Why is LOTR acceptable among Christians...

[Hetta]

Now look at the Sins of the Flesh. Sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties. Sounds familiar? So yeah. Point made.

Is this all supposed to be in HP? Because, if so, we must have been reading very, very different versions.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

Look to the Fruits of the Spirit. Love, Joy, Peace, Forebearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. All these are present in LOTR.

Now look at the Sins of the Flesh. Sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties. Sounds familiar? So yeah. Point made.

Yeah...I would like to point out how often Tolkien likes to talk about the characters drinking (even being pretty drunk, and not in a negative light, most of the time). Quarreling - a lot it among the fellowship - as well as jealousy. Anger outbursts. Envy. All of them a part of LOTR as well as Hp. And in neither case are they necessarily marked as bad.

And all of the Fruits can be found in both as well.

I mean, really? Making out like HP is just so much below LOTR in terms of morality is pretty short-sighted. Have you actually read the HP novels?

 

[thatforumguy77]

Is this all supposed to be in HP? Because, if so, we must have been reading very, very different versions.

Not all of it is present. But most of the conflicts of the children and professors can fit squarely here. Realist concepts like homosexuality, jealousy, anger, and division is scattered everywhere in that narrative. It's teenagers after all. Added to it is practical sorcery. That said, if you disagree, do not let my statement here dissuade you from reading the entire context of the post. Which is Physical vs Spirituality.

Dissecting posts never benefits anyone. My post is not meant to attack, it is meant to guide and advise on what a Christian should dwell on.

That said, follow your own faith. Some are strong, some are weak. Romans 14 says that much. But let not your strong faith mislead others who may be weak in that faith. Some may be tempted by the elements in a book, while some will not. Just follow your gut on what you can handle and not let the enemy a foothold on your life in Christ.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

The argument that things like HP are something a Christian shouldn't read because they focus on realistic, direct, purposeful things we all focus on - that that will somehow harm a weak Christian - is odd to me.

How then could they read the Bible? Since it full of war, sexual immorality, murder, envy greed, death, hate, division, witchcraft. And much, much more explicitly than Rowling would ever put in her novels...

 

[RDKirk]

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. -- Philippians 4

 

[Spunkn]

This thread makes me laugh



That is all.

 

[kellhus]

IIRC, the wizards were actually angels of differing levels in the Tolkien books.

Sauron was too, actually. He was Aule's chief Maiar before Melkor corrupted him. Poor Aule, losing both Sauron and Saruman like that.

 

[Avniel]

Tolkein was a Catholic, and so while he did tap into various mythologies, he also tapped into his background in Catholicism. LOTR has many very positive themes including those of loyalty, friendship, overcoming temptation, heroism ... I mean, I could sit here all day and make a long, long list.

I am a fan of both LOTR and HP. My children have also been exposed to both and we have had a great many really excellent conversations based around the themes.

Not to mention crazy action scenes!!

 

[sunshine456]

Harry potter is defining the use of magic as acceptable; when clearly it is stated that it is detestable and an abomination to GOD. This clearly identifies HP as unacceptable as it's entire premises is built around said material.

LOTR primarily deals around the deliverance from evil and if you know the lore the wizards in LOTR are descendants of angelic like beings.

Our world in essence is similar by the involvement of evil beings and angelic beings and we are to resist evil and rid it from us so to speak. The LOTR fable has no connection to the real world either; however HP cannon does......London, etc. LOTR does not entice kids into practicing or researching witchcraft and magic. HP has proven to entice and gain interest in said material that it wholly revolves around.

LOTR is more fantasy and fable material than HP, and while HP does categorize itself as the "fight against evil", it itself also participates in that which it is fighting against....it is a duel hypocrisy that is undermining it's own narrative.

Another way to define the debate is as I said before.....real world connections and affiliations making it more palatable to reality convention rather than a complete made up falsied world and characters that are in an environ that has no connection or affiliation to the our world or earth.

Completely fake(LOTR) vs partially fake(HP) is the conclusive argument. I do not defend either, but feel that because of the complete and utter fictional state of LOTR that it could be construed as more plausible.

Praise be to GOD the heavenly father and his son lord JESUS CHRIST forever>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[abysmul]

Not all of it is present. But most of the conflicts of the children and professors can fit squarely here. Realist concepts like homosexuality, jealousy, anger, and division is scattered everywhere in that narrative. It's teenagers after all. Added to it is practical sorcery. That said, if you disagree, do not let my statement here dissuade you from reading the entire context of the post. Which is Physical vs Spirituality.

Dissecting posts never benefits anyone. My post is not meant to attack, it is meant to guide and advise on what a Christian should dwell on.

That said, follow your own faith. Some are strong, some are weak. Romans 14 says that much. But let not your strong faith mislead others who may be weak in that faith. Some may be tempted by the elements in a book, while some will not. Just follow your gut on what you can handle and not let the enemy a foothold on your life in Christ.

Question, what's your take on C S Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia?

 

[Inkachu]

UGH nevermind.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Question, what's your take on C S Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia?

LOL are people going to get upset? I keep seeing comments about the thread getting shut down.

This would probably belong in a new thread?

But I discovered CS Lewis only about ten years ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed the books. To me, they appear to have a basis and some characteristics that are clearly intended to be Christian-themed allegory.

I actually have a very thick book that's meant to be a family study of the Christian aspects of The Chronicles of Narnia, but other than glancing through it I haven't read it, and we didn't use it as a study. (The reason for not using it is no reflection on either of the works.)

 

[abysmul]

I actually have a very thick book that's meant to be a family study of the Christian aspects of The Chronicles of Narnia, but other than glancing through it I haven't read it, and we didn't use it as a study. (The reason for not using it is no reflection on either of the works.)

If you get the time (no big deal) can you look up the name of it? I'm interested. Thanks!

 

[Hetta]

Not all of it is present. But most of the conflicts of the children and professors can fit squarely here. Realist concepts like homosexuality,

That said, follow your own faith.

Homosexuality? Where? Must have been a bit I missed.

Thanks for the permission to follow my own faith. That's what I plan on doing.

 

[~Anastasia~]

If you get the time (no big deal) can you look up the name of it? I'm interested. Thanks!

The one I was referring to was "Roar!: A Christian Family Guide to the Chronicles of Narnia" Paperback – September 21, 2005
by Heather Kopp

It's about 450 pages, I think it covers all the Narnia books, and I believe has kind of an overview, with bits for younger kids, adults, and so on for most or maybe all of the concepts. (Not positive and most of my books are still packed.)

I actually had at least 2 or 3 similar books as well, but I remember the details of that one the best. There are quite a few study guides along those lines. I was actually looking for something a bit more indepth, and one of my other ones was much better in that way (more of a commentary-style but detailed), but I can't remember which was which because I've looked at and bought a number of books of that type. Roar! sticks in my mind though.

In searching online, these look familiar:

Finding God in the Land of Narnia (Saltriver) Hardcover
by Kurt Bruner (Author) , Jim Ware (Author)

A Family Guide To Narnia: Biblical Truths in C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia Paperback
by Christin Ditchfield

Eternal Truths of Narnia- Bible Study Paperback
by Julie Kloster

I just can't remember well what was what. I usually take notes and make comments inside the covers of my own books, but they are almost all still packed. I need to build a much bigger full-wall bookshelf so I can unpack all my books, lol.

 

[abysmul]

Thanks Kylissa!

 

[DreadWarrior]

Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter...the great fictional stories of our time. I personally am an avid fan of all three, and have no problem with Harry Potter. I can separate myself from the story and the real world, and enjoy it as the story that it is. Harry Potter doesn't condone or encourage evil, and all practices that would be considered evil, are all done by the people the heroes are fighting to stop. I think some Christians read way too into things, just have fun with the story.

 

[Inkachu]

Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter...the great fictional stories of our time. I personally am an avid fan of all three, and have no problem with Harry Potter. I can separate myself from the story and the real world, and enjoy it as the story that it is. Harry Potter doesn't condone or encourage evil, and all practices that would be considered evil, are all done by the people the heroes are fighting to stop. I think some Christians read way too into things, just have fun with the story.

I agree, but I think every Christian needs to do what their conscience dictates, as long as they're acting under God's guidance, not out of paranoia or legalistic fears. Fantasy stories are fine for some, but if they offend another, I'm not going to tell them they should ignore that and read them anyway. My problem stems from people pushing THEIR opinions onto others. Nobody here has to agree with me, nor do I have to agree with them. I won't try to persuade anyone to read LOTR or HP if they feel it's wrong, but by the same token, they shouldn't push their beliefs on us, that we should run shrieking for the hills from these books, or tell us that we're wallowing in evil for reading them.

 

[Spunkn]

that we should run shrieking for the hills from these books, or tell us that we're wallowing in evil for reading them.

 

[Hetta]

I agree, but I think every Christian needs to do what their conscience dictates, as long as they're acting under God's guidance, not out of paranoia or legalistic fears. Fantasy stories are fine for some, but if they offend another, I'm not going to tell them they should ignore that and read them anyway. My problem stems from people pushing THEIR opinions onto others. Nobody here has to agree with me, nor do I have to agree with them. I won't try to persuade anyone to read LOTR or HP if they feel it's wrong, but by the same token, they shouldn't push their beliefs on us, that we should run shrieking for the hills from these books, or tell us that we're wallowing in evil for reading them.

Especially when people haven't even read the books, but only other people's opinions of the books!