On Mars, we don't have organized religion; those of us that believe in a Supreme Being don't feel he is so insecure that he needs us to gather once a week to sing his praises, as people seem to believe on Earth. We also don't see a need for "religious leaders" that tell us how God wants us to live our lives. We believe that it is each person's job in life to find that out for themselves.
Oddly, though, on Earth this is not the case. People on the third planet seem to thrive on being told what to do and how to behave. Religious leaders on Earth are only too eager to take advantage of this human flaw. This wouldn't be overly terrible if they would just focus on important things; sadly, in many cases they do not.
Take the Catholics' leader, Pope Benedict:
BERLIN (Reuters) - Pope Benedict believes the Harry Potter books subtly seduce young readers and "distort Christianity in the soul" before it can develop properly, according to comments attributed to him by a German writer. (Story here.)
In this Martian's humble opinion, a child actually reading a book instead of watching television or playing a video game is a good thing.
Regardless, I daresay that Harry Potter has probably harmed far less innocent children than, say, pedophilic Catholic priests.
Edited: LH
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Tan The Man
Stupid Pope.
Stupid Harry Potter.
I hate both of them.
2 - Dave Nalle
Last I checked there wasn't one single bit of heretical Christian doctrine or even anything remotely connected to religion of any variety in a Harry Potter book.
Dave
3 - Tan The Man
I think it's more of an indirect thing. Magic is considered unholy and as a major part of the stories, that makes the sorceror Harry Potter enemy #1.
4 - Omni Temporal
Dear Martian Anthropologist,
Take me to your leader. I vow to worship It. Would that It call upon It's infinite wisdom in laying a path of guidance to inspire me, It's humble servant, in discovering the true path to enlightenment, lest I seem unworthy in It's omniscient sight.
Best, etc.
5 - Warren
I've never understood my fellow religious nuts' aversion to Harry Potter. I'm not overly fond of the books, but I don't see anything that will entice kids to do anything but read more books. And as a teacher, I think that is a good thing.
I have read some of them (which is more than most who are against them are able to say) and can see the attraction. Too much of what passes as 'Young Adult' fiction is really sappy or just plain bad, but the Potter books are neither. The people against them probably don't like Tolkien or Lewis, either. (Don't get me started)
My wife loves the things. She's reasonably intelligent, and hasn't tried to start a coven, so I would say that the books are safe for any kid with a brain. And the ones without brains are too busy playing video games to read Harry Potter.
6 - A fan
I'm a big fan of the new pope. Surely by the end of his reign he will have done so many un-modern, ultra-conservative, retarded things that the only people left in the catholic church will be elitist fanatics.
7 - Silas Kain
Harry Potter distort Christianity? That's like saying St Paul, the Catholic Church, Protestantism and Pat Robertson have distorted Christianity. Oh crap, there goes my logic. Harry Potter is probably more Christian than the latter mentioned personalities.
8 - andy marsh
I was thinking that too Silas...the catholic church distorts christianity!
9 - Nancy
*snicker* Ahhh, Bernie "the Rat" Ratzinger, aka Bennie the umpteenth, has pontificated (pun intentional) that Harry Potter is a threat to kids' souls, eh? Truly one of the great minds of the 6th century, that. Pity he apparently doesn't think priests sodomizing kids, and cardinals & bishops covering for these same pederastic priests, are equally a threat to kids' souls, considering he was the moving force behind getting Bernard Law out of Boston before the law could arrest his pious butt & park it in prison for accessory & obstruction. Bennie the umpteenth has no credibility. Neither does the catholic church.
10 - Nancy
Oops, my bad. Haven't had my coffee yet: should be JOE, not Bernie.
11 - Becky
It's interesting that Ratzinger made these comments in 2003 (before he was Pope) in a private letter. He's never made such comments publically.
The other reason it is interesting is that around the same time what the Vatican was saying publically was this - http://www.cathnews.com/news/302/10.php
My guess is he has never read the books themselves and was merely commenting on what he read in the anti-potter book he was commenting on to the author. I'm a conservative Catholic myself and I have my copy of Halfblood Prince prebooked.
12 - legs
I agree with Becky, I am a Christian, but I do not think anyone who has made a comment about the Potter series has ever read one. They just follow all the cattle into the shot. Last time I checked it was still a free country, so think for yourself.
13 - annonymous
I have read two of the Harry of Potter books,and let me tell ALL OF YOU....the books are DOWN RIGHT EVIL! I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS, CHILDREN, TEENAGERS, AND YOUNG ADULTS SHOULD NOT BE READING THESE BOOKS. I PRAY FOR ALL OF YOU WHO CONDEMN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. IF MORE PEOPLE WOULD FOLLOW WHAT POPLE BENEDICT PREACHES INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING YOUR OWN WORLDY WAYS, MAYBE WE WOULD LIVE IN A MUCH BETTER WORLD. J.K ROWLING IS TRULY LEADING PEOPLE AWAY FROM CHRIST WITH HER DIABOLICAL LITERATURE. I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT I AM A FIRM CATHOLIC AND DO NOT SUPPORT ROWLING IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE. I WILL CERTAINLY PRAY FOR HER. I STRONLY ADVISE ALL OF YOU TO STUDY THE CATHOLIC CHUCH AND PRAY MORE! THE WORLD CERTAINLY NEEDS IT! BTW: I AM A NINETEEN YEAR OLD.
14 - Nancy
You need to get a firm grip on yourself & grow up. And by all means, DO study the catholic church: it's a poster child for What Not To Do, as far as corruption, venality, & power mongering are concerned.
15 - Anne
Please tell me that the highly excited person with the shaky grasp of spelling who supports 'Pople Benedict' (pause while checks own spelling) was being ironic? Ah, no- apparently not. I am a Catholic and reasonably proud od my own religion. I am ashamed of many of the things that happened in Ireland paticularly with regards to the paedophilic priests and the cover-ups as is any right-thinking person.
Now, as for the charge that the Harry Potter books are evil, morelly corrupt and a danger to our society, I'm with Nancy- get a flamin' grip on yourselves! The books are about friendship, loyalty, courage and the battle between good and evil- is there anything more central to the Christian faith then that? So what's the big deal, people? Have we all grown so insecure that we can't deal with something else getting attention? Yeesh.
16 - Anne
Damn, considering I got on annoymous persons case about spelling, I missed some of my own mistakes, so sorry annoymous- that was a cheap shot. I respect your opinion, althoough not your lamentable lack of courage in putting a name down. Right, anyone want to flame me- my e-mail is up there- bring on the debate!
[email address edited]
17 - Anne
Last one! That should have been 'in not putting a name down' with regards to my previous post. Right. Goodbye.
18 - Nancy
Flame you for what, Anne? Your spelling? Not I! Do it m'self all the time. :)
19 - Teressa
Harry Potter distorts Chrisianity?
I think they did that to themselves years ago.
20 - april
relax, anonymous, it's a book that uses magic. ok. diabolical literature? i can just see her laughing evilly at her computer chair, concocting up nasty plots to lead people away from christianty. am i being dramatic? oh well...just enjoy the story
21 - gonzo marx
"POPLE BENEDICT"....that is awesome...
i may favor that over my own "German Shepard" nomenclature...
but i digress....
kill Harry Potter...for all our sakes, if not, diabetes will run rampant from too much sugary consumption, and the world will end in a huge conflaguration of insulin shock...
nuff said?
Excelsior!
22 - Anne
Is anyone getting the notion that we're not taking this diabolical plot to corrupt the minds and souls of our so-impressionable young as seriously as some would have us? Oh well.
How about "Harry Potter And The Sinister Plot To Take Over The Vatican" for Book 7?
Or "HP And the Pissed Off Dude In White?"
Or ..."Harry Potter And The Comment Which, When Taken In Context, Probably Wasn't Meant The Way It Came Out Because It Is Patently Ridiculus"
23 - Kid Souls
The pope does have a point. These books suggest to our young children that magic is ok and accepted, they get so drawn into the book that it distorts their reality and displaces religion. They say god works in mysterious ways, evil does too. We human beings are just like ants to God someone ask him through prayer for answers.
24 - LINDA ADNIL
I'm laughing at the people who thinks the Harry Potter books are evil! If you put all your energy to getting rid of poverty or wars the world would be a much better place! Harry Potter has helped many people! I wouldt made it without them, because everytime I'm feeling down they help me up again!!! I've read them a thousand times! And if I'm going to hell, well then I'll go to hell! But who the would send teir kids to hell because they read a book??? Go Harry Potter and GO MAGIC... :p
(Sorry about my bad English, I'm from Norway)
25 - Anne
Kid Souls- I don't know what my position is on what people call 'magic'-hey, i'm not entirely sure just what 'magic' is. But magic is incidental to the stories. The stories are about people- good against evil, wrong and right- THAT'S the message behind HP, not Magic is Good.
Anyway, give me an example of magic. What exactly is magic, and howe can it be confused with 'Alohomora' or...er...another bit of dog-Latin. A couple hundred years ago electricity would have been considered magic. So is electricity evil? Magic seems to be science we haven't discovered the whyfores of yet. So is science evil too?
Please, people. Harry Potter is a story. Just like David Eddings' books or Enid Blytons Fairy Tales. Taking that away from kids, telling them the magic is evil, that they can't pretend to be fairy princesses with a magic wand or whatever, stealing their right to an imagination- THAT is evil, not some kids book.