Despite media coverage that often focuses on religious controversy surrounding Harry Potter, local groups and religious organizations aren't worried about the fictional sorcerer's effects on children.

Recently, articles have popped up everywhere from Pittsburgh to Rome about the abomination that is Harry Potter -- yes, that boy with a broom, confusing youths, preventing them from going to church and listening to their parents. "People are quick to judge it because it's magic," Alyson Rhodes (sophomore-English) said.

Rhodes said she runs into these questions all the time as president of Three Broomsticks, Penn State's Harry Potter club. Rhodes said she believes those who are quick to judge have more than likely not read the books or seen the movies. "If you read it, you'll see [author J.K. Rowling] does a really good job at portraying the bad people in a negative light," she said.

Much of the debate centers on Harry Potter's magic opposing Christian beliefs, and many feel that the book contains ghosts flying around that do not appear to be in heaven or hell. Lastly, some parents are concerned that Potter is using evil to fight evil -- the magic he uses to fight the bad guys is in itself bad.

But Rhodes said the books never really say where the magic is coming from nor does Rowling delve into the beliefs of the characters, hinting at some sort of afterlife. "[J.K. Rowling] doesn't really bring religion into it at all," she said.

The Rev. George Jakopac of Our Lady of Victory Church, 820 Westerly Parkway, said he has more than 20 nieces and nephews, whose parents have differing opinions. "Some are against Harry Potter and some are OK with it," he said.

Jackopac said the church will not officially take a stand on the issue, but he paraphrased a parable from the Bible.

"Basically it's not what you absorb from society, it's what's already in your heart that matters," he said.

Sue Justice, youth coordinator at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 109 McAllister St., said she believes Harry Potter is not dangerous.

"I think that it's good that kids are reading," she said.

Justice said her children enjoy Harry Potter, and she does not see anything ideologically wrong with the books or movies.

"It's not just Harry Potter, you see Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia," she said.

Justice does not look at her kids as sponges who soak up the world's evils, and the Rev. Eric Tober of the State College Evangelical Free Church, 370 Airport Road, agreed.

"In general, any kind of true witchcraft, the church does not stand behind," he said. "I've taken my son to see the first movie, and it seemed pretty harmless to me."

Tober said there are situations where people can be swept away with the darker sides of life, but children who are raised in good homes can discern from fantasy and Satanism.

"People who do practice witchcraft say it's not the same as their religion," Rhodes said.

Three Broomsticks Vice President Megan Depew (junior-English) said there are pagans in Three Broomsticks, but religion is not debated.

Rhodes said that as a whole, she thinks the books are secular.

"Basically Harry Potter is a normal kid, despite the fact he rides on brooms," Depew said.