<P> While some evangelical Christians consider Harry Potter related to Satanism, a poll in 2000 indicated that this position remains a minority view . Seven percent of Americans who have heard of the books have a negative view of them, with 52 percent having a positive opinion and the remaining 41 percent unsure . This compares with 33 percent of Americans who identify themselves as Evangelical and 39 percent who take the Bible literally . In 2001 the Alamogordo Christ Community Church in New Mexico burned hundreds of copies of the Harry Potter books . Jack Brock, leader of the church, said the books were an abomination because they inspired children to study the occult . He and his followers admitted they have never read any of the books, and tossed in some Stephen King novels . Venezuelan scholar Fernando Baez, in a study of the history of censorship and book destruction commented, "There is more than one way to destroy a book, upon being denied a city permit to burn books, the Rev. Douglas Taylor in Lewiston, Maine, has held several annual gatherings at which he cuts the Potter books up with scissors ." </P> <P> Some evangelicals have supported the Potter books: evangelical author Connie Neal, in her books, What's a Christian to Do with Harry Potter?, The Gospel According to Harry Potter, and Wizards, Wardrobes, and Wookiees: Navigating Good and Evil in Harry Potter, Narnia, and Star Wars, wrote that the books preach Christian values and can be used to educate children in Christian tenets . Mike Hertenstein of Cornerstone magazine, in his article "Harry Potter vs the Muggles, Myth, Magic & Joy," uses the term' Muggles,' used in the books to describe non-magical humans, to describe Christians without imagination . Christianity Today published an editorial in favour of the books in January 2000, calling the series a "Book of Virtues" and averring that although "modern witchcraft is indeed an ensnaring, seductive false religion that we must protect our children from," this does not represent the Potter books, which have "wonderful examples of compassion, loyalty, courage, friendship, and even self - sacrifice ." Italian Methodist minister Peter Ciaccio analysed the relationship between J.K. Rowling's work and Christian theology, stating that the Harry Potter series is the positive outcome of the encounter of the Jewish - Christian tradition with other important features of the Western cultural heritage (namely Celtic, Nordic and Classical). </P> <P> The Catholic Church has taken no official position on the books, but various Catholics, including officials of the Roman Curia, the hierarchy, and other official bodies have presented mixed views on the subject . </P> <P> Beginning in 2001, Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, has occasionally written on the Harry Potter series in his regular column in The Sunday Telegraph . In his columns, he praised the books for displaying values that are "deeply compatible with Christianity ." In his book Be Not Afraid, Pell praised the books as having a "good dose of moral truth" and for being "a good yarn ." </P>

Where is harry potter banned in the us