New Mexico Church Plans Harry Potter Book Burning
Thursday December 27, 8:25 AM
ALAMOGORDO, New Mexico (Reuters) - A New Mexico church plans to burn Harry Potter
books because they are "an abomination to God," the church pastor said on Wednesday.
Pastor Jack Brock said he would have a "holy bonfire" on Sunday at the Christ Community Church in Alamogordo in southern New Mexico to torch books about the fictional teen-age wizard who is wildly popular with young people.
"These books encourage our youth to learn more about witches, warlocks, and sorcerers, and those things are an abomination to God and to me," Brock, 74, told Reuters.
"Harry Potter books are going to destroy the lives of many young people."
The books, written by British author J.K. Rowling, have been runaway bestsellers and a movie, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," is currently a blockbuster hit.
Brock, whose said his Christmas Eve sermon was titled "The Baby Jesus or Harry Potter?," described the book burning as part of an effort to encourage Christians to remove everything from their homes that prevents them from communicating with God.
The books have come under fire in a few U.S communities for supposedly encouraging devilish thoughts among the young, but Rowling in an earlier statement issued by her publisher Bloomsbury called the criticisms absurd.
"I have met thousands of children now, and not even one time has a child come up to me and said, 'Ms. Rowling, I'm so glad I've read these books because now I want to be a witch,'" she said.
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New Mexico Church Protests Potter
Monday December 31 8:21 AM ET
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) - As hundreds protested nearby, a church group burned Harry Potter
(news - web sites) and other books.
Jack Brock, the Christ Community Church founder and pastor, said the books burned Sunday were ``a masterpiece of satanic deception.''
``These books teach children how they can get into witchcraft and become a witch, wizard or
warlock,'' Brock said. Members sang ``Amazing Grace'' as they threw Potter books, plus some other books and magazines, into the fire.
Across the street, protesters chanting ``Stop burning books'' stretched in a line a quarter of a mile long.
``It may be useless but we want (the church) to know the community is not behind them,'' said Joann Booth, who protested with her four grandchildren. One protester dressed up as Adolf Hitler.
Brock told the congregation that he viewed the attention the church received as a blessing.
``There are those that are doing their best to make us look bad.'' Brock said. ``But because of this, I've been able to preach the gospel around the world.''
A letter to the Alamogordo Daily News inviting the community to attend the fire sparked debate in the town of 36,000. On Tuesday, protesters held signs reading ``Book burning? Shame on our town'' in front of the public library. Inside was a display highlighting the books.
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In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message
is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
Rock of Offence approves of the action taken by this Christian congregation. The practice agrees with the Biblical position of Acts 19:17-20, which causes us to ask the question, "Why don't other Christians follow their example?". The pastor and congregation are to be commended! Christ Community Church is not affiliated in any way with Rock of Offence and the inclusion of this link does not necessarily indicate our agreement with all teachings of this organization.
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