How does the Pope feel about Tolkien?
BLASPHEMY! GODLESS SATANISTS!
I would be willing to wager Tolkien passes muster.
How does the Pope feel
about those TV witches?
(I would start with Rose . . .)
"Christian fans of Harry Potter insist that the series is no different than C.S. Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia, a series that many Christian parents accept.
It is true that both authors create fantasy parallel worlds involving young British children who encounter magical creatures. Both develop admirable characters and evil villains. But this is where the comparison ends.
The difference between the two hinges on the concept of authority. From a Christian perspective, authority and supernatural power are linked.
Take a look at Mark 2, where Jesus heals a paralytic. When Jesus first sees the paralytic, He says, "Son, your sins are forgiven." This sets up the following scene:
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does this fellow teach like that? Hes blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Immediately Jesus knew . . . that this was what they were thinking . . . and He said to them, "Why are you thinking such things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get up, take your mat and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . ." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. (Mark 2:6-12a)
Christs power flows from His authority. Thats the nature of all legitimate power it is granted and guided by authority.
When we read Rowlings series, we find that she effectively divorces power from authority. There is no sovereign person or principle governing the use of the supernatural.
Magical power is gained through inheritance and learning. It is not granted by a higher authority, because there is no Higher Authority at least none higher than Harrys mentor, Albus Dumbledore, and the evil Lord Voldemort. The two are equal, antagonistic and unaccountable to a higher authority.
In C.S. Lewis Narnia, power and authority are welded together. That authority is Jesus, in the character of the great lion Aslan creator and sovereign ruler of Narnia, son of the Emperor Beyond the Sea. Good power is power that is bestowed by Aslan and exercised in accordance with his will. This good power is at work when the children Peter, Susan and Lucy use gifts bestowed on them by an agent of Aslan.
Evil power, on the other hand, is power that is seized or conjured rather than bestowed and exercised for selfish ends. Those who resist the temptation to use such power are commended, as was Digory, in The Magicians Nephew. But those who wield it (such as Jadis, also in The Magicians Nephew) and the White Witch (in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) are eventually vanquished by Aslan.
Despite superficial similarities, Rowlings and Lewis worlds are as far apart as east is from west. Rowlings work invites children to a world where witchcraft is "neutral" and where authority is determined solely by ones cleverness. Lewis invites readers to a world where Gods authority is not only recognized, but celebrated a world that resounds with His goodness and care.
Its a difference no Christian should ignore."
Tolkien's story is throughly Catholic.
Rawlings stories are throughly pagan.
There's your difference.
The problem is most people these days think they are smarter than Satan, but this not the case. His is an angelic intellect different in quality as well as quantity. Ever trick a dog into doing something? How hard was it? Not very right? That's about as much trouble as it is for Satan to trick us.
Our only defense is to cling to Christ, who in His infinite mercy has given us a blueprint for living and provided us with the living Magisterium of His Church.