Potter Mania: Should Christian Kids Read 'Harry Potter'?

Breakpoint with Chuck Colson ^ | 7/20/2007 | Chuck Colson

[Barnacle]

And why not?....

Please see post #36.

[oneamericanvoice]

The analogies you attempted to make don't work. Equating Potter with Nazism or Communism, sex, etc is downright silly. And a bit disgusting. In the Potter series you find no sex, no totalitarianism, no racism, no disrespect for authority.... You do find loyalty, courage, strength, the triumph of good over evil, responsibility, and yes, Christmas! I wiggled my nose like Samantha, and blinked my eyes like Jeannie...in play. But went to church and Sunday school knowing the difference between pretend and reality. Bet you went to fantasy movies when you were a kid. Did you turn out okay?

[Mr. Silverback]

Given your tagline, should you have been shopping at WalMart? :-)

Seriously though, i haven't read this or any of the Potter books yet. Other than reading Narnia and Star Wars books to my kids, I've been fiction free (unintentionally) for about 3 years.

[ColdSteelTalon]

Did you know that the Potter characters celebrate Christmas in the books and movies?

Of course they do. They also cast spells and practice sorcery.

[Corin Stormhands]

And you've shown you have none by comparing a children's novel to the most evil crud ever put on paper.

Thanks. I was working on a smart-aleck comeback, but you nailed the truth with your post.

[Revolting cat!]

Why?

"That's not writing, that's typing." -- Truman Capote

[ColdSteelTalon]

I don't think anyone should be reading them.

The title of the article you might notice says Christian Kids.

[oneamericanvoice]

Anti-Christian assaults as a retort to the anti-Potter campaign is just as silly. You just lost your credibility by assaulting their faith rather than sticking to the issue.

[Free Vulcan]

Tolkein and Lewis were good friends. LOTR has alot of Christian themes in it.

[Corin Stormhands]

Where as the Potter stories shows the weird stuff (the occult) as something that can be accessed to one's advantage.

Which is exactly why kids should read them. I would never have made it home tonight without using the reparo spell on my flat tire.

:rolls eyes:

[abercrombie_guy_38]

Not this again.

It just makes real Christians look a bunch of paranoid fools. How embarassing.

[ColdSteelTalon]

Because everything I have seen makes it look like practicing sorcery and casting spells can be good and fun.

[Old_Mil]

The actual practice of sorcery and astrology was, of course, forbidden by God. But Daniel studied it well to understand it.

How curious. I don't happen to remember reading anything about Daniel's extensive studies of the occult in the book that bears his name.

[Revolting cat!]

I didn't like Them either.

Well, I loved Them!

[oneamericanvoice]

I believe in God too. But I still read Potter.

[Mr. Silverback]

The magic in the books is just a vehicle for the moral of the story, that good will win out over evil, and sometimes, folks have to pay a heavy price in order to do that which is good.

Plus, myself I've always figured that magic in fiction which is merely "mechanical" (point a wand, say some words, presto, ya got magic) is very, very different from magic that is based on connecting with a dark spiritual power of some sort.

[oneamericanvoice]

Well said. I tried articulating the same, but you stated it much better.

I believe in God, but read Potter.

[Shadowstrike]

I agree that the occult is dangerous, and very real. However, people have been lured into the occult long before these books were even thought of. Only weak minded, weak willed individuals can be lured into the occult, and if a parent has done their job. Grounded their child with a sense of morality, responsibility, and understanding, then I don't see anything to worry about. When Superman was on tv in the 50's some kids tried to be Superman. They wound up in casts or traction, and learned a very valuable lesson. Did all kids do this? Of course not. There have always been, and will always be 'weak people'. Look at the news. We have Druids (or people who want to be) running around. No, there is very real Evil in this world right now, and I don't think it's name is Harry Potter.

[Barnacle]

Why?

Please see post #36.

[Mr. Silverback]

I don't think anyone should be reading them.

Why?