A memoir by George W Bush‘s former speechwriter claims that Bush administration officials objected to giving JK Rowling a presidential medal of freedom on the grounds that her Harry Potter books “encouraged witchcraft”.

Latimer, whose memoir Speech-Less: Tales of a White House Survivor was published last week by Crown in the US, says that the “narrow thinking” of “people in the White House” led them “to actually object to giving the author JK Rowling a presidential medal because the Harry Potter books encouraged witchcraft“.

See also: Harry Potter is converting Christian critics, Christian themes abound in Potter and How the boy wizard won over religious critics — and the deeper meaning theologians now see in his tale

Interviewer Cynthia McFadden asked Bush if the Bible was literally true.

“You know. Probably not. … No, I’m not a literalist…”

The president also said that he prays to the same God as those with different religious beliefs.

Today’s issue of RNB QuickLinks brings you Satanic bikinis vs. full-body swimwear (yes, we’re talking Islam, of course), atheists upset at being shunned by an interfaith service, religious freedom, hell, Scientology whistleblowers and BB King…

Anonymous vs. Scientology, Interview with the former vampire, religion-motivated littering, Bahai, and sundry other items of possible interest.

A new Religion News Blog feature.