Pope slams Harry Potter books
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The Pope has criticised the Harry Potter books, saying they "distort Christianity in the soul", according to two letters published online.[/font]
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The comments were made to the German author of Harry Potter - Good or Evil? - which criticises JK Rowling's stories.[/font]
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Gabriele Kuby sent the German pontiff a copy of the book in 2003, when he was still a cardinal, and his replies have now been published.[/font]
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"It is good that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because these are subtle seductions which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly," he wrote.[/font]
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He also thanked Kuby for her "instructive" book, in which she says the Potter series corrupts the hearts of the young, preventing them from developing a sense of good and evil.[/font]
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In a second letter sent two months later, the Pope "gladly" gave his permission for Kuby to make his judgment public.[/font]
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The Vatican had previously given the books an apparent seal of approval.[/font]
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At a press conference in 2003, senior official, Father Peter Fleetwood, said he did not see any problem with the books.[/font]
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"I don't think there's anyone in this room who grew up without fairies, magic and angels in their imaginary world," he said.[/font]
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"They help children to see the difference between good and evil."[/font]
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will be unveiled at midnight on July 16.[/font]