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Is Harry Potter Biblical?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dave Slayer
  • Start date Start date
Yeah after I read Harry Potter I started casting spells and summoning demons! :P

It's a book nothing more nothing less. I like it I'm a Christian, and it has yet to make me practice the Occult. Dungeons & Dragons is another favorite pastime of mine I play with many people I go to church with, none of us have gotten into the Occult because of it either. Christians defend C.S. Lewis & Tolkien, but condemn Gygax & Rowling.
 
Nothing that I could ever watch, could turn me away from Christ. So it would not bother me to watch those movies, because like I said it is entertainment, and I am well grounded. But if you are not well grounded, there might be a problem. Like I said I love Dracula movies, I even like the new ones. To be honest I just plain like weird stuff. God did not make us all alike.
 
MISFIT said:
Yeah after I read Harry Potter I started casting spells and summoning demons! :P

It's a book nothing more nothing less. I like it I'm a Christian, and it has yet to make me practice the Occult. Dungeons & Dragons is another favorite pastime of mine I play with many people I go to church with, none of us have gotten into the Occult because of it either. Christians defend C.S. Lewis & Tolkien, but condemn Gygax & Rowling.
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Good post all around, Misfit. I'm a big HP fan (own all the books), and the "magic" that Christian JK Rowling (she's a member of the Presbyterian Church--all you slandering her as a non-Christian have some repenting to do, IMO) uses as a vehicle for the books is not to be confused with the "magick" made popular by the occult.

I wonder how many of those condemning the Potter books have actually read them? I detect a slight "sheep mentality" in this thread, that if so-and-so Preacher Man says they're wrong, well, by gum, they're automatically wrong. Oy.

That being said, if you don't feel comfortable with this material, then it's probably not for you. If you want to play down and ignorantly criticize the source material (which teaches how we're to lay our lives down for our friends--hmm, I wonder where I heard that before? Hint: His name rhymes with "Jesus Christ"), that's your right. And I have the right to call out any within the Body of Christ peddling ignorance as knowledge, too.
 
I don't feel that I've peddled ignorance as knowledge. Although I might not know much about the dark arts, I do know that witchcraft (whether real or pretend) is dangerous territory for Christian children.
 
If you anti-HP types can prove out there that HP can actually lead children into the Dark Arts, please prove your case with something more than "feelings" and hearsay. Neither of which would stand up in a court of law--and neither IMO should be allowed in the court of public opinion.
 
Here's an interesting link to Christian layman John Granger, who has penned several tomes concerning Harry James Potter and the HP series. I challenge all HP detractors to face these facts with an open mind:

http://orthodoxwiki.org/John_Granger
 
Fictional stories, movies, music and other mediums are not inherently sinful or wrong. As someone else posted, these items are nothing more than fiction and are there from an entertainment perspective.

I prefer to see the Harry Potter stories as the battle of good versus evil. A story of redemption, coming of age and fighting evil with all of your heart. What's not to like about that if you are a Christian.

Let's look at CS Lewis. Probably one of the most reverred apologetics of the 20th century and creator of the Chronicles of Narnia. What is present in that series? You got it...scorcery, fantasy and all other elements that actually influenced the Harry Potter stories.

Let's be careful before we define stories as evil or sinful. If those stories are trying to influence you or others to do evil things than I think we have an arguement. If not, I'm not seeing where the conflict is. Just my thoughts.
 
Captain Sarcastic, I find some of your posts accusatory. Nevertheless, I will respond by telling you a story:

My oldest son, an extremely intellectual young adult, raised in a Christian home, became interested in both satanism and witchcraft several years ago. As he explains it, he was trying to open his mind to all avenues of beliefs. He did an extremely good job of hiding all this from me and it didn't come out until after he almost died from cancer in 2006 and until after he genuinely gave his life to Christ in 2008. Then he told me. And he said, "If I had died from the cancer, I would have gone to hell." As you can imagine, I am extremely leery of all things occult.

So I talked to him about this forum thread last night. Although I am "ignorant" of most of the methodologies and teachings of the occult, he isn't. He and I talked for several hours and here are the things he said (discount them as hearsay if you wish, but I find his opinions to be relevant):

- He agreed that the characters in the Harry Potter series do not use real witchcraft or "magick"
- He agreed that the Harry Potter series has several good morals
- He agreed that Christians grounded in their faith would probably not be influenced by the series
- He believes that, although, the "magic" in the series is just "pretend," it could open the door to curiosity about the real thing (he didn't read the article I just posted the link for)

See, the thing is, I allowed my son to watch the first few Harry Potter movies and check out the books from the library. I didn't know enough about them and I was following my Christian friends' advice and opinions about the movies. Although I will not go so far as to pinpoint my son's interest in satanism and witchcraft on the series, I will say that he gained some curiosity about spells and potions.
 
While there may be some legitimacy to your claims, I find your claims highly subjective. IMO, this entire HP debacle is akin to music and books--a Romans 14 issue. "Let everyone be persuaded in his own mind" as to non-essential matters of life.

For every young person made "curious" by the occult (or what you've mistakenly identified as the occult IMO) through the Potter series, I can find another young person affected in the opposite direction.

For Christians to get all upset over a fictional series, I would find laughable if it weren't so sad. :(
 
Aero_Hudson said:
Fictional stories, movies, music and other mediums are not inherently sinful or wrong. As someone else posted, these items are nothing more than fiction and are there from an entertainment perspective.

I prefer to see the Harry Potter stories as the battle of good versus evil. A story of redemption, coming of age and fighting evil with all of your heart. What's not to like about that if you are a Christian.

Let's look at CS Lewis. Probably one of the most reverred apologetics of the 20th century and creator of the Chronicles of Narnia. What is present in that series? You got it...scorcery, fantasy and all other elements that actually influenced the Harry Potter stories.

Let's be careful before we define stories as evil or sinful. If those stories are trying to influence you or others to do evil things than I think we have an arguement. If not, I'm not seeing where the conflict is. Just my thoughts.
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I agree. :shades
 
For our family, all forms of witchcraft are out.

We have decided to teach our children the truth of what God says. Witchcraft is evil in the sight of the Lord and displeased Him immensly. We want to please God in this area, and keep our hearts pure before Him by hating what He hates, and loving what He loves. Just because something can be categorized as entertainment doesn't mean that its harmless or that it doesn't displease the Lord. As a believer, I can not compartmentalize my life. We know that these movies and books influence young people, and we have seen horrific crimes come from such things as the evil hearts of some feed on it.

There are too many opportunities for the hearts of our children to be stolen, and I desire that my children hear their parents, and the voice of the Lord, not the voices glorified by this world. I do not want to familiarize my children with evil images, or promote the idea that it's alright to call good evil and evil good...this carries over to so many areas. I want them to be flooded with light, and so it doesn't seem like I should flood them with darkness too and hope for the best. It won't work.

God told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 18 to not imitate these evil customs...
9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

Fearing the Lord is not ignorant, or even legalistic, it is just obedient.

The Lord bless all of you, just my thoughts.
 
All you HP-bashers are offering is strawmen arguments...that is, you're attacking a misperception of a valid point. Obviously, REAL witchcraft is an abomination to the Lord. None of you have yet proven that HP is REAL witchcraft. It is FICTION. In fact, I've heard REAL witches complain that HP MISREPRESENTS them. This in itself nullifies your argument.

If any of you can prove that HP is a primer for REAL witchcraft, please do so. Until then, you're indulging in fundamentalist propaganda of epic fail proportions.
 
Captain Sarcastic said:
All you HP-bashers are offering is strawmen arguments...that is, you're attacking a misperception of a valid point. Obviously, REAL witchcraft is an abomination to the Lord. None of you have yet proven that HP is REAL witchcraft. It is FICTION. In fact, I've heard REAL witches complain that HP MISREPRESENTS them. This in itself nullifies your argument.

If any of you can prove that HP is a primer for REAL witchcraft, please do so. Until then, you're indulging in fundamentalist propaganda of epic fail proportions.
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Dude all it takes is for thoughts to be planted in your mind, making you want to explore further. And if you are not well grounded, you can be drawn by it, and it happens all the time. And yes it is fantasy, but it can and does plant seeds, depending upon who you are, you can take it to the next level. Many, many, many people are easily persuaded, more so than others. Movies have changed peoples lives for years and that can't be denied, now can it ?
 
I think we would all agree that a vast majority of mainstream movies depict sinful acts. However, these same movies often times depict great deeds and inspirational insights that move people that watch them. Harry Potter is no different. At its core, it is a story of good vs. evil and establishes many good themes and behaviors that serve as a good example for kids to emulate.

The issue of establishing what is real and what is make believe as well as those that are easily influenced is a parental issue. Parents should be regulating what their kids watch and do to ensure that if they think they are not quite ready for these concepts they should not be exposed to them. If they are exposed to "make believe" material parents should actively discuss it with them to help them separate fact from fiction.

I respect those that disagree and want to not expose their children to this material. At the same time, I would ask that folks don't place the "evil" tag on Harry Potter due to them making this decision for themselves. I do not consider it a sin for me and my family to be entertained by a story that is well told that also is inspirational and uplifting. Looking more closely at Harry Potter there are some very good things the stories promote that dare I say embrace the values of Christianity.

Just some additional thoughts from me. :-)
 
Lewis W said:
Dude all it takes is for thoughts to be planted in your mind, making you want to explore further. And if you are not well grounded, you can be drawn by it, and it happens all the time. And yes it is fantasy, but it can and does plant seeds, depending upon who you are, you can take it to the next level. Many, many, many people are easily persuaded, more so than others. Movies have changed peoples lives for years and that can't be denied, now can it ?
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Lewis,

This is one thing I have seen myself. Though perhaps not out of the Harry Potter series....but rather out of movies such as The Da Vinci Code. There are no real words I can use to express my thoughts on how many people I have known, seen, or understood to question or abandon their faith altogether based off of things that were debated in or portrayed in such films.

In regards of Harry Potter, the only real similarity I have seen to the sorcery used in the movie to that of actual witchcraft has been the root latin words used. Though beyond that, I have yet to see any. Still....I have not done as much research as others, but have looked into this a bit to try to learn if there is indeed any real witchcraft used within it.

I can understand why a large populous of Christians would be completely against this movie. At the same time, if against this....most Christians too likely should avoid television altogether. In this day and age, there is very little that does not promote sex, violence, or other sinful acts.

Perhaps though I am being too harsh...if so, I do apologize.

May God Bless You

Danielle
 
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