Okay, when the Potter novels were at their peak of popularity, we all heard the rumble from the Bible Belt about teaching children Black Magic and Devil Worship, how some school libraries were banning the books, etc.
So now the movie’s coming out in about a week, and it’s being promoted up the wazoo, and I am hearing NOTHING from the fundies.
Which is weird, because, as we all know, movies are MUCH MORE important than books…well, anyway, you’d think there’d be more of a stink down in Falwell/Robertsonland now that impressionable little Judeo-Christians will be able to actually SEE Harry and his buddies waving wands around and turning into toads, as opposed to just reading about it.
Has the omnipotent AOL-Time-Warner Media Empire (the friendly people behind the Potter movie, with MUCHO buckaroonies at stake) been able to buy off the loudmouths? Have they threatened them? Or are they just imposing a reportorial blackout on anti-Potter protest marches?
I’d love to hear from some SDMBers well outside the liberal environs of NYC. What’s shaking in Montgomery, Alabama, and Peoria, Illinois and Assboink, Idaho? Any “Don’t go see this movie!” fire and brimstone being hurled from the pulpits?
The Onion hasn’t made an article on the Harry Potter movie like they did with the book. It’s hard for the Fundies to pass these credible news stories along when there aren’t any to pass in the first place.
I’ve heard some mumblings about witchcraft and the evil thereof. There was even an article in the paper the other day.
I don’t know if the outcry is really smaller, or if it just hasn’t gotten started yet, or if I’m not hearing about it as much now that I’m not in library school, where we discussed these things to death. I’m not even working in a library. So I’m kind of out of the loop.
I’ve read the first book. The premise is that there are good witches and bad witches. The bad witches get their power from evil things and the good witches get theirs from good things. I haven’t heard anything about “devil worship”, but try this on for size:
God made all things (according to several religions, including Fundies), including Satan. Therefore, Satan is part of God’s plan and thus serves the greater good. If Satan serves God, in God’s unknowable plan, then Satan really isn’t evil because he is ultimately a servant of good.
Now take this to Harry Potter. The good witches and wizards are there to defeat the bad witches and wizards (I know there is only one bad wizard in the book, plus henchmen). The wizards must have been created by God, and the good ones must get their power from Him. The bad ones must get their power from Satan (which ulimately comes from God).
So the Fundies have nothing to worry about. It’s all Go(o)d!
The only reason I read Harry Potter in the first place was because of the uproar from the fundies. I probably wouldn’t have even picked it up otherwise. Now, of course, I’m hooked and waiting breathlessly for the movie and book 5.
JLA: No no no…I don’t want a debate over whether the Rowling books promote Satan worship!*
I’m just wondering why there hasn’t been a renewed shitstorm now that you can’t pick up a newspaper or magazine or turn on the teevee without seeing pointy hats and broomsticks.
What’s going on with the Usual Gang of Idiots? Why aren’t they protecting my kids from this? My GOD, won’t someone think of the CHILDREN.
[sub]* Note to the Clueless: Ukulele Ike does not believe that the Potter novels promote Satanism. If he did believe that, he would probably like them even more than he does already.
Ah, John Hagee had a television program on one of the scary religious networks the other night about Harry Potter. Just the usual, except for the new addition of how Harry Potter teaches children sexual immorality (???) or something like that.
I noticed the lack of boycotts as well. Usually some group around here would be setting up a boycott (the church I attend, for instance), but no word yet. Maybe they figure if you’re gonna go see the movie, you’re a lost cause anyway.
jessica
The Fundies in general have been quiet of late - ever since that Falwell crap over 9/11 events. Maybe they’re afraid of being recognized as fanatics. Anyhow, I could get used to the quiet.
Off the top of my head, I would say that the difference is that books, in general, are “school things”, and fundamentalists tend to be concerned about Who Controls The Schools and What the Government is Teaching Our Children. I mean, there have always been fantasy novels and movies about magic–the difference here is that Harry Potter was being touted by many educators, and even being read in the classroom as an assignment. Thus, it becomes government endorsed Satanism, which is not acceptable.
On the other hand, the HS I am student teaching at has been basiclly pushing the Harry Pottor movie by selling posters (for a $5 “donation”) and giving away free books, all of which were donated by Corporate America. I object to this, not because I think Potter is going to introduce children to Mr. Satan, but because I don’t like to see a school library selling advertising just to survive. There hasn’t been any huge uproar from the fundamentalists about this, though. (Mind you, there is a full set of the Left Behind books in the library as well)
As a teacher-in-training, I am discovering that finding a book that dosen’t offend anybody and which isn’t boring as hell is damned near impossible.
I watch him on cable. he also mentioned the books. I suppose they (the fundies, if you will) aren’t rousing up the armies is because it would only give it more publicity.
We won’t be seeing it.
Bob Larson is on the job. See his latest newsletter, Spiritual Terrorism:
[quote]
After the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center . . .[ul][li]. . . the American Association of Professional Psychics reported that the number of callers seeking advice increased by 57%![*] . . . Nostradamus, the name of the 16th century demon-possessed spiritualist, was the top word on all Internet search engines because millions sought his predictions. . . .the Harry Potter witchcraft books, which had fallen slightly in sales, jumped back to the #1 and #2 spots on the bestseller charts.[/ul][/li][/quote]
(As if there was some sort of causal connection between 9/11 and people buying Harry Potter books. Couldn’t have anything to do with the movie being promoted. Naah.)
He ends the newsletter with:
Ya gotta love Bob. He’s like Jack Chick with a radio show.
So far I haven’t seen anything in our local paper, which surprises me because this area seems to have quite a few fundies. Just a few days ago the paper printed a response from someone who insisted Halloween is a Satanic holiday and should be officially banned.
Since the movie comes out on Friday I’m thinking there might be some outcry later in the week. I’ll keep you posted.
I’ve heard stories about preachers who are going around, lecturing at churches and elsewhere about the evils of Harry Potter. Overall, though, they’ve been pretty quiet about the issue. Maybe they realized how silly the whole attack on a children’s book and movie property looks to rational people.
I’m basically a Fundie combined with a Commie (two stereotypes for the price of one). I’ve thought quite a bit about Harry Potter, mainly because of its extraordinary popularity. Big moves of the media fascinate me.
I don’t personally feel all that worried. My broad position is that the increased public profile of occult interest and witchcraft is a Bad Thing, and that Jesus is a Good Thing. I’d never judge any individual by such a broad brush, however, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t do that with me. I’m posting here for debate’s sake.
Given that witchcraft is seen as essentially a Bad Thing in Christian Fundamentalism, I still don’t see Harry Potter as all that much more likely to inspire people into following Witchcraft than, say, Terry Pratchett or Tolkien. I see it as a straightforward fairytale, probably neither good or bad in itself - just another genre, and a pretty rich one at that.
If there is any hidden agenda behind Master Potter’s adventures, it’s not a human one. If it is human, it’ll fail. If it’s of Satan, then it’s not likely to be derailed by public debate. Prayer and worship by love will be far more effective. I get far more troubled by books and films that promote other agendas, in dishonest ways - Rocky IV, say, or Rules of Engagement. I did enjoy both films but they conjured feelings in me that I really dread. If one has an agenda, one should be honest. And one should always, always be positive. It’s far less dangerous to paint nice friendly witches than horrible ugly murderous Arabs. We are, after all, talking about Good and Evil, when it’s all said and done. Most people can still tell them when they see them.
Well I was about to start a thread about this. I was visiting some friends last night, fundalmentalists, playing games. Their oldest daughter, 6 years old was asked to go to see Monsters, Inc. with a neighbor family. My friends said yes and she left. About five minutes later, the daughter and the neighbor girl came to the door and asked if she could see Harry Potter instead. The mother said “I would prefer she saw Monsters, Inc.” At that point I spoke up and told them Harry Potter wasn’t released until next weekend.
The girls leave and my friend said she really didn’t want her kids seeing the Harry Potter movie. (At which point I said I want to see Harry Potter.) She wasn’t comfortable with the stories.
Here is the kicker. Near the end of the night we were discussing starting up a new D&D campaign. The mother then said, “In just a couple of years,[oldest daughter] will be able to start playing.”
Yeah, a big difference between the D&D and Harry Potter. :rolleyes:
Just recently, while flipping past a Christian TV station, I saw the preacher pushing the set of Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged videos. For only a $60 donation, I could have all three! Oh bliss!
Anyway, he talks about how the books are evil, because “Rowling talks about spells, and talks about a magic circle, and talks about blah blah blah”…and I’m sitting there thinking, “Well, my brothah, YOU also are talking about those very same things as we speak…does that make you evil? Or is there a difference between just talking about magic and practicing magic? Like, DUH?”
I swear, sometimes when I watch those channels, I feel like Jane Goodall observing the chimps…
But did she say she didn’t want her 6-year-old seeing the Harry Potter picture because of “witchcraft” or because she just didn’t think she was old enough to see it?
The Potter flick IS substantially more intense and scary than “Monsters, Inc.” and has some pretty scary scenes.
I like to respond to the anti-Potter fundies by pointing out the somewhat important detail that MAGIC SPELLS DON’T FRICKIN’ EXIST and you CANNOT BE TAUGHT HOW TO DO THINGS THAT AREN’T REAL! Just a point.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Larry Mudd *
**Bob Larson is on the job. See his latest newsletter, Spiritual Terrorism:
I couldn’t get the page to come up through the link, but was wondering if ol’ Bob still had a video available called Disney and the Bible. He had hawked it on TV some years back and a friend who works at Corporate Legal at Disney was gonna bust him for it if he was using any of their footage.
Just wondering.
