Letters

Harry Potter? (letter)

John F. Doherty

Contents - May 2002 - Buy a copy now Editorial: A moral challenge for society - Peter Westmore Liturgy: New edition of the Roman Missal released: vernacular translations to come - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Catholicism in Australia: facing the challenges of Western secularism - Archbishop George Pell General absolutions continue in the Toowoomba Diocese - Michael Gilchrist US Jesuits' action against Father Fessio sparks worldwide protests - AD2000 Report US research puts clerical sex-abuse in perspective - Philip Jenkins Gregorian Chant's new lease of life in Brisbane - AD2000 Report 'The Resurrection in the university' - IMCSA National Conference in Sydney - Nicholas Rynne Letters: Hymns (letter) - David Schutz Letters: Farewell Mass for Fr Des Byrne (letter) - Barry O'Brien Letters: Priestly formation (letter) - Cyril Drew Letters: Liturgical abuses (letter) - Name and Address Supplied Letters: Decline of the faith (letter) - Brian Carter Letters: Christian principles (letter) - Errol P. Duke Letters: Transubstantiation (letter) - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: Correct Greek (letter) - Fr J.B. Cotter Letters: Need for prayer (letter) - Kevin Pitt Letters: Harry Potter? (letter) - John F. Doherty Poetry: Two Loves - John Meston Books: Demons and Democrats: 1950s Labor at the Crossroads, by Gavan Duffy - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: The Forty Four: The Martyrs of the English College Rome - Christopher Quinn (reviewer) Books: Beyond Gay, by David Morrison - John S. Webster Books: Pedophiles and Priests: Anatomy of a Contemporary Crisis, by Philip Jenkins - David Ross (reviewer) Books: Prove It! Church, by Amy Welborn - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: Father Ian Falconer's Latin Course - Ken Bayliss (reviewer) Books: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: The Ascension: climax of Our Lord's life on earth - Fr Ian Falconer SJ

At best the Harry Potter stories may be regarded as a bit of harmless fun. At worst they may be considered to be one more assault on the young child's perception of reality. The debate between these two positions will doubtless continue until both sides are exhausted, but without any resolution achieved.

One thing we can be clear about is that they don't espouse Christian values. Hal Colebatch in the April AD2000 tried to make a case for the affirmative but failed. His argument that because suits of armour are enchanted to sing Christmas carols, the stories are therefore Christian is too absurd to warrant further comment.

At heart the stories, in common with The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, which Colebatch also deals with, are hero quests and good versus evil narratives. These are themes as old as human story-telling and predate recorded history and Christianity by thousands of years. The basic themes of Harry Potter, etc, do not come from the heart of traditional Western Christianity. They are found in every culture and every time. Their origins lie in the myths and legends of many ancient people, such as the Nordic, Greek and Hindu people.

The notion that such stories will lead to the development of a stronger Christian faith is nonsense. It is just this sort of vague self-indulgent spirituality, coupled with the occult or the meretricious marvels of science fiction, which people who have abandoned their Christian faith turn to.

In conclusion I would like to point out, as I have done before in AD2000, that there is not a shred of evidence to indicate Shakespeare was a Catholic. Hal Colebatch has no justification at all for claiming there is reason to believe he was.

JOHN F. DOHERTY
Camberwell, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 15 No 4 (May 2002), p. 15