BUT WHAT ABOUT SNOW WHITE AND THE WIZARD OF OZ?

Lynchburg (Va.) Ledger (via Nealz Nuze) | Rev. Kort Greene Jr.

[Phantom Lord]

Harry Potter, the movie, grossed over $93 million this past weekend. Good! I love it. I love it for two reasons: First, the Potter phenomenon is responsible for sending millions of children worldwide to the books. They actually put down the video games controllers and picked up books! Second, the Potter books and movies are making religious zealots just nuts!

For the lighter side of today’s Nuze I offer you this letter to the editor which appeared in the Lynchburg (Va.) Ledger:

Letter to the Editor:

Religion in Politics

Harry Potter and "Wizardry."

The Bible says that we are to stay away from wizardry, witchcraft, sorcery, divination, charmers, etc., that these are an "abomination" (sin) unto the Lord. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). "Harry Potter" advocates these things, thusly contradicting the Word of God.

I have prayed fervently that the September 11th calamity would lead this country to repentance and a national revival. I will continue to pray that prayer. However, It’s disheartening to see a great number of the American people turn to "Satan worship" rather than to God.

The "Harry Potter" craze is Satanism. I have not read the book nor have I seen the movie, and I don’t intend to do either. But, I have seen and heard enough to make this determination. Many are saying that it’s just an innocent movie for entertainment, and that they don’t see anything wrong with it. Well, the Bible tells us to trust in the Lord and lean not unto our own understanding. Now, I know this is an insult to the "intellects." But, one’s intelligence is "null and void" compared to God’s wisdom. The Bible also tells us to stay away from even the "appearance" of evil, and this appears to be evil. For those who think that this movie is just innocent entertainment remember, Satan is a master deceiver.

This nation is in a fragile situation. We can easily go one way or the other. We need to turn to God. If we don’t, then September 11th is just a "drop in the bucket," compared to what’s in store for us.

Psychics, Witchcraft, Wizards, etc. are "real" but, they are of the Devil. God is also real and has power over the Devil but, we must turn to Him.

I’m a native Washingtonian. The Washington "Bullets" used to be my favorite basketball team. Because of the "gun control" issue, their name was changed to the "Wizards." I’m no longer a Washington fan. I have several bullets/guns in my house and I have yet to see one go off and kill someone. Bullets/guns don’t kill people, people do. Wizardry is unGodly, and so is Harry Potter.

May America repent and be blessed, amen.

Rev. Kort Greene Jr.
_______________________

Here is a preacher who has never read a Harry Potter book, and hasn’t seen the movie. It doesn’t matter, though. He’s “heard enough” to know that Harry Potter is Satanic. Let’s all give thanks that this letter does not in any way represent the feelings or thought patters of mainstream Christianity. This is not the way to bring people to God.

[Phantom Lord]

I remember when D&D was going to lead an entire generation into the occult. Why didn't it happen? Heavy Metal music was supposed to turn kids into Satan worshippers too. What went wrong? How did their plan fail?

Even funnier, Pokeman was supposed to do the same. Again, didn't happen.

[VRWCmember]

Well, Harry and the other "good" kids frequently break the rules and steal to accomplish their "good" deeds.

[Phantom Lord]

So you missed my small type about my casting a spell or you obviously lack the ability to detect sarcasm. Which is it?

[chaosagent]

As a parent, I do not encourage my children to read stories that teach wrong is right and right is wrong. A problem with the Potter books -- much worse in my mind than the glorification and promotion of the occult -- is that the books glamorize and condone children's stealing, cheating, and lying as ways to "do the right thing".

As opposed to the "children's stealing, cheating, and lying"in literature like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn?

[Junior]

The Bible has lots of wizardry and magic in it. Should we avoid it, too?

[NC Conservative]

Thanks for the link Clemenza. Love the name. But my favorite name has always been Mo Green.

[The Green Goblin]

The difference with Harry Potter, is that " real witch, wizard, and demonic names are used. Real witchraft spells are used.

Can you document this?

[Excellence]

I just heard this on the radio: "The number one reason you know your neighbor is a sorcerer is not only does his cat [do its duty]in your flowerbed, but it reads the newspaper while it's doing it."
It can be difficult emotionally to allow oneself to be exposed to a point of view you know in advance you will disagree with. Still, if one is to argue against a person's point, one must know what that point is.
We will go see Harry Potter, then I will bring the kids home and ask them "Does this make sense in the face of emperical evidence to the contrary — that is, the laws of physics?"
I hope logic and reason will always guide my children to a proper view to what is believable.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

I have not read the book nor have I seen the movie, and I don’t intend to do either. But, I have seen and heard enough to make this determination.

This is the Rev. Greene's error.

A few years ago in North Florida (Union County, IIRC) there was a controversy over a young adult science fiction novel that involved a dystopia that controlled, among other things, controlled sexual urges to control the population. (Unfortunately, I don't remember the title or author.) Some of the Christian Right wanted to have it banned, after hearing that it dealt with teenagers' first urges.

At the School Board meting a Fundamentalist preacher got up and said that he had read the book. When he finished the book he had handed it to his 12 year-old daughter and told her to read it. It turns out that the dystopia used this control of sexuality as part of a program of forced birth control. I don't know if the author meant his novel to be read as an anti-abortion novel, but that was how the preacher read it. The move to ban the book was dropped.

Well, sort of. A week after, there were a few left-wing activists who tried to have the book banned for it's "pro-life" message, but that lasted about as long as it took for everyone else to stop laughing.

Point is, maybe Rev. Greene would still object to the book, after he had read it. But until he reads it and sees the details, he cannot tell what the message is.

[LuvItOrLeaveIt]

The difference with Harry Potter, is that " real witch, wizard, and demonic names are used. Real witchraft spells are used.

Can you document this?

They would, but those lightning bolt spells are difficult and long winded, not to mention the font that you must use to write it out!

[jimkress]

he object on principle to something which embraces witchcraft, which all admit that Harry Potter does..

This represents the crux of the problem. The people who complain about fantasy books will not (or cannot) differentiate between fantasy and reality.

Harry Potter doesn't do anything. Harry Potter is a character is a fantasy book. Harry Potter doesn't exist!!

One essential requirement for good parenting is to teach children the difference between fantasy and reality. Children will need to apply this knowledge in most parts of their lives. For example, when trying to differentiate between the policies of Liberals or Conservatives children must be taught to differentiate between fantasy (Liberals) and reality (Conservatives).

Books like Harry Potter (the Brothers Grimm, Edgar Allen Poe, etc) are essential tools for parents in their efforts to help children understand the difference between fantasy and reality.

Now, the REAL problem with fantasy books is their universal depiction of Feudalism as the preferred form of government. But that is a topic for a different thread.

[Psalm 73]

I lack the ability to detect sarcasm - it's a genetic thing, and something that causes my entire family (on my mother's side) untold grief.
I'm so ashamed!

[jrherreid]

I was a GI Joe fan myself. He-Man always struck me as gay.

Liar! He-Man was NOT GAY!!

Orko, on the other hand...

[hsmomx3]

I was discussing the issue of HP and the fairy tales we grew up with and read with a friend. I asked why the big fuss over HP and I was told that the witches (and like) in the old stories were portrayed as evil while the wizards and such portrayed in HP are "good" and not evil.

I have to tell ya that I've not seen the HP movie or read the books.

[DJ88]

Isn't that why these books are called "fiction"? Even my son understands that what happens in these books isn't REAL.

I look at it this way: if I've taught my kids right from wrong from the very beginning, a book is not going to CHANGE HIM. Nor is a cartoon show, or anything else. Then again, if someone lets their children do anything they want, unsupervised, you may get the exact opposite. I read books all the time...fiction, non-fiction, etc. I read about murder, mystery, romance, government, all the time. I am not a murderer, a PI; I don't have a lover on the side and I don't work for the CIA, either.

My son read the Harry Potter books, and I can tell you right now that he's not in his room cooking up some evil plans to poison us all, nor is he stealing from anyone.

Santa Claus isn't real either, should I tell him that?

[Steve_Seattle]

"According to the logic, reading a murder mystery novel will make a person more likely to murder."

You don't understand the argument. Mystery novels do not make the act of murder seem attractive or desireable. On the contrary, they portray it is evil. The problem the critics see with the Potter books is that they make occultism seem attractive and fun. Moreover, many who see the Potter books as harmless do so on the basis of their belief that there is no truth to occultism, that it is all make-believe. But in real life there are practicing occultists, and it is certainly not their position that what they are doing is make-believe or ineffective.

[Missus]

Please please check the SOURCE of your linked quote... the source of the posted article IS THE ONION. This is a PARODY site. It is MADE UP. FICTION. NOT REAL.

Sort of like the books.

If someone wants to avoid the books, so be it. But there's no need to get sucked into basing one's objection on a PARODY. This just discredits a personal choice to avoid the book.

Regards

[Celtjew Libertarian]

The poetry of Robert Burns makes the rock'n'roll of the 50s and 60s look like a tea party for 8 year-olds. All that happened 30-40 years after that was Queen Victoria.