Posted on 11/29/2001 4:10:16 AM PST by Aquinasfan
In the last two months of this year, two of the most eagerly anticipted movies of 2001 will hit theaters. Both are the first in a projected series of films, adapted from the first volumes of two popular series of books written by British authors who go by their initials. Both series, and both films, deal with magic and wizardry. The authors, of course, are J. K. Rowling and J. R. R. Tolkien; and the films are Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and The Fellowship of the Ring. The former, due in November, is the first of what will surely be a number of films based upon Rowling’s projected series of seven Harry Potter books; and the latter, coming Christmas, is the first of Peter Jackson’s series of three films based on Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, slated for consecutive Christmas releases from 2001 to 2003.
Among many Christians, the coming of these two films is a herald of renewed debate. On the one hand, the works of Tolkien have been almost universally embraced by literate Christians, who have long recognized the richness and beauty of Tolkien’s Middle-earth as well as the profound influence of Tolkien’s Christian and Catholic faith upon the shape of his imaginary world. Christian fans of Tolkien also tend to be fans of C. S. Lewis, whose seven-volume series The Chronicles of Narnia is also a work of Christian imagination that involves magic and wizardry. The Harry Potter books, on the other hand, have met with decidedly mixed reactions among Christian readers. In both Catholic and Protestant circles, some have enthusiastically embraced Rowling’s popular series, at times even explicitly making comparisons to Tolkien and Lewis (at least as regards the use of magic and wizardry). Others, however, have attacked the young hero of Rowling’s series as a veritable poster child for the occult.
The quality of the discussion hit its lowest point with the advent of an ever-spreading email campaign based on facetious statements in a satirical essay in the Onion.com, a humor website. That essay, complete with made-up “quotes” from Rowling and her young readers (advocating the Church of Satan and mocking the death of Christ), has been mistakenly distributed as genuine reportage by innumerable Christians, achieving urban legend status. But even relatively sober arguments on the subject have too often been superficial, relying on guilt — or innocence — by association.
There’s something about Harry
Before plunging into the moral debate over the magic of Harry Potter, it’s worth noting that, in general terms, the Harry Potter stories have real merit as literature and entertainment, and perhaps social and moral merits as well (along with some moral drawbacks). They are well-written, lively, exciting, and quite funny, with vividly imagined creations and engaging characterizations. Moreover, although highly fantastical and imaginative, Rowling’s narratives are packed with knowledgable allusions and references to historical myths, legends, superstitions, and so forth, so seamlessly woven into the fabric of the narratives that even literate adults may not catch them all. Tie-in books with names like The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter offer readers insight into the cultural backgrounds of many elements in Rowling’s stories, potentially turning an exercise in entertainment and diversion into a genuine learning experience.
On a moral level, the Harry Potter books offer villains who are utterly odious and despicable, and protagonists who are, if not quite charitable or forbearing, at least brave and loyal. Courage and loyalty are, in fact, significant themes in the books, along with the evils of prejudice and oppression. Best of all, there are wise and competent adult authority-figures, especially brilliant and commanding Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, who inspires boundless confidence as being always in control of the situation, who virtually never makes a mistake, and whom no one can for long have at a disadvantage. (On the other hand, the series takes too long for my taste to get around to pointing out the problem of Harry’s repeated failures to avert potential disasters by not seeking help from Dumbledore as soon as possible.) And what of Harry himself? He’s a decent enough and likable fellow, with nothing of the bully or troublemaker in him. He’s not one to make an enemy — though, should someone make an enemy of him, Harry will make war on that person with every weapon at his disposal. The notion of turning the other cheek or using a soft answer to turn away wrath is completely foreign here; and even the more sober voices, such as that of his friend Hermione (whom Rowling has said of all her characters most resembles herself), generally caution Harry on purely prudential grounds, not moral ones. One aspect of the Harry Potter books that has raised some moral concern is the recurring theme of rule-breaking. Like many young children, Harry and his friends break a lot of rules (“about fifty,” Hermione figures at one point, and Dumbledore elsewhere reckons their transgressions at twice that number). Sometimes Harry is legitimately driven by necessity to break a rule; other times it’s only because he feels like it. Sometimes he is caught, sometimes not; sometimes he is punished, sometimes not. At first glance, this may seem like mere honest storytelling, depicting a typically imperfect young boy whose behavior sometimes leaves a bit to be desired. Yet closer examination reveals that Harry and his friends are only ever really punished for breaking rules when they’re caught by one of the nasty authority figures, particularly spiteful Professor Snape. When it’s one of the benevolent authority figures, such as genial Dumbledore, or even stern Professor McGonagall, there are no real consequences for breaking any number of rules, because Harry’s heart is in the right place, or because he is a boy of destiny, or something like that.
Another area of concern for some are the dark, scary, or grotesque elements in these stories: the Dementors, dreadful creatures almost as horrifying as Tolkien’s Nazgûl; a spell gone awry that leaves one of Harry’s friends coughing and choking on slugs issuing from his throat; a school washroom toilet apparently haunted by the ghost of a dead student; disembodied voices breathing murderous threats; anthropomorphic mandrake roots that look and scream like living human babies but may be transplanted or destroyed at will by teachers and students; and many others.
Taken altogether, it seems fair to say the Harry Potter stories are something of a mixed bag, with some genuinely worthwhile elements and some legitimate points of concern. Of course, for many parents who have children that love the books or who want to read them, the question may be not so much “Is this the best possible book my child could ever read?” as “Is this all right for my child to read? Or must I forbid it?”...
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A: This argument of fantasy is the most mindless argument of all. If these books were "fantasy" books about violence or pornography people would have no problem seeing how harmful they were. The Harry Potter books present as harmless children using the power of witchcraft, something God has declared is an abomination. Deut 18 Q: "Children who read about Harry Potter will probably discover little about the world of the occult."
A: Essentially witchcraft is about our being able to control people or things by what we say or the rituals we do. This is clearly presented in the Harry Potter books. Also witchcraft is about using various means to foretell the future. This is also clearly stated in the Harry Potter books.
The real question is do these books provide Satan an opportunity to seduce children into experimenting in witchcraft, thereby gaining power and authority in their life. There is no doubt that these books do provide an innocent view of witchcraft.
The Harry Potter books are not handbooks of witchcraft, in other words all the practices and philosophy are in the books, but they are not necessarily set forth as a coven would practice them today. Therefore those who make these claims seem to believe that these books are harmless. The real question is if a child reads these books would they be more open to experimenting with witchcraft. When we consider today that children have no fear of experimenting with witchcraft are these appropriate books for children to read? There is more witchcraft material easily available to our children today than at any other time in history. There are also more children practicing witchcraft than at any other time in history.
http://www.therealpotter.com
That's my belief. The risk is far greater than any potential reward.
Years ago I was heavy into New age, shaminism, celticism ans wicca and was intoduced by seeking help from self help books.
Lucky for mr I was help out by local christian youth. <p. So the answer is yes.
Extremely unlikely, what with the well known Christian orthodoxy of all of the Inklings.
Gandalf'd take the brat. No contest.
Books present ideas which can instruct both in good and bad. I fear them much less than the reality that surrounds us daily, such as gossip, hatred, intolerance, devisiveness and the like.
And I will be seeing HP next week.
So the answer is yes.
Thanks for your testimony. A lot of the Potter fans don't seem to believe that it's possible.
But they aren't. Where're the God/Goddess? Where are the Circles? Where are the Elements?
Years ago I was heavy into New age, shaminism, celticism ans wicca and was intoduced by seeking help from self help books.
If you were 'into wicca', tell me all about it. What did you do? What rituals did you perform? What words did you use in setting up the circle? Were you Gardnerian or Alexandrian or something else?
This is seriously creepy, and is the reason my daughter stopped being a HP fan. She realized that something is seriously wrong with this (ability to kill -- gratuitiously and at will -- something that is by the author's design a representation of human babies).
We'll be seeing Lord of the Rings instead of HP . . .
As for children entering that info in search engines, well, yes, they might. The Pagan Federation in the UK has had interest generated by HP (though nowhere NEAR as much as generated by foreign imports as 'Charmed' or 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch').
I'm refuse to get drawn into another debate thread. But for someone who is afraid of Harry Potter and the influence it has on kids, you're sure giving it a lot of publicity.
What Acquinas fan is doing is to promote analysis and reflection about something that is already widely known about and wildly promoted . . .
By the way, I think your son will love Lord of the Rings. I read the series to my daughter when she was pretty young. She loved it. It was good for me, too!
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