[HPforGrownups] Potter on the pyre

[Roy Mallett Jr]

No: HPFGUIDX 13282

Reminds me of the book burning during WWII. Or when John Lennon had said
that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus and all of the Bible Belt
shown in the news the burning of anything and everything of the Beatles.
There will always be a group somewhere to be fanatical about what ever is
popular of the time. I fell sorry for them to miss out on a grand adventure
and live a little. Even Jesus tells you to balance your life. If it was all
religion all the time I would get bored. I know my boys would be. People are
people and not everyone likes something at one point or another. Harry
Potter lives on in our home! Roy and Wanda

-----Original Message-----
From: prince_galrion at yahoo.no [mailto:prince_galrion at yahoo.no]
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2001 2:44 PM
To: HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HPforGrownups] Potter on the pyre


The following appeared today, Thursday 01.03.2001, in the Norwegian
newspaper VG.  Klaes Krog is that newspaper's correspondent in
Germany.  Hopefully, our German members can shed more light on what
actually happened, and on reactions to this in Germany.


-----------------------------------
Potter on the Pyre
By KLAES KROG

BERLIN (VG) Fear of exciting magic caused a German Christian youth-
group to burn Harry Potter books recently, in the village Schramberg
in Schwabische Alb not far from Stuttgart.

It is no longer possible to borrow books at the library in Mnsingen,
because conservative members of the parishional council fear that the
contents of the books will cause a growth of occultism.  That Land-
church in Stuttgart is shocked to hear these news.  Spokesman for the
church in the region, Christof Vetter, is anxious to point out that
the church in no way supports these actions.

 the only thing that helps against this is irony, says Vetter.  In
Germany, they find consolation that it is not only in pietistic
Schwaben that bible-bloated guardinas of morale are in action.  The
books are reportedly also banned in one English comprehensive school,
because it is not in accordance to the word of the Bible, the way the
headmistress of the school feels good literature should be  at her
school.

Spokesman for the stock-exchange-association of German bookdealers is
clear in his views:

 For the moment we have an occult wave.  The trigger for this is
without question the four Harry Potter-books, which have beaten all
previous sales-records for children's books, and have sold in 60
million copies across the world.

A similar wizardry-wave was experienced in 1970 as well, with the
adventures of Frodo and Sam in their quest with Gandalf against evil,
in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

 Purely entertainment
The publishing-house that publishes the Harry Potter-books in Norway,
has not experienced reactions of the kind now seen in Germany.

This  according to Tove Steinbo, responsible for public relations in
the Publishin-house Damm & Sn a/s.

 What wizardry is seen in these books, is purely entertainment.

These are not books that encourage children to do the same things
that Harry Potter does, says Steinbo, and points to this maybe being
part of what fascinates readers.

 We know that we cannot bring this magic into our everyday lives.

For this reason it is silly to be afraid of this; you realise that
this is a universe that does not really exist, says Steinbo.
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