Harry Potter

[traveller]

FHA, there are schools. Here's a forum where kids and adults talk about them.

http://swampwitch.net/forums/speakyourpeace/posts/14.html

There are many more websites out there. CNN and Foxnews ran an article not long ago about a new sorcerer school being built in Australia. In the article they said that while it was not a direct result of hp, that it would probably benefit enrollment.

[For Him Alone]

I can't get that site up. I'll try again later--thanks, traveller.

[Catsmeow]

FHA: The "all or nothing" argument doesn't work.

Let's compare - We are told to watch our diet; to eat healthy.  Does that mean we can never eat? Paul told Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach...was he saying "go get drunk?" Of course not.

We're to live balanced lives predicated upon the Word of God. Yes,  we live in a sinful world but we don't stop living altogether.

I often see people who gravitate toward extremist thinking in either direction. I don't get bunged up over "Mary Poppins" but geez, Harry Potter?

A prudent individual uses balance and reason - there's a remarkable difference between Miss Poppins and dear Harry.

Like night and day.

I was heavily involved in the occult before I was saved. I can assure you, I had my demons. I know from  experience we're in a spiritual war that too many don't take seriously.

We have an enemy who wants YOUR CHILDREN. Make no mistake about it - I'm not going to whitewash it. Satan wants to eat them for lunch. He hates us. You know this, FHA. You're mature in the faith so this is old news to you.

I love you, FHA...and you know that. If you want to read books about drinking human blood, okay. Man, I'd think hard about letting kids read it though.  

Some things are lethal. When you dabble in  the occult  you're playing with fire. Maybe God IS  warning you before any damage is done. I'd pray about it anyway.

-Cat

[For Him Alone]

:inlove:  I love you too, cat.

I think our schools of thought are so different here because I see Potter the same way I see other fairy tales. Fiction cannot be harmful!

I know there are real evil ones here on earth who really serve satan, and who try to deceive us into their web of earthly 'delights'. Among them are heroin and pornography. Now THOSE are dangerous!

I also think that a movie or book about this sort of fictional character is no more harmful than Peter Pan!

I've read real occult books, and they are NOT like Harry Potter. I've met real satanists, and they looked alot like anyone in my church!

I don't let my child watch The Lost Boys or Dracula 2000. But I will buy him the whole HP series if he wants it. You know what? He's too busy reading the Left Behind series to care. I bought him the 1st Potter book and he never even finished it. (But I DID!)

I bet if I had forbidden it, he would be sneaking to read that forbidden fruit!

I think the more we forbid its reading and give this fiction power, the less emphasis is put on real evils because we are too sidetracked censoring fiction to fight the evil one. To me it is powerless because I know it is not real. The Vampire Lestat and Louis do not exist. Neither does Harry Potter, neither does Casper the friendly Ghost, but I loved him as a child too! And the other scary ghosts too! Was that bad? Did you not watch Casper? They are spirits inhabiting the earth! Whoooo

You know I'm joking about Casper, sister. Everyone loves Casper! I just see fiction as harmless, and reality as harmful. And I know the difference.  :thumb:

[Catsmeow]

But what if I'm right? What if it does open up demonic doorways? I mean, you draw the line with the Lost Boys and Dracula 2000 but why not HP?

Lost Boys and Dracula 2000 are also fiction. Do I think it's a necessarily dangerous thing for mature, grounded adult Christians? Not sure. Truly, I'm not sure.

Kids? YES.

Before I watch anything with occult overtones, I like to pray for protection first. I do believe we are surrounded by a protective hedge which can be destroyed if we allow ourselves to disobey God and dabble with things He's told us to avoid.

I also believe that "fiction" is how Satan breaks down the hedge, convincing believers there's "no harm". It's a deception.

If a mature and grounded Christian asks God for permission to do "intelligence" work and investigate what's being taught to children, He may grant permission to learn what the Enemy is doing - that's His call, of course. If He permits it, then He'll also cover us with protection.  Blessings to you   -Cat

[Guest inhim]

regarding harry;

may i butt in?   3 things;  truth, excellence, and faith.

1. TRUTH....Jesus said He Is the truth.  does harry have GOD's truth?

2.  excellence...we are told that if there are excellent things (along with the entire description in phillipians 4) these things should occupy our thoughts.  is harry these things?

3.  Faith....in romans 14, last verse,  2nd portion of verse.....anything done outside of faith is sin.   do we believe GOD wants us to read harry?  are we so caught up with our study of the words of LIFE, we should substitute harry, also a spiritual subject?    

truth, excellence, and faith will protect us from being deceived.  our time belongs to GOD.  why should we lend ourselves, and our unprotected children's minds to the enemy of our souls.  GOD'S truth should be our food.

as always, with much respect for sister posters in CHRIST.

[For Him Alone]

Oop, I wasn't clear--I loved The Lost Boys--good silly fun! Corey Feldman and Corey Haim are so under-rated! :sarcasm:

And Gary Oldman was the best Dracula EVER--really sinister, and even more over the top with him melodrama than Bela Lugosi, if that is even possible!

And No, I don't think God minds that I enjoy these things once in a while!

Actually, I think I've given it enough of my time on this thread, if truth be told! It's such a small part of my life--my point was that if any goes, it ALL must go, and that--losing so much wonderful fiction--would be a tragedy. You can't pick and choose. If magic in fiction is evil, then ALL magic in fiction must be evil and be avoided. If, that is, one wants to avoid the appearance of hypocrisy. This is MY OPINION only, and believe me it has been thought of and prayed over. Keep in mind, I am an actress and love the drama and the camp and take apart the performances in these movies, and have FUN! Same in the books!

If vampires were real I guarantee I would not be attracted to the lifestyle. Sunrise is my favorite part of the day, not sunset. I'm dead (pardon the pun) by 10-11pm! Definitely not a night owl.

Now, do I want my child to be brought up on a steady diet of Bewitched, I dream of Jeannie, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Mozart and Shakespeare in addition to a healthy diet filled with God's Word? Weren't we all?

inhim, hi, and thank you for your input. We are discussing fictional things like Harry Potter and whether it is evil. We are not talking about persecution, or slavery, or heroin or crystal meth, or satanism, or hatred, or child rape, or any of the countless real evils tht exist in the world. We're talking about a world where we can fly--where the impossible is possible, where anything you dream can be for a little while.

We're not talking about abandoning daily Bible study or fellowship or ministry or  any Chrstian habits. I am a pretty mature Christian and I'm honestly, really sincerely sure that if we say magic in fiction is evil, then read something like Peter Pan to our kids tonight, we are commiting the sin of hypocrisy. We have a divided heart if we do that. Instead, what I propose is mature seperation of honestly real evil and fictional flights of fancy, as I call them.

This is really the most time I've spent on this subject is so long--I only got in because this great work of fiction (have you read it? It's really great!) was being unduly hammered, and in honest conviction I put in my .02 cents' worth. :thumb:

And if Satan is going to try to get a hold on me, you can bet he'll use chocolate.

[Star]

Are y'all aware that some of the spells in HP books are actual witchcraft spells?

There was once some sort of "spell" in a movie(not HP) that lots of kids had seen and were acting out in a school bathroom.  It involved calling on "something" that appeared in a mirror and ...well, I don't want to say too much, but something happened.  My unsaved sister, a social worker, was working in a home for wayward girls, and she experienced so many things of the occult in that home as a result of the girls mimicking scenes they had seen from movies.  

On a personl note to ForHimAlone:  You're an ACTRESS??!! I never knew that!  What kinds of things do you act in?

[For Him Alone]

That's an urban legend about the mirror in the bathroom. 10 years ago it was told about saying "Candyman" 5 times, now it's about a spell that made the mirror show some demonic something or other. Hogworsh. Not true.

Star,

Yes, I'm an actress and singer, have been since the age of 3. I am head of Drama Ministry at my church and sing on the Praise Team every other month. I write, act, sing, and direct. I love it so much it isn't even like work. Unfortunately paying jobs in this field? Not many. I don't get paid until the judgement for my love.

I've acted in everything from being Ado Annie in Oklahoma to Tessa in Gilbert and Sullivan's Gondoliers... I prefer to sing rather than act. Thanks for asking! You know, I just HATE to talk about the gifts He has given me.

[Star]

FHA:  You sing, too?  What would you describe your singing style as?

I really don't disregard dark forces. I heard someone once say (and I am paraphrasing, and can't recall to whom credit should be given) that Christians can make the mistake of giving Satan too much credit, or not enough.