VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The last battle of the almost-grownup Harry Potter may be too scary for young viewers, but it champions the values of friendship and sacrifice, the Vatican newspaper said.

"The atmosphere of the last few episodes, which had become increasingly dark and ominous, reaches its pinnacle," said one of two reviews of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" printed July 12 in the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.

The darkness "may disturb younger audiences," said reviewer Gaetano Vallini.

"Death, which was a rare occurrence (in the previous Harry Potter films) is the protagonist here," which is another reason the film may not be appropriate for everyone, he said.

"As for the content, evil is never presented as fascinating or attractive in the saga, but the values of friendship and of sacrifice are highlighted. In a unique and long story of formation, through painful passages of dealing with death and loss, the hero and his companions mature from the lightheartedness of infancy to the complex reality of adulthood," he said.

Young people introduced to Harry Potter through the seven books by J.K. Rowling and the films based on them have grown with Potter and his friends, Vallini said, "and they certainly have understood that magic is only a narrative pretext useful in the battle against an unrealistic search for immortality."

In the second review, Antonio Carriero reaffirmed one point Vatican reviewers have made since the Harry Potter books first appeared in Italian: The story captured the imagination of millions of children around the world and got them reading books.

And, he said, the saga championed values that Christians and non-Christians share and provided opportunities for Christian parents to talk to their children about how those values are presented in a special way in the Bible.

Potter's archenemy, Lord Voldemort, "does not represent Satan, as it would be easy to think, but is a man who has made bad choices in his life," Carriero said.

Voldemort has chosen not to love others and sees himself as the center of the universe, he said.

Carriero said Voldemort is like many modern men and women who think they can do without God and without others, they don't believe in heaven, and yet they are the most frightened of dying.

"Eternal life is reached through death, not without it. And Harry Potter, although he never declared himself a Christian, calls on the dark magician to mend his ways, repent for what he has done and recognize the primacy of love over everything so he will not be damned for eternity," he wrote.

The "Deathly Hallows" demonstrates that "from the pure of heart like the young Harry, ready to die for his friends," come big lessons, Carriero wrote.

The film also teaches that "it's possible to change the world. It is Harry, with his inseparable friends, who demonstrates that it is possible to vanquish evil and establish peace. Power, success and an easy life do not bring the truest and deepest joys. For that we need friendship, self-giving, sacrifice and attachment to a truth that is not formed in man's image," the review said.

The story captured the imagination of millions of children around the world and got them reading books.

"Porno mags get many young men interested in photography and publishing, so they can't be ALL bad..."

And, he said, the saga championed values that Christians and non-Christians share and provided opportunities for Christian parents to talk to their children about how those values are presented in a special way in the Bible.
 

Why not just read the actual Bible to them? Takes a bit more effort than turning on the tv I guess... or perhaps it would cut out the beloved ecuмanism infecting this article... "values that Christians and non Christians share"? Anybody who actually cared about their faith wouldn't care....

Eternal life is reached through death, not without it. And Harry Potter, although he never declared himself a Christian, calls on the dark magician to mend his ways, repent for what he has done and recognize the primacy of love over everything so he will not be damned for eternity,"  

He isn't a confirmed Christian, but I was under the impression he IS a declared witch/pagan. I guess he's one of our "seperated brethren" too... somehow  :confused1:

ps sorry about the two empty posts, I screwed up while editing

And don't forget Benny XVI and his nifty little syncretist Assisi meeting this fall.

Also if JPII could kiss the satanic Koran a book that calls for the killing of Christians why not sanction a book about witchcraft. :dancing-banana:

Potter's archenemy, Lord Voldemort, "does not represent Satan, as it would be easy to think, but is a man who has made bad choices in his life," Carriero said.

Voldemort doesn't represent Satan!? He's the source of all evil in the books/movies. Oh...ya...but Satan doesn't exist (according to liberals).

As disgusting as it is, I am really not surprised the Vatican gave Harry Potter a good review. The Vatican is crawling with Freemasons. And Benedict knows there are Masons in there, why else do you think he feared for his life when he released the Motu Proprio? He's just too weak and cowardly to do anything about them.

No, Voldemort doesn't represent Satan.  He represents God, who is portrayed as Satan because Harry Potter is backwards-world.  Ever notice that the film gets you to root for witches?  Harry Potter is Satan.  Recall Harry Potter has a lightning bolt scar in his forehead, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven," etc.  

There are plenty of parallels with what's happening in the present-day.  The Death Eaters among which are found Bellatrix Lestrange represent the remnant of Catholics who are facing the onslaught of witchery.  Get it, Catholics aim for eternal life hence they are "Death Eaters."  

Now think about a film where "Death Eaters" are the bad guys... That makes the good guy -- just plain Death?

True, the Death Eaters and Voldemort are also presented as witches, but it's in the same way that Christ was considered a sorcerer by the Jєωs.    

The absurdity of the "Vatican" saying that Harry Potter is okay because it's about the conflict between good and evil is that it is never defined what "good" is.  Like in a communist propaganda film, or with an American propaganda film -- Hollywood is all propaganda all the time -- "good" is whatever we are shown to be "good."  If Harry Potter were Catholic, and Voldemort were Martin Luther, then we might have a film about truth vs. error, but as it stands, we have a nonsensical mishmash of relative morality, just like in almost all films.  But underneath it's a bunch of anti-Christ symbolism.

Not only that, but the guy who plays Harry Potter is a REALLY bad actor.  Like, the worst.

He is also a flaming ɧoɱosɛҳųαƖ who streaks around large crowds of people and rides on top of horses while naked. The man who plays that character is INCREDIBLY perverse and should be avoided at all costs.

These days it seems as though the Vatican will approve of anything BUT the Truth.  :devil2: :devil2: