What a bunch of CRAP!! There were NO REAL people depicted in this film. There were NO REAL SPELLS uttered. For crying out loud. Do you "read" the posts you respond to, or do you just respond?
Have you sat down and read the entire bible with your children? My guess is not.
There you go again... JUDGING without Knowledge. That is the "epitomy" of ignorance. And btw, being led like sheep is not serving our Father very well. Yes, we have read the ENTIRE Bible with our children. The King James version, and the New English version. We are getting ready to buy the newest version which I hear is even "stricter" than the previous two in its translation of Gods Rules in the Bible!!
But you seem to be expending alot of energy to defend HP.Do as you like with your kids..but you need to know that all things are not spiritually neutral.
Say what??? I happen to think your serving Satan quite well, but diverting our attention away from things that truly need our attention. You may be well intended,.. but your misdirected. Next time, please take the time to "read" someones post. Your answers are benign and irrelevant. "Spiritually Nuetral".. what the heck are you talking about regarding my post??
I can assure you, that we don't "Celebrate" Halloween. We have a party at our church called the Fall Harvest. Our kids DO go trick or treating, and guess what? They STILL don't believe that Goblins and witches are REAL. They don't think that dressing up as cartoon characters and getting candy is evil. I happen to think you would have to sit down and be teaching that it is something, before kids would think that. And we don't teach them that it is devil worship, but rather a time of year for kids to dress up and go get free candy from nice neighbors. The joy on kids faces,..and the elderly as wee ones come knock on their door is so worth it!!! I don't care what it started out as.. (All hallows), the fact is, that as a kid I did it,.. I laughed and had fun. I never knew that some called it anything else until I was an adult. I know what it was to me as a kid,..and I still grew up to be a pretty decent person.
Do I know that there are misguided folks who try to conjure up evil spirits? Yes. I think there ARE aspects of evil that are real. Like Murder. And I feel that the beauty of God is that he gave us free choice. Thats how we either go to heaven or suffer eternal damnation. We choose how we live, rather that be a life of good, or evil. Evil DOES exist.. but it isn't with real live witches. Those who become shamans, or witches are misguided souls. They ARE possessed, but I feel it is more in their minds and souls than anything that you could reach out and touch, that is made up of solid matter. It is mental. It is in their souls and hearts. Have you actually SEEN a demon?? I don't mean the actions of someone falling on the floor and flopping all over the place,..I mean SEEN a demon?? Because you won't!! You will SEE evil behavior.. just like you'll SEE good behavior. The deeds that result from those are "evil" or "good". It is wise to know the difference in my humble opinion and experience. To suggest otherwise is wrong. And all kids grow up and figure it out. I happen to think thats why so many leave their faith. Because they never SEE these things that they were taught were REAL. Its so important to explain it right, because one day they grow up, and if you are percieved to have lied to them,.. they will never believe anything else you tell them. So teach them reality,.. the truth, and they will stay true to the Word. In MHO.
Good Grief!! Tell me one flying witch you ever saw. Tell me one goblin, or devil you've SEEN.
Evil is in peoples behavior. Just as the Spirit of our Father is in our hearts and souls. It is SEEN by our actions.
If we follow the word of God, if we are bathed in the blood of Christ, then we FEAR no evil.
In fact, I would wager to say that FEAR is evil!! Our Father tells us constantly to NOT FEAR EVIL.
I will choose to BELIEVE with all my heart. I will continue to "teach" our kids and grandkids the difference between right and wrong. But I will never be so petty and so judgemental as some professed Christians claim to be. We teach with Love and Joy the Love of our Father. We teach that eternity is at stake. We explain that this life is but the blink of an eye compared to eternity. Why would anyone want to suffer forever? So we teach that God Loves us so much that He gave His only Begotten Son for us. He gave us FREE will. We choose our destiny's. We teach that life can be so joyful here on earth, if we choose His path.
If you think that teaching "fear" of things that "aren't" real brings anyone to our Lord you are sadly mistaken. If you think your kids won't hear about Harry Potter, if you think they won't know the difference from fact or fiction, then I will pray for you. Because if your teaching them that Witches are REAL (not saying there are not misguided people who think they are witches, just that you should be teaching your kids that they are mentally imbalanced and need our prayers, not that they are REAL, that they can fly or do spells). They are mentally imbalanced and deserve our prayers. I suppose you think those who practiced being witches or were percieved to be in Salem deserved their fate?? Come on!!! There will always be misguided and mistaken people in this world. The only danger is to themselves. They will know eternal damntion. I won't be the one to judge them.. God will.
I know that there have been people who do evil things. They are misguided to think that by sacrificing a person, that they will garner favor from Satan. Trust me, I know those kinds of evil are real. There are pedophilles, they are evil. There are murderers,.. they are evil. WE do need to warn our children of "true EVIL". But to warn them that things like this movie are evil, only diminishes our words when we try to warn them against REAL evil. We have discussed with our kids the danger of some who try to conjur up evil by killing chickens and burning them in a circle of stones,... we warn them that to worship anything evil, perils their eternal soul. But this is the little boy crying wolf. Trust me,. I've seen this movie and read this book and you haven't.
You and I will never agree on this subject. But at least I can say I've seen the movie. And if you've seen "The Wizard of Oz" then you should be ashamed of yourself. Because the Harry Potter show was no different. In fact, I remember seeing Dorothy do a spell with those little red slippers. But I'd have to think for a bit to remember any spells done on the Harry Potter movie. They might have done one to open a door. Thats the only one I remember. It wasn't ingrained into my mind the way Dorothy's was on "The Wizard of Oz".
I wish you could see how ridiculous and hypocritical you are on this subject. But if you never read the book, or see the movie, you will never KNOW how ignorant your stand on this is. But then, your Minister said so .. and thats enough for you .. right? Now thats scary!! I could expound on that,.. but I won't. But I would caution you to remember what the Bible says about simular things regarding "following" false leaders, idol worship etc. God gave us a brain and the ability to "reason". But how on earth can you do that with a closed mind?
A closed mind is like a parachute that won't open... dangerous!!
Sadly, that you watched all those other movies, then condemn this one, is just blatantly hypocritical.
I think that is sad. I think it shows a weakness of faith,.. not strength in it. There are real tangible things we need to warn our children about.. but this isn't one of them.
I mean no disrespect to you by discussing this. I just feel strongly that we do a diservice to Christianity by acting this irrational! We become fanatical like the Taliban. So threatened by a couple thousand year old statues of Buhdda, that they destroyed them. I would never worship that statue, thats not my belief,.. but I'm sure not threatened by it. Those are just dangerous ways to think. And one day, if that kind of radical thinking continues,..then we won't be able to have this discussion. We won't be able to pray at all, or share our belief in Christ in a public way.
It is better to bring people to Christ with Love, not by condemning or being so judgemental. Thats just MHO
Now,.. on to bigger things. Like a trip to town to get some things for those less fortunate than us (which I do often and had already planned for this season). Energy better spent! And please do me a favor and read the whole post.. don't take my words out of content. Remember that a computer doesn't convey tone inflection or facial expressions. I mean you no disrespect in giving you my view. I'm NOT judging you, I'm giving you my opinion, and to sum it up,... I don't think all the hoopla over this movie warrants this much attention. I'm voicing my opinion to YOU, as I think the whole "Christians are worried about Harry" business, doesn't serve Christianity well at all!!!
God Bless!!
Why is this so personal with you? It really does make me wonder why all the energy expended to defend this book..
Unfortunately these things are real..they are not make believe..God believed in them enough to put warnings about them in His word..
We do no service to anyone when we fail to warn of the potential harm of something like this..I do not call that love..LINK