Church Exorcist and Pro Life Priest Warns Against Harry Potter

[Lost_Wanderer]

As a person who has read the entire Bible (ok, almost. I’ll finish Malachi tonight and then I’ll have gone through the entire thing), I agree. 1-2 Samuel, 1 Kings, and 1-2 Maccabees, and bits of the 4 Gospels would be considered the “highlights”. Maybe Revelations.

Exodus had some impressive imagery though, if I do say so myself. The plagues and disasters of the OT certainly did well in inspiring all sorts of spells/attacks in fantasy RPGs.

I mean, you’ve got your insect swarms, your rains of fire and brimstone. Although, you would be right in saying that all pales in comparison to Revelations.

Armageddon
Apocalypse
The Four Horsemen

My goodness how many times have those terms been used in fantasy?

Unfortunately, that truly is only what? 3%? 5% of the Bible? Perhaps even less? The rest though is more religious rhetoric that’s better off studied through the eyes of a theologian or a philosopher than a literary critic.

Honestly, why can’t people see that they’re comparing a jackhammer with a chainsaw here? People like Harry Potter because of its entertainment and literary value. Such things are part of the arts and the arts are a part of human civilization. We value the arts because its another thing that makes us human, children of God.

We as Catholics however, do not value our Bible the same way because the Bible is not part of the arts. It is part of religion which too is another vital aspect of humanity. The value we have for it is based on spirituality, ethics, morality, and philosophy. Again, this is very different from how we value something for its entertainment and literariness.

 

[curlycool89]

Exodus had some impressive imagery though, if I do say so myself. The plagues and disasters of the OT certainly did well in inspiring all sorts of spells/attacks in fantasy RPGs.

I mean, you’ve got your insect swarms, your rains of fire and brimstone.

That’s why I said the second half of Exodus. The first half is excellent. The second half goes into excruciating details about the size of the arc, vestments, ect.

We as Catholics however, do not value our Bible the same way because the Bible is not part of the arts. It is part of religion which too is another vital aspect of humanity. The value we have for it is based on spirituality, ethics, morality, and philosophy. Again, this is very different from how we value something for its entertainment and literariness.

Exactly. If you spend a lot of time reading and meditating on the scriptures, you’ll find that they have vast amounts of moral and spiritual value, even if your not studying them. Same thing with scriptural books, you read them to learn and to understand.

It’s like my textbooks. I have probably over $400 worth of textbooks sitting beside me, and they have vast amounts of knowledge. Am I going to read them? No, that’s why I pay $500 to take the class and learn from someone who can teach you it in a better way then the textbook. I’m sure I could learn a lot by opening them up, but half of them are on subjects I’m not interested in, and the other one is a tome (the professor actually called it the “bible” of that area of study).

Fiction you read for entertainment. I read the Bible for spiritual reasons, and I’ve read some other spiritual writings for similar reasons. If I crack a textbook, it’s for instruction in a certain subject. A book I read just for the sake of reading. It helps me wind down at the end of the day before I go to bead. I’m not looking for themes, or morals, or anything like that (yes, I hated English in high school), I mostly read for the story: the plot, the well thought out characters, the adversity, the struggle to do something (defeat evil, win a battle, destroy a ring, whatever). Some people will probably look deeper, but I don’t really care. I read for the tale.

Does that make me a shallow reader? Maybe. Do I care? No. I’ll get over it and continue to read that way.

 

[PrayerShark]

TheRealJuliane:

Kids these days do have a hard time separating reality from fantasy, and as movies get more and more “real” - 3D, 4D, etc. this problem is going to become even worse.

Heck, you’re dead on with problems becoming worse. I don’t even know where to begin in bringing a true tesseract to the screen. Especially when you consider the 4th dimension being practically abstract and unobservable by the human eye.

 

[Mumbles140]

I would say that kids shouldn’t play around with activities like spells, witchcraft, demonology, etc. and that is what the good Fr. was talking about. Normalizing these areas, this dark reality, can cause huge problems. I fully believe in the real and present danger of demons, and opening oneself up to them is not to be toyed with. A book series like HP creates likable characters who use witchcraft in the service of good, although it is a dark power of Satan.

Have you read the books? They are not using ‘witch craft’ in the sense that is condemned in the Bible. As someone else previously noted, it is equivalent to ‘The Force’ in Star Wars.

I can imagine young people reading the HP books and then playing “spells” like in the movie, not knowing that their language might well open the door or window to real demons to come into their lives.

Actually, the ‘spells’ are simply Latin phrases for the basic action, such as raising objects. They are not incantations, mention no names, and in no way resemble ‘spells’ used by Wiccans or other pagans. And as noted previously by me, I’m sure Wiccans aren’t happy with the comparison either.

If posters here don’t believe in demons, well, I guess these things might seem harmless. In their form of a simple book or a movie, they are, but as a doorway into a very dark and dangerous realm, they are anything but.

I think everyone believes in demons and the inherent dangers of the Occult, but when you try and make Harry Potter out to be the Chief Pagan High Priest, you are actually making the Occult seem like it’s nothing.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

I think everyone believes in demons and the inherent dangers of the Occult, but when you try and make Harry Potter out to be the Chief Pagan High Priest, you are actually making the Occult seem like it’s nothing.

Good point. It kinda emphasizes how loco you’d have to be to confuse the two. Contrary to anti-Potter opinion, many of us here who defend the books (and generally, fantasy fiction) actually do have a fair idea of what real Wicca and real Neo-Paganism looks like. The way I see it? Those who insist they’re one and the same actually show ignorance of not just the books, but possibly real occult as well.

As for myself, when I hear the word magic, I’d sooner think of elemental barrages or sleight-o-hand card tricks than burning herbs and dancing in circles.

 

[bkayw]

atheism.about.com/od/harrypotter/i/witchcraft_2.htm

"The Pagan Federation in Britain has reportedly appointed a special youth officer to deal with the flood of inquiries from children who love the Harry Potter books.

Children have more trouble distinguishing reality from fantasy than adults; **because the Harry Potter books appear so rooted in real life, many may believe that the magic in the books is real and will therefore explore witchcraft, Wicca, and paganism. **

Even if J.K. Rowling didn’t set out to deliberately promote witchcraft, she certainly sympathizes with it and those sympathies have led to her create a dangerous series of books that imperil the youth of today, threatening to lead them into satanic, evil practices."

Richard Abanes writes in his book Harry Potter and the Bible:

“The whole attraction of the occult is power, excitement and entertainment, each of which is represented in the Potter series.

Rowling’s books, at the very least, will desensitize children to the dangers of occultism, which in turn may create in them a general sympathy toward a spiritually detrimental set of beliefs.

For some children, the Potter series may even spark a desire for genuine occult materials and paraphernalia.”

 

[bkayw]

7 Answers to 7 Common Questions
about Harry Potter

© Spotlight Ministries, Vincent McCann, 2003
www.spotlightministries.org.uk

spotlightministries.org.uk/hpquestions.htm

"Question 1. - “Why are some Christians warning against the Harry Potter books?”

Answer: One of the most general concerns about the books is that they tend to introduce children to the world of the occult. Children are unknowingly learning, or being conditioned to accept Witchcraft.

In Deuteronomy 18:9 God says to the Israelites, just prior to their entering the promised land: “Do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations.”

He then lists various practices that they should keep away from. Things such as child sacrifice, divination, charms, mediums, contact with the dead. All these things, as well as many other aspects of the occult, can be found in the Harry Potter books.

God says, “Do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations.” The Hebrew word for “learn” here means “to study, to become accustomed to, to instruct or train to practice.”

There can be no doubt that children are certainly becoming accustomed to occultism through these books. In fact, it would seem that there is to be a steady diet of occultism for a long time to come - Seven Harry Potter books in all, each having seven films, and seven video releases. On top of all this are the spin offs and merchandise.

Even some occultists themselves recognize that some children are being led into the occult as a result of the current interest being promoted by fictional Witchcraft. BBC News reported:

"The Pagan Federation, which represents druids and witches, says it has been “swamped” with calls following teenage programmes featuring good witches.

Speaking to BBC News Online the Pagan Federation’s Steve Paine, the high priest of a coven, said the hit US drama Buffy and the highly successful Harry Potter books were popular amongst practising witches.

“They are taken as fantasy entertainment. But they do encourage people to think about different forms of spirituality”, he said."

**The article then goes on to say that the Pagan Federation are getting about a 100 requests a month from young people, and have had to appoint a youth worker to deal with the demand. **

So the truth is, that Harry Potter (and popular fictional dramas like Buffy the Vampire Slayer) does indeed lead some children into the occult.

Question 2. - “What would you say to the objection that children are not going to become Witches or turn to the occult because of Harry Potter?”

Answer: J.K. Rowling herself, often says something like: "No child has ever come up to me and said “Miss Rowling, now that I have read the Harry Potter books, I want to become a Witch.” Whether this is true or not in J.K. Rowling’s own experience, one thing is for sure, as was seen above from the quotation from The Pagan Federation, it does certainly seem that there are some children who are thinking along these lines.

Furthermore, it would appear to me that children are certainly being conditioned to see Witchcraft in a positive light, and therefore be more ready to become involved in it when they get older.

I am convinced that many teenagers and young adults, in the next generation, will be fascinated with Witchcraft and the occult. "

 

[bkayw]

"Question 3. - “What do you say to those who claim that if there is danger in the Harry Potter books, then Christians should also be warning against reading Snow White, or even C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, or any other fairy-tales which have magic or Witches in them?”

Answer: I believe one of the main differences is that of ‘focus’.

The whole focus of Harry Potter is on Witchcraft and occultism.

Harry and his friends go to Hogwart’s Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry, all the people who teach him are accomplished occultists.

In the lessons he attends he learns, and is exposed to, real occultism. Here is a list of just some of the actual real life occultism found in the Harry Potter books -

Alchemy

Arithmancy (a Chaldean and Greek method of divination by numbers)

Astrology

Auras

Charms

Crystal ball gazing (Scrying)

Curses

Demon possession

Divination

Fortune telling

Incantations

Numerology

Palmistry

Runes

Spiritualism (Contact with the dead or Channelling)

Tea leaf reading

Another difference between Harry Potter and other children’s fantasy literature is that the Witches, as a general rule, do not normally teach the children occultism and are mostly portrayed in a negative light.

Even some Witches themselves have recognised this latter point:

"It is much rarer to hear of the “good” witch in children’s fairy tales. I

In recent years the Harry Potter books and other inventive creations are changing some of these perceptions…" (Sally Griffyn, Wiccan Wisdom Keepers, p. 10)."

 

[bkayw]

"Question 4. - “But the Witches in Harry Potter are good Witches fighting evil Witches. It is the classic tale of good verses evil. What’s wrong with that?”

Answer: There is nothing wrong with good verses evil in and of itself.

But the question of exactly where the source of a power is coming from should be questioned.

In Harry Potter, the distinction between good and evil becomes quite blurred at times.

For example, Harry apparently has some of Voldemort’s power in him. In Ollivander’s: Makers of Fine Wands shop, Harry eventually chooses a wand that is suitable for him (or more accurately, the wand chooses Harry).

After some difficulty, Mr Ollivander hands Harry a wand that is eventually right for him. Mr Ollivander finds it “very curios” that the wand that Harry finds to be right for him has a connection to Voldemort:

“I remember every wand I’ve ever sold, Mr Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother - why, its brother gave you that scar.” (Philosopher`s Stone, p. 65).

So, the implication is being made that the same power that flows through Voldemort’s wand, also flows through Harry’s wand as well.

In book two, The Chamber of Secrets, Harry discovers that he actually has some of Voldemort’s power within him, which was transferred when he was attacked as a baby (The Chamber of Secrets, p. 245).

The concept that there is a power in magick, that is neither good nor evil, black or white, is taken directly from popular modern day occultism. For example:

"Magic itself is neither good nor bad, white or black, it is a neutral force in the same way as electricity is. " (Kate West, The Real Witches Handbook: A Complete Introduction to the Craft, p. 5).

So in Harry Potter, it is not so much good verses evil, but rather dark verses darker, or occultism verses darker occultism."

 

[bkayw]

"Question 5. - “Some people object that the Harry Potter books do not teach legitimate spells, and are therefore harmless. What would you say to that?”

Answer: What the books do teach children is the concept of magick, that is to say, they learn that if they say certain words, and do certain things, they can get certain results and control people.

Harry and his friends manipulate spiritual forces to achieve these ends.

This is what casting spells and working magick is all about.

Modern day occultism is very eclectic, and many witches and occultists regularly make up their own spells.

So even though most of the formulas and wording for the spells in Harry Potter are not written in actual occult books, the principle is the same. Certain results are achieved by saying certain words and manipulating spiritual forces.

Question 6. - “Since the Harry Potter books have encouraged so many kids to read, how can we say these books are bad?”

Answer: Everyone is for children reading books and being inspired to read. But no one would say, “It doesn’t matter what children read, just as long as they are reading.”

For example, no one would pass out Stephen King horror novels in school classrooms just because it would inspire children to read! There would be an outcry!

However, some of the imagery in Harry Potter is very dark indeed and sometimes comes quite close to King’s novels.

The scene at the end of the Goblet of Fire comes to mind, where Harry’s friend, Cedric, is killed so an evil ceremony can take place, a grave is exhumed, a servants hand is cut off, and blood is taken from Harry so that Voldemort is able to rise up.

Parents would object if this was being read out of a Stephen King horror novel would they not?

Yet such a scene could easily have come from one of King’s books."

 

[bkayw]

Question 7. - “What would you say to people who say that we shouldn’t object to children reading the Harry Potter books because they know the difference between reality and fantasy?”

Answer: While it is true that Harry Potter is fiction with its flying broom sticks, flying cars, talking paintings, trolls, and elves, this does not mean that it doesn’t have themes based in reality too.

How do we really know that children who read these books are absolutely clear about what fantasy and reality is?

Many of the people who are reading these books are very young and their minds are still developing.

They are more susceptible, and vulnerable, to some of the dark and occultic themes that run through the Harry Potter books."

 

[Julianna]

Good point. It kinda emphasizes how loco you’d have to be to confuse the two. Contrary to anti-Potter opinion, many of us here who defend the books (and generally, fantasy fiction) actually do have a fair idea of what real Wicca and real Neo-Paganism looks like. The way I see it? Those who insist they’re one and the same actually show ignorance of not just the books, but possibly real occult as well.

As for myself, when I hear the word magic, I’d sooner think of elemental barrages or sleight-o-hand card tricks than burning herbs and dancing in circles.

Exactly. I guess I shouldn’t have paid attention in Literature class when we discussed and read Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Path and Lewis Caroll.

Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought –
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!’
He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Quoth the Raven…Nevermore!

 

[StevenFrancis]

The overall point of the OP is well taken. We always need to have our guard up, and spritiual warfare is real, and should be practiced by all Christians, but not for nothing I do wish to toss out one thing here.

One night of prime time television, (and especially the cable and premium networks), is more evil and dangerous to the young or spiritually weak mind then everything JK Rowling put out in her entire career. Movies, books, the whole shebang.

A night of prime time TV has a much larger audience as well, from a much larger and more diverse demographic.

If I were going to crusade about what people are putting in their minds, I’d go after ordinary daily media. The young are constantly exposed to immorality, materialism etc. on virtually everything they watch. Even what passes as “kid’s programming”. Take a look at Nikolodeon, or even Disney. Then it goes to CBS, NBC, ABC, & FOX which have horrendously dangerous content from start to finish. Then finally there is satans all out playground. MTV, VH1, FX, AMC, A&E, SHO, HBO, CMAX etc. etc. etc… How many parents per-capita in the U.S. do you expect are keeping their kids isolated from cable? How many do you think actually use their V-chips etc. The audience here at CA is going to be little skewed since this is a Catholic website, I’m giving the percentage of people who post here the benefit of the doubt of having a sense of morality, and a basic understanding of morality, and how satan works. But the CA subscribers here are a small minority of the general American populace who I talk to all the time.

In my own family’s homes, when little kids are around, I’m constantly having to be the one to say, “shouldn’t we have something else on?”. I don’t think very many people even think about it anymore. I’ve been at relative’s homes, where True Blood or Dexter have been on the TV in the background while 4 and 5 year old nephews and nieces have been playing with their toys 3 and 4 feet from the TV. I’ve had to insist that channels be changed. Topics of conversation. Types of humor, etc. It’s endless.

Just food for thought.

Not that Harry Potter is great. I just don’t see it as being the big problem. Golden Compass maybe? Okay. A little bigger argument. DaVinci Code. Even better argument about cinema and pop fiction. Theater movies and books must be sought out. TV doesn’t have to be. It is the daily background for an extraordinary number of lives.

I wish all the energy ever generated about Harry Potter, and the full force of the body of Christ would turn it’s focus to TV. We would have a LOT more impact on society, and strike a much harder blow at satan and his cronies, who are laughing at us behind our backs while we inadvertently misdirect our attentions to singular media events instead of the daily, ordinary, intellect melting, love deadening, violence, and perversion desensitizing electronic nanny sitting right there in each of our dens or living rooms, feeding malevolence by the spoonful to our loved ones and ourselves every single day.

My 2 cents.

Peace to all,

Steven

 

[distracted]

I give up, I should have known better than to talk to anyone in forums, even people who claim to follow God. All I was trying to do was explain to people that what is benign for them can be bad for others, and yet all people can do is resort to personal attacks. I really should have known better than to even try.

what is bad for one is normlly bad for another as well.

if something is sinful it DEFINTIELY is wrong for everyone… adultery is not OK for one person but not another…

Jesus said that whoever does not gather w/ Him scatters… i get the feeling HP scatters… though don’t know for sure cuz haven’t read the books… Why would i evenr want to?? After reading the Bible… other books are… well, you get my drift…

i like reading TRUE things… like what’s happening in this BHO administration… True, you can’t get the whole story from one book… so i read more than one… and i realize the authors are “biased” but that doesn’t mean they aren’t telling the truth…

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Children have more trouble distinguishing reality from fantasy than adults; **because the Harry Potter books appear so rooted in real life, many may believe that the magic in the books is real and will therefore explore witchcraft, Wicca, and paganism. **

I already heard this argument before. Unfortunately, it ignores other fiction that are “rooted in real life”.

Take X-Men for instance, I’m not going to believe I’m gonna wake up one day as a mutant now am I? How about Yu-Gi-Oh!? You think those toy Duel Disks you see in stores are actually capable of Solid Vision?

Rowling’s books, at the very least, will desensitize children to the dangers of occultism, which in turn may create in them a general sympathy toward a spiritually detrimental set of beliefs.

For some children, the Potter series may even spark a desire for genuine occult materials and paraphernalia.

Not according to Dr. Scott H. Moore, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Baylor University.

Of course, someone could manipulate the data in a self-serving way which says that the popularity of the Potter books is evidence that “interest” in witchcraft is on the rise. Logically, one can’t prove a connection by assuming the connection to be the case.

More to the point, the “magic” described in the books is exceedingly different from Wiccan “witchcraft,” which offers an aggressive “alternative lifestyle” and there is absolutely no basis for anything remotely resembling “devil worship.” The magic in Harry Potter exemplifies the magic of some of the very best Children’s literature, especially great Christian literature like that of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. In these stories there have always been witches and wizards and spells and hexes, but they do not endorse an “alternative lifestyle” that one could simply choose to follow (as the Wiccans do).

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

He then lists various practices that they should keep away from. Things such as child sacrifice, divination, charms, mediums, contact with the dead. All these things, as well as many other aspects of the occult, can be found in the Harry Potter books.

God says, “Do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations.” The Hebrew word for “learn” here means “to study, to become accustomed to, to instruct or train to practice.”

Kindly tell me how waving a wand and speaking dog Latin is the same as any practice in ancient Babylon, Greece, Egypt, Assyria etc.

You do know those were the only forms of ‘magic’ encountered by the ancient Jews… right?

Furthermore, it would appear to me that children are certainly being conditioned to see Witchcraft in a positive light, and therefore be more ready to become involved in it when they get older.

I am convinced that many teenagers and young adults, in the next generation, will be fascinated with Witchcraft and the occult.

Again, these ‘answers’ don’t answer anything at all and not even the last question (which I will deconstruct in just a bit) answers the fact that there is a distinction between fantasy and reality.

In the lessons he attends he learns, and is exposed to, real occultism. Here is a list of just some of the actual real life occultism found in the Harry Potter books -

Alchemy

Arithmancy (a Chaldean and Greek method of divination by numbers)

Astrology

Auras

Charms

Crystal ball gazing (Scrying)

Curses

Demon possession

Divination

Fortune telling

Incantations

Numerology

Palmistry

Runes

Spiritualism (Contact with the dead or Channelling)

Tea leaf reading

You are aware that Divination is actually seen as a lame, superstitious subject and that true foresight is something not even a regular witch/wizard is usually born with?

And demon possession? I don’t remember that being taught as a subject at all. Has the person ‘answering’ these questions even read the books?

As far as the other subjects are concerned, the books never so much expound upon them and hence, you can’t assume that they bear any equivalence to their real-life counterparts. This goes especially when considering the books are already so withdrawn from everything we acknowledge as reality.

As a matter of fact, I’ve seen “Alchemy” and “Runes” used plenty times as a plot device. A quick research though on their real life counterparts will result in something less appealing.

Another difference between Harry Potter and other children’s fantasy literature is that the Witches, as a general rule, do not normally teach the children occultism and are mostly portrayed in a negative light.

Wrong again. Apparently the person hasn’t read The Wizard of Oz either.

Even some Witches themselves have recognised this latter point:

"It is much rarer to hear of the “good” witch in children’s fairy tales. I

In recent years the Harry Potter books and other inventive creations are changing some of these perceptions…" (Sally Griffyn, Wiccan Wisdom Keepers, p. 10)."

Rare or not, such things are plausible in the literary realm of fiction and is, I stress, morally permissible. I’ve seen all sorts of ‘witches’ in fiction and comparing them to real life witches, I’d rather hang around the ones in fantasy.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

So in Harry Potter, it is not so much good verses evil, but rather dark verses darker, or occultism verses darker occultism.

This is still based on the presupposition that magic in fantasy is just as evil as real-life fantasy, which is a false presupposition to begin with. “Magic” in real-life only has one source and it’s through recourse to occultism. Magic in fantasy however, is generally either inherent in a certain people or just randomly zapped into someone by some non-sentient object. (It’s pretty much just like how some mutants are born with their powers whilst others acquire via scientific accidents.)

Furthermore, the belief that power in of itself as morally neutral isn’t a Wiccan or Pagan belief at all. It’s a universal philosophical concept that even Catholics acknowledge.

Power however, comes in many forms. And in fiction, these many forms can increase tenfold. What matters however, is how one uses this power. Obviously we see the difference most strongly when comparing Harry and Voldemort.

So even though most of the formulas and wording for the spells in Harry Potter are not written in actual occult books, the principle is the same. Certain results are achieved by saying certain words and manipulating spiritual forces.

Bull. Just bull. As a writer, forgive me if I judge this ‘answer’ as so wrong I’m offended by it. I’ve personally written quite a few verses myself when creating for my own fictional spells and guess what?

Nothing happens

Words are nothing but symbols and sounds strung together as a signifier pointing towards a signified. Whoever wrote this (and in fact, to the ones who also reference this) needs a crash course in semiotics.

The scene at the end of the Goblet of Fire comes to mind, where Harry’s friend, Cedric, is killed so an evil ceremony can take place, a grave is exhumed, a servants hand is cut off, and blood is taken from Harry so that Voldemort is able to rise up.

Parents would object if this was being read out of a Stephen King horror novel would they not?

Yet such a scene could easily have come from one of King’s books.

O rly? People should give Dracula a read then. There the characters drive stakes through the hearts of corpses and sever their heads.

How do we really know that children who read these books are absolutely clear about what fantasy and reality is?

Many of the people who are reading these books are very young and their minds are still developing.

They are more susceptible, and vulnerable, to some of the dark and occultic themes that run through the Harry Potter books."

Again, it all boils down to parenting. This principle doesn’t just apply to Harry Potter but anything fictional be they Avatar, Superman, The Jetsons, X-Men, Power Rangers, or even Dora the Explorer.

If a child fails to differentiate fantasy from reality, you only have yourself to blame. You heard me parents. It is YOUR fault. Quit using fiction as an excuse.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Why would i evenr want to?? After reading the Bible… other books are… well, you get my drift…

I believe you need to read what I and curlycool have said about the Bible’s entertainment value. It’s not so great.

i like reading TRUE things… like what’s happening in this BHO administration… True, you can’t get the whole story from one book… so i read more than one… and i realize the authors are “biased” but that doesn’t mean they aren’t telling the truth…

The only thing I like about reading about real events is how they enforce my cynical attitude towards reality. Politicians are failures. Poverty grips my nation. People advocating for free sex and irresponsibility. Communism getting sympathized.

Oh yes, what a wonderful real world we live in.

 

[curlycool89]

Jesus said that whoever does not gather w/ Him scatters… i get the feeling HP scatters… though don’t know for sure cuz haven’t read the books… Why would i evenr want to?? After reading the Bible… other books are… well, you get my drift…

I pray that you’ve never told someone that. If my first experience of reading was the Bible, I would probably never read something ever again. Like I said before, it took me 18 months to get through the Bible. I’ve probably read a dozen fiction books in that time (lets say an average of about 400 pages, so I’ve read approximately 4800 pages of fiction in the time it took me to read around the 1200 pages of the Bible).

The Bible is like a textbook, meant to be studies and learned from. When my textbooks are open I’m usually trying to learn or understand something (or more likely find a approximately similar example question to use as a guide for homework questions ). When I’m reading fiction, it’s not for learning; I’m just laying back and enjoying the story (the plot mostly). Obviously, you don’t read the Bible like that.

 

[Reservoir_Dog]

this thread needs a Spell o’ Closure.