Religious parents want Harry Potter banned from the classroom because it 'glorifies witchcraft'
Source: Telegraph uk
Religious parents at state schools have complaint Harry Potter glorifies witchcraft and want it banned from classrooms, the Governments tsar has revealed, as teachers should refuse to teach the subject if there are concerns.
The Government's behavioural tsar has said some parents particularly of Evangelical Christian and Muslim backgrounds believe the childrens book normalises acts of magic and that therefore it is exposing their children to the works of the devil.
Tom Bennett spoke of parents raising concerns as some Religious Studies teachers use the fantasy novel, which is not in the syllabus, as an example of a collection of books that tell a greater story, like the Bible.
Following his revelations, headteachers have said schools should address parents concerns regarding Harry Potter and move away from teaching the story of the famous child magician.
Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/12052212/Religious-parents-want-Harry-Potter-banned-from-the-classroom-because-it-glorifies-witchcraft.html
![](/du4img/smicon-reply-new.gif)
merrily
(45,251 posts)![](/emoticons/pumpkin.gif)
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)this sounds like the kinda story that either starts
No Sh'' there we were (army story)
or
From what the police tell us it started when...(seriously drunk army story)
i do so prefer those to 'once upon a time'
merrily
(45,251 posts)have a yooge problem with all things Halloween, costumes, jack o' lanterns, witches, everything. Took all the fun out of it for me, though I will still go to an Italian bakery for the "bones of the dead" cookies, made only during October for All Souls Day.
Mother Angelica, founder of ETWN (Eternal Word Television Network) did come up with a costume alternative-- learn a saint's story, dress as that saint on All Saints' Day and tell that saint's story to your class.
Now, I ask you, does that sound like a kid's fun fantasy of Hallowe'en?
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)have subversive ideas to mess with peoples minds 'pour le sport'
dress up as security guard (did this in a mall)...my now ex (wife) was dressed up as a man dressed up as a woman (double crossdressing)
and yes, people came up to me and said, "sir, sir, i believe that's a man dressed up as a woman!"
RF's have a huge problem with everthing not exactly fitting their little worldview
merrily
(45,251 posts)w0nderer
(1,937 posts)(dressed up as)
they seemed 'worried' which i don't get
i just brought up my radio pretended to have a conversation over 'headset' and reporting an illegal report/harrassment of customer (my wife the double crossdresser being harrassed by the person complaining to me)
offered them(complainers) to stay and wait for the police patrol
no one took me up on it strangely
one security guard (real) was laughing so hard he fell down
merrily
(45,251 posts)InkAddict
(3,387 posts)I tell you that a lot of those "saints" had stigmata, and what could be more scary that palms and soles that bleed all by themselves. Mother Angelica was pretty scary, in fact. OTOH, in the '80s I had a neighbor, a frothing Southern Baptist, to have Casper, the Friendly Ghost book banned in the public elementary school library; she actually called up the librarian and principal (shaking head), so this kind of stuff is not new.
merrily
(45,251 posts)![](http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/48367058.jpg)
Apparently, everything we associate with Hallowe'en is Satanic. I've forgotten all the details at this point.
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)Didn't make kids eager to read again or anything.
My friend's little daughter wrote begging her parents' friend in England to mail her the next Harry Potter by the fastest means as soon as it was out in England, so she wouldn't have to wait. When they visited, she'd bring the book with her and read throughout the visit. No TV, etc.
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)making a little joke.
merrily
(45,251 posts)![](/emoticons/wink.gif)
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)since many people are deficient in the detection range
here you go (the top two lines of your post at least)
merrily
(45,251 posts)![](/emoticons/scared.gif)
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)i'm sure J.K. R, understands sarcasm
It's some of the members on here I'm less sure about.
merrily
(45,251 posts)I have had two hides in the last couple of years. One, I got because I really, really want to say "Fuck you" to a poster.* No surprise.
The other I got because I posted I was tired of elementary school kids taking advantage of taxpayers when they (the elementary school kids) should be "out there" creating jobs. I added the sarcasm emote, but removed it because I thought having it there insulted DUers. I got a hide. Only two of the judges seemed to think honestly that it was a serious, right wing post. Whoever they are, I hope they are still alive, well and safe. The others who voted to hide did so because they didn't like my leftism and the absence of a sarcasm emote gave them an excuse. That was evident from comments like "leftier than thou."
*Now, I love him, so life lesson learned.
Person 2713
(3,263 posts)and has succumbed to the spell of those books !! Maybe try the TV again to get her away from reading
merrily
(45,251 posts)Person 2713
(3,263 posts)haele
(13,648 posts)And a two-part play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" (Harry Potter 30 years later) that is also coming out next year.
I'm really interested in the trailer I've seen for "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", her movie set in Muggle New York City in the 1920's.
The movie's in the dallies (final editing), and preview test audiences have indicated that it's better than the Harry Potter movies.
Haele
potone
(1,701 posts)When are school administrators going to take a stand against this type of thing? Literature is about imagination, not just mirroring the world as the reader knows it. It is these parents who need to go to school.
Proserpina
(2,352 posts)who are we to argue otherwise?
And Harry Potter isn't at all anything like Wicca, or devil worship, or any other generic "witchcraft" as ever known or practiced anywhere in the world. It's totally areligious--not even Church of England or Presbyterian.
It's fiction. It's not even very well written fiction. The only value it has: kids will willingly read it, thus improving their reading skills, which is the whole point of school.
And there's some shallow moralizing that can come of childish analysis....
ˌāriˈlijəs/
adjective
adjective: areligious
not influenced by or practicing religion.
"the sexual mores of today's secular and areligious culture"
liberal N proud
(60,980 posts)Some friends (at the time) were horrified that we were allowing our children to read Harry Potter.
I would tell them, at least they are reading.
Divernan
(15,480 posts)When HP first came out, I bought them for my adult kids but read them all first myself!
What great books and characters. Made a weekend trip to NYC to see Harry/Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway in The Cripple of Inishmaan. He did a fine job. That was also the weekend I saw Kenneth Branagh's starring role in his production of MacBeth at the Park Avenue Armory = talk about a weekend of culture overload!
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)way through the whole series. She is completely absorbed when she is reading them. I think it's great. That is how my love of reading started, by reading books that completely took me out of myself into a different world.
Locrian
(4,523 posts)LuvNewcastle
(17,046 posts)RKP5637
(67,112 posts)Vinca
(51,241 posts)PADemD
(4,482 posts)w0nderer
(1,937 posts)turning a stick into a snake...woa..wait they do that in harry potter TOO
ummm durn
reanimating dead....um kinda do that too in harry potter
ooh snap
well at least they don't heal people magically or magic food onto the tables for a whole bunch of peopl....oops
sarge43
(29,169 posts)Any of that in Harry Potter?
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)does it have to be on fire too? can't remember actually
there is a car and human beating tree?
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)yellowcanine
(36,351 posts)Lots of witchy stuff there.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)homegirl
(1,564 posts)being a great example.
yellowcanine
(36,351 posts)Clearly an LSD trip.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+1&version=NRSVACE
cemaphonic
(4,138 posts)are either appropriations of Cupid, or are medieval knights with wings. Yet the bible frequently describes them as freakish alien monstrosities.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)blackspade
(10,056 posts)![](/emoticons/facepalm.gif)
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)Nihil
(13,508 posts)> some Religious Studies teachers use the fantasy novel, which is not in the syllabus,
> as an example of a collection of books that tell a greater story, like the Bible.
Wonder if that was due to most kids finding Harry Potter more believable than the Bible?
> We're talking about evangelical protestants, non-indigenous expressions
> of Christian faith, imported Afro-Caribbean Methodism.
So, it's not your normal RC/CoE folks but the very cult-like imports anyway ...
closed-minded morons who only want *their* particular sect to be taught rather
than what actually happens:
modern RE is not about advancing or supporting any one faith.
Its about discussing matters of faith.
![](/emoticons/eyes.gif)
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)(at least where i was)
Moral/Ethics and Belief Systems
muriel_volestrangler
(102,693 posts)Parents challenging the governments new religious studies GCSE, which they say relegates non-religious worldviews, have welcomed a high court ruling in their favour.
Mr Justice Warby said the education secretary, Nicky Morgan, had erred in asserting that the GCSE, due to come into effect in September next year, would fulfil the entirety of the states RE [religious education] duties.
That assertion was, he said, in breach of the governments duty to ensure that the wider school curriculum ensured knowledge was conveyed in a pluralistic manner, and information was given about atheism and other non-religious viewpoints.
The ruling was a victory for three families, supported by the British Humanist Association (BHA), who claimed Morgan had taken a skewed approach and was failing to reflect in schools the pluralistic nature of the UK.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/nov/25/education-secretary-made-error-of-law-on-new-religious-studies-gcse-high-court
Which makes me think the head-teachers who say in the article 'oh well, use something other than Harry Potter, to keep the fundamentalists quiet' are doing a bad job.
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)the teachers should introduce the concept of exploring/investigating other systems of belief or non belief
--edit spell correction subject 'though'>> 'thought'--
tanyev
(44,750 posts)Cooool.
gregcrawford
(2,382 posts)... you can't fix stupid. What's sadder than this pitifully asinine crusade is the fact that these mental defectives were allowed to breed at all.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)Pagan moon worship is the cornerstone of both the occult underground and feminist revolutionaries. Goodnight Moon will groom your child into addressing the moon as a person, or "goddess." This will lead to nighttime blood sacrifices while reading Susan Faludi books. Goodnight salvation.
Link.
Turbineguy
(38,511 posts)Excuse me, but......
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)TNNurse
(7,162 posts)if I am grateful that all the ignorant crazy religious people do not live in the USA or sad that they are everywhere.
duhneece
(4,265 posts)"A bonfire of Harry Potter books have been burnt on a bonfire in New Mexico, by people accusing the fictional boy wizard of being the devil.
JK Rowling's novels were burnt alongside other items considered to be the work of the devil, including horror books by Stephen King, ouija boards and AC/DC records.
Eminem CDs and copies of Disney's Snow White film were thrown in a dustbin.
Protesters denounced the burning as "ignorant"
The congregation of the Christ Community Church in Alamogordo in southern New Mexico heard an anti-Harry Potter sermon in which Pastor Jack Brock claimed the character taught children to take up wizardry...."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1735623.stm
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)PatrickforO
(15,126 posts)I can remember long conversations my kids had with me about Harry Potter. How good wins in the end. The banality of evil. The different characters - how someone like Snape could be both a serious jerk and still be a good guy. There's so much in that series and reading each book was an incredible experience for all of us.
To my mind Rowling is right up there with Tolkein, CS Lewis, Lewis Carroll and those few others who created different worlds in their writing. Our world would truly be the poorer had Rowling not written these great books.
In the meantime, you have these so called Christians that we're all supposed to respect and look up to (or at least that's how I was raised) are telling us idiotic shit like the world is 6,000 years old, and that natural disasters and diseases are God's punishment for all kinds of twisted stuff. Twisted and evil. Funny how you 'know a tree by its fruit,' isn't it?
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)today their message evolves into hatred for one or another with bizarre justifications. Just listening to some of the R presidential hopefuls is chilling.
duhneece
(4,265 posts)You said so much in so few words. I am surrounded by that mentality...we even have THE ALEC 'Star' as our state rep. I am pissed enough, inspired enough (by many at DU) to run against her, though I have a slim to none chance of winning. I can raise issues she supported with my more-Democratic-Progressive-Liberal pov.
PatrickforO
(15,126 posts)Too bad you're not in Colorado. You could primary that empty suit Bennet from the left! But, we have Morgan Carroll, who is a progressive firebrand and she's challenging Mike Coffman.
...Coffman is more machine than man now, twisted and evil...
duhneece
(4,265 posts)Coventina
(28,013 posts)Both of those series are full of "witchcraft."
PatrickforO
(15,126 posts)Sorry, but you're not going to foist your religious bullshit on the rest of us. You don't like Potter? Then don't have your kids read it. But I WANT my grandkids to read it because neither of my two children ever read much of anything until the Potter series came out and then they both became 'readers' because of these fine books!
I'm sorry, but take your religion and celebrate it all you want. But NOT at my grandchildren's expense.
DetlefK
(16,495 posts)The difference is the name of the death-defying, miracle-performing boy with a complicated family-history.
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)the other has been used as the excuse for hundreds of wars :-p
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)"Onward Christians Soldiers" and it was always a WTF to me. I had to go to church with my family since my father, a known politician, thought it was good for his career. I had many WTF's!
MosheFeingold
(3,051 posts)Censoring Charlie Brown, which was the story yesterday.
Schools are pretty stupid in their overreaction to all things. Not sure what happened to common sense.
I blame the lawyers, and I am one.
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)much as i dislike the 'source site', the image is probably something that should be printed out and handed to a LOT of people,
(not directed at you, just figured you might get a laugh from it)
i know i could use one myself every once in a while when i forget my 'balance'
sinkingfeeling
(53,262 posts)SoapBox
(18,791 posts)You said it for me.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)![](/emoticons/sarcasm.gif)
all american girl
(1,788 posts)LOVE WINS
matt819
(10,749 posts)These people are crazy. Like the people in North Carolina who objected to a solar farm because it would suck up all the sun and their plants would die. It used to be that the crazies were on the fringe. Now they're everywhere. Like the walking dead. Or the zombie apocalypse.
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)someone actually thought a solar farm would suck up the sun ????
shouldn't be surprised, after tech support i know the stupeeed it burns!
DeadLetterOffice
(1,352 posts)TexasProgresive
(12,335 posts)It's scheduled to be out for Christmas. I read one of her earlier books that worked through the 1st 4 books of the series, The Gospel According to Harry Potter: Spirituality in the Stories of the World's Most Famous Seeker Westminster John Knox Press 2002
http://www.amazon.com/Gospel-According-Harry-Potter-Spiritual/dp/0664231233/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450358673&sr=1-6&keywords=connie+neal
In this inspiring consideration of the spiritual themes in the popular Harry Potter series, well-known Christian author and Harry Potter fan Connie Neal explores the world of magic and mystery created by J. K. Rowling alongside the stories and grand themes of the Bible. Contrary to those who reject the series as a threat to the Christian faith, Neal demonstrates how the lessons in Harry Potter not only echo many of the stories in the Bible but reinforce the central messages of Christianity. This revised and expanded edition explores all seven installments in the Harry Potter series.
(This book has not been prepared, endorsed, or licensed by any person or entity that created, published, or produced the Harry Potter books or related properties.)
redwitch
(15,087 posts)The horror!
classof56
(5,376 posts)Yahweh was one grim reaper, wreaking havoc on the just and the unjust, with lotsa smashing of babies' heads against the rocks going on amidst the slaying of every man, woman, child and animal in those city-states the Israelites invaded and destroyed. Even David's so-called "cursing psalms" are rife with graphic descriptions of violence. As a one-time Biblical scholar, just a word of caution. Personally, I'd take Harry Potter's wizardry and magic anytime.
Cheers.
DeadLetterOffice
(1,352 posts)Reading the books of the Christian Bible at a youngish age (10-12) was a big part of my personal "This is SO not for me!" revelation about Christianity... But then I was precocious.
truebrit71
(20,805 posts).... bunch of fucking morons....IT'S FICTION YOU DUMBASSES!!!!
prouddemfromaustin44
(52 posts)It's just a children's book! Don't like it, don't read it.
randys1
(16,286 posts)Kalidurga
(14,177 posts)or looking at or reading anything at all to do with the occult."
Unless they are doing it within the confines of religious indoctrination using the bible as their fundamental guide to the occult.
tavernier
(13,284 posts)as Bill O'Reilly's books are from reality.
muntrv
(14,505 posts)cemaphonic
(4,138 posts)I wonder if they know that people still play Dungeons and Dragons?
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)Sad.
daleo
(21,317 posts)Miracle, magic, magick, whatever.
raptor_rider
(1,014 posts)The eff?!?!?!
leftyladyfrommo
(19,421 posts)was getting banned again somewhere. Mark Twain would be so proud.
I liked the 1st couple of Harry books because they were so creative and imaginative and fun. But then they got too dark me.
I just believe in banning books.