Harry Potter...

...and the Supreme Court Gag Order.

It happened again. This time in Vancouver, BC. Some roller-blading grocery store worker from the Real Canadian Superstore stocked the shelves, and then presto! 14 copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince were sold before July 16^th. Perhaps they should have read their own flyer?

That’s not the kicker though!

Justice Kristi Gill at the Supreme Court of British Columbia ordered customers not to talk about the book, copy it, sell it or even read it before it is officially released.

Personally, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that Harry came dressed in his cloak of invisibility and put the books out himself. What a way to boost sales. He’ll have to send Justice Gill an autographed copy in thanks for her marketing assistance.

Can you picture it? Somewhere in the natural splendor of British Columbia, a hardened criminal is hiding out in a shadowy campground with his family, reading a book that his mom picked up while she was buying hot dogs for their family get-away. Thank goodness the courts are looking after us. I hope they find him and bring him to justice so the streets can be safe once more.

...Leslie

Comments

[Rick]

Leslie,

What do you think of the Pope's recent comments:

Harry Potter distorts the soul, says Pope

[Leslie]

I was definitely one who saw Harry Potter as troublesome. But then I read it and...well...I got kinda’ taken with Harry. They are cool stories. I found the same thing with the Da Vinci Code. A cool story. Did I say that out loud? That said, I think that Pope Benedict hits the nail on the head here:

"It is good that you enlighten people about Harry Potter because these are subtle seductions which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul before it can grow properly," wrote the Pope.

Amen. I’m constantly impressed by the way Pope Benedict thinks.

I would agree that Harry Potter contains some subtleties that distort Christianity. But there are also good things, too. I think the danger is that lots of Christians today aren’t able to discern those subtle seductions anymore. We don’t grapple with theology like we used to and as a general rule, we don’t debate for fun any more. So, with a soft grasp of the tenets of the faith we (and kids especially) are in a prime position to have our views shaped while being totally unaware.

If people experienced Harry Potter (or any book, movie or whatever) with their brain turned on, then it could be a tool to sharpen the mind and strengthen the faith of both adult and child.

More interesting to me would be, what do *you* think?

[Rick]

Leslie,

Great post, as usual. (You are destined for your own blog. Our loss here, the blogosphere's gain).

I haven't read any of the Potter books so I'm not sure I can answer your question. But I can join you in praise for this Pope and I'm sure there are sound reasons for what he's said.

I did read the Da Vinci Code and enjoyed it (although I thought it gave the Catholics a pretty hard time). I actually enjoyed Brown's Angels and Demons more.

What I need to do is go ahead and read one or two (or three or four) of the Potter novels. But not anytime soon.

Leslie you should be happy to know that I'll be getting in touch with my feminine side next week (while vacationing in the Outer Banks). I'll be reading The Notebook. Saw the movie with my lovely bride and actually enjoyed it. Figured what the heck, let's see how closely it follows the novel.

I'm sure when I'm done with that I'll have to go back and read a Clancy novel or some other thriller so that I can go back to spittin', scratchin' and cussin'...

Heh...

[Leslie]

Well thank you for those kind words, Rick...

Da Vinci Code was almost unethical in the way it represented all kinds of things. I chatted with an art historian once who had nothing but bad to say about its inaccuracies in that area. Still, conversations that the book start are often deep & meaningful.

Enjoy The Notebook. :) Just make sure you don’t poignantly leave all your brutal honesty on the Outer Banks. Everyone will be a little discombobulated if you come back all... girlified. I have every confidence that Tom Clancy will keep you on track!

You guys have a good rest.