Roxanne Powell
Senior Content Editor
As a long-standing member of the Pilates community and a proud member of the Harry Potter generation, my hackles rise up whenever someone calls either of them, including Yoga, evil.
But that is exactly what Father Gabriele Amorth, former chief exorcist of the Vatican, said about each of them. He claims yoga is not the grounding, strengthening practice we think it is–not really. Apparently, it is a Satanic practice because it will lead all of those who practice it to Hinduism, and “all eastern religions are based on a false belief in reincarnation.”
Father Amorth was invited to a film festival in Umbria, where he helped introduce The Rite. The film starred Sir Anthony Hopkins as a Jesuit priest. He told attendees that “Practising yoga is Satanic, it leads to evil just like reading Harry Potter.”
So to be clear, JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books are also off your “Must-Read” list. The 88-year-old priest is a member of the International Association of Exorcists, founded in 1990. The group’s favorite film is The Exorsist (surprise!) and they believe that Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and the rest of the popular series are leading our children and some impressionable teens into the dark arts.
I mean, I want to take Professor Lupin’s Defense Against the Dark Arts class, too, but that doesn’t make me evil.
“In Harry Potter the Devil acts in a crafty and covert manner, under the guise of extraordinary powers, magic spells and curses,” Father Amorth stated.
While definite similarities can be drawn between Lord Voldemort and certain historical and biblical figures, it is not for one person to decide whether it is evil or not. As for Yoga: wanting to improve yourself through another type of practice does not mean you will convert. If anything, it opens your mind and makes you more accepting toward others.
What do you think? Is Father Amorth right about the evil natures of Harry Potter and Yoga, or not? Let us know in the comments!
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