Lord of the Ring vs Harry Potter

[peggysue17]

personaly i dont care for harry potter and at first i didnt care for lord of the ring. but now i own the first two ring movies and plan on buying the 3rd. in HP they are learning how to do magic so in a way they are encouriging kids to try it. and no one can deny that once they've seen a movie that they like, they wish they could be like the people in the movie. and with all the books on wicca rapca(think pig latin) its pretty easy to try "magic". in lord of the rings their not realy teaching you anything their just tryin to fight people off and destroy the ring. just my 2 cents.

 

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

Yes, I agree with you peggysue17. LotR takes a less direct approach, and magic really isn't a key player, its more swordplay and morals. However, I'd still be wary of giving any book to children. Its not the writing so much as the audience.

 

[Rafael]

Teaching children to have proper respect and fear of the world is a good thing, but I don't think we should teach children to fear fairy tales and fiction, but explain and guide them. By denying children of these things, we can risk developing a resentment and lust for the things denied, much like the law brings about sin in man. When they finally get a chance to be free, they are inordinately drawn to the forbidden (Romans 7:8). Children listen to their parents, and with Godly guidance can see what the world offers as truth or fiction without fear - for greater in He that dwells in them than he in the world. I believe there is a balance to be achieved and that denying access is dangerous as creating a lust for the forbidden in a child may have the opposite effect the parent wanted in later life. Teaching a child in the way they should go doesn't necessarily mean restricting them from things like fairy tales, as they get older and understand that fantasy is not real.

Romans 7:8 but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting: for apart from the law sin is dead.

Pr 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

 

[charligirl]

Teaching a child in the way they should go doesn't necessarily mean restricting them from things liike fairy tales.

Romans 7:8 but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting: for apart from the law sin is dead.

Pr 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

I think we should teach our children to only look at whatsoever is Good and Holy and if that means restricting fairy tales then so be it. There are plenty of great christian authors out there who write christian fantasy style books and I think they should be encouraged. Some fantasy is fine, I'm not an advocate of throwing it all out, you have to judge each one... but HP is the issue here and that becomes so dark as the books continue that it is bordering on horror and I cannot see any good reason for allowing young children to read them.

1 John 2
Do Not Love the World
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Philippians 4
Meditate on These Things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. 9The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you

 

[Yitzchak]

I think Romans 14 applies to this issue........... It is easy to find inconsistencies in all the positions surronding these things.......... Witch craft is not the only thing condenmed in the bible and one could ask why people allow movies with violence, gluttony, sex, greed, strife, cynical and suspicious behavior, divorce, etc,etc but then draw the line at witchcraft.
The bottomline is if it bothers your conscience , then it is best not to do it. getting into judging what others allow in such relatively small issues is forbidden in scripture and our command from the Lord is not to judge those who do it and those who do it not to put stumbling blocks in the way of those it offends.

 

[Yitzchak]

To answer your orginal question...... It differs according to whom you speak with....... Most people are followers on these issues and not leaders or free thinkers so if leaders form a rational position, most christians in those folds fall into, line hook-line and sinker....... Not always a bad thing but there really isn't as much agreement as it seems that one movie is any worse than the other.

 

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

Witch craft is not the only thing condenmed in the bible and one could ask why people allow movies with violence, gluttony, sex, greed, strife, cynical and suspicious behavior, divorce, etc,etc but then draw the line at witchcraft.

Very good point! We strain out a gnat but swallow a camel

 

[allieisme]

*****MOD HAT ON*****

This is not a debate thread, if it continues to go in that direction in will be closed. This is asking for a mere opinion only, not for others to debate on the issue.

*****MOD HAT OFF*****

 

[selune]

I am a fan of both series of books as well as many other fantasy fiction series. I don't see LOTR as any less "magic" than HP. Both deal with a different world not reality. In one Middle Earth--Trolls, hobbits, elves (who have visions of the future and such) and other fantasy creatures; in the other a world where people can be born a wizard and have dealings with dragons, trolls, and other fantasy creatures. I think that both offer good story telling. HP is more accessible because Tolkein liked to go off on tangents into great depth (still like it, but it's a harder read).

 

[mesue]

Why is Harry Potter not ok but Lord of the Ring is Both stories have magic and wizards

IMHO
The Harry Potter books portray parents as buffoons; glorify witchcraft and make lying okay.

In The Lord of the Rings good conquers evil, there is self sacrifice for the well being of all, and there is respect for authority.

 

[slim]

IMHO
The Harry Potter books portray parents as buffoons; glorify witchcraft and make lying okay.

In The Lord of the Rings good conquers evil, there is self sacrifice for the well being of all, and there is respect for authority.

I haven't seen or read any of the Harry Potter stuff.I have read and seen the Lord of the Rings.LotR reminds me of the Allies against the Axis during WWll.Harry Potter I'm not into but my childrens friends are.My kids really liked the LotR movies as did I.Well crafted special effects and good scenic locations along with two turn the tide of the battle calvary charges.If the Harry Potter stories are as you say than that is a big difference between them.I'll have to make some time to check into the HP stories to see for myself

 

[slim]

or rather, praying

I thought and prayed about how we spend our time and what we watch.I was led to 1 Corinthians 8:9 But you must be careful with this freedom of yours.Do not cause a brother or sister with a weaker conscience to stumble.This is a hard verse for me to deal with as I am not inclined to filter out what doesn't trouble me

 

[Blindfaith316]

I thought and prayed about how we spend our time and what we watch.I was led to 1 Corinthians 8:9 But you must be careful with this freedom of yours.Do not cause a brother or sister with a weaker conscience to stumble.This is a hard verse for me to deal with as I am not inclined to filter out what doesn't trouble me

it is a good verse, I will pray for you. I know for me and my husband, I prayed and asked the Lord to convict us of what he did not want us to see, and he did! Which made choosing so much easier! It takes time and prayer and patience, but the Lord has brought my family through the need for TV and movies that do not give glory where it is due, and brought us so much closer together and most importantly closer to him. God Bless you!