Is is wrong to read Harry Potter?

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White_Peony

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I talked to a priest friend of mine, and he said he wouldn’t like me to because it draws so many teens into wiccaism (I probably didn’t spell that right, but you know what I mean.). I’m definately not gonna convert any time soon (I’ll die before that happens. I ❤️ Catholicism!). What do you think?
 
I don’t see any wiccaism in the Harry Potter books. It is a fantasy like Mary Poppins and all of the fairy tales we read as children. There is no worship of gods and godesses, no worship of nature, and the only holiday which is mentioned in the books is Christmas - not a pagan feast.

Personally, I see Harry as the unwilling victim of evil and his fight for good through the power of love. Is it a Christian allegory? I don’t know. JK Rowling says no but she is a Christian.

I know of two priests, both Franciscan, who loved the Harry Potter books.
 
White_Peony said:
I talked to a priest friend of mine, and he said he wouldn’t like me to because it draws so many teens into wiccaism (I probably didn’t spell that right, but you know what I mean.). I’m definately not gonna convert any time soon (I’ll die before that happens. I ❤️ Catholicism!). What do you think?
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Check out this thread ‘Harry Potter and yoga are evil’, says Catholic Church exorcist in the News section. there is a lengthy debate going on about Harry Potter.

But the more important question in my mind is this: if you priest said he would rather you didn’t, why are you coming on here to an anonymous internet forum filled with strangers and asking them? Listen to your priest!
 
No, it’s perfectly fine to read it. Remember that people with too much time on their hands and an interest in bullying others and telling them what to do can make virtually anything sound sinful.

I’m not a fan of the books, I tried reading the first but couldn’t get into it. Having said that, I’m not stupid or biased against them. Read away.
 
White_Peony said:
I talked to a priest friend of mine, and he said he wouldn’t like me to because it draws so many teens into wiccaism (I probably didn’t spell that right, but you know what I mean.). I’m definately not gonna convert any time soon (I’ll die before that happens. I ❤️ Catholicism!). What do you think?
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I don’t see the connection between Harry Potter and Wicca. 🤷

I think that as long as you know that the magic is not real, and you’re not compelled to seek out such magic or other forms of it, it’s fine. I love the Harry Potter books and movies.
 
Without knowing why your priest friend said the things he did or knowing anything about you, I guess I have some questions.
  1. Do you read other fantasy novels that have ‘magic’ in them?
  2. Do you have trouble telling the difference between fantasy and reality?
  3. Are you prone to spiritual influence and like to think that you are being attacked by the devil, etc?
  4. Do you have close influences that practice occult magic or are Wiccans, such as a close friend or relative?
If your answer to number 1 is yes, and you have no problems being led into occult magic from watching Disney movies or reading other magic books…

And all your answers the 2-4 are no, then you should be able to read Harry Potter without any problems.

Especially now that you are warned about the danger, you should be able to spot any potential dangers and avoid them.

Another approach would be to speak with the priest again, and see why he thinks kids are being led into the occult by Harry Potter, to me (a person who has read the series) it seems like a pretty outrageous claim, as wiccan and occult magic are (as someone else on this forum said) aesthetically and fundamentally different.
 
There are certainly those who shouldn’t read them, especially those with a history or some sort of predisposition towards the occult. But saying that nobody should is like saying that nobody should drink alcohol because some people are alcoholics.

I read them and enjoyed them while vetting them for my 10 year old to read.
 
Rence said:
I don’t see the connection between Harry Potter and Wicca. 🤷

I think that as long as you know that the magic is not real, and you’re not compelled to seek out such magic or other forms of it, it’s fine. I love the Harry Potter books and movies.
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Ignore whatever Rence says. She’s under the influence of a magic spell!

😛

(just kidding! In reality Rence and I BFFS and quite happy! ;))
 
White Peony, I see in your profile that you are a teenager who is discerning a vocation. I want to reiterate what I said above–your priest knows you personally and likely had a good reason to advise you (individually) against reading HP. if you have questions about that advice, you should seek his counsel. not ours.

May God bless you and guide your discernment.
 
No, I don’t think anything is wrong with reading Harry Potter or any other fantasy as an adult. Harry Potter is one of the more objectionable fantasies in my mind, but that has much less to do with the story or the type of magic in it than it does to the target market: young children. I don’t think it’s appropriate for young children to be reading Harry Potter or Twilight, or to be exposed to the ideals therein (especially in Twilight).

As adults, we can discern between reality and fantasy. For young children, it’s not so easy.

As a last thought, I don’t think anyone is converted to Wiccanism or Witch craft by Harry Potter, but by a secular culture, materialism, neo-Ba’alism (I want what I want and want it now: the prosperity gospel follows this too), poor religious education, and teenage rebellion.

Edit: I now read the post instead of just the title. In discernment, your priest’s advice is what matters. Not an internet forum’s.
 
Khalid said:
. I don’t think it’s appropriate for young children to be reading Harry Potter or Twilight, or to be exposed to the ideals therein (especially in Twilight).

As adults, we can discern between reality and fantasy. For young children, it’s not so easy.
.
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That’s a good point I might have missed. It might be the age that’s appropriate…
 
Rascalking said:
That’s a good point I might have missed. It might be the age that’s appropriate…
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What’s so harmful of a child pretending to be a wizard, a vampire, or an owl?

Do you think children are going to grow up thinking they’re still an owl?
 
LemonAndLime said:
What’s so harmful of a child pretending to be a wizard, a vampire, or an owl?

Do you think children are going to grow up thinking they’re still an owl?
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I don’t know that much about kids, so I don’t know-unlike other people on the internet, I don’t claim to know everything about every topic known to man.

If you want to let your kid read it, fine, I don’t care. I think Khalid makes a good point though that is worth thinking about. If you disagree, knock yourself out. I don’t care.
 
Rascalking said:
I don’t know that much about kids, so I don’t know-unlike other people on the internet, I don’t claim to know everything about every topic known to man.

If you want to let your kid read it, fine, I don’t care. I think Khalid makes a good point though that is worth thinking about. If you disagree, knock yourself out. I don’t care.
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Do you need a hug? :hug1:
 
Rascalking said:
Check out my other threads and you’ll see how my days has been.

But if your attractive, sure why not…I love hugs from hot chicks.

😉
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That’s ok, I’m already spoken for. 😛

It was more of a sisterly hug that I was thinking of.
 
LemonAndLime said:
That’s ok, I’m already spoken for. 😛

It was more of a sisterly hug that I was thinking of.
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I was teasing luv. I’m spoken for as well.

And sure, I’ll take a sisterly hug any day. I have two sisters so I’m used to those!
 
Rascalking said:
I was teasing luv. I’m spoken for as well.

And sure, I’ll take a sisterly hug any day. I have two sisters so I’m used to those!
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I know you were teasing, don’t worry. Known you long enough on these forums!

And I’m sorry that you’ve been having a rough time of it. 😦
 
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