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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 17981
[Action/Protest]
Date Posted:
6/11/2007
10:00:12 am EDT
Wvox Stats
Views: 8,085
RSS: 24,294
Comments: 39
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Sorcery Sells, And The Young Are Buying
Author: Laura Mallory Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)
Title: SORCERY SELLS, AND THE YOUNG ARE BUYING
Since 2005, Laura Mallory ofLoganville has sought to have Harry Potter books removed from Gwinnett County Public Schools, going before the Gwinnett Board of Education, the Georgia Board of Education and Gwinnett County Superior Court. She is now considering taking her fight to federal court. This week, she wrote the following piece for AJC Gwinnett Opinions.
The mass media today knows all too well that "sorcery sells," and the market is none other than ... ? You guessed it — our children.
Just take a look at the flood of occult books, movies, television shows, video games, and there's no denying it. Many children and teens today, fascinated with Harry Potter, are seeking Harry's power. What exactly is Harry's power? Where does it come from? Is it just "harmless fantasy" power or perhaps something more? Let's take a closer look at the effects of Harry Potter on this generation.
Please consider this small portion of transcript taken from an NPR (National Public Radio) report done on May 13, 2004. The profile was "Teens and Wicca" on the radio show "All Things Considered:" "It's hard to know the exact numbers, but Wicca is believed to be one of the fastest-growing religions among high school and college students."
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Community Thoughts: There are 39 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Oy Vey | Jun 15th. at 12:17:02 am EDT
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Artemisia (Brunswick, Georgia) - Email Me
These are the times when I cringe to admit I live in the state of GA. After her most recent loss in court, Mallory admitted she might need a new case to continue this fight. I believe she was considering the idea that "Harry Potter" violated the separation of church and state, since witchcraft is considered a religion by some. You may commence spluttering at any time.... :)
My 65-year-old mother read "Sorcerer's Stone" about three years ago with her book club, whose membership was primarily comprised of people from her church. I asked her if they had discussed this whole business of Harry Potter enticing kids to witchcraft, and she said, yes, they had, and they agreed it was hogwash. The group found the book highly imaginative and a fun read, but the notion that it could be evil or Satanic was generally derided. Only the ignorant or highly disturbed would consider this book to be a primer on evil. Again, this was a group of church-going Christians, all with steady jobs and good social standing in their communities. They read this book for pleasure and to see what all the excitement was about.
To paraphrase a wise soul: Enjoying "Harry Potter" no more makes you a wizard than sleeping in your garage makes you a car.
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| It Came To Me Just Like That | Jun 14th. at 7:31:34 pm EDT
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Tom (Atlanta, Georgia) - Email Me
I did not realize this last night when I posted my first comment but while I was painting my living room it came to me, and I am reasonably sure it was not caused by paint fumes. Mrs. Mallory proves with this article that Capt Kangaroo was right when he said "you can fool some of the people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people all the time.
what will the xtians do when she unleashes her venom on "It's A Wonderful Life" if I'm not mistaken there is a ghost in that story.
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| Well Well Well | Jun 13th. at 10:25:49 pm EDT
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Tom (Atlanta, Georgia) - Email Me
so one persons spiritual views should dictate everyones choices. and you wonder why someone came up with the bumper sticker God save me from your people. with ministers that have such narrow minded views is it any wonder that many of our youth are looking for clarity. it is people like this that make our world the hateful and mean place that the media portrays.
i can only hope that these and all who are looking find something that will fulfill them just as i did. i like to tell people that "if you are looking for Wicca it will find you and if Wicca is looking for you it will find you.
lets all put forth some healing energy that people who must trash others beliefs one day become comfortable with themselves enough to understand "and it harm none, do as you will"
Blessed be
Tom
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| I'm ALL In!!! | Jun 13th. at 4:16:07 pm EDT
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Midnight Sun (Logan, Utah) - Email Me
I don't know about you, but I get all my faith ideals from Harry Potter, and it's working for me great! (I'm being sarcastic, don't freak out.) Seems to me that if I wanted pseudo-news, then I might read this, but only at that point. I'm on summer break, so I thought I might as well. Very informative, relevant, and possibly the most poignant work I've ever read
Cheers everybody!
Midnight Sun
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| This Is NUTS!!! | Jun 13th. at 2:35:33 pm EDT
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Lady Catherine (West Palm Beach, Florida) - Email Me
This kills me! This article says the school and the governement are anti-christian.. what is this author smoking? Almost every leader in the school or political system is christian (or Jewish, which is somehoe acceptable though pagans are not!) I don't know how she can believe that our country is anti-christian. The media is only doing what brings in the profits, just like sex and violence sells- it has nothing to do with religion just money!
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| Here We Go Again | Jun 13th. at 5:28:03 am EDT
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Moonlight Wolf (Bradford, England) - Email Me
Another anti-Harry Potter piece by someone who has not actually read the books and cannot be bothered actually doing any research. What does she know about Harry Potter? What does she know about Witchcraft? Heck, where does she mention parental responsibility for teaching kids the difference between fact and fiction.
I remember an article where a teacher who was going to listen to schoolchildren read wouldn't allow a girl to read out Harry Potter because of her religion. She even told the little girl that she did not want to hear anything about Witchcraft. The teacher was dismissed from her post. She claimed it was discrimination but lost her case because the school said that her behaviour was inapproprite.
Harry gets criticised in the UK for simply being a rather poor work of literaure but at least it gets the kids reading. (I could write better than JK Rowling however- not that I would want to write the next Harry Potter, which is simply just takes after The Worst Witch.)
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| #2 | Jun 12th. at 11:19:19 pm EDT
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Azuris-Raen (Austin, Texas) - Email Me
I guess that was bashing huh well I didn't mean to go that far. I was just venting some of the frusration I had, shes still a retard thought. : P
Brighest Blessings and May the Light Protect Thee! ^_^
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| What A Retard | Jun 12th. at 11:05:56 pm EDT
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Azuris-Raen (Austin, Texas) - Email Me - Web
Harry Potter is awsome and it came in the right time of age to make an impact. I have The Craft on DVD and I watched the version with the comentary and they said that the movie is rated R because the characters were using magic, that was in '96. Harry Potter came out in '99 (?right?) and it was PG material (books not movies) . 3 friggen years later.
I was born a Catholic and around 14, I realisied that christianity in general stole ideas from pagan religions and changed the name of them and moved things around a bit to disassociate themselves with the pagan original versions. I was tired of being told what I can or cannot do or think so I started my soul searching. Now 9 years later I am more spiritually mature then any xtian, using their closed minded propaganda to shovel BS down peoples' throats. The xian church my family went to had :
50% why you should donate 1/10 of your income to the church.
30% of there BSed excuse for music
20% of actual preaching sermons
This is from one of the leading xian churches in the Austin metro btw.
The preacher accuatly said that the more money you donate to his church, God will repay you equally. Translation: The more money you donate to my church the better seat you get in Heaven...WHAT A LOAD OF BS!!!!!
Phew! kind-of off subject, my bad. I was just trying to stregthen my emphasis about how todays' xians are being lied to and robbed. Personally I feel bad for them because they will probably never know the truth about the church. And then some crazy preacher is going to tell them that a book is evil and that if you read one word of it you get a one way ticket to hell. Appearently you have NO imagination. BESIDES NO HUMAN ON EARTH WILL EVER ( AND I DO MEAN EVER ) BE ABLE TO WITHHOLD YOUR RETARDED EXCUSE FOR ENTRY INTO HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!. (hack... sore throat, too much yelling) . If you want to find out for yourself look-up the magizine Awake! or Watchtower and see the BS for yourself.
I do hope she shuts up soon its getting pretty annoying.
Brighest Blessings and May the Light Protect Thee! ^_^
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| Just A Sec... | Jun 12th. at 9:19:12 pm EDT
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Tails Kitsune (Palm harbor, Florida) - Email Me
*Bangs head on desk repeatedly* ok im done.. Harry potter gets kids to read and use there imaginations.. it seems Laura Mallory is Afraid of that and hates anything that lets people use there imaginations.. shure i wish i could cast spells not like harry potter but like lina inverse. Watch The anime Called "slayers"
From, Tails kitsune
P.S. Fire ball!
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| I'm Gonna SAY It!!! | Jun 12th. at 1:56:13 pm EDT
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Moro NightBird (Carbondale, Illinois) - Email Me
Harry Potter sparked the flame of my interest in WitchCraft and Wizardry!!! Also, My interest began With a bunch of other movies and books like Never Ending Story, Swan Lake, Rock n' Rule, Gargoyles, My FREAKIN Little Pony, Mortal Kombat, X-Men, ANY book by Bruce Coville, and SOOOOOOO many Others!!!! I have ALWAYS BELIEVED IN MAGYK!!! And I would gladly die every incarnated life of mine for a thousand incarnations, Just for Magyk. No amount of thier BS could EVER convince me otherwise, NO amount of xian BS will ever make a difference against me, for what are they? Did MAGYK SHAPE THIER LIVES AND SPIRITS AND HEARTS? NO!!! But Me Magyk did!!! And Magyk is real, not made up.
So there it is people: Whatever you are, whoever you are, whoever you were or will become, No matter how you began, or what shaped you, MAGYK ALWAYS IS. Believe it, take it, it's yours, make your own Destiny from the broken peices of other stories, and make it strong and well. It's always been there for you, so take it.
Mischief, Magyk, Love, and Penguins,
Moro NightBird
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| Here It Is.... | Jun 12th. at 10:29:00 am EDT
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stalkingwolf (Bullhead City, Arizona) - Email Me
We have passed the " end of times". The age of Pisces has ended, that age that required People to
"be told what to believe". We are now in the age of Aquarius, the time when People seek the truth on their own. Fundievangelists like Mallory dont like it. They
dont like people asking questions that they cant answer or that they think are contrary to their "revealed truths.
It is instructive that she uses quotes from 9 - 11 year olds. I remember when I was that age, I wanted to be just like Roy Rogers and The Lone Ranger. Later in life after Meeting Clayton Moore and knowing Roy for
many years I knew for certain fact that If I could do a fraction of the good that they did I could die happy.
Perhaps the young ones are leaving the xian churches in herds it is because they are are finding
at even younger ages that the " free will" so oft preached about has many ropes attached to it.
It is also possible that the young people have become aware of the prevading " Do as I say, not as I do"
principal of the faith.
With the overwhelming cases of Child Molestation, Bigamy, adultry, bigotry, and other "sins du jure commited by the priesthood/ministry, perhaps the young ones are just seeking people that actually "
practice what they preach."
At one point in history there were 2 popes andall of europe had been excommunicated by one or the other. It was determined by one of them that the knights who raped and killed a group of Nuns that supported the other pope had committed NO SIN.
The reason they had committed no sin was given as " The order of Nuns had been excommunicated" and had no protection under HIS churches law. Then you have the Albiginsean crusade where 10s of thousands were killed. It is
from this crusade that the ever popular " Kill them
ALL, God will know his own." comes.
I could go on but in the interest of brevity (:D) I wont.
Perhaps the young are simply tired of the lies and
misinformation.
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| OF COURSE.... | Jun 12th. at 4:33:19 am EDT
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Whitewolf (Schenectady, New York) - Email Me
sorcery is selling! Todays young people are getting tired of the same ol' hackneyed, smelly drivel that the xtian church has been spouting since it got started!
You're a sinner
You're no good
You're a sinner
You're no good....
People get tired of hearing the same bulls*** over and over and over again! I know I did, and the situation is only DOUBLE if you're female. Today's young people are looking for something that makes them feel included and WANTED. I myself never felt wanted in the xtian church, thats' why I left.... and it gives the individual control of their own path. I say, if a young person wants to investigate sorcery, let 'em!
Love to all
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| Honestly...... | Jun 12th. at 12:21:03 am EDT
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Elwin Shadowstrider (Bartlett, Tennessee) - Email Me
where does think she is going with this tripe? To state that there is an "anti-xtian" environment is really pushing it; she needs to try being a Pagan in today's world. As far as her statement that by reading or seeing the Harry Potter movies that kids were more likely to "experiment" with the occult or psychic activities than those kids who did not read the books or see the movies. Well, I was into all this long before Harry Potter, long before I embraced Wicca. I, like today's kids, was searching, keeping my options open, trying to find what worked and what didn't work for me. What is so harmful in that?
As far as being "evil,malicious,full of envy,murderers,back-biters....etc" run that by me again, in English please? Since I have returned to the Old Ones I have found Pagans to be some of the most peaceful peoples I have ever met, the most loving, the most helpful, as far as the above mentioned foul traits, well, haven't seen it yet, don't really think I will either.
Yet, I still am waiting to see the realization from this person that she has yet to read the books from my understanding, how can she be so headstrong against something she has yet to read? If one were to formulate an honest opinion on something,look into yourself before jumping up and down over it. She has also yet to see the separation of church and state here as well. Harry isn't being taught in my son's school, it isn't text, it's a story, nothing more, nothing less. Why is she pushing the xtian bible when it is more than obvious that it won't be taught there either? I find this person's arrogance rather amusing; she spends tons of money fighting something she won't win and ties up valuable court system time for her opinions, well, hers and her supporters at any rate. She has her opinions, by the laws of the U.S. she is entitled to her opinions, the first amendment guarantees this. There are other's whose opinions are just as valid as hers, why should we take hers over our own? Because she thinks she is "right"? When the dust settles from all of this, we as Pagans, will see that this has been directed at us, her crusade, and also in the end she will see that we will not be swayed from what we see as right.
Brightest Blessings to all!!
Elwin Shadowstrider ) O (
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| We Are The Real Target | Jun 11th. at 8:02:44 pm EDT
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arinna (Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina) - Email Me
What's her real beef with Harry Potter? She gives it away when she mentions Wicca being the fastest growing religion. The only reason she goes after Harry is because there aren't any Silver Ravenwolf books on the shelves. Luckily this proves that the schools are not in fact promoting our religion at all or else she would not have to target a fictional book containing only make believe magic that makes no mention at all of even a single reality based Pagan ritual or holiday or diety.
She will lose her case. It's too bad that she's not likely to shut up about it even then.
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| Hey Condeming Harry Potter Has Made Her Famous | Jun 11th. at 7:40:05 pm EDT
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Christopher Blackwell (Deming, New Mexico) - Email Me
Laura Mallory has been a minister for some time and was unknown to most people. In ministry, like other professions, success can be rated on your fame and earning power. Not all ministers go this route, but look at the millions of dollars raised by TV ministers, and their own fancy lifestyle, by selling anger and fear, sometimes hate.
Since she started her crusade against Harry Potter she something of a media darling with a certain level of fame. I am sure it has improved her career as a religious writer in various newspapers as she is a famous minister now. Go to her web site and see how Harry Potter is become her main thing. Fear of rising witchcraft will no doubt encourage more people to send money to her ministry.
So whether she really believes this stuff, or not, it has been very good for her ministerial career. That being the case, I imagine she will keep milking the religious right fear campaign against Harry Potter and Wicca.
Now what I wonder is what she will used next when the Harry Potter series is history.
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