Witchcraft, Christianty and Harry Potter.

[TheAmazingBouncingFerret]

I don't know where to put this but....

All of us love the HP series....(duh) But Most of know that the books when thought some rough times with the christain church with it's mention of Magic and witchcraft. Now being a christian at first. I was quite hesitent to read them. but after I did, I relesed that it was just hype. So whats your opinion about the content and magic in HP. Did you just brush off the remark of the Church or did you take them to consideration?

Note. I will not tolerater Religon bashing.

[Sacred Guardian]

well, in essence, i guess some could call it witchcraft, i don't, but some could. But the point is it is not the readers who are practicing the "witchcraft" it's the people in the books, wait did i say people, i meant made up characters, so, i don't think that it is wrong to read the books, i think the whole thing is real stupid

[Dink Meeker]

First off... far too many people confuse witchcraft (wicca) and satanism. They are not the same.

Second.... if the story was about the adventures of a young Jewish boy or a Mormon girl, would anyone be upset by it?

Third.... this is not a how-to book on the religion of witchcraft. It is the story of an adolecent boy.

I find that this is more a book about fantasy and magic. And everyone wants to believe in magic. I think Walt Disney proved that.

[ElijahRain]

As a pastor of a church that believes the Bible is true and that Jesus is God, I don't have a problem with the books at all.

Now, some of my brothers in the faith are quick to condemn these books. I can even understand why some of them do. Now, understanding and agreeing are two completely different things.

First off, this is fantasy fiction. JKR even makes up the incantations and doesn't promote from any existing belief system. This is purely a story about a boy in a fictional world where magic is real and learnable.

I see some of these protestors in the same light that I see the Pharisees that Jesus reviled. They are quick to make known how wrong they view something, point out the right way of doing it, and even live by the "rules" better than most. However, they've lost the essence that Jesus came so that people could know God personally (even today) and to provide a way for people to spend eternity with God.

Now, I don't want to start a religious debate here. I'm merely stating what the Bible teaches about God and where some of my colleagues have missed the mark in their condemnations.

[Blueberry]

Interesting...I remember somebody saying something about Christian not respecting other religion(Wicca ect.. witchcraft). If Wicca is seem as a religion, shouldn't Christianity respects their belief? One of my friend pointed out that, just because Wicca is teaching something that the Christianity goes against and assuming they're evil.

I dunno much about bible, but when did Jesus said that magic is evil?And don't say it's in the bible cause bible is not written by Jesus himself, but merely written by his apostles whose belief is different from each other. They each interpreted Jesus's words into their own way and so on it was changed by generation after generation.

Bah.. i never really good in these debates I don't believe in good or evil(heaven and hell). Evil is mankind. Evil exists through avarice,selfishness,jealousy. So magic is evil? have to think about that.

[yasmane]

Hi all,
first I won't follow you in the religion's issue because my english is not good enough to exlpain everything I think and also because i'm not sure thisis the good place for that.

As ElijahRain said, this book is a fiction and nothing else. We must consider it only as a book which objective is to entertain people and make them dream about a magical world, bringing us back to childhood.
And remember that is the previous century, inquisition was here to punish things which were not understandable for them and not related to their religion.
and it was an easy way to get rid of people they were afraid of.

[TheAmazingBouncingFerret]

Thats is true. But if it's just a fictional book why are the church treating it like satantis hand guide? and one more thing...The whole thing with the Church and wiccas are varied. While the Cathoics may have comepletely commdemed them...some protesents haven't welcome openly into the Church

[Friar Tuck]

All I will say is to each his/her/their/its own. Religion is a choice, and if these are bad in the eyes of your religion, that's okay. I just say tolerate other people's dfferences, be they their religious or literary preferece.

[HuffleDuck]

Blue, I can image what your mom face would be like if she read what you type there Probably dragging you to the church and get you baptise ...

The thing that irrates me the most is banning the book from the public library. I don't care if the pastor wanting to ban it from the church, but Public Library is just going too far...That's all i have to say about these issues

[TheAmazingBouncingFerret]

It's like little house on the prarie. with that one part.....that goes some thing like this."The only good Ingin is a dead one" Many people refuse to put in the library because it said something slighty offensive.
But as for me friends at my church...well any topic about HP becomes a debate.

Me: Man! I just finished Book 5
Church Friend: Book 5?
Me: Yeah, you know Harry Potter
CF: Oh. You shoudn't be reading that
Me: Oh? Because of the witchcraft thing?
CF: The Bible forbbids it.
Me: What? Thou shalt not read any thing literary wise consering witchcraft? what book is that in?
CF: *Sigh* Nevermind
Me: Hey have sold my soul to satan.

Though by the looks of Voldie right now....he might have. Anyway. My friend go on and on about it. Do you have any friends like that?

[Lizzy Bennet]

I'll get to the direct topic at hand when I have a little more time to post, but I did want to defend libraries.

I am now a Children's Librarian, and I have worked in libraries prior to my hiring. I can't speak for all libraries, but all the ones I've worked in highly value patrons' intellectual freedom and access, meaning all patrons (young and old alike) have access to all materials for free. While (and this is a no-brainer) you don't disrespect someone who comes in the library and who has a concern about books or material on the Internet, at the same time, NONE of the libraries that I've worked in would EVER let me remove anything from the shelves, even if I wanted to do so (which I don't). I've worked in both academic and public libraries, and I am currently hired to work in a public library.

Now, I do know school libraries face a good deal of pressure to remove books from the shelves, and I also know certain rural areas, especially those that are very religious, may have libraries that remove books, but trust me when I say from what I've read about libraries on the whole (being in the profession, we keep up with matters like these), these libraries are the minority. Libraries simply aren't what they were 50, 20, 10, or even 5 years ago! Nor are librarians the enemy...we aren't. Those who are religious aren't either...don't get me wrong, I don't support censorship at all, but I will say, we're all entitled to our opinions...I find it a shame that anyone puts their opinions on others and looks down upon them...I know that's how the world is, but that's not to say I'm any less disappointed.

My view, as a Children's Librarian--a protector of children's right to read--is that parents should be involved in the decision-making of what books their children read. However, parents (or community members or religious groups, etc.) deciding what ALL children (or people, even) should read is simply wrong. Read or not read according to your own beliefs, but those are YOUR beliefs and your choices to make for yourself (and your children, if you have any), but not for anyone else.

I'm sorry--I'm not at all angry or upset at anyone here, but I felt the need to defend my profession...the mass majority of us are on YOUR side--the readers' side--all the librarians I know (and I know many) LOVE Harry Potter, and the ones who don't simply don't like that genre or Harry Potter isn't their cup of tea--NOT because they feel the books are in any way satanic or should be banned. I think the author of Stupid White Men wrote it best in his introduction (regarding that librarians in New Jersey, in America, protested publishers choosing not to publish the author's book [the librarians felt his work shouldn't be censored]) that "librarians are a terrorist group you don't want to cross"...true enough!


~ Lizzy

[Gwared]

I have a get-out clause by being an atheist. On a forum I belonged to last year we had a great intellectual (no rudeness) debate on Creation Vs Evolution....the result? Exactly what I expected, a draw...neither could prove or disprove the other.

I don't understand why people believe all books are written with religion in mind? I mean, I know if I wrote a book being an atheist I would have no intentional religious symbolism, but I bet the church would find some. It's like Philosoph said, in literature the likelihood of genuine symbolism is less likely in the current world climate.

[ElijahRain]

...neither could prove or disprove the other

That's the beauty of faith. There is this element that transcends what we can "prove" through scientific means and must leave to mystery. I my heart, I believe that a God that created everything, including science, can create things that confound and bypass our mortal understanding.

[Blueberry]

Science and Religion is so complicated. . The best way is don't try to convince people which one is correct. We go our own way and we'll get along just fine And that's the problem right there. Many people trying to prove their belief is the ONE and forcing it on others and that's why it leads to destruction... Not many people know what's the word Respect means...

PS: Nah, my mom respects my decision now.... By the way Huffle..Camping next week 3days before school. Have fun before going back to the damn school.

[Devinci]

Well, I think I have a good view of all the different spectrums of religious thoughts towards Harry Potter...
In my own household

Mother : Harry Potter...is a book. Why does it matter??? ITS A BOOK.
Father : Oh my GOD, my son is reading...Harry Potter is officially holy material...
Grandmother : THE SCAR STANDS FOR LESBIANISM! HARRY POTTER IS THE ANTI-CHRIST....GET READY FOR THE RAPTURE...
Grandfather : .......
Brother : COOL! Harry Potter is evil!!! SWEEEEET!


So, basically, I think the proper diagnosis is...Harry Potter is a book, He aparantly has a scar, he gets kids to read, and my grandfather doesn't talk....

Now that's religion at it's finest