Vatican hits out at the Harry Potter 'lie'

Published on Wednesday 16 January 2008 09:50

THE Vatican has launched a new attack on JK Rowling's Harry Potter novels, claiming that the boy wizard is the "wrong type of hero" and encourages children to learn about satanism.

In its official paper, L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican said that the Edinburgh-based author's books spread a "grave and deep lie" by showing witchcraft in a positive light and promoting a "malicious image of the hero, an unreligious one".

In an article, entitled The Double Face of Harry Potter, it also claimed the best-selling books should not be compared with classic novels such as The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia – as they did not favour "the discovery of true Christianity".

The paper also said that the books led towards new-age spirituality, known to be something that Pope Benedict XVI dislikes, and led to an unhealthy interest from youngsters in satanism.

The Pope has previously said that the books contain "subtle seductions" that undermine children's religious development by blurring good and evil.

Rowling has previously come under attack from Christian groups in the USA who also believe that her books promote devil worship and black magic.