People are still pissy over Harry Potter?

chersolly · 2006-04-15

Mother who doesn't want her kids to read Harry Potter demands school remove it from library http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/ind...ange_well_id=2

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kewb

· #2 · Apr 15, 2006

Censorship at its finest. Growing up there was a school district a couple of towns over that was banning books. We all read them and wore pins everywhere we went proudly proclaiming that we read a banned book.

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Danelle78

· #3 · Apr 15, 2006

Oh for Pete's Sake, why doesn't she also want the following removed to:

The Lord of the Rings

Chronicles of Narnia

Alice in Wonderland

cinderella

mary poppins

Hell, if magic is bad, BU-BYE PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON.

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shelbean91

· #4 · Apr 15, 2006

I'm student teaching and we were going to read one of the Harry Potter books to the class. One of the girls came up and said she's not allowed to listen to harry potter, but she'd be ok with leaving the room during read aloud time. We chose a different book, of course. No mention of banning the book or pulling it from the shelves. At least that family recognizes that different people are ok with different things- I completely respect that.

I also had a 'I read banned books' pin when I was a kid.

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Momtwice

· #5 · Apr 15, 2006

Narnia is being advertised on Christian TV channels.

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angelpie545

· #6 · Apr 15, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Momtwice
Narnia is being advertised on Christian TV channels.

Hmm..that's interesting since Narnia contains many of the same themes as Harry Potter does, just in a different way. It involves witchcraft, i.e. the White Whitch turns people into stone, ext. Double standard much?

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shelbean91

· #7 · Apr 15, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by angelpie545
Hmm..that's interesting since Narnia contains many of the same themes as Harry Potter does, just in a different way. It involves witchcraft, i.e. the White Whitch turns people into stone, ext. Double standard much?

Narnia is a good/evil thing, Aslan the lion representing God. I guess that's why it's different?

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sparkprincess

· #8 · Apr 15, 2006

Gah. I've known pastors to preach from the pulpit against HP. And a co-worker who swore up and down that his kids would NEVER see the movies, read the books, etc. I asked him if he had ever read the books. Nope. Just letting other people decide for him.

:

It's funny because I see A LOT of Christian themes in HP. I think a lot of other Christians would too...if they gave it a chance.

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shelbean91

· #9 · Apr 15, 2006

Here's a link about narnia http://www.slate.com/id/110460/ I've never read harry potter, but I'm not against it in any way. I'm sure I would think it's a double standard if I actually read it, though. I don't think that was clear in my last post. Most of the people against it are only against it b/c someone told them to be- not b/c they actually read and were bothered by the content.

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candipooh

· #10 · Apr 15, 2006

: Man...if you don't like the book then don't read it. But don't stop other's from reading it. Stop trying to make decisions for other peoples children!

Book banning

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boingo82

· #11 · Apr 15, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by angelpie545
Hmm..that's interesting since Narnia contains many of the same themes as Harry Potter does, just in a different way. It involves witchcraft, i.e. the White Whitch turns people into stone, ext. Double standard much?

The whole thing is ABOUT christianity. Aslan is an obvious metaphor for Jesus - he allows himself to be sacrificed and shamed for the sins of others, then he is resurrected. The author wrote the series to promote christianity. Not exactly the same.

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gethane

· #12 · Apr 15, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by shelbean91
I'm student teaching and we were going to read one of the Harry Potter books to the class. One of the girls came up and said she's not allowed to listen to harry potter, but she'd be ok with leaving the room during read aloud time. We chose a different book, of course. No mention of banning the book or pulling it from the shelves. At least that family recognizes that different people are ok with different things- I completely respect that.

I also had a 'I read banned books' pin when I was a kid.

Except.. what was the result of that little interlude? You chose another book. Seems like that book was pretty effectively censored and banned from your class

.

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shelbean91

· #13 · Apr 15, 2006

It wasn't banned from the class. The students still have the option to read the book if they choose. It just wasn't done as a whole group activity. We have read about a dozen or so books throughout the year- to choose something else really isn't a big deal.

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gethane

· #14 · Apr 15, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by shelbean91
It wasn't banned from the class. The students still have the option to read the book if they choose. It just wasn't done as a whole group activity. We have read about a dozen or so books throughout the year- to choose something else really isn't a big deal.

Understand, I'm not criticizing the choice that was made to not read the book.

However, banned, censored or "choosing" another book, the result was the same, it was not read aloud to the class.

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JessicaS

· #15 · Apr 16, 2006

Quote:

She wrote she had not read the series because it is long, and she is a working mother of four.

Bah! I would toss her complaint into the trash, the first one isn't that long.

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djs_girl517

· #16 · Apr 16, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by boingo82
The whole thing is ABOUT christianity. Aslan is an obvious metaphor for Jesus - he allows himself to be sacrificed and shamed for the sins of others, then he is resurrected. The author wrote the series to promote christianity. Not exactly the same.

I tend to agree with this. At least as far as we're talking about Narnia. The series is very intentionally Christian.

I was very oppossed to Harry Potter for my kids - till I read the books. There are LOTS of Christian themes in the series, nevermind the great writing. I now firmly support Harry Potter in our house - and can't wait for the next book to come out.

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sunnybear

· #17 · Apr 16, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by djs_girl517
I tend to agree with this. At least as far as we're talking about Narnia. The series is very intentionally Christian.

Yes, and CS Lewis wrote at least a few books on Christianity.

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huggerwocky

· #18 · Apr 16, 2006

People, get over yourselves.

Thank you.

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angelpie545

· #19 · Apr 16, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by boingo82
The whole thing is ABOUT christianity. Aslan is an obvious metaphor for Jesus - he allows himself to be sacrificed and shamed for the sins of others, then he is resurrected. The author wrote the series to promote christianity. Not exactly the same.

I suppose I can see that, but growing up with parents who were very Christian, and being one myself, and I personally wouldn't see anything in Narnia that is Christian. The very fact that it involves a witch would move my mother to ban it from us if it so happened when we were young. I guess if you do think abstractly like that, it could symbolize stuff. It is a good/evil thing. I think what bothers people about HP is that it those who practice witchcraft are on the "good" side, and they are not being hunted or persecuted, so it's being condoned. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with a little imagination in a children's book.

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