Harry Potter Books Burned

[meckelburg at foni.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 15480


As a German I have my own really strong feelings about burning books. 
Haven't these people learned anything from History?
After all, we have seen what fanatism comes up to. I hope this doesn't 
go any further, specially since the Reverend enjoyed the publicity so 
much !!

As for what the Rev. claimed as reasons: If all books containing 
witchcraft would be burned, they would have alot to do, including all 
the old fairy tales that have been read to children since all times.
I have such a fanatic person living across the street. When I said, I 
love the HP-books she answered: I don't believe in Magic, I believe in 
God.
My answer was:>You read "the ugly duckling to your child. Do you reall 
believe ducks can talk? It's fantasy and it teches the children about 
good and evil" She had to admit that she has never touched the books, 
but decided to spread hate about it,just because her Rev. told her to. 
I think this is really dangerous.

-- I know there are no original quotes in my post, but I think it is 
still important enough for the main board---

Mecki 
--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Saitaina" <saitaina at w...> wrote:
> (prolly already mentioned but I've been missing most posts so here 
ya go again)
> 
>       'Ungodly' Harry Potter Books Burned 
>            
>      
>       Updated 9:17 AM ET March 28, 2001 
> PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - The Rev. George Bender says he never thought 
a little book burning would get so much publicity. 
> But news reporters have not stopped calling his tiny Harvest 
Assembly of God Church in rural western Pennsylvania since word got 
out that church members held a ceremonial burning of "ungodly" 
videotapes, music CDs and books including some of Harry Potter's 
magical tales. 
> 
> "We  
>      
>            
>       
>      
> 
>      
> got a lot more attention than we were planning on. I've been getting 
calls all morning from all around the country," Bender told Reuters on 
Tuesday. "We were only out to make a little noise in the local 
community." 
> 
> The Pentecostal church, located about 40 miles north of Pittsburgh, 
sponsored a book burning at the edge of its gravel parking lot on 
Sunday evening. Among the 30 church 
> 
> members and guests in attendance were teen-agers who led hymns 
including "Amazing Grace" and "Father of Creation." 
> 
> Into the fire went 1970s albums by Joe Walsh and the rock group 
Foreigner; CDs by Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and AC/DC; and Walt 
Disney Co. videos of "Pinocchio" and "Hercules." 
> 
> "It's the same old devil with a new face," explained Bender, 60, 
whose congregation has about 95 members. 
> 
> Only a few Harry Potter books were among the trunk load of articles 
fed to the flames. But Bender said British author J.K. Rowling's 
"supernatural" novels hold special status because local schools 
distribute workbooks that feature the boy magician but will not allow 
church members to hand out Bibles. 
> 
> "Harry Potter is a big flash point," the clergyman said. 
> 
> The church modeled the book burning on a biblical passage from the 
New Testament's Book of Acts, which describes how former practitioners 
of magic burned their books in public. 
> 
> "When they did this, they did it before all so it would provoke the 
question, 'What are you doing?"' said Bender, whose followers believe 
in faith healing and speaking in tongues. 
> 
> The reason why? "There is one God and he has set his standards 
through the Commandments, and Jesus Christ is our lord and savior. 
Things that misrepresent or cause us to pull away from him, we should 
cleanse from our lives," he said. 
> 
> Bender said the church had never held a book burning before but 
might try it again if doing so would "accomplish something positive 
toward expressing our love for God." 
> 
> Meanwhile, publicity has not hurt. "We got some people mad at us. 
But it's good to have publicity. It's good," he said. 
> 
> Saitaina
> http://www.angelfire.com/al/Diarys/index.html
> The New and Improved Watcher's Diarys-Come, Enjoy the Musty Smell!
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> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]