Does any one know why the Harry Potter books have been banned?

Question

So many places have banned the Harry Potter books and I want to know why. I'm doing a speech on Banned Books and one of the books/series I wanted to include were the Harry Potter series. My audience will relate to those books bettetr than The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men.

Or maybe some other good books that have been challenged or banned? Children's books or books that were written to be aimed at teenagers or young adults. Or just written and placed in that category?????

Answer 1

This site is a great resource for your speech, from the American Library Association. There's a list of the most frequently challenged books with explanations there, among other things.

Harry Potter is frequently challenged by conservative Christian groups who object to the subject of witchcraft - fearing that it makes witchcraft, which they consider evil, appealing to young readers.

Other children/young adult authors who always top the list of most frequently banned/challenged are Judy Blume, Robert Cormier, and Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants).

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/challengedbanned/challengedbanned.htm

Answer 2

Pierre Bruno of "Liberation" journal says, Harry Potter is a sexist neo-conservative autocrat. Additional controversy appears to be shooting up as soon as once more in connection with the "Harry Potter" books and the Vatican. This time, leader exorcist, Rev. Gabriele Amorth states that fictional man or woman Harry Potter is the "king of darkness, the satan" in an interview with Vatican Radio final week. Monsignor Peter Fleetwood, an educated on New Age and previous respectable on the Pontifical Council for Culture stated: "I stay firmly satisfied that the Harry Potter novels are very good written. They are written at the classical plot of well as opposed to evil within the ordinary method that the ancient myths have been written. The characters are developed up round that: the candies and the baddies in an effort to talk, and I can not see that that is a nasty factor for youngsters, while goodness, and the persons at the aspect of goodness are portrayed as those who will finally win. Harry's enemies hotel to all kinds of evil matters, and they're those who free finally. I do not see what is improper with that, and I can not see that does any damage to kids." Harry Potter is not as innocent as he turns out, and might probably draw a youngster into matters they do not fully grasp - in particular, if they don't seem to be good grounded within the Word of God! Not to say the brand new homosexuality predicament that has been "outed" concerning Potter in public just lately. Plenty to not like! The Bible warns in opposition to witchcraft and "different gods". Potter is so trendy, you would no longer trap those disorders. The majority isn't regularly correct, however GOD is!!!

Answer 3

Well, many religions frown on the idea of witchcraft. They believe that children should not be exposed to to witchcraft and that no matter how Harry is portrayed, witchcraft is evil.
There is also the belief the J.K. Rowling made Harry out to be a Christ like figure, which upsets many people.
Fahrenheit 451 is also a book that has had some trouble. The whole premise of the book is about ultimate censorship by society, similar to 1984.

Answer 4

I didn't know Harry Potter had been banned, so I looked it up. Okay, the books are banned in the United Arab Emirates because they are deemed un-Islamic.
In the U.S. and U.K., the books have never been banned; people are free to buy or borrow the books and have their children read them.
The books have been removed from a very few school curricula; I wouldn't equate this with "banning" the books. Children are not forbidden to read them.
Parents are entitled to supervise the books their children read, just as they can control what they eat, drink and wear, and their extra-curricular activities. This is different from "banning."

Answer 5

I read that they were been banned in some schools because a lot of nutjobs with no imagination and nothing better to do say those books promote Witchcraft. I say so what? People should be able to read whatever they want. Don't like it, don't read it. But that is the reason I've heard - "magical powers go against the teachings of the Bible". Cause there's nothing magical about feeding thousands of people with a few fish and a couple loaves of bread right or walking on water...

Answer 6

Do a google search for "why was harry potter banned". A lot of good articles will come up. Also, look here for some info on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_potter#Religious_opposition_to_witchcraft_themes

Answer 7

I would guess that it's from the ultra conservative that fear that it promotes 'witchcraft' and other things 'Pagan' (which in itself is hilarious, as most all Christian holidays are based upon Pagan ritual days).

People buy into what the media sells, and media sells that Paganism is essentially devil worship (which couldn't be further from the truth).

Answer 8

the fundamentalist right winged idiots are at work again,sorry can't seem to get rid of them they are the American equivalent of
the fundamentalist Muslims.I think the bible should be band for promoting magical thinking too if that's the only excuse they need to promote censorship.

Answer 9

because they believe that harry potter puts a false sense of reality into a childs head and they think that it will aid in kids not believeing in god. they think it is too graphic and that it corups our youth.

Answer 10

I honestly have no idea. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE BOOKS WERE BANNED!!