Yes he is!
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
Yes he is!
I started out just eating bluegills. I have moved up to shark and swordfish.
Stay away from the gateway foods.
Have you every played D&D and why do you think D&D is evil?
Your forgot to adjust those numbers for inflation.
Boy, I'll say! I was even reading in a book recently how a witch conjured up some wild animals to devour children:
2 Kings 2:23
From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!" He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD . Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.
It was a good argument thread, but it looks like the anti-Potter crowd has gone. Oh well.
Geez, I wonder about people who get bent out of shape over HP without ever reading it. Of course it's entertainment just like Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Nancy Drew, Marcus Welby, Columbo, the local elementary school's production of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", and "Much Ado About Nothing" (cough).
The anti-Potter people are not gone for good.
Benny Hinn is on from 7:00 to 8:00.
Stop back in a half hour or so.
For some reason, it brings out the worst in some people. I'll start worrying when my brothers start zooming around on broomsticks.
Actually, I'll just steal their brooms.
We were not allowed to have brooms in our home.
My daddy always said that brooms were the Devil's dustbuster.
We didn't have brooms either, until Harry Potter taught us how to change lamps into brooms.
Actually, apparently the spells in Harry Potter don't work. I tried "scourgify" six times tonight and still ended up washing dishes by hand.
Hopefully, you will still go to hell...as a reminder to all those children who may still intend on reading Harry Potter books.
I think D&D is evil because I have to babysit the kids while my husband goes to his friend's house and plays. He tries to get me into the game, then I can't play it. Waaah! There was a great article by Tracy Hickman concerning D&D that I just love.
Nah, I'll be in Heaven. I'll just keep quiet when walking past the room where 'certain people' are staying. Don't want them to realize there's anyone else there, you know...
Now coffee..............that is another story!
Amen to that! We just finished reading the series outloud for my hubby! The kids and I have each read all five books at least 4 times each! We can't wait to see the movie. The kids are at a homeschool summer camp this week, coming home tomorrow, but I hear that all the features tomorrow are already sold out!! We'll probably go on Saturday!
The books are like any other fantasy novels. As long as the kids know they're not real, it's fine, and I think MOST kids know this, even though some might say it would be cool to be a witch.
Then you are OK with people playing D&D and do not think it will cause them to go to Hell?
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