Harry Potter Media

[mlchance]

Harry Potter books and movies aren’t evil, but, like anything, they can lead into bad choices resulting in sin. More importantly for the intellectual formation of children and for the quality of entertainment is this: The books are drek, and the movies are dull and poorly-made.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[KNG89]

I don’t believe Harry Potter books are evil. In fact I think they teach friendship, bravery, loyalty, doing the right thing (even if it’s not the popular thing to do), and sacrifice. (Lily gave up her life for her son, Harry, which potected him from Lord Voldemort.)

I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I’ve read all the books. Right now I’m waiting for book #7 to come out. I hope to see the movie for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix soon.

I also think Dan Radcliffe is hot.

 

[mommyof4]

I don’t believe Harry Potter books are evil. In fact I think they teach friendship, bravery, loyalty, doing the right thing (even if it’s not the popular thing to do), and sacrifice. (Lily gave up her life for her son, Harry, which potected him from Lord Voldemort.)

I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I’ve read all the books. Right now I’m waiting for book #7 to come out. I hope to see the movie for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix soon.

I also think Dan Radcliffe is hot.

Yep, I love 'em too. Just went to see Order of the Phoenix this afternoon. We’re going to the midnight release of the next book next week. Can’t wait for the new one!

 

[Nevarlander]

I don’t think they’re evil, I think they show humans being human. They’re a meh as books (haven’t read 5 and 6 and have no interest in doing so), but I went to the movie of #5 tonight and really enjoyed it. I’m also going to the release party next weekend, though I’m not actually buying a book, just going to have an excuse to stay in Borders reading manga until midnight. Then I’ll come home and check Wikipedia for what happens in the end. That’s all I really care about.

 

[child_of_God85]

I don’t think their evil. My Priest reads them and doesn’t see anything wrong with the books.

 

[Milliardo]

I voted yes but would rather the question was, “Do the Harry Potter books and movies glorify evil?” To this I say yes. The stories glorify the occult, making it very appealing to young people. Interest in the occult among adolescents has skyrocketed since Harry Potter burst onto the scene.

Here we go again. Let’s see–Lord of the Rings glorifies magic also. Can’t be good for kids. How about Cinderella? Wait–pumpkins turning into coaches; mice into footmen. It can’t be good for kids, either. There are many literature out there for kids that features magic, talking creatures, etc. They can’t be good for kids, obviously. If we take it to the extreme, the only things good for kids are (gasp) those that are more into reality–but then again reality is full of awful things. So where do you go?

 

[bekalc]

I also think that many of the people who “criticize Harry Potter” well haven’t bothered to read the books for themselves…

I have a hard time understanding why Gandalf is an “okay Wizard” but Harry Potter is a bad wizard!!!

I want to point out that nowhere in the book does it suggest you can become a witch or a wizard, from what I understand the books say that you are born that way…That basically these kids where just born with special powers…

And really there is a clear line in the book between “good magic and bad magic…” And in the end, what saves Harry isn’t necessarily magic but rather the choices Harry makes… There is also a lot of sacrifices in the book…Evil is presented as real evil, and it is also presented as incredibly cunning and deceptive.

 

[strngrnrth]

I have read only excerpts from the Harry Potter books, and from those, what concerns me is that the heroes are comfortable lying, ignoring authority, cursing and acting contemptuous to others. They seem good because they stand in contrast to extreme evil. I know the message is partly “good is better than evil”, but it seems also to include some of “it’s all relative; as long as you’re better than the worst, you’re A-OK.” Please tell me it’s not true. I want to see excerpts that show Rowling isn’t sending that message at all. I hate to think the younger generation has finally discovered books only to find them imbued with relativism.
On another note, I do know Evangelicals who are strongly against Tolkien, fairy tales and the Narnia series. They tell their kids stories from the Bible and naturalistic stories.
There are some who oppose all fiction. They believe that if we are to focus on what is true, we must avoid all that is fictional. They consider fiction “lying”. I think that is too extreme and sad.