Harry Potter

[Lou2U]

What many of you are choosing to ignore is that while the spells / ghosts etc. of Harry Potter are indeed fictional, they awaken REAL curiosities in the minds of children. They begin to dabble in the real thing. First, maybe with a Ouija board at a sleep-over party. Then they pick up a “spell book” at Barnes and Noble (those are big sellers nowadays…coincidence?). Before you know it, they have adopted a view that “Hey, the occult isn’t all that bad.” And WHAM! they’ve lost their Faith. It is happening all the time. Satan will infiltrate wherever he can to spread the seed of doubt and indifferentism.

I’ve read all the Harry Potter books and seen all the films. I never once thought magic was real, or that I could actually talk to dead people, or learn and use spells.

If that sort of thing does start to happen, it’s up to the parents to teach their children that it is fiction, and fantasy. The things in the books cannot be done in real life. If your child says “can I use a Ouija board?”, you say no and explain why according to your faith. If they bring home a spell book, you talk to them about how it isn’t real, and they can’t actually use them. You teach your children to separate fiction from reality.

Lou

 

[R_H_Benson]

I’ve read all the Harry Potter books and seen all the films. I never once thought magic was real, or that I could actually talk to dead people, or learn and use spells.

If that sort of thing does start to happen, it’s up to the parents to teach their children that it is fiction, and fantasy. The things in the books cannot be done in real life. If your child says “can I use a Ouija board?”, you say no and explain why according to your faith. If they bring home a spell book, you talk to them about how it isn’t real, and they can’t actually use them. You teach your children to separate fiction from reality.

Yikes. And here is another major issue and probably serves to explain why many Catholics see nothing wrong with Harry Potter: many don’t believe that spells/hexes/curses are real and therefore see no danger.

EDIT: I see that you are Agnostic, but the point still stands

 

[Lou2U]

Yikes. And here is another major issue and probably serves to explain why many Catholics see nothing wrong with Harry Potter: many don’t believe that spells/hexes/curses are real and therefore see no danger.

EDIT: I see that you are Agnostic, but the point still stands

Surely the danger is that your child is believing fantasy is reality. I don’t believe that spells are real, but if my child started acting as if they were, I would be having a long conversation with them explaining otherwise. You believe they’re real, so I presume you would be having a long conversation with them explaining why they are dangerous. That being said, there is no danger with Harry Potter, or the Lord of the Rings, or Narnia, unless someone starts to believe they are real. That’s when problems start.

Lou

 

[jilly4ski]

What many of you are choosing to ignore is that while the spells / ghosts etc. of Harry Potter are indeed fictional, they awaken REAL curiosities in the minds of children. They begin to dabble in the real thing. First, maybe with a Ouija board at a sleep-over party. Then they pick up a “spell book” at Barnes and Noble (those are big sellers nowadays…coincidence?). Before you know it, they have adopted a view that “Hey, the occult isn’t all that bad.” And WHAM! they’ve lost their Faith. It is happening all the time. Satan will infiltrate wherever he can to spread the seed of doubt and indifferentism.

Actually, I can’t see that “spell books,” Wicca, or occult things being any bigger than they were in the 90s, when tv shows like Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer were big hits with teens. In these shows, the characters actually practiced real occult magic (with impossible results, but still). Ouija was a 90s thing, glorified in scary movies and kid sleep over movies alike or in books (babysitters club).

On the other hand, kids are exposed to fantasy magic much earlier than 11 in fairy stories and fantasy. It is usually presented as either a function of the world or an innate ability (like super powers).

 

[Sarcelle]

Yikes. And here is another major issue and probably serves to explain why many Catholics see nothing wrong with Harry Potter: many don’t believe that spells/hexes/curses are real and therefore see no danger.

EDIT: I see that you are Agnostic, but the point still stands

Spells, hexes and curses are not real.

 

[jilly4ski]

Yikes. And here is another major issue and probably serves to explain why many Catholics see nothing wrong with Harry Potter: many don’t believe that spells/hexes/curses are real and therefore see no danger.

EDIT: I see that you are Agnostic, but the point still stands

I believe I asked you to define magic and sorcery earlier, but my post got missed. I believe this is why there is so much confusion in these topics. Modern people do not understand magic and what the bible and the church are saying about magic. Though, I guess if I think about it, people of earlier ages didn’t understand magic either (hence the salem witch trials). Real magic, doesn’t not give people power over the physical world. I can’t make a pact with a demon so that I can bring about fire, or make things fly. Even in the bible, when people or things were possessed by demons they acted crazy or they negatively influence others, but no where did they make it rain or create fire works.

This is also why exorcists are very careful before they begin an exorcism on someone. They first need to rule out mental or physical illness. Because, if people were just shooting fire out of their fingers, it would be easy to identify.

 

[XXI_4]

On a more simplistic note, I fail to see how Harry Potter is any worse than any of the fairy tales most of grew up with and weren’t harmed in the least. Let’s see–Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, Little Red Riding Hood, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, The Wizard of OZ, The Snow Queen to name a few. All involved witchcraft, magic, sorcery, divination of some kind, yet we view these as harmless fantasies. Should we condemn Hans Christian Andersen or Walt Disney also for promoting the occult?

This is much ado about nothing.

Don’t forget Santa with his magical elves and reindeer, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, etc.

 

[XXI_4]

Or we can stop arguing over this – again, and again, and again – and accept the fact that nothing anything you or anyone else here says is going to change anyone else’s mind.

Seriously, think about this for a moment…

Is there ANYTHING the person with the opposing view could say that would change your own well-reasoned and insightful perspective on Harry Potter?

I’m sorry to sound skeptical here, but the OP has had membership for 8 years and this is only her second post. Sounds a bit troll-like if you ask me. And some are taking the bait.

She throws out a “Harry Potter and the Catholic Church” thread and then sits back and laughs as the Catholics all start fighting with each other. :slapfight:

Don’t take the bait.

Let her rejoin the conversation and then discuss with her. Otherwise, let the thread die.

This topic has been argued to death here on CAF over the years, and I’d be willing to bet not one person’s opinion has been changed – neither among those who post or those who are just reading. You’re not “doing a service” by spreading “the truth” as you see it here.

Just my two cents.

And now I need to get back to the housework of the day – creating a tile countertop!

God bless each and every one of you abundantly!

And since the OP hasn’t made an appearance in 9 pages of replies, I’d say this is spot on.

 

[PRmerger]

Harry Potter glorifies occult practices.

No it doesn’t.

No more than Mother Goose glorifies elevation of animals above humans.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Or for that matter, looking at this picture, no more than Mother Goose glorifies Wicca.

 

[R_H_Benson]

yes

 

[PRmerger]

Because the “magical powers” in LOTR are bestowed upon certain individuals by the equivalent of a “divine mandate”

Can you cite where you get this idea from? I’ve not read of any equivalent to a “divine mandate” in LOTR.

 

[R_H_Benson]

Can you cite where you get this idea from? I’ve not read of any equivalent to a “divine mandate” in LOTR.

I’m not an expert on LOTR by any means, but it always seemed to me that the powers of the various races all had their origins in their original relationship with Iluvatar

 

[R_H_Benson]

If you wish to start a new thread about the lore of Middle Earth, that would be a great topic to discuss.

No, I have not read the occult glorifying “Harry Potter” series and never will

 

[R_H_Benson]

Have you read through the entire thread? I’ve already addressed the “American” comment I made. Also, one needn’t read something in order to make a judgment about it.

 

[R_H_Benson]

I edited my post to remove that part. But I think you understand the point I was trying to make

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Have you read through the entire thread? I’ve already addressed the “American” comment I made. Also, one needn’t read something in order to make a judgment about it. For example, one needn’t read the Koran to know that it is of Satanic origin and therefore spiritually dangerous.

WOW!! Just… WOW!!

I better write a letter to my “Comparative Religions” professor, I never knew he put my soul in danger by asking me to read books!! GASP!!

 

[R_H_Benson]

WOW!! Just… WOW!!

I better write a letter to my “Comparative Religions” professor, I never knew he put my soul in danger by asking me to read books!! GASP!!

Why would a Catholic ever take a “comparative religions” course?

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Why would a Catholic ever take a “comparative religions” course?

Why, because it fulfilled an elective requirement.

Actually, it was a fascinating class and made me appreciate my faith that much more.
I am sorry that you seem to be close-minded to learning.

 

[R_H_Benson]

Why, because it fulfilled an elective requirement.

Actually, it was a fascinating class and made me appreciate my faith that much more.
I am sorry that you seem to be close-minded to learning.

I am sorry, I just don’t see the benefit of comparing the one true Faith to false religions.

 

[Lou2U]

Why would a Catholic ever take a “comparative religions” course?

What’s wrong with taking a comparative religions course? Not everything is satanic and glorifying of the occult.

No, you don’t have to read Harry Potter to make a judgement on it, but it does help to develop your point. You say it glorifies the occult because there are ghosts and because they use spells but both of these factors are inaccurate. Ghosts are not portrayed as happy or having made the right choice, and none of the spells are real and are made up words based off other languages.

Lou