HARRY Potter author JK Rowling says she believes in the afterlife.
The Edinburgh author says she was surprised when young readers told her the books made them question their own existence.
And she admits her stories have even converted Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe to believe in life after death.
Rowling’s views on faith and spiritualism have caused controversy in the past, with some Christian groups writing her off as a witch for including spells in books.
Speaking to fan Melissa Anelli, who is currently writing ‘Harry, A History’, Rowling revealed her own thoughts on going ‘behind the veil’ an afterlife phenomenon which heavily features in the Potter books.
Rowling said: “Harry’s had a life that has been so imbued with death that he now has an uncharacteristically strong curiosity about the afterlife, especially for a boy of 15, as he is in Phoenix.
“Do I believe you go on? Yes, I do believe you go on.
“I do believe in an afterlife, although I’m absolutely doubt-ridden and always have been, but there you are.”
And she revealed Daniel Radcliffe, the actor who played the young wizard, has also shown an interest in life after death.
She added: “I had not anticipated, though really I should have done, how interested people would be to go beyond the veil.
“And lots of people, including Dan Radcliffe, wanted to go through the veil.
But then that shouldn’t surprise me because teenagers are very interested.”
Rowling, who has sold over 200 million books worldwide, sparked controversy when ‘The Sorcerer’s Stone’ was released, with some religious groups claiming the tales of wizardry and witchery were had sinister tones.
Christian group, the Reachout Trust, claimed it was ‘disappointing’ Harry Potter books were not giving children a full picture.
They said: “A concern is that much of what is said in the books is really pagan philosophy and quite anti-biblical. “In The Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry is told that there is no good and evil, only power. This also does not square up with evangelical Biblical truth.
“There we are shown that God is an absolute and has an absolute way.
“Of course JK Rowling is entitled to bring this belief out in her books but it is disappointing that a children’s book should be presenting such philosophies without any alternatives being shown.
“As Christian parents we need to be aware of such teachings within the books.”
