Edward, Jacob, Harry, Ron and Hermione might have all had relatively happy endings in their respective books, but a pastor from Tennessee encouraged people to bring about their demise recently at a dramatic book-burning event.
The event was held by conservative pastor Greg Locke of the Global Vision Bible Church in the city of Mt Juliet, outside of Nashville, Tennessee, on Wednesday, February 2.
Locke invited his congregation to bring along popular fantasy titles such as Harry Potter and Twilight as well as other things supposedly related to the supernatural, spanning everything from 'tarot cards, Ouija boards, healing crystals, idol statues, spell books and everything else tied to the occult'.
In a post shared on Instagram ahead of the event, Locke explained that the book-burning came as part of a 'continued series on deliverance from demons'.
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He stressed that 'witchcraft and accursed things' must be destroyed in the fire and that his followers must 'stop allowing demonic influences into your home'.
Alongside a picture of a huge fire, Locke added: 'Bring all your Harry Potter stuff. Laugh all you will haters. I don’t care. IT’S WITCHCRAFT 100%. All your “Twilight” books and movies. That mess is full of spells, demonism, shape-shifting and occultism... If you think we’re crazy, then scroll on. We’re exposing the Kingdom of Darkness for what it is. It’s time for people to be delivered.'
The pastor suggested he had been met with backlash as he wrote of people wanting to 'come to the church, break out their witchcraft and open their Ouija boards while we celebrate', but made clear he wouldn't let that happen by adding: 'Well, hear me, you’re welcome to come but I PROMISE I WILL walk over, pray over each of you, snatch that evil garbage out of your hands and burn it right in front of your face. We WILL NOT TOLERATE witchcraft and we will not be compromising with devil worshippers.'
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Footage of the event was livestreamed on Facebook on Wednesday, showing members of the congregation throwing books and other 'demonic' items into the fire in the church's car park.
In video footage cited by The Independent, the pastor told his congregation they had a 'Constitutional right and a Biblical right' to carry out the event.
He continued: 'We have a burn permit, but even without one a church has a religious right to burn occultic materials that they deem are a threat to their religious rights and freedoms and belief system.'
At least one counter protestor is said to have hit back at the book burning by throwing a Bible on to the fire.
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Topics: US News, Harry Potter
Emily Brown