General News Harry Potter among books burned by priests in Poland

Growing up I was raised in church that did bonefires where people would burn stuff. It was very common for Harry Potter to among the pile. Along with CDs of non Christian music, movies rated anything higher than PG (even some rated that depending), other books, magazines like cosmo, pornography, clothing that was not modest. I was always looked at weird because I asked could I go through the stuff and get out what I wanted first lol. They said it’s not a bring and share... I would fuss about what a waste it was. I wasn’t invited to many and when I did go was asked to stay inside and not participate hahaha

 

It was Christian and church of god

 

It wasn’t all bad lol I mean looking back I often wonder what was up with that? But when it comes to faith I really try and tread lightly. You know still be respectful, even when I’m honest. I do get chastised for things I say. I mean if I don’t understand something or think it’s problematic I’ll mention it. That’s never really been accepted by my community or some in my family. Since I was a kid I was always in trouble for say things that were considered out of bounds with Christianity.

But I’m thankful that I was raised in the church it really did provided me with some valuable lessons I’ll carry forever. The foundation of my spirituality is rooted in Christianity but I’ve always been more omnist and that was never really accepted... bless their hearts they couldn’t even beat out of me hahahaha god knows they tried lol. I just always was that kid who did what I wanted even knowing a spanking was in the horizon.

But I agree this practice is very outdated and it’s sad to me that the Christian faith that could be a beautiful religion of hope, love and peace seems to have always been one of judgement, fear and hate when it comes to the mainstream approach. There is light and dark in every faith and I just will never understand the people who choose to dwell in the dark!

 

It's funny actually. I was introduced to Harry Potter in a Catholic grade school. My teacher started reading the series to us a little before the first movie came out. Another teacher later on really loved them too and she and I bonded over our love of the series.

We had the books in the school library and several kids read them. No one (that I know of) tried to get the books banned. The school pastor actually had a different book banned over anti-religious themes but no one was bothered by Harry Potter, or if they were they never said anything.

Besides, most of the characters are Christian. Harry was baptized, most of the characters celebrate Christmas, and the epitaph on Harry's parents' grave is a quote from the Bible, not to mention that they are buried in a church cemetery, instead of a non-denominational cemetery. That's my argument whenever someone says that the books are anti-Christian.

 

This is funny because I went to a public school and there was so much push back about the books they took them off the shelves at the elementary school library and the public library. You had to request them at the public library... there is easy ways to make connections with Harry Potter and the Christian faith (like CS Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia). But JK Rolling said she isn’t spiritual and doesn’t believe in fate which I find interning since she created an entire world around both!

 

I had recall my 4th Grade teacher having some rant about Harry Potter, this was back in Fall 2001(a few months before the first movie came out). I don't recall the exact words but I just recall the lines of it sthe saying that it was about witchcraft. I suppose she was an evangelical Christian. But then again, my school wasn't a private or evangelical Christian school. It was a public school and paid for my parents' property tax on the school district and other taxpayers in Texas.