[Integrityrocks]

I'm sorry... I am about as religious as they come and still not in a convent, but I just don't buy that the Harry Potter concerns are any worse than wishing I was the good witch Windy of the Wizard of Oz when I was a little girl. You have to balance these sort of fantasies with good sound foundational training and they are as innocent as believing in Santa Claus.

[jtminton]

I agree. Every generation has their you-are-going-straight-to-hell-for-doing-this controversy. It was Dungeons and Dragons when I was growing up.

[luv2ski]

I could not agree more! I have read all of the books and seen both movies. There is nothing "instructional' about them. In fact, what I take away from them is: the battle between good and evil, the trust of loyalty of friends and the value of courage"good" people and "evil" people. JK Rowling is not afraid to say out loud that we are up against a great deal of evil in this world and we can fight it.

[BobbyBeeper]

"I'm sorry... I am about as religious as they come and still not in a convent, but I just don't buy that the Harry Potter concerns are any worse than wishing I was the good witch Windy of the Wizard of Oz when I was a little girl. You have to balance these sort of fantasies with good sound foundational training and they are as innocent as believing in Santa Claus."

You can be religious and not be discerning. When I grew up, I thought things like ouija boards and tarot cards were just innocnet fun and no worse than believeing in Santa Claus.

[Blood of Tyrants]

I also instill in my kids that although this merely fantasy, REAL witchcraft is a Satanic cult. If they want to learn "magic", I'll buy them some trick cards.

[Always Right]

I'm sorry... I am about as religious as they come and still not in a convent, but I just don't buy that the Harry Potter concerns are any worse than wishing I was the good witch Windy of the Wizard of Oz when I was a little girl.

I always blamed the TV show 'Bewitched' as responsible for the downfall of society....Elizabeth Montgomery twikling her nose was just pure evil.

[Xenalyte]

I am about as religious as they come and still not in a convent, but I just don't buy that the Harry Potter concerns are any worse than wishing I was the good witch Windy of the Wizard of Oz when I was a little girl.

Begone, demon! I cast thee out!

[Proverbs 3-5]

A Witch's Invitation –
Performed by: Carman - Written by: Carman and Keith Thomas - 1989

---

One peaceful afternoon I picked up from my mailbox the strangest looking letter I'd ever seen, a chilling little envelope bordered with flying bats, and serpents whose eyes were tinted green. The letter was addressed to me so as I opened it I froze. What I read turned my complexion three shades of blue. It said, "My name is Isaac Horowitz. I'm a male witch, a warlock and I feel I need to spend some time with you."

Now as a Christian from a little church with God's call on my life, a man of faith and power with a challenge to grow I did what any saint would do in my situation. I tore it up and said, "Lord, no way I'm gonna go." Then gently and methodically the Holy Spirit spoke and reminded me we're God's voice to our nation. It's the church's responsibility to witness, so reluctantly I accepted this witch's invitation.

He had the house you'd expect, the old English cottage, a "Nightmare on Elm Street" special right to the core, the overgrown ivy, the gate that creaked when opened, somehow you'd expect Freddy to answer this door. The doorbell rang, a hollow gong, the knob twisted, then opened, and Isaac stood before me with a grin. His jet-black hair and well-trimmed beard flowed with his black silk clothes. My skin crawled as he said, "Please come on in."

His house was filled with every occultic symbol you could fathom; Hanging pentagrams and horoscope signs, a Ouija board and dungeons and dragons game set on the table, a crystal ball with an incandescent shine. Then graciously he handed me some steaming herbal tea. Its presence caused my memory to jog...I thought of every horror flick I'd seen when I was a kid and thought if you drink this stuff next day you'll be a frog.

Then he led me to a high backed chair as he meticulously began to unfold his scenario with evil patience. I was given a giant leather bound book jammed with newspaper clipping, thus the reason for this witch's invitation. With eagerness he pointed to each article with pride. He said, "I healed this woman through a Babylonian chant; See this man, I cured him while performing druid worship; I was paid to curse this man with AIDS by his aunt."

On and on, page after page, delightfully he flaunted each incident for an hour without a breath. He said, "Do you realize through my understanding of the dark regions that I can make you rich or even curse someone to death?" I sat literally intimidated by the immensity in demon power while his face shone with a satanic arrogant bliss. Then placing his hands on the arms of my chair and leaning into my face he said, "What can your God do to compete with this?"

I knew then how Moses felt, how when his rod turned to a serpent and the three Egyptian magicians did the same. It's as if you're sitting there in that stunned moment while your faith get violated and all you feel is weak, powerless and lame. I desperately and deeply prayed saying, "Jesus give me wisdom - I don't want to put you through some foolish test. Then a shaft of light shot through my soul lighting my eyes with fire. God stood me up and I threw the book back in his chest.

I said "Isaac, I'll not compare God's miracles versus Satan's - the issue's not God's kingdom and Satan's lair. The real comparison is the condition of your soul and the condition of mine, and you puppet of the devil, that I will compare. My friend, one day they're coming for you - the soft associates in your incantations - the friendly demons you think you now control. The time will come when you'll be lying in bed wheezing like a dying animal and those spirits lay claim to the rights they own to your soul."

"Then the room will grow dark, and the most hideous evil faces will come flaming out of the floor with a yell! The vile informants that promised reincarnation will claw your spirit and victoriously drag your soul to hell!"

Then I grabbed the book and said, "In that moment which mantra, which incantation you gonna chant to tell them to leave you alone? My friend, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt what I would say...'I'm bought with the blood of Jesus! Let me go!' "

I said, "Isaac, when you tossed that book in my lap, you gloated with a sinister victory. You rejoiced when you saw your name in black and white. Now I rejoice, but not that your counsel of demons are subject to Jesus, but that my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life!" Then Isaac jumped up from his chair and screamed, "You must leave now!" I said, "I will, but one last obligation - Next time, think twice before you rumble with a man of God!!! And by the way, thanks for your witch's invitation.

[krb]

wishing I was the good witch Windy of the Wizard of Oz

I thought that was Glinda...

[af_vet_rr]

I'm sorry... I am about as religious as they come and still not in a convent, but I just don't buy that the Harry Potter concerns are any worse than wishing I was the good witch Windy of the Wizard of Oz when I was a little girl. You have to balance these sort of fantasies with good sound foundational training and they are as innocent as believing in Santa Claus.

I'm the same way (except for the part about being a little girl, of course).

One of my daughters wanted to be Princess Leia from Star Wars (which I view about the same as Harry Potter now). Didn't phase my wife or I. One of my nephews played Star Wars all the time, imagining he had some kind of invisible force powers (like the kids nowadays with the Harry Potter "magic" stuff).

Raise your kids right and it's just a stage they are going through, and they'll grow up just fine.

I wanted to be Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett when I was a kid. I went so far as to wear fake coonskin hats and buckskins. Wait a minute!! I was being exploited by Disney, maybe I should sue?? heh.

[ET(end tyranny)]

I thought the good witch was named Glenda.

[luckystarmom]

I agree with you!

[SuziQ]

You have to balance these sort of fantasies with good sound foundational training and they are as innocent as believing in Santa Claus

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.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Wizard of Oz

Interesting analogy. Have you ever googled Frank Baum's bio -- and his wife and mother-in-law?

But be sure to put into the search engine the word "theosophy."

The things we learn that we thought we knew.