Harry Potter?!?

[bekalc]

Well, I want to add my two cents here. I want to point out that while there is magic in J.K Rowling’s book, there is one magic that she basically condemns… Divination.

The divination teachers are seen as a joke… Even the head teachers talk about how they think its ridiculous. While there is a prophecy, J. K Rowling states that she wrote the book in such a way that the prophecy comes true similar to how MacBeth’s prophecy came true… Because the character in the book choice to act on the prophecy. She wants to make it clear that people well they make their own choices…

So for the rest you have magic yes, but the thing about the magic is that these kids are born with it, if someone without magic in their bones tried to perform a spell it wouldn’t work…So its not the form of magic that anyone can gain, its more like with Gandolf where you are born with it because you simply belong to a certain race of people. For example there are children of witches and wizzards who don’t have magic whatsover, and they are called squibs. So the magic in Rowling’s book isn’t something you can pursue.

This doesn’t mean that perhaps children couldn’t perhaps be attracted to the idea of a magical world, and well with Wicca etc…So, I do see the point someone is making, but the book is portrayed as a fantasy… And there are no gods/goddess being conjured up which I believe happens in Wicca. I think that for a person with an informed conscience the books can be okay…

And for the record, its not right to compare Harry Potter to porn… No offense, but porn books and movies are pretty open about the fact that they are porn…So there is no real debate whatsover.

But Harry Potter’s book isn’t openly saying: We are trying to get kids to adopt Wicca… It’s more of a debate about whether this magic is harmless a la Tolkien’s or not harmless. And I think the only way you can truly make a decision is to read the books for yourself. Because otherwise your just reading someone else’s opinion/interpertation and really our just going with the one you like.

 

[whatevergirl]

Easily the best of the movies, whatevergirl.

The order of quality as far as the movies are concerned IMO is this:

Order of the Phoenix >>>>>>>>>> Sorcerer’s Stone > Chamber of Secrets > Prisoner of Azkaban > Goblet of Fire

book-wise:

Goblet of Fire > Sorcerer’s Stone > Order of the Phoenix > Chamber of Secrets > Prisoner of Azkaban > Half-Blood Prince

Also, I should add that I have seen many movies this summer, and that HP outclasses them all combined IMO.

Any fan of the series should come away deeply impressed

we’re seeing it today…I’ll let you know my verdict.

 

[boppaid]

Verita,

As a side note: My kids, as I said before, are not allowed to read HP or to see the movies. Trust me, their lives are not left wanting because of that…they never even noticed it…they are not nearly as attached to the world as many other kids are and I pray and hope it stays that way.

Just out of curiosity, have you ever run into a problem with them being taught this book in school? If so, how did you & the teacher handle it? I ask because I have taught this book in the public school. Thanks.

 

[boppaid]

I disagree. IMO, porn is a weapon used by satan to help lead souls astray. Likewise, I believe HP is a weapon used by satan to lead souls (mainly kids) astray. Therefore, in effect they are equal.

The Church does not agree with you. The Church says that pornography is always wrong, and should never be viewed. It does not contend that Harry Potter is. I cannot believe people are even trying to make this comparison. It doesn’t make sense to me at all.

 

[boppaid]

Let me simplify my view.
Would it hurt my kids if they did read HP? Answer: There is a slight spiritual risk; therefore there is no reason to let them read it.

So, how can you compare HP to porn?

 

[boppaid]

So, now it is okay to call a Priests a liar? See anything wrong with this picture?

Sorry to serial post, but I have to respond to this. Some priests are liars. They are only human.

 

[Biblioassistant]

I’m going to help out at our local Waldenbooks when the Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows is released even though I am not a night person and the idea of staying up till midnight is making me sleepy even now.

But for Harry, I will do it.

 

[Actress101]

I really find all this Harry Potter talk very amusing because I didn’t read the books and then shut them and say, I WANT TO BE A WITCH. What’s so wrong with Harry Potter? Would it influence children/teens to take up sorcery? Not likely. Let kids have an imagination. People can’t take imagination away from kids.

 

[adstrinity]

YOU GUYS!!! I HAVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS AMAZING BOOK A FRIEND BOUGHT FOR ME OVER THE WEEKEND.

I am still not happy about taking the Lord’s Name in vain, though…

Looking For God In Harry Potter: Is there hidden meaning in the best selling books? By John Granger.
ISBN- 10:1-4143-0634-2
ISBN- 13: 978-1-4143-0634-6
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc
2006

It is heavily Protistant-ish (not obnoxiously so, though), but, general Christian for all denominations (and touches on a bit of everything), and it explains that the books are nothing BUT Christian allegory. It is impossible to understand them more fully without this context. I urge EVERYBODY here to buy it…or at least lease it from the library (I mark up books, so, that almost was not an option for me).

I hope this is not a post that gets lost/ignored in all of this thread.

 

[KolbeMom]

It is simple really. It comes down to a daily struggle to help children maintain their faith into adulthood in a world that is contantly working to pull our kids away from Christ. HP is just another example of a culture that has turned from God and many parents see no reason to allow their kids to read them, even if the risk is fairly small, there is no need to voluntarily risk kids souls.

Power is seductive to those who do not have it (i.e. children). If a child is well grounded in their faith then maybe it is ok for them to read them. That being said, before I became Catholic, I was involved in occultism and reading Tarot cards. Those who think it all false are unfortunately mislead. Evil exists and is quite tangible if you open certain doors. Suffice it to say that dabbling in the occult - no matter how innocently one starts out - has long term consequences. If HP starts the interest for that type of power - no matter how innocent the youth’s intentions - they can very quickly be lead onto a very dangerous path. Also note that occultism and “spells” for youth to try out are everywhere - even in teen magazines. The person who taught me Tarot reading was a confirmed cradle Catholic who saw no conflict between her faith and Wiccan practices, etc. Clearly, she was mislead. Thankfully, I found the right path - or should I say, God found me - but that may not be true for everyone.

Just a cautionary word.

 

[Tom317]

Just out of curiosity, have you ever run into a problem with them being taught this book in school? If so, how did you & the teacher handle it? I ask because I have taught this book in the public school. Thanks.

No, my kids have never been required to read HP, if they ever are they will be forbidden to do so.

 

[Tom317]

The Church does not agree with you. The Church says that pornography is always wrong, and should never be viewed. It does not contend that Harry Potter is. I cannot believe people are even trying to make this comparison. It doesn’t make sense to me at all.

I was not comparing porn and HP on a moral level, I was saying that both can lead a soul astray.

 

[boppaid]

I was not comparing porn and HP on a moral level, I was saying that both can lead a soul astray.

Oh, okay. gotcha. That makes more sense to me now. (Not that I agree, but I understand where you’re coming from. I was thinking you meant they were on the same MORAL level.) Thanks for clarifying.

 

[blacktiger057]

Great series! My favorite, actually. LAST BOOK COMES OUT IN TWO DAYS! I’m really sad that this will end the series, though.

 

[Miserissima]

So, a person who deals with evil on a regular basis is not worth listening to, but uniformed laity are worthy?

Now that makes a ton os sense.

From the Interview With Father Gabriele Amorth, also linked above:

And what about Hallowe’en? The American tradition has made no inroads in Italy. "Here it is on Christmas Eve that the Satanists have their orgies. Nothing happens on October 31. But if English and American children like to dress up as witches and devils on one night of the year that is not a problem. If it is just a game, there is no harm in that.’’

Sums it up for me. Good grounding in one’s faith and a well-formed conscience are the best defense against fantastic writing that may be taken too seriously.

 

[Contarini]

Power is seductive to those who do not have it (i.e. children). If a child is well grounded in their faith then maybe it is ok for them to read them. .

Few books (except for Lord of the Rings) could possibly be more helpful for someone tempted by the seductions of power than the Harry Potter books–particularly this last one.

Edwin

 

[St_Gabriel]

It’s not much different than Bewitched…

From what I remember in Bewitched… Samantha was always trying not to use her magic to make her husband happy. Most times, we saw her only using it to fix a mess that was created by someone else (especially her relatives). She also discouraged her daughter tabatha to use magic.

I am still sitting on the fence with the HP books. Although I did manage to stay awake for the 1st movie. I haven’t seen the others (just not interested and neither are the kids) I think my kids might be still too young so I’m waiting it out. Hopefully it will not get forced on them in school cirriculum. I know a few Catholic schools that have it as part of their reading.

 

[child_of_God85]

have most of you people even read the last book? Because in the last book Harry is told that wanting to gain power is evil. There are three items he is searching for in the last book, that others have searched for before (I won’t say what they are, don’t want to give away spoilers). Others have wanted these items to become powerful. He want to find these tiems to bring down Voldemort and save the ones he loves.
You need to actually read the last book. Many Christian themes in it and truely a powerful message. More so than most kiddie books.

 

[Goth_Catholic]

I have a huge problem with it, yet that is for another thread.

Tom317,

let me direct you to this thread

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=174142

 

[Fone_Bone_2001]

This thread amuses me greatly; however, it is unfortunate that the emphasis in this thread has not been on what really counts. The talk has consistently been about whether the use of magic in the Harry Potter novels is potentially harmful.

In truth, the use of magic is irrelevant to the novels’ worldview and themes. It is simply the premise, the setting. I could go on and on about how the magical world is clearly divided from the real world in the series (regular people can never learn to do the kind of “magic” that Harry can), but that is, in truth, a side-issue.

In its worldview, themes, ideas, and plotlines, the Harry Potter novels are almost explicitly Christian. Think about the following themes:

Good and Evil: Unlike in many stories in today’s world, good and evil are clearly divided in the Harry Potter stories. Many people complain about the fact that the line between good and evil is blurred in many books/movies in the popular culture today, but in Harry Potter, good is good and evil is evil; the distinction between them is clear. The conflict between them is absolutely central to the series; furthermore, good always wins, much to the frustration of the series’ villain, Lord Voldemort. It would turn the stomach of a moral relativist to read this book; that morality is objective and that actions have consequences are beaten into the reader quite often.

Indeed, a minor villain in the first book asserts triumphantly that there is no such thing as good and evil, only to be promptly burned up because of his allegiance with evil.

And actions do have consequences in these books, contrary to what some people assert when they claim that Harry gets away with whatever he wants at school because the headmaster likes him. That’s simply not true - in the very first book, he and three friends get fifty house points each taken away from them by Professor McGonagall for sneaking out of their dormitories at night; fellow students in Gryffindor house really hate them for this. That Harry mouths off to a teacher in Order of the Phoenix lands him detention and prevents him from attending Quidditch tryouts (a Wizarding sport) - and this happens even though the teacher deserved it! Talk about ends not justifying the means…

In Harry Potter, actions have consequences, the line between good and evil is very clearly drawn, the conflict between them is central, and good wins out in the end.

Courage, Selflessness, and the Value of Self-Sacrifice: Jesus’ words that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend can find no better illustration in fiction than in the Harry Potter novels, in which self-sacrificial love is the most powerful force there is. Courage and self-sacrifice are highly prized and presented as an ultimate good. More on the series’ most extreme example of this below:

The Power of Self-Sacrificial Love: Self-sacrificial love is way more powerful than any kind of magic in the books. The very premise of the series is that when Harry Potter was a baby, the bad guy (Lord Voldemort) tried to kill him, but Harry’s mother got between them and sacrificed herself for him. Her love and her sacrifice was so powerful that the killing curse Voldemort tried to use on Harry after killing his mother rebounds and almost kills Voldemort instead. That self-sacrificial love triumphs over evil magic is a premise of the entire series.

In fact, his mother’s sacrifice is so powerful, that simply by living with his relatives every summer, Harry is able to be protected from Voldemort for the first six books. He gets away from Voldemort and/or even defeats him time and time again, even though Voldemort’s powers are far, far beyond Harry’s. Why? Because Harry has known love, and his mother’s sacrifice, along with his willingness to sacrifice for his friends is more potent than Voldemort’s wicked powers.