preacher cuts up Harry Potter books

Originally posted by kern
A bunch of characters in the Bible act in non-Christian ways as well. Reading about sin is not the same thing as sinning, despite the people who try to twist Jesus' comments about "looking at woman with lust = adultery" to fit that. If reading about sin were the same thing as sinning, then you wouldn't be able to read the Bible either! 

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I agreee, although "real witchcraft" exists, NO ONE is going to learn real witchcraft from Pokemon, Kiki's Delivery Service, or for that matter The Wizard Of Oz. Even Harry Potter would be hard to actually learn real witchcraft from

The problem with Harry Potter does not lie with the content. It lies with irresponsible parents who do not teach their children the difference between fact and fiction, or who let children who are too young to differentiate read the books.

If you are a parent, PLEASE take responsibility for your children.  

A bunch of characters in the Bible act in non-Christian ways as well. Reading about sin is not the same thing as sinning, despite the people who try to twist Jesus' comments about "looking at woman with lust = adultery" to fit that. If reading about sin were the same thing as sinning, then you wouldn't be able to read the Bible either!

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That's different. The Bible is the "God-breathed" word of the LORD. The characters that sin in the Bible are there for a divine purpose. Harry Potter certainly isn't divinely inspired.

Why is there such a witchhunt after Harry Potter when so many other books which are not such obvious targets go ignored? There are worse books than Harry Potter like Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.

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I just never heard of such books. I woulkd oppose them for sure as well

Entertainment which brings joy to people, and encourages kids to read, strikes me as being more of God than fear of the unknown does.

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Not if its promoting Anti-Biblical teachings.

is the decision of some schools to make Harry Potter required reading when it's clear that some people have reservations and even objections over not having the right to read something else. This is probably legitimate. Cutting up a book however is absolutely counter-productive to anyone's attempt to make a legitimate claim to change the required reading status at some schools. All it does is say that you christians are fear-mongering people who don't have any case to base your fears on.

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Agreed, but I will add that schools do what you describe all the time today by forcing Evolution and Anti-LORD and anti-God teachings and saying that nobody can talk about or read the bible, etc in schools.

My two best friends are really into Harry Potter. I think it's just a bit of fun. If you weren't into Witchcraft before the books, you won't be after. It's just fun. Well, I haven't read the books or seen the movies... but I'd like to.

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Christians, I friendly ask you, is reading Harry Potter "setting your mind on the things of above"? Please meditate on Colossians 3:1-2 and really consider is Harry Potter (and a lot of other things that Christians do as well) setting your mind on the things of God? No.

Originally posted by Athlon4all
Christians, I friendly ask you, is reading Harry Potter "setting your mind on the things of above"? Please meditate on Colossians 3:1-2 and really consider is Harry Potter (and a lot of other things that Christians do as well) setting your mind on the things of God? No.

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Do you watch sporting events? Do you watch the television? Do you read the newspaper? Do you read books written about people who are not Christian? Do you speak to people who are not Christian? How far do you want to take the context of that verse?
I fail to see how the characters in Harry Potter are acting in any way differently from the characters in most modern fictional books. Perhaps in a way they are acting much better because they are children and thus tend not to be involved in the lust, jealousy, murder, theft, and other mayhem that goes on in virtually all fictional works, and many non-fiction as well.

I don't think Harry Potter necessarily promotes anti-Biblical teachings; indeed, I know of a person who was led to Christ *because* of Harry Potter. The core messages of the books are about good triumphing over evil... Love is shown as the highest good. Works for me.

I think you really need to rethink this, Athlon. You're asking us to pray on something, but telling us what answer we'll get... How do *you* know? God will tell me how to behave; you aren't qualified. God has used a lot of things that some people are afraid of to reach me, and help me grow as a person. I probably wouldn't be following Christ today if I weren't a D&D player; that's how He got some of the tough stuff into my resilient, stone-like, head.

In the end, any story of good and evil can be a good way for people to get closer to God.

Originally posted by Athlon4all
He is very right in opposing harry potter. It is not just a childs book. It promotes witch craft

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I think it is good that he is taking a stand against witchcraft if that is what he feels lead to do.

There are a lot of other things out there that we should take a stand against.

We are to reprove people. We are intitled to our opinion and people should know what our opinion is as a Christian. They should know where we stand.

In the market place of thoughts, opinions and ideas, we should show people where we stand.

Well just cause you are christians doesn't mean people should go around messing up books and cutting down moving just cause you disagree with them. That would be like me messing up the bible just cause I don't agree with it which I have never done cause I am not crazy.

I swear people are just to conservative.

It's just a book and movie I don't see anyone going after hellraiser movies and stuff like that.

I've told people who obviously have never read the Harry Potter books this before, and I'll tell them again.

1. J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, is a Christian who didn't know there was a religion called witchcraft until ignorant conservative Christians started protesting her books for containing it.

2. If she's promoting an evil or unChristian lifestyle, why do her characters celebrate Christmas, a Christian holiday? Why do her characters oppose evil and celebrate good? Why do they rely so much on their friends, show loving families, and emphasize the importance of using any powers they have for good?

3. No spells are "written out" in the Harry Potter books. What "spells" there are, are of the Abracadabra kind (aka not real). No real Witch casts a spell by pointing a wand and saying Abracadabra other than Discordians...and even the Discordians aren't really casting a spell, they're making fun of overly serious magic users.

In short, folks, you should concentrate on real problems, like poverty and the governmental systems which operate to keep people poor, rather than protesting good children's literature written by Christians.

Originally posted by JohnR7
I think it is good that he is taking a stand against witchcraft if that is what he feels lead to do.

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1.  He is not taking a stand against withcraft because Harry's world is nowhere near witchcraft.  Maybe he should take a stand against the Wizard of Oz?

2.  "Feeling led" is Christian jargon and NONSENSE.  No where does God teach us to be led by our feelings.  If you want to claim you meant "led by convictions" then I propose those "convictions" are based on blubberish, not truth.

There are a lot of other things out there that we should take a stand against.

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Yes.  Like hunger, poverty, theocrats, ignorant expressions of Christianity, people who don't know the Bible and go on witch hunts.  Please.  Start taking a stand on these any day now.

We are to reprove people. We are intitled to our opinion and people should know what our opinion is as a Christian. They should know where we stand.

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Can you show me Biblical support for this?  Reproving other Christians in one thing, but I don't see support that you should reprove non-Christians.  Isn't that the job of the Holy Spirit?

In the market place of thoughts, opinions and ideas, we should show people where we stand.

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John 13:35
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."


This is how we should be known.

Originally posted by Athlon4all
I just never heard of such books. I woulkd oppose them for sure as well.

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I would caution you to remember, that when you start 'opposing' books, for any reason you are going down a long scary road.

Anyone remember 'Farenheit 451' ?

Originally posted by Athlon4all

Christians, I friendly ask you, is reading Harry Potter "setting your mind on the things of above"? Please meditate on Colossians 3:1-2 and really consider is Harry Potter (and a lot of other things that Christians do as well) setting your mind on the things of God? No.

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Is going to the grocery store, setting your mind on the things of God?

No, but I don't see anyone jumping up and down about that.

Thank you for this article ...

How many times Lucifer has to sugar coat evil into something pleasant and "innocent" ? We dont need our children to read stuff on magic and sorcery...Now all kids want to perform magic and are drawn away from the magic of God and in the Bible. God bless this person for speaking out and being made fun of at the sametime. I will never let my children read this junk!

a4c

Who needs imagination when you've got dogma?

It's totally harmless, except for helping children with their reading skills and creativity.

There are plenty of things in this world clouding our minds, reading something that is blatantly fiction isn't going to steal people away from God.

Interesting i think we all miss the point from a follower of Jesus my preference is to say that I like the theme where good over comes evil its been the theme through out History Good battling against evil, there may be an influence on people to look into ocultic pracitices (i think thats what they are called) however you cannot blame one film being the reason for them going over these things. Deep on all our hearts is a longing for somthing more which i believe is the spirutual uniion with God.

Chill remember the measure you judge somone the same measure you are judged by

I don't feel the books are harmless. Their are certainly parts of the books that i don't think are suitable for children. My son is 8 and is not allowed to have anything to do with hp. 

 I had a link that i decided to take out.

doesn't it say in the Bible that "Harry Potter is the root of all evil" or is it "the love of Harry Potter"... I forget

I can remember back to a time when it was listening to Judas Priest that sent folks to hell, now its reading a book. My how times have changed.

Originally posted by thepalmtree
I don't feel the books are harmless: 

   http://christiantimes.com/Articles/Articles%20Feb%2002/Art_Feb02_oped1.html 



I can't imagine letting a young child read this and thinking it is innocent fun. My son is 8 and is not allowed to have anything to do with it.

 I decided to edit due to young children surfing the forum.

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So you base your opinion on an obviously biased review?  How sad.

It's interesting that we have not heard recriminations of Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, or The Matrix.

Originally posted by thepalmtree
I don't feel the books are harmless: 

   http://christiantimes.com/Articles/Articles%20Feb%2002/Art_Feb02_oped1.html 

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From your link:

"Matrisciana, author, report having identified the following elements of Witchcraft in the Potter series: “Mother Goddess, evolution , reincarnation, communing with the dead and spirit world, seasonal nature celebrations, sorcery, divination, spells, curses, meditation, occult symbology, black magic, demon possession, "dark" aspects of witchcraft and more."

" The above elements of Satanism and witchcraft . . ."

Any source that tries to link evolution with witchcraft and then goes on to link Satanism with witchcraft is definately part of the "the goofball fringe" as described in the article.

Can you show me any source that ties evolution to withcraft, or is anything that is not in the bible now "Elements of Satanism and Witchraft".

The Sky Is Falling!!!

The part of the article i was pointing to was the third verse, where their is a condensed part of one of the books. I had origianally copied and pasted the verse but felt that it wasen't a good idea with any young children that might be surfing this forum.
I don't know about linking evolution with witchcraft either. That is someone else's view on it.
My point was i don't think the books are suitable for children, given the above mentioned portion.

Originally posted by strathyboy
It's interesting that we have not heard recriminations of Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, or The Matrix.

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I've seen complaints againts LotR and Star Wars both, but not on the level of Harry Potter.

-Chris