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
I've heard it before, but I wasn't sure if you were some Yankee that likes to cut Southerners down. But from one Southern belle to another, I don't mind a little teasing.
I tried to read the first Narnia book and found it mind numbing. I just couldn't relate to any of it and the tone was priggish, IMO. Admittedly, I was reading the book aloud and I have more difficulty following things that way. But I certainly wasn't moved to pick up the book and read it on my own.
I think the Potter books began as tremendous, "light" fun but have moved beyond that to mostly interplay between characters. The basic plot of Voldemort wanting to kill Harry becomes secondary to Ron's struggle to assert himself past the role sidekick, Neville's emerging courage, the split in the Weasley family, Harry's acceptance of his father's humanity, the whole "is Snape friend or foe?" deal, Dumbledore's shortcomings, etc. I am interested in these "people". I want to see if they live up to my expectations, or exceed them.
Chalk me up as a fan of the Ron/Hermione pairing. I don't think we've met the girl for Harry yet. And I think that Neville is poised to surprise us all.
If you do a review, please ping me. I saw the movie tonight and would love to discuss it, but would hate to be a spoiler.
Only if you married a 12-year-old.
Adults can do whatever they want. Kids are a different story.
Do you have children?
how would dungeons and dragons hurt kids
If the book you were writing painted "someone named Hitler" as a fun-loving prankster who delighted in the black arts and was conversant in theosophy and the occult, then yes, I would assume there's a Nazi subcurrent.
Duh.
I didn't say D & D would hurt kids.
Kindly keep up.
then how is it a different story if kids play it
shift is not working on this keyboard, so please excuse the lack of caps
Quips aside, I don't know much about D&D. Most of the people I know/knew who played it were older teens/young adults.
The HP books, IMO, are rife with real occult references. The phony "just a poor single mum writing on paper napkins" is total BS. If you know anything about publishing, it simply doesn't happen that way.
There are people who delight in separating children from parental/religious authority. IMO, this is a much bigger problem than people recognize...and much older.
We live and learn, I guess.
Do you have children?
Just when I thought it was safe to come out from under the Da Vinci Code deluge.
These are just fiction,folks. We had our Samantha in Bewitched and the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz. Our parents and grandparents had Grimm's Fairy tales with magical beans and witches and ogres.
Nothing wrong with a good mystery novel or a magical story like Harry Potter for kids of all ages.
yes, i do.
Any mention of George Light-Man's movies requires me to ask how on earth does an audience sit still and eat up with a spoon the idiotic, racist drivel that poor Liam Neeson was forced to spout in the second most recent Star Wars when he examined Anakin's blood and found it to contain the luminescent "mitocondritians" which gave the young jedi geneticly-determined super powers?!?
"It's in the blood!!!"
Well, isn't that special? A real Uberman among men.
Puke.
The same won't be said for this generation who is being introduced to the occult at a tender age under the guise of "playful fiction."
More parents should put down "Harry Potter" and start reading some adult books on the history of theosophy.
Depends on the system.
You remind me of that creepy, malicious old lady in "Carrie". If you've seen the movie you'll know what I mean, but I bet you haven't.
It's probably too "demonic" for you.
Your Fallwell-esque "find the devil around every corner" fanaticism can go from funny to destructive if you're not careful, and your intolerance and ignorance purveys the stereotype of Christians as uptight, narrow-minded, and unable to see the world around them for what is is.
Odd, I've been a Christian all my life, and never for once felt that Jesus would send me to hell because I watch "Harry Potter" movies.
But maybe that's just me.
You've exhausted the last of my Christian love, and there's just no more for you.
But I've got a finger or two for 'ya.
Yes, I find that odd, too.
If there is "danger" in the books for children it is only because there are other dangers already present in their lives. IOW parents aren't paying attention.
My son has loved Harry Potter since the 5th grade. In terms of the movies he's now more of a Lord of the Rings fan (as God wills), but he still very much looks forward to the Potter books and movies at age 15. As do his Mom and I.
But it does not consume him. In two weeks, he leaves for choir tour with his youth group (his third). They're going back to Baltimore and New York to minister in the inner city. Two weeks after that, he leaves for a missions trip to Brazil. The point being that Potter is something he enjoys, but not something he "is."
I pinged Jen and Suzi to this post as well. Jen is the oldest in a large family. They're all Potter fans. Suzi and her kids are also Potter fans.
We're also all Believers and our faith is very important to us. It defines us much more than Potter or Tolkien. But we're not afraid of Harry Potter. (Sticklebats, Jr. just told me he's going to see the movie with friends ~from the youth group even~ today...*snif*)
Our son thought the book was okay -- wordy but engrossing. From a professional POV, I found it laborious and poorly-written. But since Halloween night has always been one of my favorite times, I recognize the allure of fantasy.
Then I sat down with him and we went over the dozens of occult allusions which littered Rowling's story. He was surprised. And he hasn't bothered to read any of the subsequent books (not that he would've been given the chance.)
My point in these discussions is not to burn books, but to warn parents of the books' actual occult references; to rebut the sappy and preposterous explanation for the genesis of these books; to encourage parents to explore for themselves the occult roots of these stories (google "theosophy" and "Blavatsky"); and to stress the importance of fortifying children with a strong Judeo-Christian faith to buttress them against the garbage that's out there.
Have you read anything on Frank Baum and his mother and mother-in-law?
There's many levels to this stuff -- some entertaining, some repugnant.
I'm merely entertained by your continued fascination with things occult.
Carry on.
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