Is is wrong to read Harry Potter?

  • Thread starter Thread starter White_Peony
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White_Peony said:
I talked to a priest friend of mine, and he said he wouldn’t like me to

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What do you think?
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does not matter what I think. the priest knows you, I don’t
why did you ask him if you don’t intend to take his advice?
 
The question you posed is a highly ethical debate inside all Christian circles I belong to. Some will say Harry Potter is satanic, others won’t. If you are so concerned, why don’t you ask your priest why he is against the books and then decide. I personally love the Harry Potter books but that is because the books are light and extremely well written. They are some of the best adventure books that have been written but that said, I don’t know you nor do I know your priest. If you are worried about it, do your research and see where it leads. You can always bring some of your information to him and see what he has to say.

In the end, it’s your decision regardless what you are going to do. A couple of key words are Harry Potter and the Bible.
 
Rascalking said:
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.
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I like what you say here although I do like the books. I find the books better than the films. Some just go looking for sometime to find wrong with and hopefully "‘sinful.’
 
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 agree. Then children should not read fairy tales either.
 
I’d ask some of the same questions asked above about whether you are firmly situated in reality.

If so, then the Harry Potter books have a fundamentally good perspective on Christian morality and choices, even from book 1: Harry has to consider whom to be faithful to (his friends), and Ron, for example, sacrifices himself in the chess game.

They also show that special powers (magic) are not fundamentally different from other human abilities. Whatever we can do, there is the question of how we will use it, for good or for evil.

As for enticing people into Wicca, I suppose it’s possible. But where would you buy an authentic wand (with a unicorn hair or griffon feather), and a book of spells that work on the “point-speak-and-shoot” principle? None of my Latin does that. (Maybe it’s that knock-off wand I bought?) :rolleyes:

If a person has a good sense of reality, reading these books would be no worse than any other fantasy–or any fiction.
 
bmonk said:
I’d ask some of the same questions asked above about whether you are firmly situated in reality.

If so, then the Harry Potter books have a fundamentally good perspective on Christian morality and choices, even from book 1: Harry has to consider whom to be faithful to (his friends), and Ron, for example, sacrifices himself in the chess game.

They also show that special powers (magic) are not fundamentally different from other human abilities. Whatever we can do, there is the question of how we will use it, for good or for evil.

As for enticing people into Wicca, I suppose it’s possible. But where would you buy an authentic wand (with a unicorn hair or griffon feather), and a book of spells that work on the “point-speak-and-shoot” principle? None of my Latin does that. (Maybe it’s that knock-off wand I bought?) :rolleyes:

If a person has a good sense of reality, reading these books would be no worse than any other fantasy–or any fiction.
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I agree.
 
Is there any proof that reading Harry Potter has led teens to Wicca? My 14-year old loved HP…she talks about the friendship of Harry, Hermione, and Ron, and truthfully, I think that is the main theme of the story. Three kids meet away at “boarding” school, and by facing good times and bad, they forge a friendship that lasts a lifetime, enriches them.

Some people have drawn parallels between the battle between Harry and “he who must not be named” and JC and evil or Satan. Harry defeats evil, just as Jesus will defeat Satan in the final battle.

Now, I can see where children who are too young (pre teens) might get the wrong ideas, and might even try imitating the young wizards, but that can be addressed it if happens. It’s not like I would allow (or that she would even try) my 14-year old to run around the house yelling out curses. I would suggest that you think about reading the books together (or at the same time) and then having a discussion with your child as you go
 
Sigh…The Harry Potter Debate again. There are a lot of Beautiful lesson that are taught in those Harry Potter Books…

Albus Dumbledore taught us that there is life beyond death…he taught us to never fear what can’t be escaped.

Fred and George Weasley taught us that even in the most darkest of times, there is light, love, and hope…

Remus Lupin taught us that no matter what happens, there is a way to push through and survive…

Harry Potter taught us that life might not turn out the way you excepted it to, but as long as you never lose sight of the future that you want, anything can happen.

Neville Longbottom taught us that sometimes you must face your fears and stand up for what you believe in…he taught us how to have courage.

Luna Lovegood taught us that it’s okay to be yourself and not care what other people think about you because if they were true friends they would like the real you…she taught us how to be unique.

Ginevra Weasley taught us that it’s possible to fight off demons on your own, but sometimes you need friends to help you…

Ronald Weasley taught us that even if you have the emotional range of a teaspoon and nasty temper, you will always be needed…

Hermione Granger taught us that it’s not a bad thing to have a thirst for knowledge and research…

Molly Weasley taught us that mothers not only have a caring side, but a vicious protective side…she taught us that we can always rely on our mother.
 
LemonAndLime said:
…🍿

No, it isn’t. Can you sin without intending to?
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Actually, yes, you can sin without intending to. Sin is objective, not subjective. It is an offense against God and his moral law. However, lack of intention greatly diminishes a person’s culpability.

Quoting from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
1859 Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God’s law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart133 do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin.
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1860 Unintentional ignorance can diminish or even remove the imputability of a grave offense. But no one is deemed to be ignorant of the principles of the moral law, which are written in the conscience of every man. The promptings of feelings and passions can also diminish the voluntary and free character of the offense, as can external pressures or pathological disorders. Sin committed through malice, by deliberate choice of evil, is the gravest.
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1862 One commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent.
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vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm

That said, I am not sure that reading Harry Potter would constitute any sin at all. I think the argument that the books lure children into paganism is a bit like the worries that allowing a child to have a toy gun will turn him or her into a remorseless killer.
 
Rather read Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series. It knocks teh socks of Harry Potter and it teaches them the old Greek and Roman myths which are in many ways essential for you to understand the foundation alongside Judaic and our Savior as the basis of western civilization.
 
I think the problem here is not whether or not you should read the book, as there can be different ways at looking at the book. It’s whether or not you trust your priest. If my priest asked me not to read something, whether or not I thought it was harmless, I would heed his advice. If I had a problem of giving up something secular, then I’d have to look inside and say ‘What is it about the Harry Potter books that makes it hard for me not to read them.’ What exactly about them makes them important enough to ignore the advice of someone who we are trusting to lead us and guide us?

Do I think Harry Potter is harmless? Probably. I’ve read several of them myself. But if I needed to give up something in order to draw closer to God or discern my vocation, I’d give it up. For some people it might not be a big deal to give it up, but if it is a big deal… then we have to wonder why it is difficult to do so? As sacred scripture says, all things are permissible, but not all things profitable.
 
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