Harry Potter to be or not to be

[ParanoidAndroid]

i wonder if JESUS would enjoy hp?

I wonder if Jesus would enjoy any movie or book. Looking at it from a certain perspective, by willingly choosing to do nothing except watch a movie or read a book, it could be considered as Slothfulness - it is taking away from time that one could conceivably be out in the world promoting the gospel to those who are not saved. Of course, people would say this is silly, because we should have our own time to simply enjoy the life God has given us. Just because something does not necessarily contain Godly elements does not make it inherently ungodly.....

Thoughts?

[ParanoidAndroid]

And with that, I disagree, Paranoid Android.

I know, cos I was there

Leave Harry Potter well alone, and throw it in the bin, where it belongs

Hi StephenUK,

Could you elaborate on what you mean when you write "I was there"? Do you mean that you used to be involved with witchcraft or Wicca/Paganism and found similarities? If so, I would like to hear them, because I also have a little bit of knowledge in this area and have found only the barest of similarities to Harry Potter. Could you be more specific, please.

Thanks

~ PA

[georgesbluegirl]

Considering the central message of the books concerns loyalty and above all love - this was spelled out in the sixth book, actually - I'd say Harry Potter is an option we should be pleased kids are pursuing rather than watching or reading some of the junk that's out there.

[sweetycakes]

And with that, I disagree, Paranoid Android.

I know, cos I was there

Leave Harry Potter well alone, and throw it in the bin, where it belongs

Hi StephenUK,

Could you elaborate on what you mean when you write "I was there"? Do you mean that you used to be involved with witchcraft or Wicca/Paganism and found similarities? If so, I would like to hear them, because I also have a little bit of knowledge in this area and have found only the barest of similarities to Harry Potter. Could you be more specific, please.

Thanks

~ PA

Yes, of course I was heavily involved with the occult and witchcraft when I was younger.

The surprising thing was, I would cast spells, and people would get hurt, just as I envisioned them. People would fall down the stairs on the school bus.....girls would come running to my attention.

The power of the occult is not just a fantasy, but, in the wrong hands, can quite easily be used to affect the situations around us. I dabbled with the ouija baord, and conjured up 'entities' which scared me almost literally to death.

Never again!

Don't mess with the occult. Don't mess with Harry Potter. Don't mess with astrology.

Harry Potter, and the woman behind it (J.K. Rowling) don't have your best interest at heart, believe me.

[ParanoidAndroid]

My question is would you be comfortable reading those in front of Jesus, and having Him join you in what you are reading?

If I was told to read something for Jesus, I'm sure I could find something much more interesting than Harry Potter. However, I would have no problem reading it to him. I would have a problem with reading to my child though (assuming I had a child, at least). If I read it to a child, I would make sure to let them know that what is happening in this book is not real, that it cannot possibly happen in real life and to believe so would be foolish....... But then again, when i was a kid, my mother would sit down with me while watching Road Runner and tell me that it wasn't real either. Completely obvious if you think about it, but not to a child. So you read Harry Potter with a child, make sure you say over and over again that it's not real.

And because the spells that are cast actually aren't real, then there is no problem.

Let's face it though - in a world where we are continually bombarded with new information, it's impossible to keep our kids wrapped in cotton wool. Eventually they will hear about things such as Harry Potter, and if we are denying this to them, did we help? They'll still hear about it, except now it will be "forbidden knowledge". Dark knowledge that mommy and daddy don't want kiddies to know about. Knowledge that they can use, maybe........

I think it's better to be upfront and show how ridiculously impossible these things are (and completely non-realistic compared to wicca and Paganism), and let kids be kids with their imaginations, rather than keep it locked away for them to find out on their own.

Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now. All the best,

~ Regards, PA

[ParanoidAndroid]

edit: silly internet connection cut out on me, when I got back online it had posted my entry twice. heh

Edited July 15, 2007 by ParanoidAndroid

[Guest Biblicist]

I was reading an article about the movies, and it mentioned how the actress who plays Hermione started getting involved in witchcraft.

I forgot to add . . .

I wasn't that surprised when I found this out, actually. I could see it in her countenance that there was . . . something. . . .

What do you mean there was somthing in her countenance? You judge her by her actions? How well do you know her?

I have googled Emma Watson [Hermonie] and there is nothing about her being interested in witchcraft or magic. Perhaps you were mistaken.

I think there is a huge difference between reading the books and watching the movies on television.

[sweetycakes]

edit: silly internet connection cut out on me, when I got back online it had posted my entry twice. heh

Yeah......right

[ParanoidAndroid]

Yes, of course I was heavily involved with the occult and witchcraft when I was younger.

The surprising thing was, I would cast spells, and people would get hurt, just as I envisioned them. People would fall down the stairs on the school bus.....girls would come running to my attention.

The power of the occult is not just a fantasy, but, in the wrong hands, can quite easily be used to affect the situations around us. I dabbled with the ouija baord, and conjured up 'entities' which scared me almost literally to death.

Never again!

Don't mess with the occult. Don't mess with Harry Potter. Don't mess with astrology.

Harry Potter, and the woman behind it (J.K. Rowling) don't have your best interest at heart, believe me.

Ok, thanks for that input, Stephen. I also dabbled in the Occult when I was a teenager, and yes, I can say it worked also.

However, none of the things that happen in Harry Potter can happen in real life. Even the best Occultist will find it impossible to fling a lightning bolt at an opponent, or summon dragons at will. Bad things can happen with the Occult, but the thing about the Harry Potter books is that it warns against that. The only wizards who ever do anything wrong are evil wizards. But even then the spells that the Dark Wizards use are impossible. There is no such thing as an Avarda Kedarva Curse, and no such thing as flying broomsticks. It's all Hollywood, consigned to the realm of fantasy.

But then again, you haven't seen the movies or books, so you wouldn't know this. If you wish to remain in the dark on these issues, then that is your choice and will be respected. If you will deny these choices to your children, it is also your choice and will be respected.

Just for curiosity though, did you let your children watch Shrek? Mary Poppins? Did you tell them about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy? Did you read them Grimm's Fairy Tales and let them know about Cinderella and Fairy God Mothers, Sleeping Beauty, Wicked Witches......... I'm not attacking you, just asking. Pay me no mind, I'm just a traveller along a similar road

All the best, Stephen

[ParanoidAndroid]

edit: silly internet connection cut out on me, when I got back online it had posted my entry twice. heh

Yeah......right

uh huh. I...... see