Harry Potter - Good or evil?

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Shiann:
Looking for God in Harry Potter
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I had been on the fence about Harry Potter (my kids are 5 & 2 so I felt like I had some time to decide) until I read Looking for God in Harry Potterby John Granger. He’s a teacher of classical literature and a Christian father who read the books so he could tell his kids why they couldn’t read them and found the plots, themes and symbols amazingly consistent with a Christian worldview. He does address the magic issue and reminds us that CS Lewis and Tolkien had the same criticisms for their books. I have read all the books and enjoyed them, maybe not as much as LOTR, but still as fun stories. And the idea is to get kids reading instead of watching endless TV. My kids won’t read them at 11 & 12 but perhaps when they are 14 to 16. Also, since I’ve read them its yet another subject to talk about with my kids. . . What do they think of Harry “getting away” with things etc.
 
:whacky: HP is fun to watch, let the imagination go and just think what if? I would rather have my kid watch HP than sit at the computer and read “Forums” all day. The imagination is just one more thing that God has given us, just like daydreaming. So Don’t Daydream, it might lead you astray. 😛 Hello people, wake up. :coffee: Just don’t lose sight of God.:twocents:
 
JGC said:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2722077.stm

Harry Potter gained the Vatican’s seal of approval on Monday when an official said the books helped children “to see the difference between good and evil”.

“I don’t think there’s anyone in this room who grew up without fairies, magic and angels in their imaginary world,” Father Peter Fleetwood told reporters.
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That was his personal opinion as a theologian, not an official Vatican pronouncement on the book. He even said that it was his private opinion, though most newspapers didn’t report that.
 
ByzCath,

Kids imitate. Yes, they do know the difference (to a greater or lesser extent, depending on their age and maturity) between reality and fantasy, but as I recall from my childhood, the desire for a fantasy world to be real can be very strong! Given that, I would consider it easiest to just leave these books on the shelf, and look at literature that lends itself less easily to imitation. Imitation on two counts: identification with the hero, Harry, who’s character is less than heroic – kinda wishy-washy in a morally-relativistic sense, I think another reader put it – and identification with the desire for magic powers – a desire which can easily be satisfied by consulting the books on real-world witchcraft/occult on the adjacent shelves of any local bookstore… This is the greater danger, as children are naturally curious! And how does one reconcile God’s explicit commands against the practice of witchcraft, divination, etc. etc. with the title character’s main occupation? Enquiring little minds will want to know!
 
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Tessalyn:
ByzCath,

Kids imitate. Yes, they do know the difference (to a greater or lesser extent, depending on their age and maturity) between reality and fantasy, but as I recall from my childhood, the desire for a fantasy world to be real can be very strong! Given that, I would consider it easiest to just leave these books on the shelf, and look at literature that lends itself less easily to imitation. Imitation on two counts: identification with the hero, Harry, who’s character is less than heroic – kinda wishy-washy in a morally-relativistic sense, I think another reader put it – and identification with the desire for magic powers – a desire which can easily be satisfied by consulting the books on real-world witchcraft/occult on the adjacent shelves of any local bookstore… This is the greater danger, as children are naturally curious! And how does one reconcile God’s explicit commands against the practice of witchcraft, divination, etc. etc. with the title character’s main occupation? Enquiring little minds will want to know!
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Then you must also leave the Lord of the Rings and those other works discussed here on the shelf next to Harry Potter.

After all, my trip into wicca/neo-paganism/the occult started after reading those works.

Harry Potter didn’t even exist at that time.

It all comes down to parenting and teaching your children about Catholicism and God. As my parents didn’t I had to find it elsewhere.
 
I didn’t vote for any of them.

I’m reading the books with my 9 year old daughter. I was concerned about them because of all the hype about them, but quite frankly I don’t think they’re as bad as some Christians are saying. I see it being fantasy in the same vein as Bedknobs and Broomsticks or the Wizard of Oz. Both have spells and magic, why is one horrible while the others are good, wholesome fun?

I think that the normal, average kid understands that Harry Potter is fantasy. While the occasional kid might decide to dabble in sorcery because of reading Harry Potter I think that, generally speaking, Harry Potter isn’t going to be the catalyst for kids growing up in Christian homes to turn away from God in favor of witchcraft.

That’s just one person’s humble opinion.

We’re on book 4 and we haven’t hit any sex parts. Which book is that in?

In Christ,
Nancy 🙂
 
Harry Potter Books are good entertaining fiction. If people/kids allow the ideas of fiction books shape there christian beliefs they have issues.
 
For crying out loud! Harry Potter (and for that matter, the DaVinci Code) are purely fictional creations! They make good stories but it would take a fool to believe them.
 
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PilgrimJWT:
For crying out loud! Harry Potter (and for that matter, the DaVinci Code) are purely fictional creations! They make good stories but it would take a fool to believe them.
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I agree with this statement on Harry Potter, the DaVinci Code is another matter.

While the story elements, that is the murder and the characters, are fictional, the author claims that the background information is true.

So the DaVinci code is a work of fiction but is, supposedly, based in fact.
 
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ByzCath:
I agree with this statement on Harry Potter, the DaVinci Code is another matter.

While the story elements, that is the murder and the characters, are fictional, the author claims that the background information is true.

So the DaVinci code is a work of fiction but is, supposedly, based in fact.
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The Da Vinci Code is about as factual as Mohammed cycling to the moon on a bicycle. It does not even qualify as Midrashic in origin,
 
John of Woking:
The Da Vinci Code is about as factual as Mohammed cycling to the moon on a bicycle. It does not even qualify as Midrashic in origin,
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This is true but I think you missed my point.

My point is that the Harry Potter works are totally fictional in nature.

The DaVinci Code is claimed to be based in fact. This, IMHO, makes it more dangerous.
 
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Catholic4aReasn:
While the occasional kid might decide to dabble in sorcery because of reading Harry Potter I think that, generally speaking, Harry Potter isn’t going to be the catalyst for kids growing up in Christian homes to turn away from God in favor of witchcraft.
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Also keeping in mind that if a child (or anyone else) uses Harry Potter as a basis for what “magic” and “witchcraft” are and decide to “dabble” in that sort of thing, they are going to be sorely disappointed. There is no POOF something magically appears, or flies, or changes, etc…
 
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BlessedBe13:
Also keeping in mind that if a child (or anyone else) uses Harry Potter as a basis for what “magic” and “witchcraft” are and decide to “dabble” in that sort of thing, they are going to be sorely disappointed. There is no POOF something magically appears, or flies, or changes, etc…
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No in real witchcraft you end up initating yourself inot a Luciferian pact or unwittingly expose yourself to the influence of the devil and his angels
 
John of Woking:
No in real witchcraft you end up initating yourself inot a Luciferian pact or unwittingly expose yourself to the influence of the devil and his angels
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Funny, I never initiated myself into anything, nor believe in the devil. Real witchcraft deals with using the natural energies within and without of onesself. Since everything, including energy was created by God, “magic” comes from God and not Satan.
 
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Tessalyn:
ByzCath,

the hero, Harry, who’s character is less than heroic – kinda wishy-washy in a morally-relativistic sense, I think another reader put it
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People always cite this as a problem, but is anyone truly good? He is less than heroic, but he does do some heroic things. He is only supposed to be a kid afterall.
 
One of the options in the poll was “…it introduces sexuality to teens and pre-teens.”

what’s with that? I’ve never heard anything about that in the HP books before.

(i’m neither supporting or opposing the books in this post)
 
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BlessedBe13:
Funny, I never initiated myself into anything, nor believe in the devil. Real witchcraft deals with using the natural energies within and without of onesself. Since everything, including energy was created by God, “magic” comes from God and not Satan.
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Same here, when I practiced wicca I was never initiated into anything.

As I have heard said and I believe it to be true, neo-pagans/wicca worships the creation, christians worship the creator.

Many Catholics/Christians have a view of witchcraft that is medieval in nature. They only understand it from what they have been told.

True “witchcraft” as practiced today has nothing to do with christianity at all. It is not satanic. It is not demonic. It is not dealing with any such thing. I do not even think they believe in those sort of beings.

Most Catholics/Christians have never experienced any of it either, hence the belief that what goes on in the Harry Potter stories is true occult practice.
 
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ByzCath:
As I have heard said and I believe it to be true, neo-pagans/wicca worships the creation, christians worship the creator.
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Close but…from what I believe and have read, heard, etc. Wiccans worship the God and Goddess, but also believe that everything in nature (the “creation”) is blessed because the Divine is within and without everything. I do believe that some pagan religions worship nature itself.
True “witchcraft” as practiced today has nothing to do with christianity at all. It is not satanic. It is not demonic. It is not dealing with any such thing. I do not even think they believe in those sort of beings.
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That is true.
Most Catholics/Christians have never experienced any of it either, hence the belief that what goes on in the Harry Potter stories is true occult practice.
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Which is why I believe that people should research and have a better understanding of anything before either making assumptions of it, or deciding that they want to practice it.
 
All I know is my daughter hated reading until she read the first Harry Potter book. Now, many years later, she still loves to read and has gone on to more interesting reading material (AFTER reading each of the Harry Potter books at least twice). :clapping:

She and I have gone to all the movies so far…During the second one, she got a little upset with me for falling asleep in the middle of it. (It’s tough to get old…I hope I didn’t snore!) She said I’d have to see it again to get the full jist of it. :rolleyes: No, thank you. Once (or a half!) is good enough for me. I thought the books on audiotape were much better than the movies.

I don’t know what all the hullaballoo over Harry Potter is about. :confused: These are entertaining and imaginative tales. We certainly don’t take them seriously, although a friend of mine took to calling my daughter (Meg) Megamuggle for a while. They are not real, nor should they be taken as real. They are the result of a very creative imagination. Oh, that we all develop our creativity in such ways!

🙂 Peace!
 
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