is this the true face of evil?

Oops, answered Thea instead of you, but you both downrated Potter so it wasn't too inappropriate. But it is amazing how ingrained this "witch" thing is in religious people. A decade or so ago, shortly after my third degree initiation, I came across an old friend at a folk festival, Irish catholic, and when I mentioned I had been studying witchcraft as a religious path she literally stepped back and made the sign of the cross at me. It took a couple of other friends to point out that she'd known me for 20 years, so how could I suddenly turn into something evil overnight, and she had the good sense to do a bit of reading and questioning about the Craft and apologised to me the following year. She actually turned up at my workshop "Who Are the Witches" that second year, and bought the album lol. It's much worse with fundamentalist Protestant groups such as abound In America. The fact that I'm a witch is my last line of defence against Mormons and Adventists, after the savage dog threat fails. Lash

Hi jb, these Potter things were not my cup of tea as don't go in for kiddies books but can't see that they've made my son go in for any diabolical activities. I am totally against censorship though and still reel in horror at the thought of the wonderful Enid Blyton being removed from public libraries for being politically incorrect. I passed on many of my own long retained volumes of Enid onto my son who has acquired the most lovely grasp of old fashioned language by reading them, which I see as only a positive. Any normal child prefers to read a good book with a plot which attracts their attention and has no need to be mollycoddled by a bunch of interfering adults into censorship or condemnation of books. Do these people you mention of throwing around accusations have some direct connection to the vatican and its infamous List. Most likely the teachings from the Chinese cultural revolution and the Nazi book burning parties have influenced them somewhat. Never stop a child from reading or attempt to stumt their imagination with politically correct garbage, children have more sense than they are given credit to.

Clearly not. The people who have a problem with Harry Potter or any other children's books are, in my opinion, a few french fries short of a happy meal. There's now a big fight over this picture book (as designed for consumption by people who can't read yet) called Uncle Bobby's Wedding. It's about a family of guinea pigs. The niece is jealous because her favorite uncle is marrying someone and she is sure that she will be replaced. The someone he's marrying is another guinea pig named Jamie. People all over the United States are now freaking out over gay guinea pigs. I think that's a little ridiculous when we have an economic crisis and ongoing war. The book was even placed on the banned books list. I always thought that books that ended up there were serious books like 1984 and Farenheit 451. Not picture books. But, at least it made it easy for me to participate in national Read a Banned Book Week without too much effort.

I enjoyed the books and the movies. AS for the witchcraft thing, people will believe what people will believe.

Hey, tweet, your typing is as good as mine today!! Haha, that's why I can read it so well ; ) Oh, re the question: I see the Harry Potter books as mysterious fantasy, not evil, and not likely to turn all children into witches...which if you ask a "wiccan" is not consider devil worship, etc., anyway. Another good discussion! You're on a "rabbit roll" m'dear. Karen

Well, I'm an American, an adult (sorta, kinda), and I believe in God, and I also have every Harry Potter book and anxiously await every Harry Potter movie and video game. I don't see anything wrong with the books relating to witchcraft, although I do have some objections to certain plot twists, but that is an entirely different subject. The movies aren't nearly as good as the books, and only loosely follow the plot, but they are still entertaining. I think this whole thing is ridiculous! I don't remember all this commotion regarding the Lord of the Rings books and movies, but maybe I just had my head in the sand (or the clouds when I thought of Viggo Mortensen and Orlando Bloom). They had magic, therefore witchcraft, and tons of violence not to mention the biological experiments regarding making the Uraki, so I don't see why Harry Potter would be more objectionable than Lord of the Rings. I don't think that either are objectionable, mind you, I'm just saying.

I find all the hooplah over a mediocre writer quite silly myself.

I personally did not allow my children to read the books, not because I was sure of any of the accusations but because I believe there are better things they could read. That being said not all conservatives are interested in abolishing books or censorship as someone posted. People have the right to choose for themselves and their children. I havent heard about the medal and seems to me that would have made a big splash in the news? Since the writer is so popular I mean.

I know that people get so worked up over the Harry Potter books but, they get kids to read and really isn't that the most important thing? My oldest never liked reading and wouldn't read for pleasure until Harry books now, he looks reading.

wow.. now i am really amazed how humans think..hehe but honestly i do not think harry potter is evil. i mean, my kids and i even love it..we watch the movie and after watching, i did not see evil effects on them.. they are even learning what is the difference between good and evil and its amazing how their imaginations work... they do ask things about it but the result of watching it is more on the good side rather than on the bad side. i just do not like the movie version that much, i am still a book fan though . hehe

It's ludicrous to suggest that the Harry Potter books inspire evil! This is just another case of small minded people over reacting. There are thousands of books for children and adults about magic, witchcraft and the occult and have been for years, just because Harry Potter has been so successful it gets singled out for persecution by zealots who are far more dangerous than anything they protest against. Also, witchcraft isn't necessarily evil. Paths such as Wicca are very positive and teach against doing harm to others.

I'm sorry but I think that accusation is a product of a very narrow mind and thinking. The story of Harry Potter indeed is a very good piece of literature (and movie as well) but everybody knows that it is mere FICTION. Then, is this the reward for making a work of art? Wow! That is very frustrating. I have been exposed both to the movies and books of Harry Potter and I all that I can say is I am not influenced to play witchcraft or any voodoo stuff by these stories. But for a very brilliant mind of hers, it is frustrating.

Ok, I'm a christian, and as I have mentioned before, a person with buddist tendancies!! I really think witchcraft is a belief system or religion in its own right and should be afforded the same benefits as the other more recognised religions, especially as it out dates them by thousands of years. We should worship our planet!! I love the Harry Potter books as great escapism and fantasy, not brilliantly written but amazing stories, reminisent of Blyton as others have said, which were my favourites as a kid, and I'm not a devil worshipper, racist or snob or anything else these people claim we will turn into!! I could join in the slagging off of fundamental christian americans but i won't, suffice to say that some people really need to open their eyes and read the message of the bible ( and other religious books) is tolerance love and brotherhood not rules regulations and opinions!!! Tho I have to say that america is a large country and so has a large population of idiots!!(In comparison to England which has a smaller population and a smaller population of idiots) Thats why they get listened to more!!

I have read every book and watched every movie of Harry Potter and quite frankly , I think J.K. is a phenomanal writer. This stuff is great and there is nothing evil or diabolical about them, Though I am not a God fearing man even if I was I don't think I would let a litlle fiction story scare me. We are born we live we die thats it, game over, just like a tree or a weed.

There are people who will use anything as an excuse to do certain things. So I don't doubt that some people might try and attempt witch craft because of the books or movies or both, but I doubt it is that many and I certainly don't think it is anything to worry about. It is not the author's fault if people choose to behave that way. She writes fictional books and in fiction anything is possible, if people take it seriously it is not her fault.

Wow. Though I wouldn't be surprised if the Bush Administration were really that repressive, I don't think the story is true. For one thing, it seems odd that a writer of children's books would be up for such a medal. It's a medal on protecting the security of the US. So why would a British writer get it? Former winners were politicians like Tony Blair and yes, Harper Lee won it too (and she was a writer) but I think she did a great deal of work on race relations and her book was about African American and White people working together, so I can see why she got it. Why would a children's book author whose work has nothing to do with politics or social issues even be considered? I don't think the story is true for that reason.

i believe in God but am not obsessed with it. i have seen potter movies and find them to be interesting and entertaining. i don't see how these would harm any ideology.