MEDIA SCOPE: Some Christian groups in Britain and the US have condemned the Harry Potter series of books and films as promoting the occult. Book burnings have even been a feature of protests in North America. Several hundred members of Christ Community Church sang Amazing Grace in a public book burning that targeted JK Rowling's Harry Potter books as well as Star Wars products.
The book burning was organised by Jack Brock, the church pastor, who contends that the books chronicling the adventures of a young wizard promote witchcraft and "the powers of darkness." "Harry Potter is a masterpiece of satanic deception," according to Brock.
Meanwhile, a Pennsylvanian volunteer group pulled its services from a YMCA sports event because JK Rowling's Harry Potter was actively promoted among children.
In the book of Deuteronomy, one of the Bible's books of "law" in Jewish and Christian traditions, witchcraft and sorcery are specifically condemned and Christian groups worry that the Potter craze is normalising the "dark arts".
John Monk, an editorial writer for The State in Columbia, South Carolina, said the claim that Harry Potter lures children into the occult is "poppycock".
"You might as well say Gone With The Wind teaches young readers to be slave owners, or Treasure Island entices children to be pirates, or Peter Pan urges children to run away from home," said Monk.
