Klaatu barada nikto.
I suppose in these days, some of the books I used to read as a teen would be on the 'Do NOT View' list also.
Where is the Oh Geez! Not this s**t again picture?
Thinks I'm too stupid to know what a winged boar is. PHHHHHHPTT!
"By far the most serious criticism of the Harry Potter series comes from those Christians and Jews who believe any mention of magic in literature is completely and automatically off-limits based simply on the Biblical prohibitions against witchcraft.
"I respect such critics, but I disagree with them. A few of them go overboard, muttering darkly about bargains with supernatural forces. But many are sincere and intelligent."
If kids read the Bible (or any other worthwhile religious literature), prayed, and attended church with the same enthusiasm and dedication they read these Harry Potter books, this would be a better world.
It's not really the magic I take issue with. I have seen some Harry Potter films in parts, and what I certainly don't appreciate is the dark, disturbing violence in them, particularly when these films are targeted at children. But, hey, Hollywood producers and J. K. Rowling are laughing their way to the bank.
Before I read this -- does it have spoilers? I'm just starting book three, and am trying to avoid.
Dan
Ping.
I have never understood some Christians' perspective of the Harry Potter series. They embrace the C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia series, which includes the character of the White Witch. There is a horrible scene in which the White Witch kills the Jesus character of Aslan by first having him tied to a stone table, shaved of his lion's hair and then brutally stabbed to death. Very dark stuff. You can buy the books in every Christian bookstore. The difference? C.S. Lewis was a devote Christian and the books reflect his Christian beliefs. Many Christians do NOT share the perspective that the Harry Potter books promote witchcraft; we recognize the deep moral truths in the books and can appreciate the good vs. evil theme throughout every one of the 6 books to date. Fairy tales are full of witches, and they always lose their battles. The Harry Potter books are just that: fairy tales. Most of the kids who read them do not embrace witchcraft as a result of having read the books.
Oh sweet lord....
Look it is pure fiction.
It got my boy away from the computer and the TV and back into books! For that alone I am thankful. For those of you who think that this is "EVIL". Whats that saying about glass houses?
Sure its dark but there are other and darker young adult books out there and no one so much as says boo about it.
So long as the children enjoy the read and understand that it is fiction and make believe then there is nothing wrong with it.
Just because a book is fiction doesn't mean it can't be harmful. Pullman's "Golden Compass" trilogy is positively diabolical, expressly designed to subtly undermine the faith of children and persuade them that God is evil.
Harry Potter is just fine. Rowling shows none of that evil intention in my view. In the war between good and evil, she clearly sides with good. Indeed, her theodicy, if that isn't too grand a term, is on much more solid ground than that silly and confused business about "the dark side of the Force" in "Star Wars."
So I take it the next movie shall feature ...
??
Pope Opposes Harry Potter Novels - Signed Letters from Cardinal Ratzinger Now Online
Potter Ping!! This article (and so far the thread) is FREE OF SPOILERS! So click away....
Ping.
And after watching years of BeWitched, I only cast spells upon liberals.
As one who grew up with reading Tolkien, I can say that The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings helped to instill a love of reading that I continue to this day for those were among the first books I picked up to read "just for fun" as opposed to being made to read a boring classic assigned by a teacher. In fact, I later came to appreciate many of the classics that the teachers force-fed me as a kid as a result of all my independent reading, of which Tolkien played a key role.
Before Harry Potter came on the scene, it was even a worse situation with the current generation. Many children couldn't even read Tolkien even if they wanted to because they were too difficult for the average child to get through. I tried getting my kids to read The Hobbit when they were young but they found the book ridiculously long and boring. Even though Hobbit wasn't that long (compared to LOTR), the average children's book rarely exceeded 100 pages. Harry Potter changed all that. I believe the 5th Harry Potter book had close to 900 pages! Never again will my kids look at a thick book and be intimidated.
Fans of Tolkien's work today don't realize that Tolkien wrote those books for children. Back in the 1950s, your average 6th grader could read LOTR with no problem. Today, many high school kids are intimidated by it!
So if the Harry Potter series can get kids reading again, I'm all for it. Since my two sons started reading the Potter books, they have been much more open to reading other books that they never otherwise would have even attempted.
Where's the danger you might ask? The danger lies in projections and perceptions. The author of the books is projecting when at best she can only perceive. Her main character is a boy and she purports to write from within outwards, something she can not truly do, a complete lie. To deal with every problem the boy (really a girl -projection people) uses convoluted logic and a magical spell to fix everything. This is a very bad foundation for young girls to adhere for it leads to delusion. Skim closer and you will see the soullessness of this women. You might again ask yourself what is it she desires so much that she has to broach it as a man would as though she's a man?
to assume their is no danger is itself absurd.
