity in the soul before it can even grow properly."
Holiday
The Vatican made no comment about the claims. The Pope - who is from Bavaria - is on holiday.
Kuby argues in her book, Harry Potter - Good Or Evil, that the Potter novels glorify the world of witches and magicians at the expense of the human world. She also says the boundaries between good and evil are blurred.
Kuby said that she sent her book to Ratzinger - then the Vatican's doctrinal watchdog - after he commented favourably on an earlier book she wrote, My Way To Mary.
According to Kuby, Ratzinger wrote: "I gladly permit you to cite my opinion on Harry Potter."
The sixth Potter book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, goes on sale at midnight tonight.
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I think that he shouldn't judge HArry Potter. I've read ALL five books n none of ever contan anything that ' erode Christianity in the soul'. I think that he should focus on more important issues instead of saying things against Harry Potter.
i hate to say this but this pope is crackers. shouldnt he be concentrating on more serious and pressing issues, like stamping out abuse by priests (oh hold on he wanted all that kept 'in house') it baffles me how he was ever elected.
Hearing that from the new Pope is no surprise. What do you expect? He is a conservative. Well, he is an imporatant figure though but unfortunately he is just one opinion, if I may say, compared to the millions of fans of Harry Potter who know better than the people of his time.
He's clearly as mad as a biscuit. "Blurs the boundry between good and evil"? Welcome to the real world, I'm far from perfect but that doesnt mean I'm evil surely?
mwa, mwa mwa mwahahaha.
If I subscibed to christianity I would cancel my subscription immediately :)
Wow. I'd like to see her justification for this. Having read the books, see the boundaries between "good" and "evil" seem pretty blatant - the pretty obvious groupings of dark and good wizards don't seem to hold any secret analogies to me, anyway. I'll be getting my copy at midnight tonight without fearing for my soul, anyway.Obviously, she heasn't read them, or if she has, criticising the richest author in the UK seemed like a good way to get some money.
As for the Pope - I don't think he really said anything. And, if he thinks getting children to actually read is evil, thats his deal.
Where shall we begin?
"It is good that you are throwing light on Harry Potter, because these are subtle seductions that work imperceptibly, and because of that deeply, and erode Christianity in the soul before it can even grow properly."
What are "these are subtle seductions" he is speakin of? If they are so imperceptible, how can they possible erode anything?
I couldn't think of any way to be any more vague. Not to mention he is forming that opinion based on Gabriele Kuby's book "Harry Potter - Good Or Evil", which is slanted toward making the HP series look like it "glories the world of witches and magicians at the expense of the human world." Maybe Pope Ratzinger should actually pick up an HP book and read it and then form his opinion.
This reminds me of the Witch Hunts of Salem. What is the matter with people today? Not enough to do? Today we are Bashing Gays, Non-Christians, Pro-Choice, Pro-life, Smokers, Police, Non-police and now People who just want to buy their kid a book that stimulates imaginative thinking. Maybe if we had a little more imagination and parents spending quality time with their kids we wouldn't have to worry about whether their souls were being eroded or not.
At least they are reading and that to me is a step in a very positive direction. You don't see kids with story books selling drugs and guns.
Perhaps this Pope should clean up his church before making inane comments about something he knows nothing about. If he knows history he knows that the Catholic church has done more to erode the principals of Chritianity than J.K. Rowling ever could do
I would think molestation by a trusted adult authority would erode the soul far more than any fictional book. Particularly when that molestation goes for years unpunished.
Perhaps the Church needs to look at its function in the real, everyday world and lives of its constituents & members. If the media is a better substitute, they need to revamp.
And stories of magico-spiritual power and authority (even story subplots about issues of ethics and responsibility in that realm of Power) have always appealed to young people. No wonder: they're the ones who have no power, and must trust and submit to adult authority no matter how corrupt.
I'm glad I left the church and went ahead to be a witch, as a child. It just seemed so much more sensible. But regardless of what a young person decides about their spirituality, they need to be safe and their personal boundaries need to be respected.
No one's doing anything so hideous in these books as they are in "real" life.
--Diana Walker
I'm a christian that's been reading the books since before they were so popular, and I certainly haven't experienced any "soul erosion" or started practicing witchcraft.
Like television and video games, these books have simply become another scapegoat for parents to blame their bad parenting on.
What our dear Pope doesn't seem to realize is that this is the year 2005. Different people have different religions and believe different things.
That means there are actually people who practice witchcraft. It's true.
How would they feel if people who believe in witchcraft started burning their Bibles or Christian novels?
Anyway, in conclusion, people are stupid and they're worrying too much over what is simply a BOOK. A story. Words on paper.
If you don't like it...
DON'T READ IT.