Magic in the Harry Potter world is a tool. A knife may be used for good or bad, but the person holding the knife makes that decision. Magic is the same.
Sing lustily and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.
But the Bible dictates that the use of magic (and other such things, like talking to the dead) are un natural, and as such, against God.
Personally, I feel that the men who wrote the Bible feared magic, and so put that in to stop people using it (you use that weapon against me, and you're going to Hell!)
I suppose it's all in perspective. Christians and Non-Christians alike can enjoy the Harry Potter series. The both can look down on it, and it's easy to see where they are coming from. Just as easy as it is to say Harry Potter is a story of where Good triumphs over Evil. It's useless to say these who fight that Harry Potter is Satan in guise, are wrong - because they believe they are right (and in some cases, they are probably right on how it has effected someone).
And I believe that Christianity, the religion, to some extent is only the celebration of Good. But the words of Christ Himself, are much, much more.
What i would like to know is how many people have run into the brick wall of the 9 3/4 station, their buggy falling to the side.
It's just a story. Sure, the characters lie and break the rules at times, but in the end, what would happen if they hadn't broken the rules would have been a lot worse. These books are just kid/teen mysteries and adventures. I've read youth mysteries without a fantasy setting that are not all that different in how they solve the mysteries. They just have different tools. It's just that they have different tools. Like Galatea said, these books do not show Wiccan or Pagan culture. All you have to do to know that is watch about twenty minutes from the first movie to know that the majority of the students are likely Christian. And even if they were Pagan, I would reccomend reading The Mists of Avalon, which might give you a different persepctive on that culture.
When Neil Gaiman was asked about his thoughts on fantasy novels being banned for promoting Satanism, he said he feels sorry for those people, and I am inclined to agree with him. It's called "Let's pretend." People like me, we never would have survived high school if we hadn't been allowed to have our fantasies. Being allowed to have my fantasies was a major factor in my not commiting suicide. I don't know much about Christianity, but as far as I know, suicide is considered a sin.
I did start to lean towards being a Celt when it comes to my own spirituality after reading certain books, but that's not the case with everyone who reads The Chronicles of Faeries and The Mists of Avalon. Even if it were, you have to decide what's worse: being turned on to a culture where women are strong, and we respect our dependancy on the natural world, or not being allowed to read half of the books I like to read and committing at the age of seventeen, or even thirteen.
Please, sit down before you fall down.
Belloq, "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
I think its dumb people think Garry Potter is supposed to symbolize anything religous at all.
Its a friggin fantasy novel. Not a counterpart to the Bible itself.
Its not like its even the first one.
What is so new in Harry Potter than wasnt in fantasy books already. JK Rowling didnt make up wizards, or broomsticks, or ogres, or magic (she did make up spells).
Relgious people are big headed and always assume everything says somethign about them, good or bad.
I am quite anti-religous, for reasons such as this.
Christians arent jealous, they still have more money than JK Rowling, they just like to stir up the water, and screw with peoples heads so no one forgets they are still hanging around.
~The bandit’s body slumped to the ground, knees hitting first,followed by the rest.His dead weight pushed dust into the air in a swirling cloud.The blood flowed from his head,splicing like river canals,delaying slightly on pebbles before flowing on through the street.~
Good point. There isn't anything that special about Harry Potter other that it's massive success. If you do a little research, you'll find lots of books about schools for witchcraft.
Please, sit down before you fall down.
Belloq, "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
Terry Pratchett an infamous british novelist created Unseen University, a school for wizards. Only in his world, wizards are always smoking, and trying to kill offother wizards to raise in rank.
~The bandit’s body slumped to the ground, knees hitting first,followed by the rest.His dead weight pushed dust into the air in a swirling cloud.The blood flowed from his head,splicing like river canals,delaying slightly on pebbles before flowing on through the street.~
heh, i love terry pratchett, reaper man was the best book i've ever read.
For centuries, theologians have been explaining the unknowable in terms of the-not-worth-knowing.
- HL Mencken
Lie together like butt.
Presenting the GFuture, soon to be the Gnow, reality presented by Google.
Welcome to GEarth.
~Baske in the randomness~
Never read Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or ANY of C.S. Lewis' books. Don't want to either, their boring.
I prefer true stories.
The book to read is not the one which thinks for you, but the one which makes you think. No book in the world equals the Bible for that.
Harper Lee My sites:
http://www.wyattmuseum.com/ http://www.cafechrist.com/
For centuries, theologians have been explaining the unknowable in terms of the-not-worth-knowing.
- HL Mencken
Lie together like butt.
Presenting the GFuture, soon to be the Gnow, reality presented by Google.
Welcome to GEarth.
~Baske in the randomness~
Boring is a tad harsh.
I dont know how many boring things get made into million dollar blockbusters.
Terry Pratchett has a cartoon movie coming out soon, on a side note.
~The bandit’s body slumped to the ground, knees hitting first,followed by the rest.His dead weight pushed dust into the air in a swirling cloud.The blood flowed from his head,splicing like river canals,delaying slightly on pebbles before flowing on through the street.~
For centuries, theologians have been explaining the unknowable in terms of the-not-worth-knowing.
- HL Mencken
Lie together like butt.
Presenting the GFuture, soon to be the Gnow, reality presented by Google.
Welcome to GEarth.
~Baske in the randomness~
Haha, so true.
I didn't think that one through.
Not to mention, the last matrix, and spiderman 2
~The bandit’s body slumped to the ground, knees hitting first,followed by the rest.His dead weight pushed dust into the air in a swirling cloud.The blood flowed from his head,splicing like river canals,delaying slightly on pebbles before flowing on through the street.~
and the entire denny's franchise.
the country bears
Fox News
anything with Jane fonda in it
and Windows 98.
For centuries, theologians have been explaining the unknowable in terms of the-not-worth-knowing.
- HL Mencken
Lie together like butt.
Presenting the GFuture, soon to be the Gnow, reality presented by Google.
Welcome to GEarth.
~Baske in the randomness~
Micah wrote:Never read Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or ANY of C.S. Lewis' books. Don't want to either, their boring.
I prefer true stories.
How d'you know they're boring if you've never read them?
Admitidly I agree with you on Lord of the Rings though.
I might to on C.S. Lewis' books - it's been years sinch I read them, so I can't actually remember what they're like.
