With many debates focusing on religious elements, the Harry Potter series has taken a lot of controversy beginning with the first publication in 1997. With debates of religious content existing or not to elements of anti-Christian views being explored, J.K Rowling's success has never been harmed because of this. With four books released and the first movie hitting the big screen in 2001, the debates surrounding the saga were in full force. It was although any little thing that could be debated about the series was published and J.K Rowling took the fault for everything. The book was accepted both nationally as well as internationally, making for worldwide success for Rowling. However, once the debate began to become extreme, some people's reaction created devastation for the franchise and in some cases, the books were banned from schools, libraries and homes leaving children to wonder what was to happen to their beloved character Harry Potter. These instances were mostly created by Christian parents who take the side of the debate of the books containing anti-Christian views and ideas of disobedience becoming okay. The success of this was not only contained to America. The idea spread to Australia and England, ironically the country of origin of J.K Rowling. Topping lists of the "most banned" novels in the world, the idea of Harry Potter to some was created as Satanist instead of heroic. The 'boy who lived" became a character who enraged many people instead of creating the powerful message of heroism and courage.  In some extreme cases, religious groups felt so strongly about Harry Potter being Satanist that they created protests and burned the contents of J.K Rowling's creations.

  

    One example of this happened in New Mexico in 2001. A group of Christian people got together, had a sermon led by Pastor Jack Brock who claimed the character of Harry Potter "taught children to take up wizardry", according to BBC News.

"Behind that innocent face is the power of satanic darkness," he said. "Harry Potter is the devil and he is destroying people."

   Having the theme based on wizardry and a school which teaches it, it is said that the books also attract children to dark magic and "wicca" which is forbidden in the Christian religion. After the anti-Harry Potter sermon was completed in New Mexico, people began to burn the books alongside of ouija boards, AC/DC records, Stephen King's horror books, Eminem CDs and Walt Disney's Snow White, according to BBC. Pastor Brock believed all of these items and more prevented his congregation from "communicating with God". Although BBC claims the pastor had never read the novels, he only researched them online tells a lot about why this "book burning" event occurred. Not experiencing the contents himself, how could he preach how terrible they were, based on what critics appointed? Several people felt how cruel this protest was and developed their own across the street, showing how the power of Harry Potter was not as effective as it could have been for Pastor Brock's message he attempted to come across. The extremity of this instance was only the beginning on how real Harry Potter fans felt surrounding the debate.  

 

"But most of the millions of fans of the books - the first of which has been turned into a hit film - have shrugged aside those arguments and embraced the stories as harmless, fantastical entertainment."

 

To view the whole BBC story on this, click HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                       Image of the Book Burning of Harry Potter in New Mexico, 2001.

 

 

     Being the most extreme instance I found during research, it was not the only measure taken when it comes to Harry Potter. Many authors including Perry L. Glanzer, Todd A. DeMitchell and John J. Carney have all write about how the novels were banned in public libraries, school systems and bookstores around the world. With some court orders being successful and others not, the complete banning of the books was unsuccessful as a whole. Many school children still read the books, parents permission or not, and the feature films of the novels created more hype than ever. The debate surrounding J.K Rowling's creation was controversial, however it did not cause her to lose any momentum when creating a phenomenon which is still popular almost ten years later. Therefore, the debate surrounding the Religious content of Harry Potter was practically not fazed by the author, or by die-hard Harry Potter fans.