Dexter Daily Statesman

Harry Potter

Posted Wednesday, July 25, 2007, at 1:29 AM
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Has anyone else read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" yet? I finished Monday evening, and thought it tied up the seven book series quite nicely. Rowling outdid herself.

And, while I'm at it, have any of you been harassed for reading and enjoying the Potter books? I have lost a couple of close friends because they see the books as "tools of the devil" and "promotion of witchcraft."

I'm curious -- what do you think?

Comments
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I believe parents must protect their innocent children from the evils of the occult. Can you imagine even a supposed fictional character who can subvert matter and space to enter your home without your permission?

This warlock claims to have imps who can give kids anything they wish,all things under nature are at his control.

The Old Warlock claims to have powers equal to God,as he knows your very heart. He sees all your deeds, and will either reward or punish you as he sees fit, and not sometime after your death, but yearly, at a preset date.

Parents live in fear of his wrath, begging children to behave, to gain the old Warlock's favor to be richly rewarded with material gain.Poor kids are always punished,because poverty goes against everything he preaches! Third World nations are not even on his radar, they don't even exist to him.

I believe that all who worship Santa Claus and promote his evil should be set on fire after their trial,especially during tourist season.

One more reason to visit Stoddard County. We could do it in Essex, but we would have to coordinate with the Essex Fire Department-they are volunteer and this is the dry season.

Please don't even get me started on Snow White,Cinderella,Rapunzel or any of the Grim-Disney coven!

-- Posted by Yellow Rose of Essex on Wed, Jul 25, 2007, at 8:57 AM

ElFreda Cox's response:

Stick to the topic at hand, Yellow Rose, and leave these apparent attempts to be funny behind. This post is not amusing -- not in the least. No doubt you would be sorted into Slytherin house.

I personally feel that in the age of Wii, Playstation 3, laptop computers, iPods and cell phones, anything that will get today's youth to pick up a book and read is a VERY good thing. I have read the books and don't find them to be a tool of the devil or a promotion of witchcraft. I believe that is why the book is labeled FICTION.

Of course, many say Stephen King leans toward the "dark side," but he too has proven his belief in God several times throughout many of his stories. Some people just need to learn to sit back and enjoy life a little more!

-- Posted by Sacha C. on Wed, Jul 25, 2007, at 8:59 AM

Harry Potter is no more evil than the Wizard of Oz. This is just something for the radicals to grasp as a "holy" cause. I consider myself a religious person and do not in any way feel threatened by a children's book.

-- Posted by mobrigade on Wed, Jul 25, 2007, at 9:49 AM

Ok...part of me told myself to keep my mouth shut and stay out of this one, but my brain isn't in control of my mouth so here we go.

Harry Potter a tool of the devil, eh? Give me a break. Kids have read fantasy stories for many centuries before this one, or at least any normal kid did. It spurs creativity and is a good escape from reality. To say that Harry Potter is evil is simply wrong. a

These people who feel this way are the same ones who picketed Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and went crazy banning books from libraries because they tell people the truth about.

For example, The Catcher in the Rye. Salinger wasn't being disgusting, he was writing about being a boy who doesn't fit in.

The Odyssey! These same people don't believe kids should read The Odyssey by Homer. This is classic literature at it's best.

Any kid (or adult) who can't separate these things from reality has much more important problems to face.

-- Posted by CoreyN on Wed, Jul 25, 2007, at 10:14 AM

ElFreda Cox's response:

Your last sentence says it all. "Any kid (or adult) who can't separate (fiction) from reality has much more important problems to face." Thanks for your input.

What coreyn said!

I have never seen or heard gruesome stories of a real life wizard, therefore I would be pretty hard-core convinced that there are no such people......

Fiction is just that..... FICTION. Other terms are FAKE, FAUX, MADE-UP, STORY MADE FROM THE IMAGINATION.

Fictional reading is and has been a form of entertainment for longer than any television or radio has been around.

As a parent, you do want to protect your children from a dark side of life. Any good parent would. So don't ban your children from using their imagination (which is very healthy) simply explain to your children (or to yourself) that Harry Potter is not real and let your children be children.

Your children probably already realize that along with the fact that their parents are missing out on some quality time with them.

-- Posted by greer958 on Wed, Jul 25, 2007, at 11:16 AM

ElFreda Cox's response:

There's only one point in your response that I disagree with -- protecting children from a dark side of life. This is precisely what the Potter saga is all about. Evil is there, it exists and children need to know what it (evil) is and how to face it without allowing it to destroy them. Bad things happen, most of which we will never understand, but protecting (i.e. sheltering) children from them, I believe, will lead to further problems in adulthood. A caveat -- I have no children of my own, so I don't have "in the trenches" experience. This is just my take on it.

Thanks for posting. I appreciate your comments. And it's true that parents are missing out by not reading the books themselves. Just think, what a great way to begin a conversation with your child!

Sorry ElFreda, I disagree. I found yellow rose's comment quite amusing and quite on target with your point. If I didn't, tough, that's just one of the joys of the 1st Amendment.

I greatly enjoy the Harry Potter books and movies and I'm looking forward to the newest of both. People who call them damaging to the youth of the country make me tired. My parents didn't restrict my reading. I read everything I could get my hands on for years - particularly fiction and particularly things with a delightful imagination. I probably read some things the religious right would call morally offensive. I didn't turn out depraved. That's another joy of the 1st Amendment - they can read what they like and we can read the rest.

Long live Hogwarts.

-- Posted by Ducky on Wed, Jul 25, 2007, at 8:48 PM

ElFreda Cox's response:

Right on, Ducky! Hooray for the first amendment! Her response had a point, but didn't mention anything about the Harry Potter books at all, to which my original entry referred. I respect your opinion, as I hope you do mine, but I stick with my response to Yellow Rose.

I also read voraciously as a child and continued to do so well into adulthood. I leaned to science fiction and fantasy (big surprise). My parents, however, complained that I always had my nose in a book.

Rather like Hermoine Granger, don't you think?

Though I do not agree with Yellow Rose's assessment of the Harry Potter books, I will defend to the death her right to express her opinion in her own colorful and unconventional manner!

-- Posted by goat lady on Wed, Jul 25, 2007, at 9:20 PM

ElFreda Cox's response:

Of course you will -- your writing styles are very similar. You, however, have not made personal, hurtful comments about me in your postings. Yellow Rose has. Not this time, I grant you, but that first one was so shocking, I can't even begin to explain how long it took me to compose a cordial response. More snide comments (in my opinion) followed in her subsequent postings. And she continues to misspell my name! It's bad enough that in the book you frequently tout my name is misspelled (granted, they got it right on the cover) but I believe spelling it ElfReda is deliberate.

Am I too sensitive? Absolutely. Can I change that? It's been over 50 years, and I have made progress, but I realize that being sensitive is a part of who I am.

Referring back to Harry Potter (which was indeed the point of all this), allowing people to hurt you and not call them on it is wrong. But don't expect anyone else to fight your battles for you. That's up to you.

I could, as moderator, just delete all of her posts to this blog the moment I see them. But I won't. I will make comments when, as moderator, I believe she has strayed too far off topic. She can be as colorful and off the wall as she may wish to be, but no more personal attacks on me.

The fact that you read science fiction and fantasy is not a surprise.

You mentioned in your original blog that you lost friends because they thought Harry Potter was a tool of the devil. I interpreted yellow rose's comments to indicate that using the same philosophy your friends should also not allow their children to read about Santa Claus (or other fictional characters) for the same reason.

Forgive me if I read something into your comment that wasn't there, yellow rose.

Blog on.

-- Posted by Ducky on Wed, Jul 25, 2007, at 9:39 PM

ElFreda Cox's response:

I got that, Ducky. But how many others would?

Several friends expressed outrage at the reference about Santa Claus being above God, for example. It was a metaphor, of course, but gaskets were blown.

Look to my response to the previous comment from Goat Lady. Perhaps you will then understand my reaction.

I am the moderator of this blog, and I still stand by my original response. Maybe Yellow Rose needs a blog of her own.

Re: losing friends, I chose to walk away from their friendship after years of swallowing my tongue and not speaking out. I couldn't take it anymore.

And back to Harry Potter, there's a time to fight and a time to retreat. That was a time to retreat.

Thank you for your comments. At my age I only do things for fun that I either enjoy or learn something. I believe I'll pass on your blog in the future. Have a great day.

-- Posted by Ducky on Thu, Jul 26, 2007, at 12:48 PM

ElFreda Cox's response:

Sorry to lose you, Ducky. That's your choice, and I respect it. Check out Madeline's blog. She's a lot better at this than I am.

Wow Ducky... I love your honesty! I liked the little "Have a great day." to make the statement end a bit more cheerful.

ElFreda... toughen up girl you are certainly TOOOO sensitive. Criticism can be a helpful/positive thing. Just have to find a way to look at the bright side of it and not bawl bag over everything!!!! geez louise

-- Posted by classysassy on Thu, Jul 26, 2007, at 3:11 PM

ElFreda Cox's response:

I am trying. Really I am. What I find tough is everyone knows who I am, but I have no idea who you all are. (Well, I do know who some of you are � )

I'll try harder to not take offense in the future and not respond as much to the entries.

I do apologize for hurting your feelings.Thanks to all above who got my entry-if Harry is bad then so is every other fictional childhood character.I thought the name of the blog elf notes was a clever play on your name, thus I emphasize it when I write it-( I do not misspell it).I feel you were gracious in basically asking me not to participate in your blog, and I shall respect your wishes. It is after all,your blog,not mine to "hijack"

Enjoy your day.

-- Posted by Yellow Rose of Essex on Thu, Jul 26, 2007, at 3:49 PM

ElFreda Cox's response:

Thank you.

My sister-in-law, who is a teacher, will not allow her children to have anything to do with the "evil" Harry Potter books/movies, yet she allows them to watch anything and everything they want on television, including R-rated movies. Of course, she has never read one page of a Harry Potter book herself, so she really has no idea what she is talking about when she says the books will encourage her children to be interested in witchcraft. One would think an educated person would formulate her own opinion rather than simply take the word of radicals (many of whom likely never read the books either). My son has gained far more from reading the Harry Potter series than her son has from watching "Family Guy."

-- Posted by gocards on Thu, Jul 26, 2007, at 3:55 PM

While magic is certainly portrayed in the books, the bigger story is about the struggle between good and evil and growing up.

The final message that Potter portrays is one that is good! Harry is a moral, caring, considerate character. More people should aspire to the purity that this fictional character portrays.

-- Posted by luckyone on Thu, Jul 26, 2007, at 8:53 PM

ElFreda Cox's response:

Thank you for your response. I agree totally.

Oh, and ElFreda, to answer your first question, yes, I did read Hallows and I loved it! It answered so many questions that I had.

-- Posted by luckyone on Thu, Jul 26, 2007, at 8:54 PM

ElFreda Cox's response:

Great! Me, too. I won't comment further, so as not to spoil it for the rest of the muggles.

All a publisher has to do is get the news people or the Church to say that something is evil or not good for people to read and Bang they have a best seller.

-- Posted by rusty nail on Fri, Jul 27, 2007, at 2:41 PM