Harry Potter Topic - Part Deux

Danny · #1 02-09-2002, 01:45 AM

Harry Potter fans warn against dangerous effects of Bible

OXFORD, Tuesday: A number of concerned British Harry Potter fans have spoken out against the Bible, claiming that the holy text of the Christian Church can cause serious damage to children. “Reading the Bible teaches children to believe in the supernatural,” said one English Literature academic from Oxford University, Lewis Williams. “The tales of Jesus turning water into wine are fairly harmless, but there is a serious risk of children drowning if they try to walk on water,” he said. “And the chance of serious bodily harm isn’t exactly minimised by that whole ‘resurrection-from-the-dead’ story either.”

Christians have responded that reading the Bible assists with literacy skills, but Williams rejects this idea too. “The Bible is only ever read in very small chunks, a few paragraphs at a time. It’s never read as a long sustained narrative like the Harry Potter series. Reading too much of the Bible promotes a very short attention span," he says.

Critics such as Williams warn that without appropriate parental guidance, reading the Bible may make children unable to enjoy quality children’s literature. “Enjoying books such as Harry Potter or the Narnia series requires the ability to suspend disbelief,” he said. “When children are taught that the Bible is absolutely literally true, and that a story like Noah’s Ark actually happened, the imagination is completely stifled – it’s very detrimental.”

Williams has also pointed out that some of the scarier elements in fantasy novels will really frighten children if they think they are true. “Some children may think that murderous Dark Wizards such as Voldemort (the villain of the Potter series) are actually real if they’ve been corrupted by Christians who believe that devils and magic actually exists,” he said.

Majic · #2 02-09-2002, 02:53 AM

ok, that is very interesting. not actually being a religious person myself, i never really had read the bible and such. but i dont hink some wierd kid is gonna think hes jesus and try to walk on water. sure, i pretended that i was a monster truck peron on my tricycle once and drove into my hot tub doing that grunt music stuff but thats nto the point.... and anyways, some little kid thats stupid enough to believe everything told really i dont think could even be at harry potter reading levels...

Steve · #3 02-09-2002, 03:29 AM

is it just me or does williams seem to be mocking the fundamentalists? I am reminded of an onion article talking about kids becoming devote satanists becuase they read harry potter.

Cool Paramite · #4 02-09-2002, 05:59 AM

Oh yeah, let's me think about it: I discussed Harry Potter too a while ago, a text in which is said that children worship the devil because they read Harry Potter. That later seemed to be a hoax, in the catagory: "from other magazines". De Wekker is not a bad magazine, if you thought so from that topic.

Danny · #5 02-09-2002, 11:50 AM

I thought I'd point out, in case you hadn't realised, that this article is not genuine. It is just a joke...

However, the original article, condemning Harry Potter as encouraging Devil Worship, WAS real, worryingly. There was a huge argument about it on the forums ages ago...

Gluk Schmuck · #6 02-09-2002, 02:35 PM

That damned Bible, it corrupts children's minds!

PinkHaired Mudokon CWR · #7 02-09-2002, 10:33 PM

:

Originally posted by Gluk Schmuck:
That damned Bible, it corrupts children's minds!

You and Rettick are sick!

Danny · #8 02-09-2002, 10:43 PM

Pinky, it's s joke! Chill...

PinkHaired Mudokon CWR · #9 02-09-2002, 10:49 PM

It's indeed a sick joke and lying. You don't see me posting jokes on animal testing and killing innocent animals and actually liking the idea.

Danny · #10 02-09-2002, 10:58 PM

It's not lying, because we're not trying to make anyone believe it. We're not suggesting killing christians or anything, I was just posting an amusing parody of an old argument. Lighten up, would you?

Why must you turn everything I post into an argument? Please stop it, it is tiresome...

[ February 09, 2002: Message edited by: Rettick ]

PinkHaired Mudokon CWR · #11 02-09-2002, 11:05 PM

:

Originally posted by Rettick:
It's not lying, because we're not trying to make anyone believe it. We're not suggesting killing christians or anything, I was just posting an amusing parody of an old argument. Lighten up, would you?

Why must you turn everything I post into an argument? Please stop it, it is tiresome...

[ February 09, 2002: Message edited by: Rettick ]

I'm not, it's just plain stupid and boring and annoying. Why did'nt you say it was a joke in your first reply?

[ February 09, 2002: Message edited by: PinkHaired Mudokon CWR ]

Danny · #12 02-09-2002, 11:26 PM

:

Originally posted by PinkHaired Mudokon CWR:
I'm not, it's just plain stupid and boring and annoying. Why did'nt you say it was a joke in your first reply?

I did. In my first reply, I said: "I thought I'd point out, in case you hadn't realised, that this article is not genuine. It is just a joke..."