if Harry Potter were real he would be going to hell

[ToBeInChrist]

see I don't even like the PBS cartoon "dragon tales" because it portrays dragons as good. its all part of the conditioning, and from many posters it seems to be working good is evil and evil is good

Exactly.

 

[bbbbbbb]

I'd conclude that Peter took good care of his wife, while she lived in a pumpkin, probably liked eating pumpkin as well as her husband Peter, nice to see marriage still alive in childrens stories instead of just hooking up. you will have to go farther in this nursery rhyme for me to make any judgements as to why he had to keep her in a pumpkin. It may just be they were out of watermellons

 

[bbbbbbb]

I guess I think of that rhyme a little differently. Not quite so sweet. Peter couldn't keep his wife at home, but after he hid her in the pumpkin, she stayed home every night. My version is not for the kids.

Nor is mine.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Here's another rhyme which is quite similar.
Ice cream, penny a lump, The more you eat the more you jump. Eeper Weeper, chimbly sweeper, Had a wife but couldn't keep her. Had another, didn't love her, Up the chimbly he did shove her.

Wow! I didn't know that one. That definitely is not sweet and innocent.

 

[RETS]

Hi RETS. I'm a little curious about something, so I'm hoping that you don't mind me asking you the following questions. I just finished reading your personal testimony on another thread which included the following comments:

Unless I'm misreading you or have accidentally pulled your second quote out of its intended context, it sounds as if you just testified how "far more damaging" involvement with such things as a "vampiric cult" and "every aspect of magick and sorcery possible" were to you than any possible drug use you could have gotten involved in. IF this is the case, THEN why would you tell somebody to "enjoy the movies", movies which glorify these exact things, unless the Holy Spirit specifically tells them to do something else? Would the Holy Spirit EVER find such things to be "enjoyable"? Is God a respecter of persons? Would you mind elaborating on this a bit? Of course, you don't have to, but I'm a little curious as to how I'm supposed to reconcile your two different quotes. I'm NOT accusing of you of being deceitful in either quote...I'm just having a hard time finding the harmony between the two and was hoping that you could help. Thanks.

Well, for one, having been involved in the occult, nothing in Harry Potter is even close to reality. Furthermore, as a direct result of these movies, several of my former occult friends have recently become Christians. In talking to them, I found out that they saw a shadow of Christ in Harry. Thought that was interesting.

Finally, I firmly believe in being set free. I have been. I no longer feel the pull of that faux power, nor do I feel the pull of anything else that goes with it.

However, I also firmly believe in remembering where you came from. If you do not, you can be of no help to others in the same situation, because you've no compassion.


The "harmony" between the two comes directly from the Holy Spirit. He has freed me, and shown me how these books/movies can be used for His glory. Knowing this, I can enjoy the movies for their entertainment value, and do so the whole time thanking God that there is nothing the enemy can do that He cannot turn for good.

If another person enjoys the movies, I'm going to encourage them to continue doing so, UNLESS the Holy Spirit says differently. Why? Because though God is no respecter of persons, He is concerned with our well being. If you are weak in an area I am strong, He will impress upon you to avoid contact with this area. As I do not know you, or anyone, as well as the Holy Spirit does, I leave it to Him to lead you in the way YOU should go, according to what is best for your life.


The greatest parallel between something like Lucifarianism or the Craft and Christianity is this: Each of our walks are very individual, our relationship with our Lord is very personal, and what may be all right for me could be death for you.

Which also leads me to observe that it's interesting that Satan cannot seem to have a single, original idea- He must always pattern his abominations after something God has already done.

 

[RETS]

"Harry Potter starts to get everybody curious about the mystic inside of them," says Potter, a fan of J.K. Rowling's bestselling series. "I think it stirs a yearning in people to know more than just the five senses."

Uh-huh. I'm waiting to see where that holds true for every reader. The reality, and that's the rub here, is that it does not hold true for everyone. In fact, it really only holds true for those who have already been exposed to such things, or to those with a loose grasp of reality.


In emphasizing this quote, the post itself suggests a problem with one or the other.


I already told you about my friends- Strangely enough, it DID "stir a yearning" alright... They turned their lives over to the Lord.

 

[ToBeInChrist]

Whether or not fiction realistically depicts something is one issue.
Whether or not fiction tends to lead people to do something is another issue.
Whether or not fiction blurs lines that should not be blurred is another issue.

Whether or not fiction glorifies something that is sinful is another issue.

Whether or not fiction makes entertainment out of something that God hates is another issue.


=====

Ok, so while Harry Potter does incantations, people say they aren't realistic incantations, and that they aren't tempted to do incantations because of exposure to Harry Potter.

But Harry Potter stories glorify and present as entertainment the saying of incantations, the muttering of spells, and Scripture says we are not to mutter incantations/spells, that this is sinful.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

But Harry Potter stories glorify and present as entertainment the saying of incantations, the muttering of spells, and Scripture says we are not to mutter incantations/spells, that this is sinful.

Who here do you know of that mutters spells

 

[ToBeInChrist]

Who here do you know of that mutters spells

Who here do you know of that lusts in his/her heart? Or nurses resentment or greed?

 

[God's Word]

If another person enjoys the movies, I'm going to encourage them to continue doing so, UNLESS the Holy Spirit says differently. Why? Because though God is no respecter of persons, He is concerned with our well being. If you are weak in an area I am strong, He will impress upon you to avoid contact with this area. As I do not know you, or anyone, as well as the Holy Spirit does, I leave it to Him to lead you in the way YOU should go, according to what is best for your life.

As I've said before, in my particular case (and seemingly in the case of others who have posted here), it has absolutely nothing to do with "being weak in an area". Rather, as both I and others have explained, it has to do with what is ABOMINABLE TO THE LORD. At my end, I feel no need to further the discussion along these lines. I've said what I felt needed to be said and I also heard the rebuttals of others. This conversation is going nowhere and has become the exact type of waste of time that I try to avoid.

Anyhow, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions...even though I have a hard time believing one aspect of your answer.

 

[RETS]

As I've said before, in my particular case (and seemingly in the case of others who have posted here), it has absolutely nothing to do with "being weak in an area". Rather, as both I and others have explained, it has to do with what is ABOMINABLE TO THE LORD. At my end, I feel no need to further the discussion along these lines. I've said what I felt needed to be said and I also heard the rebuttals of others. This conversation is going nowhere and has become the exact type of waste of time that I try to avoid.

Anyhow, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions...even though I have a hard time believing one aspect of your answer.

One aspect? And what is that? I may not have clarified enough- That's one of my weaknesses.


As for the conversation going nowhere, this is what is to be expected when one comes on strong from their personal conviction, and that conviction meets and clashes with the conviction of another. Such eventuality should be expected and anticipated.

 

[RETS]

Who here do you know of that lusts in his/her heart? Or nurses resentment or greed?

So- Because I theoretically have lust in my heart (taking off the first suggestion), I must also mutter spells?

Interesting insinuation there.

Whether or not fiction realistically depicts something is one issue.

And a very big issue, at that. Were any of the spells real, I would have nothing to do with it, and be joining you on that side of the issue.

Whether or not fiction tends to lead people to do something is another issue.

It leads some people, true enough. As I said to GW, though, these people tend to be those with a loose grip on reality.

Whether or not fiction blurs lines that should not be blurred is another issue.

I think we as Christians have enough blurred lines within our own faith without having to worry about blurred line elsewhere. Aside from that fact, see the comment above.

Whether or not fiction glorifies something that is sinful is another issue.

What if it's something from the Bible? I mean, what if something in the Bible could be construed as "glorifying" something sinful?

Whether or not fiction makes entertainment out of something that God hates is another issue.

And a similar issue is: What about those who would state that God hates any form of entertainment?

I am not accusing you of this- After all, as far a I can tell, this is the only thing you've condemned. However, there have been those kinds of people. What about their take? Is that Biblical?

Ok, so while Harry Potter does incantations, people say they aren't realistic incantations, and that they aren't tempted to do incantations because of exposure to Harry Potter.

This is because more often than not, people are pretty smart. They can tell the difference between reality and fantasy. For one, reality doesn't have dragons flying around... At least, as far as we know!

But Harry Potter stories glorify and present as entertainment the saying of incantations, the muttering of spells, and Scripture says we are not to mutter incantations/spells, that this is sinful.

As does Tolkien and Lewis- So why don't we avoid all possible accusation of holding a double standard and condemn them all?

 

[God's Word]

One aspect? And what is that? I may not have clarified enough- That's one of my weaknesses.

It has nothing to do with lack of clarification. I'll leave it at that.

As for the conversation going nowhere, this is what is to be expected when one comes on strong from their personal conviction, and that conviction meets and clashes with the conviction of another. Such eventuality should be expected and anticipated.

By "waste of time", I wasn't referring to anything "unexpected" or "not anticipated". I believe in planting and/or watering and then leaving it to God for the increase. IOW, I'm not going to try to force anyone into changing their mind or opinion. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Who here do you know of that lusts in his/her heart? Or nurses resentment or greed?

Why not do us a favor and point 'em out to us

KJV) John 8:44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts/epiqumiaV <1939> of your father ye will do.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

KJV) Revelation 18:14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted/epiqumiaV <1939> after are departed from thee,
and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee,
and thou shalt find them no more at all.

Blue Letter Bible - Lexicon

1939. epithumia ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah from 1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden):--concupiscence, desire, lust (after).

 

[Spiritlight]

wow you mean harry potter isnt a true story? I thought it was a documentary..lol

 

[RETS]

It has nothing to do with lack of clarification. I'll leave it at that.

By "waste of time", I wasn't referring to anything "unexpected" or "not anticipated". I believe in planting and/or watering and then leaving it to God for the increase. IOW, I'm not going to try to force anyone into changing their mind or opinion. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

All well and good- But I would still like to know what it is you don't believe.

wow you mean harry potter isnt a true story? I thought it was a documentary..lol

lol

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

wow you mean harry potter isnt a true story? I thought it was a documentary..lol
Location: Australia

No worries mate.
Some of us are just killing time walking-about here until a more worthwhile thread gets started

 

[ToBeInChrist]

You know, if a Christian wants to be entertained by characters going on journeys, defeating dragons, there's Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Pilgrim's Progress is edifying fiction. There's other stories about knights in shining armor defeating evil magicians and witches and dragons.

So- Because I theoretically have lust in my heart (taking off the first suggestion), I must also mutter spells?

Interesting insinuation there.

Yes it is.

Matthew 5:28 "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."​

So, if I'm entertained by Desperate Housewives, what am I doing with my heart? Doesn't sound wholesome to me. Doesn't sound godly. I want to practice righteousness in my heart.

Matthew 15:19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:"

1 John 3:4-5 "Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin."​

And a very big issue, at that. Were any of the spells real, I would have nothing to do with it, and be joining you on that side of the issue.

Cartoon fornication and adultery is still pornographic. If a fiction work's main characters are constantly blaspheming and engaging in fornication, why would I want to choose such fiction as entertainment? If I find it entertaining, all the more reason to DECIDE not to be entertained by it. Even if I don't find it tempting, it isn't the sort of thing I want to surround my heart.

As does Tolkien and Lewis- So why don't we avoid all possible accusation of holding a double standard and condemn them all?

There are things in Lewis and Tolkein that are of concern, that would require filtering, as I've said. There were unfortunate literary decisions made.

The Harry Potter series makes even more poor decisions. In Harry Potter, the main character is an apprentice to be a sorcerer; not so with Frodo. In LOTR, the supporting characters who help the hero who practice magic are either elves or alleged incarnate angel-like beings, while in Harry Potter many humans practice magic, are trained in magic, learn incantations and divination, and the are considered the heroes. Tolkein does glorify magic a bit. Harry Potter books glorify magic moreso. Lewis gets all philosophical about 'deep magic' instead of clearly demarcating between miracles or God's hidden laws or moving under God's direction by God's power, and sorcery. In Harry Potter books human beings learning magical formula is portrayed as a good thing, magic is flat out glorified.

Whatever theological criticism we could make of Narnia or That Hideous Strength, we can make against the Tolkein books and then add more criticisms to the list for Tolkein. Whatever theological criticisms we can make against Tolkein we can make against Harry Potter books and then many many more criticisms and yet more concern against Harry Potter.

Narnia to Middle Earth to Potter is "unfortunate decisions" to "more unfortunate decisions" to "yikes"

 

[LinuxUser]

wow you mean harry potter isnt a true story? I thought it was a documentary..lol

man I am so upset

 

[A New Dawn]

Who here do you know of that lusts in his/her heart? Or nurses resentment or greed?

Didn't Christ die for all our sins?