Posted on 01/02/2006 8:20:04 AM PST by anhonestchild
First of all I would like to add that I am a 13 year old girl and am not a parent. I have read all of the Harry Potter Books. With two parents that are devoted Christians I understand partially your view on the Harry Potter books but I respectfully disagree. To a young child the Harry Potter books are comforting. These people although portrayed as witches and wizards are well rounded people and little kids respect that. For instance if any of you have read the Harry Potter Books Hermoine Granger is a girl very dedicated to her school work and loyal to her friends. Why wouldn’t you want your children to follow in her foot steps. And dreaming of flying or casting of a spell isn’t a crime. Dreams are part of life. Also these books have very little to do with worshiping Satan. Just as in the movies “The Lord of the Rings” or “The Matrix” Harry Potter is a fight between good and evil. To a readers point of view especially a young readers point of view they dream of fighting the enemy not being the enemy which is what Jesus is “the hero” “the leader” and “the savior”. In these books Harry is “the hero” of the wizarding world. I understand it is better for a child to read about Jesus but honestly have you ever seen a child read the bible. The Harry Potter books relate to us and can portray good and evil at a young age. These characters can help guide your children’s point of view on how to act Harry Potter- a boy struggling to do the right thing and safe anybody he can. He is very dedicated to his friends and he is determinded to help any and all who need him. That isn’t a problem if I were a parent I would want my children to act like that Hermonie Granger- a girl dedicated to her school work and her friends. She is very level headed and always tries to help push both of her friends in the right direction. Hermonie is much like me and as I read these I wanted to be like her.
Ron Weasley- a boy who may stand in the shadow of his friends but is always loyal, helpful, and true to his friends and even his enemies. This is a good person you want you kids to read about good people and not people that are robbing stores and drinking like most books do. These are a few of the characters in Harry Potter and I believe that all of them are the same with the exception of Voldemort. I understand that you are protective of your children as my mom didn’t let me read these books until last year but don’t debate a great series. These are good and wholesome books and I have taken a lot of time to defend them. I hope that as I have seen your point of view you will see mine and consider it. Thanks for your time
I agree. The Harry Potter books do much the same thing as C.S. Lewis. They use "deep magic" and fairy-tale plots to portray the war of good against evil. The children at the center of the tale all are good role models for imitation.
I, too, want to see how the whole series comes out before I pass final judgment on it, but so far there's no reason to think we are being strung along.
The Harry Potter books are very different from "The Golden Compass" trilogy, a sick fantasy that is a deliberate attack upon God and an effort to instruct children that good is evil and evil is good.
Is there such a thing as good or white magic as well as black magic? Maybe so, maybe not. But there is certainly a difference between them. And in some regards magic that is not absolutely evil is like science: good if you use it for the benefit of others, bad if you use it wrongly. I think that's clearly understood in the Harry Potter books, too.
There was a good article on Harry Potter in the journal Christianity and Literature a few years back, which makes a persuasive case that Christians should not condemn it.
Which (witch?) book is your favorite, and why?
Have you noticed that all of your arguments are based on emotion? Keep this up, and you'll become a liberal. Sometimes emotional happiness must be sacrificed for holiness.
You have got to be kidding me. I read the first and second book begrudingly, hoping I missed something in the movie and the general story was not as vapid as it appeared on screen (unfortunately it was). The characters from Potter are completely two dimensional.
In Tolkien's work, depending on how you read the novels from time to time, the reader can discover something new about each one of them and see the character in a different light. Granted, I will agree it is not to the standard of the classics, however it is very close
Goodness,you seemed to have ruffled a few Freeper's feathers! I like the Harry Potter books, too. Welcome to Free Republic.
I enjoy both series, and each author has strengths and weaknesses. Tolkien's strength is in the creation of an entire congruent world. Rowling's strength is character development. If you do not recognize the depth of character development, maybe it's because you read the books, as you put it, begrudgingly. You were determined to hate them when you opened them up.
" That has the smell of troll about it."
DemoCat is stirring, stretching, and licking his lips.
On the other hand, the poster may not know about answering, though from my experience teaching the gifted. Still, my vote is predicated upon the following observation: the article/behavior has that certain rank, dank, rotted "under-the-bridge" odor associated with trolls.
LOL! LOL!
I find it hilarious to read that long sweet article and then immediately below is "UN TO TO HELL".
I got my first out loud laugh of 2006!
Frankly, it was too pedantic to interest me in trudging all the way through each paragraph
Remember, this kid is only 13. And if the kid needs grammar lessons, you need spellling lessons "grammer?" Why use the word "pedantic" when addressing a child? Trying to prove something? Take an aspirin and a nap, you'll be okay. ...end of rant....
Time will tell...
Yes, you're rite. As if this were a child. I'm suspecting it is a liberal college student at home during Christmas break and has run out of things to do.
The series is full of fantastic lessons about good and evil and loyalty and betrayal.
I cannot overemphasize what a marvelous deep well of USEFUL, meaningful examples it provides to me, as a parent, for my kids.
It is nice to be rite about something.
I think they are great books, among my favorites.
But you disagree with that, according to your post.
Why do you hate the Potter series so much?
It always irks me when folks dislike the Potter series
simply on principle and actually know nothing of it...
Now perhaps you may wish to amend your original statement:
I understand partially your view on the Harry Potter books but I respectfully disagree.
Just in light of the fact that you are dead wrong about someone's view.. mine specifically.
Welcome to FRee Republic.
You are correct. I would say "the jury is out" but actually we need to wait a little bit longer.
For anyone who wants to point out to me my misspelling of the word "grammar," yes, you are correct and I committed a cardinal error of criticizing something I did as well. It is inexcusable of me. I've been on the computer for several hours now and I'm leaving for a time. I'll answer you when I get back. [Although there is no answer and no excuse.]
Poor spelling, poor punctuation, poor syntax. I would expect the characters' names, at least, to be spelled correctly, if you are fond of the books.
I suggest you try your next essay after some remedial work in language arts.
Welcome to FreeRepublic!
Try not to be too offended by knee-jerk meanies.
Why limit that condition to people fond of the books?
After all Harry Potter and the Paganization of Children's Culture, which has been called Best essay I've read on HP. in its purple prose has this gem:
Romulus was the founder of Rome, not a werewolf. Lupus is a skin disease.
Neither of them appears in amy Harry Potter book (so far)
Thanks for the link to a great essay.
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