Posted on 12/27/2001 7:56:38 AM PST by Wiley Sr
The Harry Potter fiction series, widely heralded by critics as exceptional literature and by teachers for tuning millions of children into reading, is being condemned by Christ Community Church pastor Jack Brock as evil.
Harry Potter is nothing but witchcraft, Brock said. Its evil hidden behind the face of an innocent boy with little glasses.
Brock, who will be giving a sermon this Sunday entitled, The Baby Jesus or Harry Potter? said the church plans to hold a holy bonfire Dec. 30 to publicly burn Harry Potter books and other so-called unacceptable material.
The service begins at 6:30 p.m. and afterwards we will conduct a burning, he said.
Why does Brock find Harry Potter so offensive? The simple part is the story takes place in Hogwarts Boarding School, he said. All the teachers are witches and wizards, and they teach witchcraft.
If we hired someone who was into witchcraft or teaching witchcraft at (Christ Community Church) school, no one would come, he said.
In the book, written by British author J.K. Rowling, Brock said Harry Potter is labeled as being a wizard who wields good magic, and fights those who wield bad magic, something Brock also said is misleading.
Its (magic) all evil, he said. What she (Rowling) has done is make Harry look good and Voldemort (the villain) evil, but they both come from the same source. You can't call good evil, or evil good. That's what it is all about.
Brock said the witchcraft in the book is capturing the minds of young kids, who have a hard time dividing between fantasy and reality, and make them more prone to dabbling in evil practices.
Though Brock could not recall hearing any actual reports of children engaging in harmful practices as a result of reading Harry Potter, he said the books could inspire them to learn about real witchcraft practices such as Wicca, which he termed an abomination.
The greatest danger is these children are enamored with Potter and they go on the Internet to learn more about the book, and they're directed to other places where they can see information about Wicca, he said.
Brock went on to say that although the Harry Potter books are works of fiction, they are essentially teachings in Wicca.
The teachers are reading Harry Potter in school and that's a religion, he said.
Brock said he has not personally read any of the books, nor has he seen Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone in the movie theaters.
I've seen video clips and reviews, he said. Readers Digest and other magazines are carrying titles about the author such as The woman who bewitched the world, and The wizard behind Harry Potter.
When asked why children's tales featuring magic such as The Wizard of Oz and C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia were considered acceptable material, Brock said it was because the wicked witches were beaten and the characters did not learn to use magic.
When reminded of Dorothy's magic red slippers in The Wizard of Oz stolen from the Wicked Witch of the East and the magical gifts given to the heroes of C. S. Lewis The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Brock said yes, but that was good magic.
Brock said on Dec. 30, other items, such as pornography and Heavy Metal records that exalt Satan will go into the fire with Harry Potter, depending on what items the congregation plans to dispose of.
Brock said he was not concerned with any public image the book-burning might give himself or the congregation.
As far as I'm concerned, the church is not out to make people look good ... were making a statement against evil, he said. The problem with most churches today is that nothing is said because they'll get people upset. This will get them thinking. Pastor Brock can choose to burn Harry Potter books at his church since that is his Constitutional right, he said. One can also go to the Public Library and choose or simply not choose to read Harry Potter books.
Let each person be fully convinced in their own mind regarding what they think is right and let them choose, Preston continued, but let no one take away that right to exercise ones right to choose.
Well, it won't be the first recorded burning in the annals of Christendom:
Acts 19: 11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. 13 But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." 14 Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said to them, "I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18 Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. 19 And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.
Are any/many of the Harry Potter readers practitioners of occult arts? I don't know; I haven't seen any stats. If any Potter readers/occult practitioners also lay claim to being Christians, they're demonstrably at odds with God on this matter.
Seems like Harry Potter has become somewhat of a strong attraction to our countries youth. I am a strong believer in God and the bible and what it says. Satan is real and so is witchcraft. I think we all should be aware of this and avoid it, whenever possible. I really don't know ,if Harry Potter is harmful to children or not. I wouldn't take my grandkids to see it, though.
If they have been dabbling, public repentance isn't a bad idea. "Be sure your sins will find you out," states the Good Book. The people who were baptized by John the Baptist also publicly confessed their sins and repented of them.
Unfortunately, too many people think they know what Christians believe, based on the distorted images served up by the news media and popular culture. Those sources depict Christians as hateful, intolerant, boring, and stupid. Why would a non-Christian listen to someone like that?
So do you believe this to be true? Hmmm maybe it is and maybe its not but to each his own.
Those sources depict Christians as hateful, intolerant, boring, and stupid.
You replied:
So do you believe this to be true? Hmmm maybe it is and maybe its not but to each his own.
Yes, I believe what I wrote: The popular culture does tend to depict Christians in a bad light. Would you deny it?
Or are you asking whether I agree that Christians are "hateful, intolerant, boring, and stupid"? The answer would be no: I consider myself, and most Christians I know, to be none of those things.
If the country that flag represents is bad or if a book is very bad, I think that burning that flag or burning that book would be a valid form of protest. The opposite opinion I feel is just conventional wisdom and politically correct procedure.
Scripturally speaking, Harry would be in deep doo-doo for what he practices. I know, a lot of enlightened people superciliously snicker up their sleeves at the benighted Christians who take God's proscriptions seriously, but they're unequivocal proscriptions, nonetheless.
Is it a sin to read Potter, no matter what the pastor has said? There's a debate-worthy topic, as we've seen on countless FR Potter threads already. Psalm 101 reads, "I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is base."
By that standard, many Christians might have to repent of a sizable portion of their TV viewing . . . save Fox news, of course.
You just -- publicly -- did. By describing your book burning bout, you've now made it public. It isn't so bad being politically incorrect now is it?
Be careful. Burning stuff up appears to be OK in some circumstances.
"...but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." (Mat 3:12)
"And a number of those who practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all..." (Acts 19:19)
"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10)
However, I am not questioning the legality of burning books, but the wisdom of doing so. The book-burning preacher is obviously trying to make a point. Unfortunately, the method he has chosen -- book burning -- has negative and distasteful associations that will distract from the point he wants to make. There must be a better way.
Yes you understand the difference between personal and government book burning. But I say why worry about the incorrect, politically correct connotations of personal book burning? These incorrect connotations should be part of the point you make when you burn the book.
Did he announce a date, time and invite a bunch of people over to witness and participate in it?
Over and over again, in Scripture, Christians are warned by the God they worship to abstain from all appearances of evil. We are specifically warned concerning sorcery, witchcraft, astrology, divination, and many other forms of dabbling in the supernatural. When we dabble, or entertain seducing spirits, we open the door wide for them to enter our minds, and consequently, to control our lives.
Books such as Harry Potter or a newspaper astrology column, innocuous as they may seem, can be a strong lure into dependence on the occult. Promises of business success, great wealth, a great love life, power over others, and control over every aspect of life are enticing enough even for a mature adult, not to mention what easy prey children are during their confusing formative years.
God has made it perfectly clear to His people how they are to react to deceiving, enticing spirits. We are told to abstain. To resist the devil and he will flee from us. This is a cooperative effort between God and His children to protect us (Christians) from evil. HE COMMANDS AND WE OBEY!!! AND IT WORKS!!!
I'm quite sure the intent of this pastor is to make a dramatic impact on his parishioners (those under his authority) that they should heed God's warning against opening any doors (of their minds) to seducing spirits by reading Harry Potter books. I'm sure it will make a great impression on his congregation, especially the children. In our church, we call this an "object lesson".
So, this is what Christians do when they're in obedience to God. What's really great is that we live in America and right now, we're free to do it! And, of course, you're free to do whatever you want to do, be it playing dungeons and dragons or reading Harry Potter! Have at it! And, more power to you! (heh heh!)
And when you get burned (and you will), get back to me.
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