Posted on 06/03/2004 9:38:49 AM PDT by BobbyBeeper
FIRST-PERSON: Is Harry Potter merely entertainment? Jun 2, 2004 By Phil Boatwright
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" Photo courtesy of harrypotter.com
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (BP)--"I love Harry Potter. I think it would be so cool to be a witch," Sharon, age 11, says.
That's my answer to anyone who says J.K. Rowling's adventure series is harmless fantasy.
While the Harry Potter book and film series has held a hypnotic fascination for youngsters, its thematic foundation is troubling. Arguably, perceptive children can view such material without succumbing to the snare of the occult, but it would be naive to think that movies and TV programs containing witchcraft are not aiding the rise of Wicca in our culture.
In a television special titled "Hollywood Spirituality" which aired several years back on E! Entertainment, Raven Mounauni, a professing witch and owner of an occult paraphernalia store, credited the 1996 movie "The Craft" with inspiring young women to explore the world of witches. "I get a lot of teenage girls in here. You can always tell when 'The Craft' has been on TV, 'cause we get a big influx of girls looking for supplies."
Occult practices shouldn't be considered just diverting amusement. Ouija boards, psychic readers and other forms of misleading supernatural entertainment should not be taken lightly. In Leviticus 19:26 we are instructed, "Do not practice divination or sorcery." There are several warnings in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, making it clear that we are to avoid witchcraft or anything associated with the occult. So if God is instructing us to avoid occult practices, how can we justify using it to entertain ourselves?
This may not be a popular view right now. The first Harry Potter film installment earned $969 million worldwide. J.K. Rowlings' five books on the young wizard have become a phenomenon, allowing the author to become the richest woman in England, with assets beyond $1 billion. That would indicate that many parents find nothing wrong with these children's adventures.
There are even a couple of books out right now exclaiming parallels between the Potter books and the Gospel. One author suggests the books help relate Christian themes and truths, opening the door for talking about things such as right and wrong, the nature of faith, loyalty, bravery and trust. Honestly, I think that's a bit thin. Yes, Rowlings’ themes deal with honor, friendship and self-sacrifice, but the kids in Harry Potter gravitate to sorcery in order to accomplish these attributes. And even if there are positive elements associated with the series, you simply can't ignore the witchcraft equation.
Members of Wicca teach a philosophy that embraces no absolute truth or sin and replaces the patriarchal male creator God of the Bible with a belief in both male and female gods. Its credo instructs members to embrace spirits and conjure spells in order to control their lives and the lives of others. There are millions of practicing witches worldwide. Indeed, Wicca has become one of the fastest-growing religions in the world today.
OK, it's good that children are reading. But what is it they're reading? Shouldn't that be considered? When an author makes $1 billion on five books that have sorcery as a main theme, and renowned secular critics hail the films as incredible filmmaking without examining their occult roots, I question what's really behind this phenom.
Is it merely entertainment? Or is there a dark spiritual source feeding and supporting it? I realize that may sound like a stretch, but often Satan is most deceiving with a glossed-over package. Wouldn't it be a shame if kids got pulled into witchcraft, while their folks thought of the books and films as merely children's fantasy? --30-- Phil Boatwright is a film reviewer and editor of The Movie Reporter, on the Web at www.moviereporter.com. (BP) photo posted in the BP Photo Library at http://www.bpnews.net. Photo title: HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKAB
Traveller fan myself.
"Having reached the age of maturity in 1914, while still attending college, he looked up his lost love, Edith Bratt, and proposed marriage. She had accepted a proposal from another quarter, but in the end was persuaded to return to Tolkien. They would marry in 1916.
World War I, the war to end all wars, came in 1914. It would forever mark the end of many of the Empires of Europe and would unleash death across the European Continent. Tolkien lost many of his friends in the war, and he himself would serve as an officer on the front lines at the Battle of the Somme. He caught trench fever in 1917 and was sent back to England to recuperate. He would not see front line service again.
Throughout his schooldays he had been a determined poet and scholar. His interest in language was such that he had even developed his own languages based loosely on Finnish and Welsh. It was while recuperating in Birmingham, with his wife at his side, that he began to create a mythology behind his languages. This work would one day result in his famous books.
It was about this time that Tolkien was blessed with the first of his four children."
Okay, another falsehood ... still engaging in hyperbole?
I think the Harry Potter series is junk-food trash for kids as so much garbage is on TV.
Why would you compare it to the things on TV? The Harry Potter series (the books) have brought hundreds of kids into the world of reading, where before the HP books came out they detested it. I know I'm thankful a book series has emerged that will encourage children to read instead of watch Jimmy Neutron and such.
Like part of the Inquisition, I think it was less about any real threats, and more about exerting power and keeping people in line. If you can whip the people into a frenzy, and kill off others to make an example, you can manipulate a group of isolated people anyway you want. Back in that time, that far away from England, this was a good way to maintain authority. It kept outsiders from bring in any strange ideas that might be a threat to the way the town was run.
Somebody here posted an article about how many of the "witches" were from influential families, families that might have presented a threat to various town leaders. Was quite interesting. Many of those same families had descendents that fought in the Revolution.
The story, such as it is, is aimed at angsty teen girls, but the male demographic finds it interesting for entirely different reasons, several of which you see before you.
"You should see the flak I got for saying how much I think Rush sucks."
Holy crap! Call me a crash cart!
Yeah, and he has that weird reindeer fetish too...
That's pretty evil, all right. Have you had lunch? I don't like to banish people who have empty stomachs. Go get a company soda for the drive home and I'll banish you then.
PS - Would a Satanic youngster such as young Mr. Potter celebrate Christmas? Oh wait, you haven't read the books....
Because they made a movie out of it. And it reminds me of a lot of garbage on TV.
Tolkien and Edith had four children.
Hillary?
That is HILARTIOUS! It also reminds me of my childhood -- like so many things it is funn because it SO TRUE! I could swear the writer was outside my kitchen taking notes :)
We DO have it. It's just that the ones who survive are such good witches, they have mind control over us and can make us forget we saw the "unfortunate incidents."
Must be a strong memory charm!
The Obliviate Spell works wonders, just remember Professor Lockheart from Book 2!
Good point -- I mean, how much of Tolkien's stuff was released by his son Christopher after J.R.R's death? The preface to LOTR also clearly indicates that parts of the story were sent to one of his sons serving in WWII in letters as a "serial".
I was wondering who would use that opening first.
Too much AD&D and Harry Potter. I got an eeeevil mind.
Is she as hot as you? How does a man compare two Roses? (/blatant asskiss)
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