Warnings about Harry Potter

[kenofken]

Yes, I have read some of the detailed responses to my posts and they seem to be cogently argued.
I freely admit that I perhaps am a bit overly cautious when it comes to popular media/entertainment…I guess I am possessive in making sure my family don’t succumb to any of the new age/pagan practices because there is no doubt in my mind that the devil is only too keen to look for opportunities to introduce himself through what ever means possible.

I guess reading Bellarmine’s “pains of the damned” only exarcebates my anxiety when I get a taste of my possible destiny .

Anyway Any more scary pictures? Do your worst!

Joke

Peace and oremus pro invicem (+)

As a man deeply involved in pagan practice, I can offer you a bit of advice on how to keep your family from “succumbing” to our worldview. Do everything you can to make sure that Catholicism (or whatever stripe of Christianity you practice), does not become a joyless, humorless, horrible ascetic discipline. IF you allow it to become a joyless ordeal, your kids WILL wash up on our doorstep, and quite frankly, we’re already past quota on emotionally/spiritually damaged folks who think we exist as a warm and fuzzy escape from Judeo-Christian dogma.

 

[rapunzel77]

As a man deeply involved in pagan practice, I can offer you a bit of advice on how to keep your family from “succumbing” to our worldview. Do everything you can to make sure that Catholicism (or whatever stripe of Christianity you practice), does not become a joyless, humorless, horrible ascetic discipline. IF you allow it to become a joyless ordeal, your kids WILL wash up on our doorstep, and quite frankly, we’re already past quota on emotionally/spiritually damaged folks who think we exist as a warm and fuzzy escape from Judeo-Christian dogma.

Very good post Kenofken. I agree that if a child sees the Faith as nothing more than just rules, lacking in joy, etc then they will leave. It seems that in the past couple of years at least ,the emotionally/spiritually damaged folks end up becoming atheists or something close to it. Could it be that in addition to thinking that the Church is joyless, etc they also come to realize there is a certain amount of discipline in paganism and other religions too and they don’t want that. Instead they just want their own way so they leave any kind of faith entirely? This seems to be an issue that I am encountering more and more.

 

[Reservoir_Dog]

As a man deeply involved in pagan practice, I can offer you a bit of advice on how to keep your family from “succumbing” to our worldview. Do everything you can to make sure that Catholicism (or whatever stripe of Christianity you practice), does not become a joyless, humorless, horrible ascetic discipline. IF you allow it to become a joyless ordeal, your kids WILL wash up on our doorstep, and quite frankly, we’re already past quota on emotionally/spiritually damaged folks who think we exist as a warm and fuzzy escape from Judeo-Christian dogma.

Well said. Worthy of a bump.

 

[Debora123]

Next week a new Harry Potter movie comes out, and I thought it would be a good time to re-warn everyone about this series. There was a thread previously on this forum about Harry Potter, and I was amazed at how many people defend these stories.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=340846&highlight=HARRY+POTTER

Father Gabriel Amorth, the Vatican chief exorcist, has warned about Harry Potter time and again. For example:

theage.com.au/news/arts/harry-potter-satanic-popes-exorcist/2006/08/31/1156817037586.html

Another:

homilia.org/Potter/exorcista.htm

I’ve recently read two books on exorcisms, and they both warn about Harry Potter. Please, parents, don’t take your kids to see this movie, and keep these books out of your house. The devil is real, and he don’t play.

Mary

This is kind of old news. Maybe a couple individuals still argue that Harry Potter is “evil” or whatever, but the Catholic Church has officially cleared Harry Potter many years ago. I remember when it happened.

 

[Portrait]

Dearly beloved brethren,

Cordial greetings.

It was not my intention to contribute further to this thread after only such a short interval, however, having glanced through the posts that have been submitted since my withdrawal from the debate, I feel that I must put the record straight as regards what our Holy Father said respecting the Potter books when he was Cardinal Ratzinger. Therefore, I kindly ask that you suffer this further and final posting.

If there is one thing that admits of no doubt it is that Pope Benedict XVI *did *write that the Potter books presented a spiritual hazard to children.

In 2005* LifeSiteNews* acquired copies of letters, dated March 2003, from the then Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith thanking Gabriele Kuby for her “instructive” book (Harry Potter - Good or Evil), in which Kuby states that the HP novels corrupt the hearts of the young. In the letters the Cardinal writes:

It is good that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly.

Granted this was not an official pronouncement, merely Cardinal Ratzinger expressing his opinion in private correspondence. Notwithstanding, it is certainly a damning indictment of the culturally unwholesome Potter novels from the man who was to become Pope Benedict XVI; it at least evinces beyond doubt his spiritual stature and strength, not to say his complete independence of mind. Moreover, this discernment on the part of the man who is now Benedict XVI reveals his depth perception and, for me and for myriads of other of the Catholic faithful, it is indeed very heartening that the man who penned the above highlighted words is now our Holy Father. Alas, there is a small, but nonetheless vocal minoirty of Catholics, who just wish that Pope Benedict had never uttered those “embarrassingly reactionary” words and who have deliberately put about disinformation and indulged in disingenuity to suggest that he did not write the letters to Kuby, or even that they are forgeries. So desperate are some men to defend Potter at all costs.

People also need to be made aware that response to LifeSiteNews.com’s revelation of the Cardinal’s disapproving remarks regarding Potter, resulted in months of backlash from outraged “conservative” Christians of all stripes and fanatical devotees of the series, some of whom even went to the extraordinary lengths of implying that *LifeSiteNews.com * had actually fabricated or misinterpreted the letters for polemical purposes!

Unfortunately, certain parts of the Catholic media have vehemently, and with a fanatical allegiance, made every effort to neutralize what Pope Benedict said respecting the novels prior to his election to the papacy. There is an abundance of disinformation flying around, even, alas, from doctrinally orthodox Catholic sources and all too many ready to be taken in by it hook, line and sinker. Thus if anyone reading this post happens to read, or has read, commentary proclaiming that Cardinal Ratzinger never wrote those letters, please disregard it as biased propaganda and treat it with the contempt that it quite rightly deserves. He* did *indeed personally write those letters with their strong and unnuanced negative appraisal of the Harry Potter series, no matter what some pro-Potterites affirm to the contrary.

Finally, the Potter Books, with their inverted and very muddled spirituality, are culturally unhealthy reading material and ought to by given a wide berth by the Catholic faithful and their children. For the possible negative influences these books can have upon the moral and spiritual formation of the young, please read:

Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture by Michael D. O’ Brien (Fides et Traditio Publishers, 2010).

Warmest good wishes,

Portrait

Pax

 

[Fone_Bone_2001]

Sorry, but priests who work in the Vatican - like Father Peter Fleetwood - have confirmed that an aide in his office probably wrote that letter.

In any case, lifesitenews did distort the facts for polemical purposes by running a headline claiming that “Pope Benedict” had spoken against Harry Potter. You and I both know that what really happened was that his office - while he was a cardinal - sent a polite thank-you to a German woman who had sent him a copy of her anti-Harry Potter book.

As I hope you also know, Ratzinger recommended she send a copy of her book to Fr. Fleetwood as well. Fr. Fleetwood wrote her back and explained to her that she was completely off-base.

hogwartsprofessor.com/rita-skeeter-covers-the-vatican/

That link explains this matter more fully.

 

[styrgwillidar]

Portrait,

As I posted at 442, you refer to the series as presenting a muddled spirituality with the concept of characters not in fact being good but simply lesser evils because their good works are tainted by the methods. Basically the rejection of the concept of the ends justifies the means. The emplomyent of magic, even for good is immoral and therefore evil.

I am still curious, does the end goal of keeping kids away from HP justify the means of lying about and misrepresenting what are in the HP books?

And now as FoneBone has illustrated, misrepresenting Cardinal Ratzingers actions?

I realize you are arguing in large part from igorance and third hand information, yet it is willful ignorance and has grown tiresome.

For parents, I can’t vouch for the movies as many of the points of the books and detail will inevitably be lost. But HP is one of the few series targeted towards children’s/young adults which raises the point that ultimately what we do to our souls in this life is of more importance than whether we win or lose conflicts. Other than that, it is very typical in that there are good and bad characters in conflict with the good sacrificing, treating others with respect, etc.
For your kids to get the most out of the books, you should read them as well so you can discuss the themes which children may miss. For example, some of the things I’ve mentioned before- the bad guy investing his soul in things of this world and what they may represent (his enemy- if we don’t forgive we tie ourselves to them and can’t move towards God, blank diary-our hopes for future in this world, tiara associated with earthly human wisdom vice God’s , snake- over attachment to nature, gold locket- earthly treasures, gold cup- earthly pleasures, ring- associated with family history). Treatment of ghosts is important, there are two kinds. 1 illustrates a kind of limbo because of the fear of death, of moving on, people who don’t accept that the goal of this life is the next. Those ghost have accepted a “pale imitation of this life”. Another key point is that when HP talks to his dead mentor, at the end of the conversation the dead mentor acknowledges that the conversation is all occuring in HP’s head. HP is not in fact conversing with the dead, but is still being influenced by those good acts/deeds his mentor performed in life. Our good works live on in their effect on others. In my discussions with my kids, I pointed out that in each case where HP is joined by apparitions, perhaps these are only happening in his head as well. That he is in fact being comforted and strengthened by his memories and the positive influences those folks had on him during his life. Just as we hope our children will be strengthened by our influences when they are faced with evil choices and we aren’t there.

I do think the point that Portrait and some others raise about keeping kids away from witchcraft or magic is valid. But that’s a conversation you need to have with your kids whatever series of books they read that refer to magic, be it Lord of the Rings, Narnia, the Myth series or none at all. They do need to be aware that the devil is real, and that he always looks for openings including ESP efforts which were huge when I was a teen and didn’t invoke spirits at all. satan is the father of lies and misrepresentation.

 

[Joe_5859]

Sorry, Portrait, but that letter from then Cardinal Ratzinger was merely a polite thank you letter in response to someone who sent him her book. There is no indication that he has read any of the books or even knows anything specific about them. Jimmy Akin explains it well:

• Pre-16 On Harry Potter
• LifeSiteNews Calls Kettle Black

 

[John_of_Woking]

As a man deeply involved in pagan practice, I can offer you a bit of advice on how to keep your family from “succumbing” to our worldview. Do everything you can to make sure that Catholicism (or whatever stripe of Christianity you practice), does not become a joyless, humorless, horrible ascetic discipline. IF you allow it to become a joyless ordeal, your kids WILL wash up on our doorstep, and quite frankly, we’re already past quota on emotionally/spiritually damaged folks who think we exist as a warm and fuzzy escape from Judeo-Christian dogma.

I intend on making it a deeply joyful, humorous but most definitely ascetic discipline. If he lands on your doorstep he will lead you all back to Christ where you belong:thumbsup:. Peace and I ask Our Lady to Touch your heart and lead you to Her Son

 

[Fone_Bone_2001]

Sorry, Portrait, but that letter from then Cardinal Ratzinger was merely a polite thank you letter in response to someone who sent him her book. There is no indication that he has read any of the books or even knows anything specific about them. Jimmy Akin explains it well:

• Pre-16 On Harry Potter
• LifeSiteNews Calls Kettle Black

Thank you, Joe. I actually came back to this thread to post those very same links, in case someone didn’t trust John Granger’s website. Good job beating me to it.

I do think the point that Portrait and some others raise about keeping kids away from witchcraft or magic is valid. But that’s a conversation you need to have with your kids whatever series of books they read that refer to magic, be it Lord of the Rings, Narnia, the Myth series or none at all.

Exactly. The Harry Potter series and The Chronicles of Narnia are actually on really equal footing here. In fact, it is Narnia - and not Harry Potter - that contains examples of evil magic. There isn’t any real (a.k.a. evil) magic at all, anywhere in Harry Potter.

If Portrait does come back, I hope (s)he’ll answer my question: how can he/she consider HP dangerous and not Prince Caspian, when the latter also distinguishes “good” or “white” magic from evil magic, and when a centaur who’s a good guy explains that he used astrology.

The inability to appreciate fantasy - which can be very beautiful and Christian in the hands of Tolkien, Lewis, and Rowling - deeply upsets me. An attitude of inversion, suspicion, and withdrawal is, to me, actually hurtfully incompatible with the attitude of wonder that all philosophers, artists, and Christians should nurture and cherish.

The power of fiction and literature is a beautiful thing. It shouldn’t trouble readers at all, for instance, that Aslan - who in Narnia is literally Christ Himself for another world - has on his side a river god, Bacchus (an ancient pagan god), etc. Lewis Christianizes these pagan influences in a beautiful way. Rowling’s world has no more pagan influences - and perhaps even less - than Lewis’.

 

[styrgwillidar]

The inability to appreciate fantasy - which can be very beautiful and Christian in the hands of Tolkien, Lewis, and Rowling - deeply upsets me. An attitude of inversion, suspicion, and withdrawal is, to me, actually hurtfully incompatible with the attitude of wonder that all philosophers, artists, and Christians should nurture and cherish.

The power of fiction and literature is a beautiful thing. It shouldn’t trouble readers at all, for instance, that Aslan - who in Narnia is literally Christ Himself for another world - has on his side a river god, Bacchus (an ancient pagan god), etc. Lewis Christianizes these pagan influences in a beautiful way. Rowling’s world has no more pagan influences - and perhaps even less - than Lewis’.

As you said, literature and fiction are powerful and what people get out of them, to a very large extent, is dependent on what they bring into them. I think that parents need to be aware of what their kids read and be able to discuss it with them to help them catch or interpret these kinds of things in a christian way. To help guide their children to bring into all literature they are exposed to a Christian lens to examine it with, whatever genre. Including purportedly non-fictional subjects like ESP paranormal psychology stuff, the current attempts to link quantum physics to the paranormal.

 

[Fone_Bone_2001]

As you said, literature and fiction are powerful and what people get out of them, to a very large extent, is dependent on what they bring into them. I think that parents need to be aware of what their kids read and be able to discuss it with them to help them catch or interpret these kinds of things in a christian way. To help guide their children to bring into all literature they are exposed to a Christian lens to examine it with, whatever genre. Including purportedly non-fictional subjects like ESP paranormal psychology stuff, the current attempts to link quantum physics to the paranormal.

Agreed. As with Narnia, however, Harry Potter is a series which you don’t have to read Christianity into - it’s already there, and in fact is especially unmistakably present in Deathly Hallows. As much as I could elaborate here on how Rowling’s Christianity (she’s Presbyterian) informs the books’ imagery, structure, character development, etc., I will say only this for now: Rowling has said in interviews that if she had to narrow down the series’ themes to only one, it would be death. As a reader, I personally agree, and in light of what the wonderful and fully orthodox theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar has to say about secular modernity’s “necrophobic world-will,” I find the Harry Potter series’ spirituality on death both refreshing and challenging precisely because it is so at odds with secularism’s materialism and refusal to undergo death with Christ.

The way Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows wraps up this theme through its story is something that - if I ever have children - I will certainly want embedded in their hearts and minds so they never forget that what is right is not always what’s easy, and that we should trust in the authority and guidance of those to whom God entrusts us, and all the other wonderful spiritual lessons that this beautiful series has helped impart to me as I grew up (I’m almost twenty-three now).

 

[Debora123]

Haha, this is ridiculous. If Harry Potter is evil, so is every other fantasy ferry tale out there. Seriously people, scrupulous much?

 

[cyberwolf001]

As a man deeply involved in pagan practice, I can offer you a bit of advice on how to keep your family from “succumbing” to our worldview. Do everything you can to make sure that Catholicism (or whatever stripe of Christianity you practice), does not become a joyless, humorless, horrible ascetic discipline. IF you allow it to become a joyless ordeal, your kids WILL wash up on our doorstep, and quite frankly, we’re already past quota on emotionally/spiritually damaged folks who think we exist as a warm and fuzzy escape from Judeo-Christian dogma.

THIS! Also I’d like to point out the children most ostracize by their peers will also overtime find their way into our ranks. For them Christianity has become a private club of which they are bluntly made to feel unwelcomed in. Sometimes even by their own parents will make Christianity feel this way via different means.

One case I’ve seen at a Parish I use to go to a son told his uncle how he for the FIRST TIME in his life made the AB honor roll. His own father then blasted him infront of just about everyone stating to the effect “So what? Your little sister is ALWAYS on the all A honor roll.” This scene repeated itself every Sunday how the son failed to be as good as his sister and sometimes her friends in some fashion.

Eventually I can see him leaving the Parish for another one and if it is bad enough he might start to associate Yahweh with his over demanding father and flee looking for acceptance elsewhere. Yes if this child flees to us we will welcome him into our fold and how do you think he will feel in a community that tells him “Good job!” and if he compares himself as wanting compared to another (like with his sister) is told to the affect of “That person is that person. You are you a unique creation of the gods.”

Very good post Kenofken. I agree that if a child sees the Faith as nothing more than just rules, lacking in joy, etc then they will leave. It seems that in the past couple of years at least ,the emotionally/spiritually damaged folks end up becoming atheists or something close to it. Could it be that in addition to thinking that the Church is joyless, etc they also come to realize there is a certain amount of discipline in paganism and other religions too and they don’t want that. Instead they just want their own way so they leave any kind of faith entirely? This seems to be an issue that I am encountering more and more.

Well now many atheist I know are not overly indulgent. Infact they are often LESS so than many local Christians in my community. At least judging by waistline.

I intend on making it a deeply joyful, humorous but most definitely ascetic discipline. If he lands on your doorstep he will lead you all back to Christ where you belong:thumbsup:. Peace and I ask Our Lady to Touch your heart and lead you to Her Son

Now this has often confuzzled me. I hear Catholics teach God calls people to asceticism, the priesthood and the religious life. Yet parents say hey are raising there children for X. So which is true?

 

[ericboutin]

Well I’ll admit up front that I didn’t read all 17 pages of this post because after the first few pages I kinda found it exhausting. Anyway I just wanted to comment and share something funny my 10 year old daughter said.
My now 15 year old daughter read HP a few years ago and is still a really good kid as far as teenagers go so after hearing all the hoopla over the years about Harry Potter and now with her younger sister - my 10 year old getting into it I figured I would at least read HP and see what it was all about. Well I gotta tell yah it is not as “deep” as The Lord of the Rings (which I read the series when I was younger) but I found it still pretty good. Quite frankly I don’t see what is so upsetting…have you watched primetime TV lately? Anyway from what I’ve seen from the 1st book; there is alot about loyalty, friendship, trust, courage, kindness etc etc. Maybe the next few novels will show what all the fuss is about - I do plan to continue reading since I’m kind of hooked now. lol
Anyway I think this is a case where adults put too much thought into something that just isn’t there in the mind of a child. Kids don’t see all the horrors that some adults see as they just don’t have that experience yet.
With anything concerning your kids it is smart to check it out. No one knows your kids better than you and you know what they can and can’t handle. I think though to get on here and blindly poo-poo something is a bit of a dis-service.
Anyway when my daughter saw me reading her HP she obviously wanted to know why; so I explained it to her…then she looks up at me and says -
Duh Daddy! Harry Potter can never get between me and God!!
That’s my girl!

 

[cyberwolf001]

Well I’ll admit up front that I didn’t read all 17 pages of this post because after the first few pages I kinda found it exhausting. Anyway I just wanted to comment and share something funny my 10 year old daughter said.
My now 15 year old daughter read HP a few years ago and is still a really good kid as far as teenagers go so after hearing all the hoopla over the years about Harry Potter and now with her younger sister - my 10 year old getting into it I figured I would at least read HP and see what it was all about. Well I gotta tell yah it is not as “deep” as The Lord of the Rings (which I read the series when I was younger) but I found it still pretty good. Quite frankly I don’t see what is so upsetting…have you watched primetime TV lately? Anyway from what I’ve seen from the 1st book; there is alot about loyalty, friendship, trust, courage, kindness etc etc. Maybe the next few novels will show what all the fuss is about - I do plan to continue reading since I’m kind of hooked now. lol
Anyway I think this is a case where adults put too much thought into something that just isn’t there in the mind of a child. Kids don’t see all the horrors that some adults see as they just don’t have that experience yet.
With anything concerning your kids it is smart to check it out. No one knows your kids better than you and you know what they can and can’t handle. I think though to get on here and blindly poo-poo something is a bit of a dis-service.
Anyway when my daughter saw me reading her HP she obviously wanted to know why; so I explained it to her…then she looks up at me and says -
Duh Daddy! Harry Potter can never get between me and God!!
That’s my girl!

Honestly. Go take a look at the industry of why Harry Potter and the like are a threat to your kids soul and why you need our (read their) books/DVDs/CDs/Activity book to make sure the souls of these little ones is safe. THEN look at the prices they charge,

My good sir can you say cashing in?

 

[Portrait]

Dearly beloved brethren,

Cordial greetings and thankyou for all of your replies to my latest post.

As I remarked previously I have no desire to get drawn into an endless maze of nuanced debates on the Potter novels, for such debates are unprofitable and seldom do much by way of removing men from their entrenched positions. One can only hope that the controversy surrounding HP will at least challenge people to consider the questions involved from a wider and deeper perspective. Thus, for example, these morally unwholesome books need to be examined in the context of the ongoing paganization of children’s cullture, a phenomenom that has already proved to have negative consequences. Moreover, little serious attention has been given to the fact that the foundational element of the series is witchcraft and sorcery, unlike the fantasy works of C.S. Lewis or Tolkein. However, I do not want to restate the arguments that I have already made in this thread, suffice to say that there has been a monumental failure to understand the power of cultural material over human consiousness, and thus its effects upon human actions. Many Catholics tacitly assume nowadays that it is possible to aborb a great deal of flawed and unsavoury material and remain totally impervious to its dangers. Alas, such persons forget that the young are in a state of formation and are thus vulnerable to the deformation of their understandings of reality, especially the nature of good and evil. Alas, the Potter books prevent the young from developing a *properly ordered *sense of good and evil, which is hardly surprising given that they are relativistic products of our relativistic age. As Catholics we surely ought to avoid giving our precious children books which strongly reinforce moral relativism.

As regards the letters penned by Pope Benedict (when he was Cardinal Ratzinger) they have not been demonstrably proved to have been forgeries. Moreover, contrary to what some have said they cannot be dismissed as mere “thankyou notes” to Gabreile Kuby and neither is there any conclusive proof that some aide at the Vatican wrote the letters. All of this is nothing more than special pleading on the part of the pro-Potterites who just wish that Pope Benedict had never made these “embarrassingly reactionary” remarks when he was Cardinal Ratzinger. As far as Monsignor Fleetwood is concerned, it would not be first time that his comments have been the occasion of disinformation. When he responded to a reporters question about the Potter series at a press conference, he replied, “If I have understood well the intentions of Harry Potter’s author, they help children to see the difference between good and evil”. Sadly, this sperficial personal opinion was the source of the erroneous world media headlines that the Vatican and Pope John Paul II had approved of the Potter series.

Furthermore, if those who have appraised the Potter books negatively are so off beam and so obviously misinformed, then why the widespread phenomenom of anger directed against them, especially since they are voicing a minority viewpoint? Sadly much of this hostility has come from the ranks of orthodox Catholics who vehemently defend the series. Gabreile Kuby’s arguments, for example, have been misrepresented, her integrity publicly ridiculed and not infrequently she has suffered other kinds of ad hominem attacks against her person. Indeed, as I understand it, this is a fairly common experience among those who feel compelled to resist the Potter phenomenom. What is alarming is that the worst attacks come from serious minded Christian commentators who are supposed to be people of reason. Could it just be that the pro-Potterites are disconcerted by the arguments of their opponents and are deeply insecure in the untenable postion that they are seeking to uphold, come what may?. This would seem to be confirmed by the considerable amount of “hate mail” that critics of Potter like Gabreile Kuby and Michael O’Brien, and others, receive from people who just do not appreciate this cultural tsunami.

As regards John Granger, Michael O’ Brien was invited to a debate by CNN who promised that both sides in the controversy surrounding the Potter books would be fairly presented. Unfortuantely, it was a biased, heavily manipulated broadcast from start to finish. Mr. O’ Brien was only able to make a few points in the 20 second sound bites before being cut off, whilst John Granger, representing the pro-Potterite camp, was given a lot more time and Mr. O’ Brien was given no time whatsoever to respond to Granger’s erroneous arguments.

It does rather seem as if there is some conspiracy to silence the critics of Potter, just as there is the critics of that unwholesome sensory material called rock music. Be that as it may, what is next to certain is that there is a cultural war being waged in the world today, even within the bosom of the Catholic Church itself; our once-Christian civilisation is sliding swiftly into an almost universal plight of paganism. What is so very sad is that all too many Catholics are happy to go with flow and adopt a hand in hand with the world type of religion that makes no demands upon them in terms of self-denial and separation from the world. This does not bode good for the future.

Warmest good wishes,

Portrait

Pax

 

[Reservoir_Dog]

…

It does rather seem as if there is some conspiracy to silence the critics of Potter, just as there is the critics of that unwholesome sensory material called rock music. …

And this puts it all in perspective.

 

[mellowcalico]

Honestly. Go take a look at the industry of why Harry Potter and the like are a threat to your kids soul and why you need our (read their) books/DVDs/CDs/Activity book to make sure the souls of these little ones is safe. THEN look at the prices they charge,

My good sir can you say cashing in?

I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. You see people piggybacking on anything popular to make a profit. It kind of reminds me of the “end of days flavor of the year” (I think this time it’s the Mayan calendar/2012 thing). They sell books, get on TV shows, and the money start rolling in. I think it’s a love of money that drives a lot of these sorts of things.

 

[Havard]

I like this article about HP. I feel that it is balanced, and reasonable. As someone who has read the entire series, and seen most of the films, I can’t find any fault with his assessment.

Here’s the TLDR version for those who don’t feel like reading the whole thing:

Like most people, J. K. Rowling says she doesn’t believe in magic. Yet also like most people, Rowling doesn’t share Tolkien’s and Lewis’s moral caution about attempted magic in the real world. As far as she’s concerned, the only caveat about magic is that it doesn’t work. For her, wizardry and witchcraft are imaginary constructs offering opportunities for storytelling with no more potential risk to the reader than fantasies about traveling at warp speed like in Star Trek, or developing super-powers from the bite of a radioactive arachnid like Spiderman. Rowling, therefore, has not seen fit to hedge about her use of magic as have Tolkien and Lewis.

But Tolkien and Lewis, though they wouldn’t have been familiar with either of the above examples, would have appreciated the fact that there is (a) little enough likelihood of young devotees of Star Trek or Spiderman ever attempting actually to develop warp technology or spider powers; and, more importantly, (b) no obvious danger even in the event that any of them should actually seek to do so.

But is there equally no danger of any young Harry Potter fans-particularly children whose spiritual development is not being properly cultivated-developing an unhealthy infatuation with the idea of magic? Might they tend to indulge in fantasies about the idea of hidden or esoteric knowledge, about belonging to an elite, covert world of power beyond one’s peers?

Might these stories even be one factor, at some later date, influencing a child to respond more positively or with greater tolerance toward everyday occult phenomena? Might they be one factor influencing a child to respond one day with greater interest or tolerance to Wicca or the Kabbalah?

Despite these shortcomings, the books do have virtues that commend them. In my opinion, a reading list for young Christian children could include Harry Potter if it is balanced with other worthy books and the thoughtful and open participation of parents who read and discuss books with their children.

At the same time, though, these are important issues, and Christian parents should be aware of them. At the very least, some guidance for young readers on these points is called for; and certainly a well-balanced reading list should include plenty of other books in the Lewis/Tolkien mold to make up what is lacking in Rowling’s books.