My neice is playing online games with occult themes?

[Misguidedyouth]

Hello,

my neice is playing online games that have strong occult themes, and I just found out that there is going to be a harry potter game online. It’s going to be called “Pottermore”. My 12 year old neice has a strong interest in the occult. She has expressed desires to become a wizard in real life. She spends all day on the computer playing Wizard101, which is her favorite game, and is forever saying she wishes there was a harry potter games. She talks about if she could do magic in real life, and this scares me. With the internet I’m not sure what she’s getting into. Should I be worried? If she did get into occult websites, would she hurt me? We’ve had a bumpy relationship, and everytime I try to talk to her about religion she seems to get unsettled. Ideas?

Thanks

 

[brgregmack]

I don’t know what to tell you other than to get St. Michael and the Blessed Virgin Mary on the case.:knight2:

But this is your niece right? So what do her parents think about this?:ehh:

 

[nickybr38]

Wizard 101 sounds fun… :\

That said, there’s nothing wrong with a little pretend time BUT when she starts longing to bring the fantasy into reality there’s a small problem.

Where are her parents? How do they feel about this? If they’re not concerned perhaps you could just, as gently as possible, point out that it’s okay to have fun but it’s not reality and never can be?

I don’t know. I was into a lot of weird stuff as a kid but I knew to keep it to myself. Haha. In the end we can only tell her the right path, it’s up to her to choose it.

 

[mdrummer5]

Hello,

my neice is playing online games that have strong occult themes, and I just found out that there is going to be a harry potter game online. It’s going to be called “Pottermore”. My 12 year old neice has a strong interest in the occult. She has expressed desires to become a wizard in real life. She spends all day on the computer playing Wizard101, which is her favorite game, and is forever saying she wishes there was a harry potter games. She talks about if she could do magic in real life, and this scares me. With the internet I’m not sure what she’s getting into. Should I be worried? If she did get into occult websites, would she hurt me? We’ve had a bumpy relationship, and everytime I try to talk to her about religion she seems to get unsettled. Ideas?

Thanks

She’s 12… thinking it’d be cool to be able to do the stuff you see in movies or video games is perfectly normal. Trying to actual do them beyond normal play is the only time you should get worried. No normal kid hasn’t dreamed of doing something that is impossible, for me it was flying. I always thought it’d be awesome to be able to fly. The only reason it could become an issue is if her parents don’t take the time to explain to her that it’s not real and don’t give her a good solid lesson on the difference between fantasy and reality.

Her interest in these types of games might be a distraction from religion (as anything can be) but it’s not directly related to her lack of interest in religion and is something else that her parents should talk to her about.

I’ve played video games since I was 5 (I’m 32 now). It started with mario bros., pitfall, zelda etc. All of them involve characters doing things that you shouldn’t try to do in real life but because I know the difference between fantasy and reality I’ve never tried to get sucked up into a sewage pipe, jump on mushrooms or turtles, swing across a pond with aligators waiting to eat me or tried to find fairies to put into a magic bottle so they could bring me back to life.

 

[CountrySteve]

i would not worry too much kids will be kids my little sis plays wizard 101 all the time and she prays to God everynight before going to bed but the second you see your niece going on wiccan sites and finding a wiccan to train her get her help immediately go nun style on her :nun2: :byzsoc:

 

[WoundedIcon]

It’s pretty normal to have fantasies like that at that age, but if she actually starts to realize that there IS witchcraft in the real world it could get ugly. My advice… if she’s Catholic tell her about the saints and their miracles and mysticism and stuff. Talk about the Christian supernatural, the charismatic gifts, etc. And of course the sacraments and sacramentals. Tell her that God has that kind of power and we can only have it if He wills it, otherwise it’s dangerous.

Honestly, you could turn this into something VERY positive.

EDIT: Just re-read it. So she’s not religious? Show her we aren’t boring! Convert her!

 

[karow]

Hello,

my neice is playing online games that have strong occult themes, and I just found out that there is going to be a harry potter game online. It’s going to be called “Pottermore”. My 12 year old neice has a strong interest in the occult. She has expressed desires to become a wizard in real life. She spends all day on the computer playing Wizard101, which is her favorite game, and is forever saying she wishes there was a harry potter games. She talks about if she could do magic in real life, and this scares me. With the internet I’m not sure what she’s getting into. Should I be worried? If she did get into occult websites, would she hurt me? We’ve had a bumpy relationship, and everytime I try to talk to her about religion she seems to get unsettled. Ideas?

Thanks

She’s one of millions and millions of muggles who wished there were more online Harry Potter games. It’s the normal effect of mass marketing efforts in our consumer-orientated society.

Harry Potter fandom and the occult are two completely different spheres.

Unless her interest in the occult leads her to the misguided conclusion she needs to harm herself or her family, you’re safe.

She’s 12. The only people she doesn’t have a bumpy relationship with are her friends, who are the only people in the world who “get” her, who understand her pain and suffering.

If she doesn’t want to hear what you have to say about religion, back off for the time being. Forcing it on her isn’t going to make her come around. Be a good example for her in all aspects of life, and when her adolescent fog lifts she’ll be in a better place to be receptive to you.

 

[Transformer]

The magic in Harry Potter has nothing whatsoever to do with real occult practices. Specifically, occult practices necessarily (that is, by definition) involve invocation: contact with supernatural beings. That means demons, as God and his angels are not contacted through the occult. Magic in Harry Potter is of a totally different nature; it is a natural force that some people have an inborn ability to use. So you see that Harry Potter magic and real world magic are literally totally different in kind; they have nothing whatsoever to do with one another. I believe the magic in Wizard101 is of the same sort as that in Harry Potter, though I have no real experience with the game.

Bottom line: interest in Harry Potter and similar phenomena is not dangerous, notris a child’s fantasizing about being a Harry Potter-style wizard. Just make sure she knows that Harry Potter magic is totally fictional, and that real world magic is totally different, unequivocally evil, and very dangerous.

 

[nickybr38]

The magic in Harry Potter has nothing whatsoever to do with real occult practices. Specifically, occult practices necessarily (that is, by definition) involve invocation: contact with supernatural beings. That means demons, as God and his angels are not contacted through the occult. Magic in Harry Potter is of a totally different nature; it is a natural force that some people have an inborn ability to use. So you see that Harry Potter magic and real world magic are literally totally different in kind; they have nothing whatsoever to do with one another. I believe the magic in Wizard101 is of the same sort as that in Harry Potter, though I have no real experience with the game.

Bottom line: interest in Harry Potter and similar phenomena is not dangerous, notris a child’s fantasizing about being a Harry Potter-style wizard. Just make sure she knows that Harry Potter magic is totally fictional, and that real world magic is totally different, unequivocally evil, and very dangerous.

I was going to say in response to your comment that the danger with Harry Potter is that children who are not taught properly about real magic might be tempted to pursue magic in reality when someone tells them such things are possible but then you had that last paragraph and I realized there was no need to say anything.

The magic in Harry Potter is no more dangerous then that in Lord of the Rings or Narnia. Parents just need to do their part to help a child learn the difference between healthy fantasy and scary reality.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

I think you might need to explain yourself more. How do you define occult? There’s a huge difference between the occult and what is simply pure fantasy.

I for one never get tired of wishing I was a wizard. I would even go as far to pray to God Himself that He give our world a fantasy make-over. Gone would be the days were I lounge about in this chair here, worrying about what to do for income (and what to do with my life in general). I’d just go out on adventure, blast some monsters to bits, and sell the drops for easy cash (or gold, whatever the currency is).

That doesn’t mean I’m going to waste my whole being over a wish like that.

As what others said, methinks your daughter needs to realize the big difference between fantasy and reality.

Instead of using religion as a sort of counterexample however, I think it would serve you to start first with a down-to-earth perspective. Use science instead and show her why “real” occult for the most part is purely a New Age sham (of course, this is under the assumption that this is what you mean when you said she was getting interested in real occult).

 

[brgregmack]

I think you might need to explain yourself more. How do you define occult? There’s a huge difference between the occult and what is simply pure fantasy.

I for one never get tired of wishing I was a wizard. I would even go as far to pray to God Himself that He give our world a fantasy make-over. Gone would be the days were I lounge about in this chair here, worrying about what to do for income (and what to do with my life in general). I’d just go out on adventure, blast some monsters to bits, and sell the drops for easy cash (or gold, whatever the currency is).

That doesn’t mean I’m going to waste my whole being over a wish like that.

As what others said, methinks your daughter needs to realize the big difference between fantasy and reality.

Instead of using religion as a sort of counterexample however, I think it would serve you to start first with a down-to-earth perspective. Use science instead and show her why “real” occult for the most part is purely a New Age sham (of course, this is under the assumption that this is what you mean when you said she was getting interested in real occult).

I’m actually pretty worried about my young cousin who likes to play Wizard101, which is very occult, with plenty of occult images and symbols that desensitize children to this evil. Especially if they’re real young, it can have some pretty nasty results down the road. It also seems that he’s addicted to video games and fantasy, as I was starting to be at the same age.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

I’m actually pretty worried about my young cousin who likes to play Wizard101, which is very occult, with plenty of occult images and symbols that desensitize children to this evil. Especially if they’re real young, it can have some pretty nasty results down the road. It also seems that he’s addicted to video games and fantasy, as I was starting at the same age.

As with the OP, I would ask you what you mean by occult? I’ve seen plenty of people slap the occult label on what is purely mythology and creative fantasy. You need to specify.

As a language student, I’ve dabbled a bit with semiotic theory. With that said, I can definitely tell you that all this worry over “occult images and symbols” is a load of hogwash.

Symbols by themselves have no value. I’ve played plenty of games with runes, hieroglyphics, and seen all kinds of fantasy images yet they don’t hold the same meaning of what the Church calls ‘occult’.

 

[brgregmack]

As with the OP, I would ask you what you mean by occult? I’ve seen plenty of people slap the occult label on what is purely mythology and creative fantasy. You need to specify.

As a language student, I’ve dabbled a bit with semiotic theory. With that said, I can definitely tell you that all this worry over “occult images and symbols” is a load of hogwash.

Symbols by themselves have no value. I’ve played plenty of games with runes, hieroglyphics, and seen all kinds of fantasy images yet they don’t hold the same meaning of what the Church calls ‘occult’.

occult symbols meaning satanic, wicca, etc., of which Wizard101 portrays as normal and good, and in a very subtle way.

Zelda, Mario, etc. I view as ok because there is a clear distinction between good and evil.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

occult symbols meaning satanic, wicca, etc., of which Wizard101 portrays as normal and good, and in a very subtle way.

Sorry but once you start saying ‘subtle’ it might be you in need of a logical check-up, no offense. I’ve looked the game up and there is nothing here that suggests what you’re implying. Symbols are pretty much up for grabs when it comes to creative use. I’ve used variations of pentagrams myself in my stories.

 

[Misguidedyouth]

I don’t know what to tell you other than to get St. Michael and the Blessed Virgin Mary on the case.:knight2:

But this is your niece right? So what do her parents think about this?:ehh:

Yes this is my niece, and her parents don’t seem to care. Although my brother was raised Christian, he seems to have lost it, and he isn’t teaching them Christianity. His wife was also supposedly raised Christian but she is very questionable herself.

 

[karow]

occult symbols meaning satanic, wicca, etc., of which Wizard101 portrays as normal and good, and in a very subtle way.

Zelda, Mario, etc. I view as ok because there is a clear distinction between good and evil.

I think the best this you can do is address all of your concerns about this with your niece’s parents. Let them deal with this with their child. You may not agree with how they chose to handle it, but unless they’re allowing her to be in a tangible, abusive situation there isn’t a lot you can do.

I don’t know what else to tell you. I vehemently disagree with a lot of parenting decisions other people make, but there’s not a lot I can do about it.

 

[Misguidedyouth]

It’s pretty normal to have fantasies like that at that age, but if she actually starts to realize that there IS witchcraft in the real world it could get ugly. Honestly, you could turn this into something VERY positive.

EDIT: Just re-read it. So she’s not religious? Show her we aren’t boring! Convert her!

This is my fear exactly, I’m worried that it will one day come to her thought that she can look this stuff up online. I’m worried she’s going to do something dangerous to herself or to someone else in an attempt to do ‘magic’ . I told her once that the Bible condemns magic and its users, but she just shrugged and the conversation stopped. .

 

[JHow]

My children like to play an online game called “Lego Universe”.

I am watching them closely in case their fascination with Lego bricks tempts them to become masons (Masons!?) later in life.

I know they can make decent money in the trades, but I’d rather they hung drywall than become masons…

 

[Transformer]

My children like to play an online game called “Lego Universe”.

I am watching them closely in case their fascination with Lego bricks tempts them to become masons

10/10

I’m actually pretty worried about my young cousin who likes to play Wizard101, which is very occult, with plenty of occult images and symbols that desensitize children to this evil.

As others have said, what occult images are we talking about. After all, even pentagrams have at times been symbols for the five wounds of Christ.

 

[nickybr38]

My children like to play an online game called “Lego Universe”.

I am watching them closely in case their fascination with Lego bricks tempts them to become masons (Masons!?) later in life.

I know they can make decent money in the trades, but I’d rather they hung drywall than become masons…

Hee!