On the eve of the release of the new book about Harry Potter, another piece of evidence has been received that the Catholic Church does not approve of the worldwide hysteria surrounding the little wizard. \n \nOn Saturday, July 16, the sixth book by Joan Rowling, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," goes on sale in English-speaking countries. \n \nAccording to the publishers' plan, the book should appear on the shelves on the same day and hour. \n \nOn the eve of this event, talk intensified that the new Pope of the Catholic Church does not approve of the worldwide hysteria around Harry Potter. \n \nAs it turned out, Pope Benedict XVI, while still a cardinal, expressed his attitude toward the stories about the little wizard in a letter to the German writer Gabriele Kuby, who wrote the book "Harry Potter - Good or Evil?" \n \nThe Pope reminded in his letter that children should not read Harry Potter until they have absorbed Christian ideas. Otherwise, according to the Pope, Harry Potter's mythology will replace Christian values in their souls. \n \nMany believing Americans agree with the Pope. Some evangelists publicly destroy the books and seek to ban Harry Potter in school. But there are also those who say that Harry Potter is a brave and righteous person who uses his abilities for good deeds. \n \nIs Potter harmful to a child? \n \nThe British newspaper Guardian reports that in a primary school in Lincolnshire, a children's morning event dedicated to the release of "The Half-Blood Prince" was canceled. \n \nAs the newspaper writes, the children were waiting for this day like a holiday, but the school principal ordered the event canceled. As he explained, the rector of the local church began to object: according to him, the organizers were thus "trying to set the children on the path of evil." \n\nThe point was that for the holiday the children were going to gather in costumes of wizards and witches. Some parents also sent letters of protest to the school, and the festival was canceled. \n\nIn London, the book presentation was supposed to take place at King's Cross station, where, according to the book, the little wizard boarded a train to Hogwarts school. However, out of respect for those who died in the July 7 terrorist attacks (one of the explosions thundered at King's Cross station), the celebration was moved to another place. \n\nIn America, where ten million copies of the edition await meetings with buyers, an online bookstore announced that it would buy used books about Harry Potter for five dollars and resell them. \n\nAnd on most fan sites dedicated to Harry Potter, a countdown to the release of the sixth volume is underway. \n\nThe Times newspaper responds skeptically to the pomp and fuss that accompanies this event. \n\n"What is happening with you? Have you all gone mad? Is it worth getting so excited about merely a book presentation? This is not a cultural milestone event. Not a Moon landing, not an important scientific discovery," the author of the article fumes. \n\nHe gives Joan Rowling her due but reproaches her for the very mercantile "promotion" of her new work. \n\n"We know that this is merely marketing, but we flatter ourselves with the illusion that it is not so," says the author. "Why then do we await this book like white smoke from the chimney of the Vatican cathedral? We are simply being used for a commercial purpose - and we like it terribly. Perhaps because in a world deprived of Faith and culture, we try to recreate them from the garbage that fills our lives?" \n\nBut despite everything, the book "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which has not yet gone on sale, has broken records for the number of advance orders - 1.4 million have already arrived at the online store Amazon. \n