Churches Burn Harry Potter at the Stake

I figured times were hard and people were having a tough time dealing with the stress, but I didn't think we were to the point where we'd be jumping off bridges and skyscrapers like what happened back in the Depression. Seems I'm wrong. Seems like the nuts are breaking out of the peanut butter jar! This time, they are "repenting" by burning evil pornography along with ...Harry Potter books!

Saturday, in a town called Shreveport, four ministers got together to hold a book burning "revival" that was supposed to reach out to the people of their city. Why is this necessary? Well, they say, look at all the recent natural disasters, a sign that we need to wake up. Oh, and they're pissed that Harry Potter can be taught in schools, but not the Bible.

"As I tore the pages, I felt a generational curse of immorality and perversion breaking off my family," Adriane Banks said. "I felt it."

But to put Harry Potter in the same category as pornography is a leap of logic that is way beyond reason. It is just plain bizarre. To do so is evidence that, not only have they not read any of the Harry Potter books, but they missed the point of the Bible as well.

Why use the reasoning that the stories within the Bible are plausible when the imaginary character of Harry Potter is not? Harry Potter isn't about magic; magic is only the setting of a child growing up moralled and idealistic despite the challenges of his harsh world.

"We have a supernatural enemy, and we need to be unified to fight."

Seems to me like they could use a few lessons from Harry Potter instead of burning him at the stake. It's no wonder that the earth is all out of whack with fundamentalists like this running around. They read the letters and miss the message.

Not to mention that it would be interesting to see just how many of their parishoners have girly magazines stashed under their matress.

My point: Effective leaders do not lead by force, by imposing their ideals and values or by threats. They lead by positive example and encouragement.