Posted on 11/15/2002 2:23:23 PM PST by RJCogburn
The movie adventures of child-wizard Harry Potter will continue on November 15. Far from being an agent of the occult, as his critics contend, Harry Potter is the kind of hero children should be encouraged to read about and emulate, said the executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute.
"It is true that Harry lives in a magical, fantastical world, but what's important is that he is a hero who wins through intelligence, effort and courage," said Dr. Yaron Brook. "Throughout the series, Harry has developed his talents through hard work and has learned to think for himself, to be honest and to be self-confident. He has friends who share his values and he earns the respect of his teachers. Aren't these the character traits all parents want their children to possess? I know they're qualities I actively try to instill in my two boys."
Dr. Brook said that the critics' focus on the supernatural aspects of the Harry Potter stories is completely non-essential. What is fundamental is the abstract meaning being conveyed during the course of Harry's magical adventures. "The books are, in short, fuel for a child's maturing mind. As vitamins and minerals are essential to a child's healthy physical development, so literature with this view of the world is essential to a child's healthy mental development."
You are being deceptive. This isn't about whether real witches exist. Its about whether you know real withces.
Do you believe God ever grants prayers?
If so, do you believe the devil can too?
Point made.
And my daughter got a major nudge when we heard this line and talked about it later. This movie teaches personnal responsibility and in this day and age that's a delight.
The question I have to ask. Did you provide this transcript from memory or did you find it on the net? Either way I'm impressed.
How do you know if you never seen them cast a spell? You visit the site, which I find it interesting for a Christian. What exactly is your relationship with these witches?
Responsibility yes... but to what master? To serve well means little if it's to the devil or its proxies.
WAHOOOOOO ... Great kid ya got there
Sigh; for this particular discussion I think this splits an excessively fine hair. (Pun not intended LOL.) The prophet Elijah was so much together with God that he could call fire down out of heaven to burn even water. People can be so much together with devils or their proxies that some pretty mean effects can be achieved, though in this day and age calling-down-fire miracles are rare.
Do you listen to Art Bell? There are some tremendously outlandish claims made on that show, and the people making those claims believe that what they are saying is true. Do you believe them?
Rush Limbaugh used to get calls from "Rita X" in Detroit, a Black Muslim who honestly beleived that George H.W. Bush had set up concentration camps and was preparing to round up all the nation's non-whites. She also claimed to know that the minister Farrakan had a mothership in orbit around the earth, and that when the time was right he would beam up the faithful. She believed, and said so.
Are we to believe whatever we're told? If I ask the "witches" if they possess the power to cast spells and they reply in the affirmative, must I believe them?
If I call your house and offer you a "can't miss" investment that will turn $1000 into $100,000 by playing the cattle futures market I'm sure you'll ask me for proof. Hey, I SAID SO! Isn't that proof enough?
I believe that miracles take place (but not very often). The same would apply to witchcraft and spells. Would a Google site turn up saints discussing their miracles on a chat site. I don't think so.
To me the very fact that they are on a stupid chat site is contrary to them having supernayural powers.
Haven't tried it, but I would suggest you try looking up
Charismatic Christian miracle
(not that, as a Calvinist myself, I necessarily agree that a lot of their stuff is real, but Christians DO discuss such matters)
I wanted to post it so asked my son to help me. He grabbed the book. I started out paraphrasing, with a little background on the various groups, then typed per the book.
I asked my son if he understood what that scene meant and he did! Kids grasp a lot more than some want to admit!
It's all about choices. Just like real life. Some will become enamored of the good guys and some with the bad guys. And the same happens in real life, book/movie removed. It's just choices about who our kids choose to associate with and who they choose to emulate.
Thanks, but I will pass. Only one of two thing could happen: 1. They are phonies and I would be wasting my time, or;
2. They are real and talking to them would really not be a good thing.
Of course, I would never know if they were real witches or just kooks. Neither do you.
It is not a fine hair at all. It is the crux of the matter. Whether witches are real. Whether they can actually cast spells and perform magic.
I do not believe they can. I think it is fantasy. I think I have a pretty good grasp on the difference between fantasy and reality, and I can see that not all people can define that difference.... even adults.
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