Kids, adults shirking duties under cinematic spell of 'Harry Potter'

The Dallas Morning News ^ | 11/16/2001 | By MICHAEL PRECKER

[kcvl]

And people wonder why we homeschool.

I DON'T!

[Winged Elf]

"It gets worse...last night there were theaters here in the DC area showing the movie at midnight!"

That's hardly surprising. When you've got a hit on your hands, why stop showing it at night if people are willing to stay up that late to watch it?

"On the 11:00 news they showed a family waiting in line with a 10-year-old girl. The reporter asked if it was past her bedtime and she said, sure - then her parents chimed in and said, "we don't care! Hahahaha." I said to my husband, well, her teacher is sure going to care when she falls asleep at her desk tomorrow! But, by golly, those parents will sure be able to brag to all their friends that THEY saw the movie first!"

What are you talking about? Sleep deprivation only hurts for the first few days. ;)

"I have an 8-year-old who has read all the books and wants to see the movie (as do I, I don't have the patience to read 700-page books anymore), but there is no way he would even THINK to ask to stay up until 2:30 a.m. or skip school to go see it."

I won't argue with that.

"He was more excited about finishing his school project, and going to his best friend's house for a sleepover and to work on the book they are writing together. I mean, what is the big deal about waiting until Saturday or Sunday? The kids won't be back to school to talk about it until Monday anyway!"

Because children are naturally impatient.

"I think it really is selfish parents who want to brag to their adult friends, or bad parents who have over-indulged their kids and fed them this Harry Potter stuff through the nose so they feel they HAVE to see the movie immediately."

Or there's the possibility that the kids are willing to go see the movie regardless of the later consequences when their parents aren't able to allocate the time to go see the movie earlier. When parents can usually get the kid to agree to something, which is a feat in itself, they end up taking their kid to see the movie at an extremely odd time just to get the kid to shut up.

[Leroy S. Mort]

On the 11:00 news they showed a family waiting in line with a 10-year-old girl. The reporter asked if it was past her bedtime and she said, sure - then her parents chimed in and said, "we don't care! Hahahaha." I said to my husband, well, her teacher is sure going to care when she falls asleep at her desk tomorrow! But, by golly, those parents will sure be able to brag to all their friends that THEY saw the movie first!

Perhaps she was home schooled and the "teachers" planned to sleep in late , too.

[Caipirabob]

Teachers and students skipping class together...

Homework not getting done...

Dogs and cats...living together...

GENERAL MAYHEM!

Yes children, we all know who's responsible for all of this...

Shall I say it? S-A-T-A-N!!!

; )

[DB]

Mary Poppins trashed your fragile life eh? Oh the pain…

You and the Taliban sadly have much in common.

[DB]

He was basically saying the movie was evil and those who want to see it are sinning (or worse). To simply say he was saying he didn't want to see it is a major understatement. He was passing judgment on those who do. My wife and kids went today (now yesterday) to see it. They enjoyed it very much. Just maybe it is a well written well executed movie…

Did he protest Fantasia, Mary Poppins, Bednobs and Broomsticks among a zillion other fantasy movies when we were young? Heck, even Star Wars would be sinful according to Mr. Taliban… The "Force"… It's burning my brain…

[Crawdad]

Sounds like the first day of deer season in Georgia.

[AppyPappy]

"We just had to be at the first showing on the first day,"

Or what?

[Dataman]

If a teacher took kids to a story about Jesus she would have been fired...It's a very sad state of afairs these days...The world is upside down

I think that might be what all this Harry-in-the-Potter fuss is about. Thinking is discouraged in the government schools and this foolishness is embraced with great enthusiasm.

[wwjdn]

Foolishness and immorality are both thriving and not many seem to care.

I'm glad to see that some do care.

God is alive and he is coming soon. There is no second chances once Jesus comes to take us home and to judge all of us after he judges the sleeping (dead).

[Dataman]

If in the course of writing a novel, I do research into Christianity and include some of its arcana in my book, does that make me a Christian or one who is tied in to the true practice of Christianity? Does this also work for Jewishness? the Masons? the Illuminati? the Klan? the Knights of the Round Table?

It doesn't quite walk on all fours. We're talking about a movie, not a novel. Parallels would be more like hinting that certain drugs can be processed in your basement or zip guns can be assembled with junk from the hardware store or pipe bombs are easily made. But kids aren't likely to see that stuff because we have (weak) systems in place to keep them from that knowledge.

Don't forget that there is a dark side and some of those involved carried guns into a certain Colorado school. The desire for occult power and knowledge is a base desire. Ministering to base desires is called pandering.

The arguments used to support Potter, (It's just entertainment) could be applied to any number of perversities.

[Leroy S. Mort]

LSM: If in the course of writing a novel, I do research into Christianity and include some of its arcana in my book, does that make me a Christian or one who is tied in to the true practice of Christianity? Does this also work for Jewishness? the Masons? the Illuminati? the Klan? the Knights of the Round Table?

Dataman: It doesn't quite walk on all fours. We're talking about a movie, not a novel.

So you don't have a problem with the novel...only the movie? Curious logic, or lack of logic....?

[Truth Addict]

I'm glad to see that some do care.

There may be more that care than you realize by reading these threads. I have refrained from voicing my opinion on the Potter books and movie after seeing how polarized the opinions are on both sides of the issue. There doesn't seem to be much hope of persuading those on either side of the issue to change their minds.

My view on this boils down to this: it is a conflict between rival religions. I am a Christian, and I have a problem with my children reading books that promote and glorify a rival religion. To those who claim that the Potter books are non-religious, I can only say that the practices that are used by the characters (good and evil) in the books are strongly condemned in the Bible, because they involve worship of and service to other gods. Remember the first commandment: "Thou shall have no other gods before Me".

I encourage the study of other religions and practices so that I can be better informed when talking to those that practice them, but I draw the line when there are fictional materials that use entertainment to draw readers and viewers into the world of a rival religion.

Is it asking too much for those who see no problem with these Potter materials to respect my views and refrain from hurling insults? I can take it, but I don't think it helps your credibility.

[Truth Addict]

On second thought, go ahead and hurl those insults, like I said, it only hurts your credibility.

Here are a few examples:

by deadhead
I am a Christian and I can differentiate between reality and fantasy. Get a grip

by CapandBall
Still doing the 'acts of righteousness' I see. Enjoy your earthly reward

by DB
Mary Poppins trashed your fragile life eh? Oh the pain… You and the Taliban sadly have much in common.

[proud American in Canada]

Re #14: is it really that good? Do you think a 6 year old could sit through it? I'm considering taking my son, but I wonder if it's too long.

[Da_Shrimp]

To those who claim that the Potter books are non-religious, I can only say that the practices that are used by the characters (good and evil) in the books are strongly condemned in the Bible, because they involve worship of and service to other gods.

Could you point out the parts where Harry and co. worship and offer service to any gods at all? I must have missed those bits when I read the books. Chapter will suffice, you don't need to go so far as page number.

[Truth Addict]

Could you point out the parts where Harry and co. worship and offer service to any gods at all? I must have missed those bits when I read the books.

I don't have any of the books in front of me, so I can't give references (yes, I have read large portions of one of the books), but the practices I am referring to are acknowledged by anyone who has read the books. The practices I am referring to are casting spells, mixing magic potions, chanting incantations, etc.

The supernatural powers that are called upon in these books do not come from the God of the Bible, because they are clearly condemned in it If God is not the source of the powers, then there are other gods behind them whether the one doing it is aware of it or not.

Dt. 18: 9 ¶ When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD

[deadhead]

I was not insulting you Truth Addict. I just believe that you need to realize, it is just a movie, just a series of books. If you don't want your children reading this book or viewing the movie, that's your choice. I am fortunate to have grown up in a family that encouraged us to read. Read alot of Science Fiction as a young adult. As a child I loved Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz. Frankly, what scares me is folks who find Harry Potter so scary. You need to have faith that you brought up your children well and they can see the difference between reality and fiction. Take Care

[DB]

Really?

I don't believe my comments were directed to you. Do they apply?

It was the otherside that started this by calling us less than Christians and basically wicked for daring to go see this movie. Further he/she was implying we were bad parents if we took our kids. He/she attacked us and our faith. Do you really expect that to go unanswered?

Reread what you posted to me, what was untrue? Why isn't the poster protesting Bewitched for the last 30 years? It runs daily on TV... What's the difference?

[Da_Shrimp]

The practices I am referring to are casting spells, mixing magic potions, chanting incantations

As far as I can tell from the books, the 'spell casting' bit is purely a mechanical procedure: ie, the spell is simply a Latin phrase describing the effect required (eg, 'Luminos' = light). No incantations are mentioned at all. The potion stuff is just mixing ingredients: again, no external force called on or asked for.