Pope's top exorcist claims Harry Potter "King of Darkness, the Devil"

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This is just too damn funny. Via Progressive Gold, we have this story:
Pope Benedict XVI's chief exorcist, Rev. Gabriele Amorth, has called fictional wizard-in-training Harry Potter the "king of darkness, the devil."

Amorth made the statement about the star of the best-selling children's series by British author J. K. Rowling during an interview with Vatican Radio during the week.

"Magic is always a turn to the devil," said the Roman Catholic priest, according to Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.
OK Catholicism defenders (that's you, Joe :)), convince me that this isn't the daffiest thing I've heard in a long while (Bush administration foreign policy statements excluded, of course). First of all, the idea that the Pope has a chief exorcist just blows my mind. Its sounds like something right out of Monty Python. Secondly, the fact that the Pope has a chief exorcist implies that he has a whole staff of exorcists, of which this Rev. Gabriele Amorth is the leader. Apparently they have an international association. Thirdly, the fact that anyone would take an exorcist seriously is hilarious and sad, especially journalists from respectable outlets like the CBC. Fourthly, that such a person would attack Harry Potter of all things is just wacky. Not civil wars in Africa, not murderers, not sexual predators (well, OK I understand why they might not want to go there), not actual Satanists, but Harry Potter. The gulf between their worldview and mine stretches forth before me like a vista of the Grand Canyon. Exorcists against Harry Potter. In 2006. My contempt-o-meter is broken.

On a slightly different note, I must say that as a Dungeons & Dragons player, I am jealous of all the attention that Harry Potter is getting from the "magic-is-the-Devil" crowd. Back in the early 80's, it was all about us. The D&D=Satanism meme is apparently still around, but we don't get nearly the flak from these loonballs that Harry Potter catches. Times change, I guess. Demons move on to new hosts. Sigh.

Comments

grishnash said…
I know you read Sullivan, so you probably saw what else exorcists are up to these days...

(No, Karl! The plan was for you to jump out the window when that happened!)
8:44 AM, September 07, 2006
Zachary Drake said…
Yes, I saw that. Pretty sad.
10:13 PM, September 07, 2006
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