The HP controversy: fantasy or occult?

  July 24, 2003 at 10:41 PM ET
  eudaemonia     Moreover (via The Quincy Herald-Whig)
 


Steve Eighinger of the Quincy Herald-Whig writes about the controversial stances arising from the Harry Potter series' mass appeal -- is it an entertaining fantasy read or the first step towards the occult? Here are excerpts of the articleopens in new window:

That Harry Potter kid is causing trouble — again.

English author J.K. Rowling’s fifth installment of the megapopular Harry Potter series has refueled the controversy over whether or not the books promote interest in the occult, especially among younger readers.

Potter critics and supporters are passionate about their positions concerning Harry, who is now a teenager in the fifth of what eventually will be a seven-book succession. Rowling’s fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, was released in late June.

Here's a viewpoint from one radical stance:

The Rev. Rod Bakker of First Presbyterian Church in Quincy is strongly against the Harry Potter books and the movies. Bakker said he did not make up his mind on the subject until the initial controversy erupted and he read the first Harry Potter book. "There are people in society who practice witchcraft and we do not need to encourage it," Bakker said. "The difference between Star Trek and Harry Potter is that Star Trek is 100 percent pure fantasy. I’m not sure Harry Potter is."

Bakker said if Harry Potter proponents would take the time to check, the spells talked about in the books are actual witchcraft writings "with a couple of the words changed."

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