Author Topic: "Interesting" CNN special (Read 8600 times)

RevDisk · « **on:** July 15, 2005, 04:38:36 PM »

The new Harry Potter book comes out tomorrow. Of course, CNN was covering it. Generally, I don't watch CNN whenever possible. But I was at a pizza shop and that's what was on the TV when I was waiting. After the hoopla about the new book was finished (film of people waiting in line, history of the author, etc etc), it turned to "Witchcraft debate". Uh, right.

It caught my attention because there was a GIANT stack of books being burned while some pompous idiot commented, "What is this book teaching our children!" Hey buddy, maybe you could be teaching your children something better than book burning. It was surrealistic. Parents standing behind their kids, arms crossed, as their kids looked uncomfortable ripping pages out of books and tossing them into the fire. "Witchcraft is evil, and this book corrupts the mind of children!" On and on.

Ok. Maybe CNN is just trying to be fair. After showing footage of the book burnings, various religious 'leaders' expressing their opinion, they rolled out two speakers. One pro-Harry, one anti-Harry. They BOTH slammed pagan religions, and expressed their scorn on such groups. The anchor lady wasn't exactly showing any lack of bias either.

Liberal media, my rear end! I've seen right wing fanatics treat pagan religions with higher respect.

The book series has virtually nothing to do with modern pagan groups. It's a piece of fiction. It's not pagan-propaganda.

It's a story about a kid screwed over by nearly everyone. For reasons outside his control, a group of people are trying to kill him, the govt is screwing with him, and the adult "good guys" treat him worse than his enemies trying to kill him. The head of his school uses him as a pawn, while flat out torturing the poor kid. Dispite all this, he acts with a large amount of personal honour and manages to overcome.

The book has a very positive view on self-defense, good values, and the value of friendship. And of course, people want to burn it. In my personal view, any book that pisses off that many people and causes many people to burn it deserves a place on my bookshelf.

Sindawe · « **Reply #1 on:** July 15, 2005, 04:45:41 PM »

Quote

The book series has virtually nothing to do with modern pagan groups.

Paganism = Witchcraft = Satanism. If it don't come from , then its EVIL and must be expunged from the face of the Earth.

I do have to wonder what will go through those kids minds when they someday see footage of the Nazi book burnings, and think back on what their parents did.

Standing Wolf · « **Reply #2 on:** July 15, 2005, 05:25:16 PM »

Quote

I do have to wonder what will go through those kids minds when they someday see footage of the Nazi book burnings, and think back on what their parents did.

An awful lot of parents seem to think kids are dumb.

P95Carry · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2005, 07:17:45 PM »

Chris - ''there is no understanding folks'' - well, some anyways! Cheesy

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #4 on:** July 15, 2005, 08:14:34 PM »

Book Burning: For when you absolutely, positively, need to harm your own cause.

Winston Smith · « **Reply #5 on:** July 15, 2005, 08:55:45 PM »

+1 fistful

RevDisk · « **Reply #6 on:** July 15, 2005, 10:35:11 PM »

Quote from: P95Carry

Chris - ''there is no understanding folks'' - well, some anyways! Cheesy

I wish I could have taped it. I'd play it anytime someone asked me why I CCW. "Because there are crazy wackos out there."

Quote

An awful lot of parents seem to think kids are dumb.

Ayup. From the looks on the faces of the kids, I think it's going to backfire on a lot of parents there. They looked like they knew they were being forced to do something wrong.

Quote

Paganism = Witchcraft = Satanism. If it don't come from , then its EVIL and must be expunged from the face of the Earth.

I noticed. BTDT

Preacherman · « **Reply #7 on:** July 16, 2005, 07:05:41 AM »

Revdisk, I have to agree with you on this issue. The danger from closed minds is vastly greater (and historically far more deadly to millions of people) than a few books with which one disagrees. I find myself in disagreement with the Pope over Harry Potter, somewhat to my bemusement... I like the Potter books very much indeed, and have all of them (including the latest!) in my library. I simply accept that the author is an a-religious person, not trying to portray any element of faith or Divinity in her writing, and accept her books as such. I also thoroughly enjoy the childrens literature of C. S. Lewis, which is overtly Christian in its themes and orientation, and value it highly. I think that the quality of the books is independent of the religious views of their authors, and I don't see why I should tell people to read one, but not the other. I'd far rather educate children to understand why I believe what I believe, and then invite them to read up on this and other beliefs for themselves, and make their own decisions. I want people sharing my faith because they understand it and choose to accept it, not because their Mommy and Daddy forced them to believe it! Equally, if they decide that my faith is not for them, they have the same right of free choice as I do, and I can't (and don't want to) forbid them to exercise it.

Oddly enough (to many of my Christian friends) one of my better friends is a Pagan high priest, duly ordained and active, leading his own congregation. He and I often chuckle at the bemused looks we both get, from his associates and from mine. We respect each other, like each other, and pray for one another in our own ways. I daresay that at at the end of our lives, we'll find out who's right! cheesy

RevDisk · « **Reply #8 on:** July 16, 2005, 04:56:17 PM »

Quote from: Preacherman

Oddly enough (to many of my Christian friends) one of my better friends is a Pagan high priest, duly ordained and active, leading his own congregation. He and I often chuckle at the bemused looks we both get, from his associates and from mine. We respect each other, like each other, and pray for one another in our own ways. I daresay that at at the end of our lives, we'll find out who's right! cheesy

The Preacherman and the Pagan high priest walk into a bar. The bartender says, "What is this, a joke?" ;p

Quote

I also thoroughly enjoy the childrens literature of C. S. Lewis, which is overtly Christian in its themes and orientation, and value it highly.

I recently saw the trailer for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I admit, I got misty eyed. Stunning visuals. I have hopes the movie will do the book justice. I'm rather a fan of some of C.S. Lewis' work.

InfidelSerf · « **Reply #9 on:** July 17, 2005, 09:07:36 AM »

I consider myself a rather devout Christian. However I never attend churches. (The planet is God's place of worship.)
I have more "pagan/athiestic" friends than I have outwardly Christian friends. I sin. Yet I try not to sin at the same time.
I am human like all the rest of us and I make mistakes, make poor judgment calls and poor choices.

Yet I also choose to reflect on all my thoughts and choices and ask God for guidance in everything I do.

I have my parents to thank for taking me to church as a child and ensuring I at least learned the worldview by which they chose to live by.
I admire my mother more than anyone and learned more about what it takes to be a good person from her than any other source including church.
However in my teens I began to rebel, party, consume drugs and alcohol and doubt ..nay contemplate the existance of God and the need for an understanding of a faith. During that time my parents didn't force me to attend church. Just urged me at certain times to rethink my choices.

The point is our parents are the ones that should be making those decisions of protection and guidance in our lives.. Once we are of legal entity age. Then their job is over and they can only hope they did a good job.
My parents completed their job by the time I was 11.. and allowed me to make my own choices (although they fought me on many of them)

What do you know I grew up to be a stable and rational being. And in the long run I discovered that the only "worldview" that made sense to me was the word of God and the teachings of his son.. who he sent down here to atone for all our sins.

I don't think people that do not believe what I believe as evil or doomed. But regardless of your views everyone has to admit that their is a constant battle of good and evil taking place over our world. Call the lead characters what you want.. and ask for help or don't ask from who ever you want. My job is to live my life the to the best of my abilities while trying to reflect the teachings Christ brought to us, thanks to the love our creator has for us. And then when someone asks me why my life is so good ro why I am the way I am.. I'll be more than happy to explain to them my beliefs and why they work for me.

So I feel sorry for the parents and children that think destroying someone elses creative view on that eternal battle is the only way to protect themselves from the evil being described.
Reading a book about witches and dragons or wizardry is not going to make you a wizard or want to be one. Unless you have been raised to be directly influenced by everything you read or are told to think a certain way... not to think for yourself and trust your innerself.

I was never told to think a certain way... I was simply instructed by my parents to read, read, and read some more.. and then learn to make up my own mind on what made sense or felt right. Interesting how a "moral compass" develops in us when we are young.. regardless of what we read or see on tv.
But a child that doesn't read.. and just accepts what others tell them what to think will be doomed to serfdom and being a good little sheep.

My dad read to us and then encouraged us to read lots of scifi books. I never grew up thinking I would be an interpanetary mercenary, or evolve into a fuzzy alien being.

I'm not a fan of the Harry Porry series.. but not because its about wizardry. But I would encourage ANY child to read them because reading PERIOD is the key to enlightenment and a highre understanding of yourself and the world around us.

jefnvk · « **Reply #10 on:** July 17, 2005, 09:41:21 AM »

The book should be burned because it is stupid (IMHO). But I don't see where it is corrupting hildren's minds.

K Frame · « **Reply #11 on:** July 17, 2005, 10:57:34 AM »

I like a similar, but different, book...

Harry Pothead and the Half Smoked Blunt...

grampster · « **Reply #12 on:** July 17, 2005, 02:22:30 PM »

Veloce,

+1. Your post pretty much mirrors my experience. My mother was a stern disciplinarian and quintisential Catholic mother (with some Jewish tendencies, if I have figured out my roots.), so I learned rebellion from her, but came to understand reasoning as a result. My dad taught me about the wonder of creation and the value in reading books.
As a result I came to many of the same conclusions as you. In fact, just about 10 minutes ago I was reading a couple chapters of "A Purpose Driven Life" and wondering why at age 61 and 7/12 it is taking so long for me to put aside my rebellion and accept what I truly know I am.
I was raised on science fiction, swodplay and sorcery and all sorts of other kinds of fiction. Maybe the only bad thing that resulted is I sometimes enjoy the fantasy world more than I do reality. At the same time I have a firm grip on reality. Last time I looked I am not consorting with demons or worshiping rocks either.

Preacherman · « **Reply #13 on:** July 17, 2005, 02:48:06 PM »

Hmmm... I must admit, my pagan priest friend's offer to "fix me up" with one or more of his priestesses looks interesting! Wink

RevDisk · « **Reply #14 on:** July 18, 2005, 02:05:37 AM »

Quote from: Preacherman

Hmmm... I must admit, my pagan priest friend's offer to "fix me up" with one or more of his priestesses looks interesting! Wink

Bwahaha. A pagan priest, attempting to corrupt a Christian (Catholic?) priest? NAW! So it ain't so!

Did he take ya up a mountain and try to 'make another offer' as well? Cough cough. Wink

Justin · « **Reply #15 on:** July 18, 2005, 03:52:46 PM »

Quote

An awful lot of parents seem to think kids are dumb.

There are probably two reasons for this:

1) The parents themselves are idiots.
2) It's much easier to order around your intellectual inferiors because "I know what's best."

brimic · « **Reply #16 on:** July 18, 2005, 04:09:43 PM »

Hmmm. If they paid for the books, its no different than burning a flag, except maybe a quite a bit less inflammatory. Free speech protects religious fanatics as well as it protects left wing nutjobs. Pretty novel concept isn't it?

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #17 on:** July 18, 2005, 06:01:16 PM »

Brimic,

Unlike everyone else on this thread, you don't want these criminals thrown in jail?

Stinkin' liberal!

Justin · « **Reply #18 on:** July 18, 2005, 07:00:39 PM »

brimic, you present a false dichotomy. Of course these goose-stepping theocratic shmucks have a right to espouse their point of view.

But nowhere in the 1st amendment does it say they have a right to be protected from being mercilessly ridiculed for their stupidity.

/Ain't America Grand?

brimic · « **Reply #19 on:** July 18, 2005, 08:04:43 PM »

How right you are.

RevDisk · « **Reply #20 on:** July 18, 2005, 10:11:58 PM »

Quote from: brimic

Hmmm. If they paid for the books, its no different than burning a flag, except maybe a quite a bit less inflammatory. Free speech protects religious fanatics as well as it protects left wing nutjobs. Pretty novel concept isn't it?

Who said anything about free speech not applying to religious fanatics? Everyone is entitled to an opinion. No one is entitled to force me to like their opinion.

What they did was tasteless, disturbing, pointless and evil. But it wasn't illegal as far as I know.

Iapetus · « **Reply #21 on:** July 19, 2005, 12:01:02 PM »

I once found a fundamentalist website that was condemning Harry Potter. It then went on to say that even C. S. Lewis's Narnia books were evil (because they implied magic was equivilent to the power of God), and so "fit only for burning" :banghead:

Then of course there's Jack "Role-playing games teach you real magic (or make you kill yourself)" Chick rolleyes

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.asp

Jack "The Devil owns the music industry" Chick rolleyes

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0034/0034_01.asp

Sindawe · « **Reply #22 on:** July 19, 2005, 12:21:25 PM »

Quote

Then of course there's Jack "Role-playing games teach you real magic (or make you kill yourself)" Chick

Gee, none of the DM I played with ever looked like THAT. And no matter how intricate the verbal components, none of the spells MY clerics cast ever worked in real life, even when the characters alignment matched my own. I've been CHEATED! I should sue TSR for FRAUD!!!

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #23 on:** July 19, 2005, 06:19:52 PM »

RevDisk,

You mean burning books is evil?

I like how the evil, goth, witch-priestess in the Chick tract is called, of all things, Ms. Frost.

RevDisk · « **Reply #24 on:** July 19, 2005, 11:00:00 PM »

Quote from: Sindawe

Gee, none of the DM I played with ever looked like THAT. And no matter how intricate the verbal components, none of the spells MY clerics cast ever worked in real life, even when the characters alignment matched my own. I've been CHEATED! I should sue TSR for FRAUD!!!

You probably were using the wrong edition...

Quote

You mean burning books is evil?

I like how the evil, goth, witch-priestess in the Chick tract is called, of all things, Ms. Frost.

Yes, us witches secretly seed D&D games looking for recruits. Or weak-minded fools to hang and make it look like a suicide. Wink

And yes, I believe burning books is evil. Just my personal opinion.

News:

Author Topic: "Interesting" CNN special (Read 8600 times)