Well since there was yet
threadHarry Potter, I figured I’d post this since it’s quite relevant. It amazes at how far people go to justify their ignorance.
My problem concerning the occult/magic in the Harry Potter series is twofold: (1) it is the product of an unchanged ‘adaption’ of the Western European witchcraft folklore where (1a) power comes from the Father of Lies; (2) it is written using the novel format, and more specifically the bildungsroman–which is a genre particularly effective at uniting the reader’s sympathies with the character’s progress.
As previously discussed, there is no comparison when a story takes the form of myth/legend/epic/&c. (c.f. 2) or there is a novel where the origin of the re-adapted Western European witchcraft folklore is explained (c.f. 1/1a).
This guy really likes to throw big phrases out there to confuse people when they’re besides the point. Adaptation in of itself is already a departure from the original occult by the very fact that it changes the nature of magic.
To make it simple:
Say A = B in this world.
However, someone decides to make A = N in a fantasy world.
Now A stands for the simple term, magic.
B stands for occultism, the religion of ancient Europeans and such. This involves the invocation of deities, nature spirits etc.
N however stands for a neutral force that can be channeled by certain people simply because they can. In fiction, fantasy especially, explanations aren’t all that necessary.
Okay, here’s more demonstration of the Anti-Fantasy League’s intellectual dishonesty.
But, in my defense, you’ll note that I didn’t call anyone any names. I didn’t call you obsessed–this is something you’ve said yourself. …and despite my sometimes sardonic, sometimes acerbic tone its you who’s begun to outright attack me and argue with ad hominems.
I would recommend, again, that you take this magic stuff less seriously. It doesn’t exist, and its not worth sacrificing charity over, OK?
I’m not the one obsessed with tying it to the occult and painting fans of the genre with a bad brush. Furthermore, guess who actually started calling people obsessed?
You’re way too committed to this whole magic thing, if you take personal offense over it.
Honestly, why do Catholics insist on having such profound respect for people like this?
Who are the ones usually throwing rocks at fantasy for being occult, demonic, and inappropriate fiction for even adult Catholics? What does the Anti-Fantasy League get out of pretending to be the victim here? You know where I’d be without the heckling of these people? Having a better time enjoying the genre and writing my own fantasy novel/short stories, that’s what.
Anyways, onto the next ‘point’.
No, quite the contrary–many, many restrictions are placed on the awesome power that our inventors have managed to put within the reach of the technology-using public. If you looked at the total magnitude of the power the human race wields collectively, and the total power of the average human you would probably be shocked to find out how insignificant and powerless we are.
Therefore, its not a ridiculous suggestion to ask that–despite being born with the potential to use this power–wizards/witches not use magic, if it comes from evil origins.
LOL!! As if magic is no more restrained than its technological counterpart. I suggest this guy start researching these famed law enforcement groups of fantasy worlds:
Dragon Age - The Circle of Magi
Fairy Tail - The Magic Council of Era
Magic: The Gathering - The Azorius Senate on the guild-dominated plane of Ravnica
Harry Potter - The Ministry of Magic
BlazBlue - The Norvus Orbis Librarium
Honestly, this guy claims to have read
Harry Potter yet can’t see how the ministry serves the same function with magic as our own governing bodies do with technology.
This does not even address the fact that it demeans the humanity of persons when you say they are born with something that is evil. There is a fine line between regulating the use of power and the outright suppression of it.
Here is where we see more clearly the separation between magic/superpowers and sexual orientations.
Mystical powers come with a vast range of utilization. Some people use magic to heal. Others to fight. Some use healing magic for selfish ends. Others use combat magic to actually protect people.
Sexuality just cannot compare. It’s ridiculous for both religious and secular folks to draw analogies between the magic users/mutants of fiction to homosexuals in real life.
Sexuality, while having a very special function, is still a highly limited one. You know what I see when I read bad analogies like this?
I actually used sexuality as a interchangeable or of equal value with technology–see my argument regarding technology above. That is, we have freedom in how we exercise it, and simply because we have it does not mean that all of its applications are ethically condoned–much like sexuality or being a sharpshooter. But because, like being an engineer, or a lover, or a sharpshooter, is a choice that we make from God-given freedom and God-given ability, it follows that God will judge us by them.
I see desperation. Forget grasping at straws, people like this are clawing air. It’s bad enough I’ve had people deny their original statements and then rephrase them. However, it’s even worse to persist with a bad argument and try to justify it. It’s like you’ve already shot yourself in the foot but then proceed to go at it with an M-16.
If I wanted to stop three monsters made of fire, ice, and earth respectively, who would I ask: a fellow mage or a homosexual bystander?
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