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It is no secret that people have long protested not only the Harry Potter books but the movies as well. Many of those people who protest do so with their religious conviction in mind. Back in 1999, an Associated Press writerreported that a group of parents wanted the books kept from classrooms.
One parent, Elizabeth Mounce, was quoted as saying, "'The books have a serious tone of death, hate, lack of respect and sheer evil.'" At the time, the school principal, Jerry Locke, asked teachers to stop reading the books in classrooms until the issue was resolved. He said, "'It's questionable whether every parent wants their child to read or be exposed to books having to do with magic and wizardry.'"
Back in late 2002, there reportedly was an Anti-Harry Potter Conference in Lewiston, Maine. About 100 people attended to watch a minister cut up a copy of a Harry Potter book. They also watched a film that drew parallels between Harry Potter and "'real'" witchcraft. The minister, Rev. Douglas Taylor, said, "'I'm against Peter Pan, the Wizard of Oz. I'm against any kind of movie or book that has a kind of magical or cultish theme to it.'" (Ahem, what about the Bible?)
Back in 2006, in Atlanta, Laura Mallory was said to think that "Harry Potter [was] something far more sinister than a fictional character." It was also reported that "as far as [she] is concerned, the books help foster the kind of culture where school shootings take place. She believes that wouldn't happen if students were reading the Bible instead." (Has she actually read the Bible? It is rich with violence!)
So, the detest for anything Harry Potter has been well established here in the states. But, now, it seems, religious folk may have yet another reason to hate Harry Potter if all their other reasons weren't enough. At least Daniel Radcliffe thinks they might.
Though many people have suspected that Daniel Radcliffe is an atheist for some time now, he confirmed it in an interview with Esquire according to a report published on the Telegraph Web site. The Harry Potter star said:
I'm an atheist, but I'm very relaxed about it. I don't preach my atheism, but I have a huge amount of respect for people like Richard Dawkins who do. Anything he does on television, I will watch.
He went on to say, jokingly:
There we go, Dan, that's half of America that's not going to see the next Harry Potter film on the back of that comment.
Comments
Good for him!
That comment actually makes me WANT to watch the film now!
This could actually get some of the younger folks out there to really start questioning things for themselves, knowing one of their heroes is an atheist. Well done, Daniel!
Testing
Needless to say, that article made MY day.
yayyyy well done dan!!! i really dnt care if your an athiest or not ill still pay for your movie XD!
I can see why so many christians would be against it but I'm a christian, and I've barely ever seen anything wrong with Harry Potter. Yes it is about witches and wizards and things like that but there are some very good moral lessons hidden in that series. I tend to think of Lord of the Rings when people slam Harry Potter for being about witchcraft. There is witchcraft in Lord of the Rings, and nobody has recently tried to ban that series... Knowing that Daniel is an atheist disappoints me, but has nothing to do with the story, which i absolutely love!!!!
i was a christian i had so much believes at least what was said and taught to me. But i grew out of it i won't say i'm an athiest but i have my own believes everyone is entitle to theirs. Religion is just to keep one on our toes something to always gives out fear! why should we fear? Hat's off to dan! he said what was in his heart!
You said you WAS a Christian! but then decided not so much ~ sadly you never had Jesus truly in your heart ! From my experience you can't just try him on for a little while then stick him back in the closet he is a whole new life . For fear I have none These end time crazy things thats got the public scared to death ,the economy, the low life way of living ,,school shootings ,crimes that are way out there& all sorts of what are we going to do things that is all over the world they don't put fear in a REAL christians heart. God is real he did create the world & everything in it Please think it over in the end you will meet him one day eitherway!
lmao good for him..about time a star admits they dont believe in god instead of lying and saying thank you god..blah blah and then popping pills, drinking and doing drugs..
Aw, that's excellent to hear. Yay for Dan! I hope he's an inspiration for other young adults.
I feel like the Americans who will be offended by his atheism were probably already offended by the books and movies anyway.
NO HE'S NOT AN ATHEST PEOPLE. I KNOW HIM HE... IS NOT.... AN ATHEST... DON'T BELIEVE THAT CRAP YOU READ HEAR ME!!!!!!!
Alright, Daniel. Thanks for being honest. I'll have to go see the next Movie every week to make up for any of those afraid of make believe. Almost too silly considering what the religious say they believe in. Skyspooks! Gives little kids nightmares.
Besides, Harry Potter Movies are about good overcoming evil. The Bible, there is some really evil stuff going on. That book really does scare people so badly, they pray daily, begging not to have to go to Hell. Which one is truly evil?
cool beans
can't wait for the new movie
Choose whom you worship be it dawkins ,radcliff or darwin, As for me i choose to and WILL worship GOD, not because i'm compelled to but out of my own free will, like the rest of them their lives are only but a vapour here to-day gone tomorrow. You choose to worship your little demigods because its the "in" thing this season next week Radcliff get saved you call him delusional what a pitifully life you must live. Eternity is at hand choose whom you worship.even now the mark of the beast be upon you (not a micro chip friends)without you knowing, eternity is at hand, many will come and say this and say that please, don't be deceived. you may still think freely, think inteligently think rationally but above all choose wisely.
This delighted me because I’m a atheist too and as much as I like the Harry Potter books I like Richard Dawkins’s books even more.
Gman - I will not WORSHIP anyone. I might admire someone or the work they've done, but no one is worthy of worship, least of all the god of the bible.
I knew there had to be a reason I liked Harry Potter. :) Explain to me though, how this story condones hate, death or evil in the slightest? The kids band together to FIGHT evil, (including the human evil of the bully at school) and show true courage and heroism, developing friendships, etc - how is that fostering anything that would promote school shootings? Some people really should be beaten with their holy book until they actually read it. In full. There's so much violence and hate in the bible it doesn't even COMPARE to any other story I've read.
"...many people have suspected that Daniel Radcliffe is an atheist..."?
Um, y'know, us atheists are not in the closet... it's not something one 'suspects' about us... what weird terminology...
@ Gman
BWHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
Are you for REAL?
Dude. Religion is sooooo middle ages/mental hospital.
My friend on the contrary its NOT about religion but freedom from religion.
Very cool. Hurrah for Daniel Radcliffe!
yes Daniel is a great guy, as well as a brilliant actor. he's got my vote. Just saddens me to think . . . . . .
nancy, if you are for real... maybe you don't know him as well as you thought you did... maybe he has a good reason not to tell you.. like expecting you to react by TYPING PANICKY MESSAGES IN ALL CAPS ON THE INTERNET
Religion is just "magic and wizardry". Making things happen with acts of consciousness alone is sureley "powerful magic" indeed. Maybe the pious are worried that the kids will learn about fantasy magic and start seeing religion in the same way--just fiction.
I really applaud Radcliffe for his courage--kind of like Harry Potter.
Anyway, faith is a vice. It's a rejection of cognition with a fantasy "spirit world" as the result.
Excellent. Maybe if more US politicians "came out" as atheists, we would one day rid ourselves of the unofficial religious test that seems to exist for anyone seeking public office here.
I'll go and see it twice to make up for one of the religious nutbags that decide not to go just because the actor is an atheist...
I guess they'll never see an Angelina Jolie, Jodie Foster, <insert other atheist actors' names> movie again or use a Microsoft product either.
felix would it have the opposite effect on you that if he were not you would not enjoy his movies. common guys give credit where credit is due
Are all Xians illiterate, or just those that comment? Go Daniel.
"Um, y'know, us atheists are not in the closet... "
Here in the US, most atheists feel they very much have to be in the closet, because even non-fundamentalists tend to freak out and imagine that an atheist is almost certain to be out robbing, killing, raping, and who knows what else. Like the gays, some of us believe that stepping out of the closet and just letting the world know that we're as ordinary and well-behaved as the rest of the world will go a long way toward diminishing this irrational fear.
Like him more and more. I'm glad this young man has some guts to take chances & be honest. Good for him!
I applaud him for being honest about it. Too many people in America are afraid of "coming out" as Atheists. Perhaps the knowledge that people they look up to are also non-believers, and this will help them understand that it's ok.
And this matters why? Who cares what anyone else believes/practices. As long as it isn't hurting anyone else, it's not anyone else's business.
Gman said: "Choose whom you worship be it dawkins ,radcliff or darwin, As for me i choose to and WILL worship GOD, not because i'm compelled to but out of my own free will"
You do nothing out of "free-will." Let me ask you something: if I say to you - 'go to the store and get me some water; you don't have to, it's your choice. But if you don't go, I'll shoot you in the face - but remember, it's your choice, because I love you.'
Is that really free will? Would you really go get me the water out of loving free-choice? Or would you go perhaps because you felt threatened? Sounds kind of like God, eh? Does he not say, "worship me or burn forever, slave!?" - and you say this is free will? It's BLACKMAIL, it has nothing to do with free-will. You are a fear-mongering tool; that's why you submit to "god".
I don't really like the movies, but I love atheists. If only people would stop stoning each other to death in the name of Gosh.
"Religions are all alike - founded upon fables and mythologies." Thomas Jefferson
"Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man." Thomas Jefferson
"The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma." Abraham Lincoln
"Lighthouses are more helpful than churches."
Benjamin Franklin
"There we go, Dan, that's half of America that's not going to see the next Harry Potter film on the back of that comment."
Oh, they'll go. They'll feel the delicious guilt they so love, their much-needed re-affirmation of the belief that they are 'fallen' and 'full of sin'.
Then they'll pray for God's forgiveness.
After all, Jesus was crucified so they could watch Harry Potter and still get into heaven.
Hi Thomas, heres praying you have a loving relationship with your DAD.
Bless you
Some of us will watch it twice now that we know this is true.
It may even boost sales.
I will tell my children whom I am raising to hopefully be atheists, they will be happy to know someone so famous and close to their hearts is an atheist. Being a young atheist in America is harsh.
"I am a Christian. I'm rooted in the Christian tradition." -- Barack Obama
Athiests in the closet????
there are places where Athiests feel they have to be in the closet????
you Athiests need to move to NJ...most of us Christian types here are more worried about everyone treating each other with respect.
Andy -- I wouldn't mind seeing another Unitarian president in my lifetime. Catering to both deist and atheist/agnostics. That would be nice to see for the USA -- some acceptance rather than tolerance or just plain sufferance of others, right?
Well, let me bring the news for you... In Denmark -my homeland- atheism is like, nothing! and Christianity is like... nothing as well!!! XXIst century people cannot be that charmed by struggles like this... I mean, after 2 wars world... is it possible to affirm that such things really exist? for GOD'S sake!
By announcing his atheism he has unwittingly, and despite his claim, preached his atheism.
"By celebrating atheism they are also celebrating a belief that their brains are primitive." - A Total Awareness website
D J Wray
I'm very proud of him for having the guts to say this. I am a Christian, and I have nothing against Atheists or any other religions. It is better for celebrities or any person not to be ashamed of their religion/non-religion. We are all just people and should not be judged by our beliefs.
I have always thought of the Harry Potter books as something good in it. I thought of the character Harry as either a Jesus-y figure, or as the everyday person going through life trying to find the truth and Voldemort as Satan or whatever. Even some of the names mean something sinister, but only the Death eaters. Lucius Malfoy's first name means "Lucifer". and the way the dark arts is shown in the books is in a way that no one likes them. when reading this kids (and adults) learn to hate Voldemort, and so when in the fourth book he comes back through an occultic ceremony, kids learn to not want to do that. seriously, i think the media needs some kid's opinions on this before they go to adults, even if they do know a lotn
W.W.H.P.D. and radcliffe are homos!
i lost respect for radcliffe...
io4vu0ny070
Atheism is all the rage today. It allows the non-believer to make up his own rules and to basically do as he pleases without consequences. I'm heartbroken that Daniel has chosen this fad that leads nowhere. At least they have their own holiday - Happy April Fools Day, Daniel.
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