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More harm than good may result from a
child's avid reading of Harry Potter since Rowling's objective is to
interest the young in a spiritual path that is the converse of what
healthy Christian fantasy is about. By blurring the line between good
and evil, Rowling has failed to produce fantasy literature that
contributes to the proper development of the child's moral sense.
Artist and novelist Michael D. O'Brien explains the fundamental
difference between good fantasy literature of writers such as C.S.
Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, and the problematic Harry Potter books by
Rowling. |
Catholic World
Report Interviews Michael O'Brien
An insightful contrast of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.
Harry
Potter and D&D - Like Two Peas in a Pod?
by Berit Kjos
Harry Potter and the Paganization of Children's Culture
by Michael D.
O'Brien.
Artist, novelist, and essayist, Michael O’Brien offers a profoundly
insightful critique of the Harry Potter series. A must-read article. "When
literary experts
tell us that fantasy such as the Potter series is a
laudable expansion of the imagination,
an enrichment of mind and soul, that
it is, well, "literature", our antennae should quiver a little. While
Rowling posits the "good" use of occult powers against their misuse, thus
imparting to her sub-creation an apparent aura of morality, the cumulative
effect is to shift our understanding of the battle lines between good and
evil."
Harry Potter: Agent of Conversion
by Toni Collins.
Do you remember when he first came into your life? Did you notice that kids
whose attention span formerly stopped at the end of a Pokemon card could
suddenly read for hours on end? Did your children suddenly come home from
school telling exciting tales of wizards and witches?
Harry Potter Harrycane: a sign of the times
by Father Lazare de la Mère de Dieu
Is Harry
Potter Good For Our Kids?
by Vivian W. Dudro. PDF file. St. Joseph's Covenant Keepers.
Mainstreaming Witchcraft?
by Tim Drake
"No"
to Harry Potter Doesn't Mean "Yes" to Fundamentalism
Author Michael D. O´Brien Defends Discretion with Rowling Books:
"Christians must be discerning in matters of culture, indeed in any
field of interaction with the world. We should be selective to the
degree that we do not give our children material that is intrinsically
anti-Christian, especially during their formative years, and most
especially if a book or film is overwhelming to the child's
imagination." ZENIT, 2001-12-18
Parental Concerns & Questions about Harry Potter
Michael O'Brien, Vivian Dudro & Fr. Philip Scott
This informative CD/tape will help parents evaluate the Harry Potter series
in light of Scripture and Church teaching. A few questions answered on this
tape are:
* How can "reverse symbolism" in the Harry Potter novels corrupt your
child's moral development?
* Is Harry Potter the same as C.S. Lewis' Narnia?
* Does Harry Potter teach kids that witches and wizards are cool?
* Will Harry Potter teach children that there is such a thing as good
witchcraft?
* Can Harry Potter unsuspectingly lead kids into the occult?
The Problem of Harry Potter
Letter to the Editor from Sandra Miesel. Michael O'Brien responds.
"What is the context of J.K. Rowling's Potter-world? What are its
"theological foundations", if you will? In a word, there are none. The Harry
Potter series is a fantasy-projection of materialist man, homo sine Deo, man
without God imagining himself to have god-like powers without any reference
to the source of those powers, nor to any set of moral absolutes against
which he can measure the rightness or wrongness of his thoughts and
actions."
Rome's Chief Exorcist Warns Parents Against Harry Potter
North American Coverage Downplays Priest's Warnings. LifeSite Daily News: 2002 - 01- 02. The exorcist, with his
decades of experience in directly combating evil, explained that J.K.
Rowling's books contain innumerable positive references to magic, "the
satanic art". He noted that the books attempt to make a false distinction
between black and white magic, when in fact, the distinction "does not
exist, because magic is always a turn to the devil."
Some Thoughts on the Harry Potter Series
by Michael O'Brien.
"There is currently a strong controversy raging over J.K. Rowling's Harry
Potter series. Because I have six children of my own, all of them avid
readers with an interest in fantasy literature, I have followed it closely.
It is interesting to note that the truly reasonable arguments are all on the
side of caution regarding the Potter series. By contrast, the pro-Harry
articles lack any serious reflection on the issues involved. Their opinions
can generally be boiled down to this: "Now, now, let's not get paranoid
here. Isn't it wonderful to see kids enthusiastic about reading?" That is no
argument at all, because there are a great many things to be cautious about
in our present secular culture (calm vigilance is not necessarily paranoia),
and children are frequently enthusiastic about unhealthy interests."
There's Something About Harry:
A Catholic Analysis of the Harry Potter
Phenomenon
by Patrick Madrid, Michael O'Brien, Toni Colins
Price: $15.00,
Audio Cassette
Publisher: Surprised By Truth Seminars; (January 2, 2002);
ISBN: 1931973024.
In this two-tape series, Envoy magazine's Patrick Madrid, is joined by
respected Catholic author and commentator Michael O'Brien, and by noted
Catholic writer Toni Collins. Together, they take you inside the real issues
at stake and offer the solid, calm, carefully considered facts.
Why Harry Potter Goes Awry
Author Michael D. O´Brien Critiques a Literary Phenomenon. ZENIT: 2001-12-06
"The series uses the symbol-world of the occult as its
primary metaphor. This has the potential of lowering a child's guard to the
actual occult activity in the world around us, which is everywhere and
growing." |
