Harry Potter?

[Exiled_Child]

I recently read the first Harry Potter novel, and I enjoyed it. What interests me is, why are modern humans so drawn to stories involving magic and witchcraft, and similarly, stories involving swords and knights and fantasy stuff like that. Those sorts of stories seem to resonate very, very deeply within us. Why is that? Is it just me, or is there just something inherently immersive about these subjects? For instance, mystery novels or crime noir stories seem to also merit the “escapist” descriptor, and yet those sorts of stories are nowhere near as immersive. Does it perhaps lend credence to theories about ancestral memories? Joseph Cambell, in one of his books, likened it to a type of hunger we all share.

 

[Bonnie]

The Harry Potter books were new when my kids were at an age to be interested in them. I heard a so much about the “evils of witchcraft” and the “real magic spells” that I decided to read one for myself.

It was something of a chore to finish as I didn’t think it was all that good, but “evil?” No way. The “real magic spells” were just Latin phrases - and often mangled Latin.

So eventually my kids read them & saw some of the movies. They weren’t much more impressed than I was and didn’t become fans, tho I think my son read all the books.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I couldn’t find any old threads on this.

Do you let your kids read/watch Harry Potter? The new illustrated version has just been released. I know that my son, a reluctant reader, would love it. However, I also remember that the pastor at the Catholic school my kids used to attend said that parents should not let their kids read it (I’m guessing it’s because of the witchcraft, but Father didn’t really specify).

What do you all think?

My search yielded 165 threads with Harry Potter in the title…

 

[pianistclare]

Harry Potter is a work of fiction.
Not a lifestyle.
Not a recruitment scheme for the devil.
Not a thing to obsess about.

People who know little about it can find loads to criticize.
It USED to be controversial until people got facts in front of them.
Now it’s just old news.

 

[Indigo_Cardinal]

Any time an ‘authority figure’ tries to say what people should or should not read, I always think of my parents who both said the only people who got to decide what they (both being adult) got to read were they themselves, and the only people who got any say in what their underage kids were forbidden to read were they themselves, and everybody else could mind their own business.

And quite frankly, I get irritated when anybody tries to ban people from reading a book. I might not like the subject matter myself, but I like the thought of somebody thinking they can order me and mine around like that even less. I care not if it’s a schoolteacher, politician, or religious figure. You don’t get to tell me what I can and cannot read, you overstep yourself when you do that, and I will smack you back in your proper place for it.

This was said in response to an adult complaining that I was reading “1984” at the age of ten. Which my parents weren’t entirely crazy about (they hadn’t realized that I’d found my mom’s copy of the book and was reading it at recess at school), but they figured I’d started reading at the age of 3 and at the age of ten, was testing out for a 12th-grade reading level, so the thought was the book was ‘challenging’ for me. (And I did understand exactly what was going on in the book.) My parents’ house is packed with books, mine is the same way.

The “Harry Potter” books are a wonderful series–they emphasize the power of love and friendship, moreso than magic. If anything, the series shows that magic can’t solve all their problems–the Weasleys are still poor. Harry’s parents are still dead. Bullying still happens. Crushes don’t necessarily end up turning out happy. “Racism” still happens (the belief that purebloods are better than muggle-borns, for example.) Magic isn’t the cure-all in the Harry Potter world, it’s just something they happen to be able to do. Love and courage is what ultimately triumphs in the Harry Potter universe. It’s too bad that some folk out there are too knee-jerk reactive and small-minded to figure this out for themselves.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Harry Potter is a work of fiction.
Not a lifestyle.
Not a recruitment scheme for the devil.
Not a thing to obsess about.

People who know little about it can find loads to criticize.
It USED to be controversial until people got facts in front of them.
Now it’s just old news.

Yes. But there is also something else. Those of us who know a lot about it can find loads to criticize too. For instance the poor poor writing style of JK. The inconsistencies in the story and the blatant pandering… The eventual "selling out"The dripping of condescension in her writing and interviews. Etc.

And without the context of proper religious instruction they can be spiritually dangerous as well. As could any book without proper religious instruction. From the Bible to Shakespeare, And though JK probably thinks she belongs in the same post that mentions the Bible and the Bard… She most certainly does not.

 

[Bonnie]

And quite frankly, I get irritated when anybody tries to ban people from reading a book.

Pretty useless, too. It gives people, especially young people, a strong hankering to read it. Maybe we should ban the Bible?

I remember way back a TV series called Room 222. It was about teachers & students. In one episode the district banned certain books. The teachers tried to fight the ban, but lost. At the end of the episode the star teacher explained to the students that certain books were banned - he then proceeded to read the list of banned books. The students were all frantically writing it all down for future reference.

 

[Josie33]

I couldn’t find any old threads on this.

Do you let your kids read/watch Harry Potter? The new illustrated version has just been released. I know that my son, a reluctant reader, would love it. However, I also remember that the pastor at the Catholic school my kids used to attend said that parents should not let their kids read it (I’m guessing it’s because of the witchcraft, but Father didn’t really specify).

What do you all think?

The priest was forewarning parents because exorcists have come out saying that Harry Potter is a soft form of occultism. Fr. Thomas J. Euteneuer, exorcist and author of Exorcism and the Church Militant explains in this interview that Harry Potter books are not simply entertainment, they lead young people into occult practices. He states that, “Harry Potter and these Twilight vampires glamorize the power of evil, and this has lead to many, many cases of possession among young people. It may begin with a child or teenager simply ‘playing around’ with the occult, but that seemingly harmless act is ‘opening a window’ to possession.”

Fr. Gabriele Amorth, a renown exorcist and author of, An Exorcist Tells His Story likewise has spoken out against Harry Potter books. “‘You start off with Harry Potter, who comes across as a likeable wizard, but you end up with the Devil. There is no doubt that the signature of the Prince of Darkness is clearly within these books.’ Furthermore he states that, '**y reading Harry Potter a young child will be drawn into magic and from there it is a simple step to Satanism and the Devil. The exorcist, with his decades of experience in directly combating evil, explained that J.K. Rowling’s books contain innumerable positive references to magic,‘the satanic art’. He noted that the books attempt to make a false distinction between black and white magic, when in fact, the distinction ‘does not exist, because magic is always a turn to the devil.’” Here’s another article where Fr. Amorth condemns the books: Harry Potter and Yoga are Evil

Furthermore, Sue Brinkmann, award winning journalist and author of Learn to Discern Compendium - Is it Christian or New Age? has this to say about Harry Potter:

1. The Books Teach Authentic Sorcery to Children

“**The spells and rituals in the Harry Potter books aren’t the figment of author J.K. Rowling’s imagination. They’re real. **For instance, in the first book alone, former occult practitioner and expert Toni Collins lists the “Sorting Ceremony” described on pages 117-122, the Body-Bind spell on page 273 and brews listed in Professor Snape’s potions class on pages 136-139, as being authentic.”

1. The Books Distort Good and Evil in the Minds of Children

“[T]he books teach children that they can resort to an evil means if it brings about a good end. One can use magic to get a girl to like them, or to punish a foe. But what the books don’t tell the child is that the forces that are harnessed with magic spells are very real, very demonic, and use of them always ends badly for the practitioner.”

1. The Books Inspire Children With A Fascination for the Occult

"Anyone who thinks Potter books don’t inspire an unhealthy fascination in the occult in children needs a reality check. The advent of the Harry Potter series unleashed an avalanche of occult fiction that are now the top selling categories in the children and teen market.

For example, Hollywood’s occult themed movies aimed at young adults, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Charmed, are all churning out paper-back series that have become the rage with young teens. Instead of reading Nancy Drew mysteries and the Babysitter’s Club, young girls are reading about Buffy’s near rape by her love-interest, Spike, or watching her die and then ‘resurrecting’ herself by climbing out of a grave.

Then there’s the controversial Goosebumps series for grade school kids and the Fear Street books for adolescents that intertwine the teen world of cheerleading and sports with supernatural evil. T-Witches contain the escapades of twin daughters of two powerful witches and Midnight Magic touts the use of tarot cards.

All this – and I have yet to even mention the latest vampire-inspired occult thriller – Twilight!

Those people who boo-hooed talk of a Potter-inspired rush to sorcery among youth (they called us hysterical back in 2001) are in dire need of a ‘come to Jesus’ moment (pun intended).

I might also add that Pope Benedict XVI is no fan of Potter or its ilk. His personal condemnation of the books was uncovered in a letter from then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to Gabriele Kuby, author of Harry Potter – Good or Evil? Apparently, Kuby sent the Cardinal a copy of her book and he responded in a letter dated March 7, 2003, in which he thanked her for the ‘instructive’ book.

‘It is good that you enlighten people about Harry Potter because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly,’ he wrote."

Sue’s article can be found here

God Bless,

Josie**

 

[pensmama87]

I would say Twilight is absolutely problematic.

But the rest of the above post is, frankly, nonsense.

 

[Lou2U]

I would say Twilight is absolutely problematic.

But the rest of the above post is, frankly, nonsense.

I agrer on both counts.

Harry Potter is fiction. It takes place in a fictional castle and involves fictional people. This is what all the people (exorcists) quoted have forgotten.

Lou

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I agrer on both counts.

Harry Potter is fiction. It takes place in a fictional castle and involves fictional people. This is what all the people (exorcists) quoted have forgotten.

Lou

Is it your contention that priests who are exorcists and who study the occult more than you and I, think that harry potter is a real boy?

 

[Sarcelle]

Ooooo, them’s fightin’ words. :nunchuk:

Actually, I’ve seen a lot more objection to Tolkien in evangelical circles, probably because his work is very Catholic. For some groups, that’s basically the same as paganism.

I have also seen more objection to Tolkien in evangelical circles. As one woman wrote in a blog, Tolkien was a hell bound Roman Catholic.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I have also seen more objection to Tolkien in evangelical circles. As one woman wrote in a blog, Tolkien was a hell bound Roman Catholic.

LOL Tolkien translated a book of the Bible…

I don’t know about the destination of his soul. But I think there are many many hell bound Catholics ahead of him. Sadly.

 

[Lou2U]

Is it your contention that priests who are exorcists and who study the occult more than you and I, think that harry potter is a real boy?

Not at all.

Nothing in Harry Potter is “authentic” because it is fictional. Just because magic is used in a positive way does not mean it leads children to become Satanists - what I meant in my previous post is that too much is being read into it. Yes, there probably are some children who wish to go to Hogwarts and do magic, but this does not mean they are interested in the occult. It means that the “spells” (as another poster noted, are not real and the words used are based on Latin) have captivated their imagination. I would argue that Twilight is much more damaging than Harry Potter in terms of children reading it, but Twilight (for all the faults it has) is also fictional and should be treated as such.

Lou

 

[JerryZ]

I very much doubt that any priest would dare to criticize J.J.R. Tolkien the Lord of the Rings.

Because the series is a Christian Apologetics work in disguise. The witchcraft that is there IS portrayed as Evil.
I highly recommend watching this video, a commentary on TLOTR by Father Barron now Bishop Barron:

(Part 1) youtube.com/watch?v=Pio5pf-Eoi8

(Part 2) youtube.com/watch?v=NSPbmWIPAN0

Also a good read and also a Christian Apologetics work is “The Chronicles of Narnia”
Again here is a commentary on it by Father now Bishop Barron

youtube.com/watch?v=dlQuYXtkx0g

youtube.com/watch?v=vWGQw8Kk16s

As far as Harry Potter perhaps this 2 videos will better inform your conscience.

Father Don Callaway on Harry Potter
youtube.com/watch?v=xDQGnB0xm_g

Also some very good insights can be gleaned here:
youtube.com/watch?v=Flhm2GXOy8Q

…

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I have also seen more objection to Tolkien in evangelical circles. As one woman wrote in a blog, Tolkien was a hell bound Roman Catholic.

LOL Tolkien translated a book of the Bible…

I don’t know about the destination of his soul. But I think there are many many hell bound Catholics ahead of him. Sadly.

 

[styrgwillidar]

The priest was forewarning parents because exorcists have come out saying that Harry Potter is a soft form of occultism. Fr. Thomas J. Euteneuer, exorcist and author of Exorcism and the Church Militant explains in this interview that Harry Potter books are not simply entertainment, they lead young people into occult practices. He states that, “Harry Potter and these Twilight vampires glamorize the power of evil, and this has lead to many, many cases of possession among young people. It may begin with a child or teenager simply ‘playing around’ with the occult, but that seemingly harmless act is ‘opening a window’ to possession.”

Fr. Gabriele Amorth, a renown exorcist and author of, An Exorcist Tells His Story likewise has spoken out against Harry Potter books. “‘You start off with Harry Potter, who comes across as a likeable wizard, but you end up with the Devil. There is no doubt that the signature of the Prince of Darkness is clearly within these books.’ Furthermore he states that, 'y reading Harry Potter a young child will be drawn into magic and from there it is a simple step to Satanism and the Devil. The exorcist, with his decades of experience in directly combating evil, explained that J.K. Rowling’s books contain innumerable positive references to magic,‘the satanic art’. He noted that the books attempt to make a false distinction between black and white magic, when in fact, the distinction ‘does not exist, because magic is always a turn to the devil.’” Here’s another article where Fr. Amorth condemns the books: Harry Potter and Yoga are Evil

Furthermore, Sue Brinkmann, award winning journalist and author of Learn to Discern Compendium - Is it Christian or New Age? has this to say about Harry Potter:

1. The Books Teach Authentic Sorcery to Children
2. The Books Distort Good and Evil in the Minds of Children
3. The Books Inspire Children With A Fascination for the Occult

R
here

God Bless,

Josie

As someone else said, there are a lot – well over 100 threads already on CAF, and it looks like this will simply rehash a lot of things. Virtually everything above has been dealt with and repudiated including the generic form letter/response sent by an office of the vatican.

OP,

Search the forums and read them, a lot of interesting perspectives.

However, if you accept the premise that magic in fiction can lead to interest in the occult, than that concern applies equally to Cinderella, Bewitched, Sleeping Beauty, Narnia series, LOTR, The Myth series, etc. etc. etc. any story with magic.

Bottom line HP series is a warning about attaching oneself to things of this world, and the consequences to our eternal soul in doing so. Your duty as a parent, IMHO, is to emphasize those points in discussing the series with your child. The villian’s over attachment to things in this life, the symbolism of those attachments- our future mortal existence on earth, family pride allegiance, romance, earthly pleasures, earthly wisdom, nature, our enemies (hence importance of forgiveness) and how it relates to Christ’s warning that whoever loves this life too much…

As Rowlings said- it is about death, the end of earthly existence and the contrast with eternity.

 

[Regina7]

My search yielded 165 threads with Harry Potter in the title…

Maybe I searched wrong. Did I need to put quotes around it?

 

[Mystrx]

I couldn’t find any old threads on this.

Do you let your kids read/watch Harry Potter? The new illustrated version has just been released. I know that my son, a reluctant reader, would love it. However, I also remember that the pastor at the Catholic school my kids used to attend said that parents should not let their kids read it (I’m guessing it’s because of the witchcraft, but Father didn’t really specify).

What do you all think?

When I have kids I’ll let them read the series. I enjoyed it quite a bit when I read through it, well the first 4 at least, they kind of went downhill form there. If the kid can distinguish reality from fantasy then he should be fine.

The series main themes are deep friendship and loyalty, honor, self sacrifice for the better good. All evildoers get their comeuppance. The magic stuff is just a bunch of fantastical elements that make for an exciting story. If he knows about the churches teachings on magic and other such things he’ll be safe. Read it with him if you like. Or read it before him just so you can be sure.

 

[Sarcelle]

I agrer on both counts.

Harry Potter is fiction. It takes place in a fictional castle and involves fictional people. This is what all the people (exorcists) quoted have forgotten.

Lou

These exorcists have not forgotten it is a work of fiction.

What they are doing is attaching a caveat for parents to be aware. Harry Potter can serve to mislead especially if the one who is reading it is someone who does not have a fully formed and mature conscience. Young children would come to mind.