Posted on 06/03/2004 9:38:49 AM PDT by BobbyBeeper
FIRST-PERSON: Is Harry Potter merely entertainment? Jun 2, 2004 By Phil Boatwright
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" Photo courtesy of harrypotter.com
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (BP)--"I love Harry Potter. I think it would be so cool to be a witch," Sharon, age 11, says.
That's my answer to anyone who says J.K. Rowling's adventure series is harmless fantasy.
While the Harry Potter book and film series has held a hypnotic fascination for youngsters, its thematic foundation is troubling. Arguably, perceptive children can view such material without succumbing to the snare of the occult, but it would be naive to think that movies and TV programs containing witchcraft are not aiding the rise of Wicca in our culture.
In a television special titled "Hollywood Spirituality" which aired several years back on E! Entertainment, Raven Mounauni, a professing witch and owner of an occult paraphernalia store, credited the 1996 movie "The Craft" with inspiring young women to explore the world of witches. "I get a lot of teenage girls in here. You can always tell when 'The Craft' has been on TV, 'cause we get a big influx of girls looking for supplies."
Occult practices shouldn't be considered just diverting amusement. Ouija boards, psychic readers and other forms of misleading supernatural entertainment should not be taken lightly. In Leviticus 19:26 we are instructed, "Do not practice divination or sorcery." There are several warnings in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, making it clear that we are to avoid witchcraft or anything associated with the occult. So if God is instructing us to avoid occult practices, how can we justify using it to entertain ourselves?
This may not be a popular view right now. The first Harry Potter film installment earned $969 million worldwide. J.K. Rowlings' five books on the young wizard have become a phenomenon, allowing the author to become the richest woman in England, with assets beyond $1 billion. That would indicate that many parents find nothing wrong with these children's adventures.
There are even a couple of books out right now exclaiming parallels between the Potter books and the Gospel. One author suggests the books help relate Christian themes and truths, opening the door for talking about things such as right and wrong, the nature of faith, loyalty, bravery and trust. Honestly, I think that's a bit thin. Yes, Rowlings’ themes deal with honor, friendship and self-sacrifice, but the kids in Harry Potter gravitate to sorcery in order to accomplish these attributes. And even if there are positive elements associated with the series, you simply can't ignore the witchcraft equation.
Members of Wicca teach a philosophy that embraces no absolute truth or sin and replaces the patriarchal male creator God of the Bible with a belief in both male and female gods. Its credo instructs members to embrace spirits and conjure spells in order to control their lives and the lives of others. There are millions of practicing witches worldwide. Indeed, Wicca has become one of the fastest-growing religions in the world today.
OK, it's good that children are reading. But what is it they're reading? Shouldn't that be considered? When an author makes $1 billion on five books that have sorcery as a main theme, and renowned secular critics hail the films as incredible filmmaking without examining their occult roots, I question what's really behind this phenom.
Is it merely entertainment? Or is there a dark spiritual source feeding and supporting it? I realize that may sound like a stretch, but often Satan is most deceiving with a glossed-over package. Wouldn't it be a shame if kids got pulled into witchcraft, while their folks thought of the books and films as merely children's fantasy? --30-- Phil Boatwright is a film reviewer and editor of The Movie Reporter, on the Web at www.moviereporter.com. (BP) photo posted in the BP Photo Library at http://www.bpnews.net. Photo title: HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKAB
Yeah, Sirius was definitely one of the more interesting, fun characters. And Harry got on my nerves throughout the fifth book too, but I still felt bad for him. I wonder how bad he'll be in the 6th book b/c he'll probably blame himself for Sirius's death.
He'd better! He, and Dumbledore, are the ones responsible. I hope in Book 6, someone, preferably Lupin, takes him aside and gives him a lecture about being grown-up. Maybe it's an accurate portrayal of a teenager, but he was much cooler in the first three books, when he wasn't whining all the time. (The scene in Philosopher's Stone where he says he's going for the Stone, and the one in Prisoner where he talks about what Sirius supposedly did, are brilliant).
Do you honestly, truly believe that witchcraft and magic are real?
I've seen all the trailers a dozen times. They are nothing compared to the scenes in context.
The story on screen makes sense, but just barely.
None of the critics ever seem to mention a key fact about the HP stories, and that is that they are classical mysteries. They depend on paying close attention to clues and assembling all the pieces in your mind after the show is over. Rowling is closer in spirit to Agatha Christie than to Tolkein.
HAHAHAHAHA. Welcome to FR.
No, I meant "good murderer" but I believe in a "good killing" too. Refer to the situation in "A Time to Kill" by John Grisham. I don't think any punishment is too excessive for a rapist or a child molester. If anyone ever rapes or molests one of my children, I will track him down and kill him with no remorse, just a feeling that I have helped the world by getting rid of filth disguised as a human. There are shades of gray for nearly every situation, such as murder. You don't have to agree with me, it's just my belief. Though I've never studied witchcraft or met one who practiced it (that I know of), in the Bible there were mentions of both healing and prophets. In nearly every tribe there is a shaman, a man who heals, and talks to dead ancestors, I don't believe these people have a one way ticket to hell because of it.
They aren't?
The first few are real mysteries. The latest two have evolved more into an adventure genre - books 4 and 5 are sort of the transition into what I think the last two books will be, an all-out magical war. Should be interesting.
Homicide is the legal term for murder, they're synonyms.
In stories there can be good witchcraft, they're just stories. Most fantasy fiction, including the mighty and highly praised LOTR and Narnia, have good witchcraft. Because witchcraft and other forms of magic are a vital part of the genre, and good guys are also an important part of the genre, and good guys that do magic are normal parts of the genre.
It's NOT making people accepting to the occult, it's NOT opening the door to Satan in a person's soul, it's NOT a challenge to any one's faith. And anybody that thinks otherwise must have very weak faith. It's just books and movies, and sometimes, like in the case of HP, it's books and movies with good messages. There's nothing wrong with a fantasy juvenile series that portrays love and the most powerful tool a person can wield, there's nothing wrong with a series that shows loyalty as the most important duty in the world, there's nothing wrong with a book that shows self sacrifice as the greatest achievement a person can make. That's what's in Harry Potter.
The "magic" such as it is bears absolutely no resemblance, even casually, to the real occult world. In HP wizards and witches are born, not made, it's a genetic trait, you either are one or you are't. The "rituals" such as they are are no more diabolical than the "rituals" all families have during the holiday season. All of the magic involves things that don't exist in the real world so there's no possibility of someone getting some occultish ideas. And starting with book three divination is constantly the subject of ridicule.
there is no threat here to anyone's faith. Just like there's never been a threat to faith in D&D or heavy metal or any of the other myriad things the Christians of weak faith who are constantly terrified other people might be having fun constantly protest against. This kind of paranoid and down right idiotic protestingh you and others participate in drives more people away from the faith than the things you protest. YOU pose more of a threat to opening people's souls to Satan than Gary Gygax, JK Rowling and Ozzy Osborne combined.
I prefer the more rustic "he needed killin'" ;)
There is a "Tarot Card Reader" at a local Transvetite bar/Restaurant in NYC (Lucky Chengs) who is HYSTERICAL..I think she is actually a "she" as there a few actual women who work there. Its more of a Cabaret then actual trannie hang-out judging from the patrons. (alot of bachelorette parties, office parties, etc)
I know I will get slammed for suggesting it, but it actually really fun and I recommend it for laughs.
Why does a forum bring out these anonymous nutcase busybodies ?
BUMP
LOL! We've seen hints of that in Harry's thought to himself that Hermione demanding support from Ron when they are prefects reminded him of Mrs. Weasley looking for support from her husband when dealing with the kids. ;o)
Yes, considering Mrs. Weasley already said she thinks of him as a son. :-)
Maybe, but I interpret all of them as mysteries in the sense that Harry has to determine, in a world where adults lie and protect their turf, who are the good guys and who are the bad guys.
Consider the complexity of Harry's world. It is presided over by Dumbledore, who is the wisest and best intentioned of the adults. His name means bumblebee, and he does bumble things, despite knowing more than everyone else.
Then there's Snape, one of the truly good guys, but his personal problems (jealousy, ambition) mask his goodness. I suspect something similar will be true of aunt petunia. Hagrid is a great soul, but rather incompetent. Most of the adults are either limited in intelligence or downright mean. None of them adequately protect Harry.
Amidst all this, Harry has to survive and grow up. In book four his great protector turns out to be number two to the evil overlord. In book five he ignores good advice and is betrayed by his own instincts.
These are not simple stories.
Sadly they were. I've long suspected these type of people are spying on me. Anything I like doing they decide is Satanic. It goes back at least to the late 70s when they started going after D&D. The difference between then and now is then you had to either be one of the people with the supposedly "evil" hobby, or one of the people listening to the complainers to find out about it, now thanks to the internet everybody gets to hear their kooky theories about what all things will turn you into a Satanist.
It's the ' Southern defense'. "Your Honor, he needed killin!"
runs away laughing
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