Should Harry Potter be used in the classroom?

[Rae]

Here's a Wiccan journalist who doesn't think HP is witchcraft.

Of course, because it isn't.

Nicolas Flamel has nothing to do with Wicca, and any mature Wiccan will tell you so.

There is no standard wand length. Any mature Wiccan will tell you that the proper length for a wand is the length that YOU are comfortable using!

Unfortunately, I believe StarPixels' teachers must be misleading her/him. Please don't believe that what SP says represents the majority of Pagans or Wiccans. It doesn't.

 

[Cerridwen]

I was just about to say the same things, Rae. Whoever this SP person is obviously has his/her facts waaaay wrong, so anyone who reads these ridiculous fabricated correlations between Harry Potter & real Wicca or witchcraft would do well to please ignore them & do their own research.
And ARGH! Charmed?! Puh-leeze!!

Love & Blessings, Cerridwen*

 

[The-Doctor]

Folks, its a fictional childs book...like it or dont...do we have to have endless debates about where she got the idea from?

 

[Rat_bytes]

Well, she's a good writer, but I feel that she relies just a little too much on popular stereotypes. You all know what I'm talking about, the bumbling fat kid, the nasty rich kid, the bossy girl, the stern but kindly teacher. She never uses her own nonsense words either, preferring to "Recycle" words from writers like Roald Dahl.
Honestly, I think old JK Rowling has got a little bored of writing childrens books and is now trying to write pseudo-adult's books, which are always a little iffy. Hopefully we'll see some proper adult fiction from her pen soon, because I've never liked the cutesy world of Harry Potter, and I think JK Rowling is getting a bit sick of it as well.

 

[Norea]

I have to agree. I read the Order of the Phoenix and wondered if she was trying to write him as a boy or as a man...

-- Bridget

 

[Rat_bytes]

Like I said, hopefully we'll be seeing some quality adult fiction from her pen soon. Unfortunately, writing for children always puts so many restrictions on what an author can write. You know what I mean, no swearing, only mild violence, no sex, no overly complicated plots or theories. I've never tried to write a children's book and I doubt I ever will, since I don't think I could put up with that level of restriction on my writing. It's only adult fiction coming from me, and that's how it's going to stay.

 

[zbignew]

I've read all of the Potter books and am in the process of reading the last one. Basically, they teach pretty good values: patience, perseverance, goodness. The plotting is exciting and it brings back the joy of reading to young people. Christian students get more harm watching reality-based shows on TV than Harry Potter.

 

[Rat_bytes]

Amen to that

 

[The-Doctor]

I give up...walks off to another more interesting debate!

 

[Norea]

I think the book series "His Dark Materials" is way better than HP. ^___^

-- Bridget

 

[The Seeker]

I think the book series "His Dark Materials" is way better than HP. ^___^

Much

Shame the Christian right in America have to wreck the film version for everybody

 

[The_Unknown]

Why open our classrooms up to witchcraft?

 

[Nathan David]

and whether or not a lot of people care to admit it, there is a religious core.

There is? News to me. Care to elaborate on that? Obviously I missed a huge part of the books.

 

[Rae]

Obviously I missed a huge part of the books.

No, you didn't. There is no religious core to the Harry Potter books. The author is a Christian who didn't know a religion of witchcraft existed before fundamentalist Christians in America started protesting her books. SP is sadly mistaken on this issue.

 

[sanaa]

posted by star_pixels..... "and in India the idea that the Mother Goddess created man out of clay is very common."

huh??? this is the first time ive ever heard of it . its definitely not common. the hindu idea of creation is quite scientific

 

[Star_Pixels]

There is? News to me. Care to elaborate on that? Obviously I missed a huge part of the books.

Well, the Rule of Three, for one thing. And for you people who seem to believe that they have to quote from a Wiccan bible to be blatantly Wicca, you either haven't seen/read Star Wars or you actually believe that there IS a Wiccan bible.

And the Ministry of Magic has several rules that fall, coincidentially, alongside the Wiccan Trede.

And Sanaa, Hinduism isn't Wicca. So, yes, a Hindu would have a much different view of the Mother Goddess. It's the Indian WITCHES and WICCANS that hold that view.

And ZBigNews, HP also teaches kids to be rebellious (as Harry is), to try and push their morals on others (as Harry does), and that your fantasies are far more important than anything (as with Harry) except, of course, friends. Friends are better than family according to HP, especially if your family is a Muggle family and you're a Wizard/Witch (sounds like religious contradiction), but of course THOSE lessons don't count.

Of course, because it isn't.

Nicolas Flamel has nothing to do with Wicca, and any mature Wiccan will tell you so.

There is no standard wand length. Any mature Wiccan will tell you that the proper length for a wand is the length that YOU are comfortable using!

Unfortunately, I believe StarPixels' teachers must be misleading her/him. Please don't believe that what SP says represents the majority of Pagans or Wiccans. It doesn't.

***? How the heck can you say that when I actually gave a WEBSITE with 100+ Wiccans saying otherwise? Wiccanforums, for one thing, is a much more reliable source for Wicca and Witchcraft than a single person who's apparently too involved in reading her children's literature or too involved in hiding the guidelines to our Religion that she'd rather spend pages upon pages of an internet forum's thread trying to slander somebody who actually provided proof.

 

[savvy]

Well, the Rule of Three, for one thing. And for you people who seem to believe that they have to quote from a Wiccan bible to be blatantly Wicca, you either haven't seen/read Star Wars or you actually believe that there IS a Wiccan bible.

And the Ministry of Magic has several rules that fall, coincidentially, alongside the Wiccan Trede.

And Sanaa, Hinduism isn't Wicca. So, yes, a Hindu would have a much different view of the Mother Goddess. It's the Indian WITCHES and WICCANS that hold that view.

And ZBigNews, HP also teaches kids to be rebellious (as Harry is), to try and push their morals on others (as Harry does), and that your fantasies are far more important than anything (as with Harry) except, of course, friends. Friends are better than family according to HP, especially if your family is a Muggle family and you're a Wizard/Witch (sounds like religious contradiction), but of course THOSE lessons don't count.


***? How the heck can you say that when I actually gave a WEBSITE with 100+ Wiccans saying otherwise? Wiccanforums, for one thing, is a much more reliable source for Wicca and Witchcraft than a single person who's apparently too involved in reading her children's literature or too involved in hiding the guidelines to our Religion that she'd rather spend pages upon pages of an internet forum's thread trying to slander somebody who actually provided proof.

First of all, Harry has been abused by his family, of course he considers his friends more important, because they are the only people who have ever been kind to him. He doesn't trust adults, so he feels compelled to do things his way. Many times, this leads to terrible consequences when he refuses to ask for help or sidesteps rules, so I don't think the books are trying to encourage rebellion.
Secondly, Wicca doesn't seem to have many set rules like other religions. Some Wiccans will say one thing, some say another. I have known many Wiccan people, including a guy who's a high priest and has been Wiccan for some twenty years, who tells me HP is nothing but a fairy tale. So there really is no way to know if JK was influenced or not (but I personally believe not).

 

[biblebabe003]

OK, these are fictional books we're talking about!! You'll find them in the fiction section of a library! They got kids reading and have obviously sparked a lot of interest since we're all sitting here talking about them like we have nothing better to do. If they're introducing kids to magic then I guess those kids haven't seen enough disney movies. of course they'll think about magic some, its called imagination!!! but that doesn't mean they're going to truly believe they can cause things to happen by waving a stick in the air and saying some made up words. as long as they can separate fiction from real life, i say they're great books! Also, I just want to say that unless you feel you could do better stop criticizing they way the books are written.

 

[Star_Pixels]

First of all, Harry has been abused by his family, of course he considers his friends more important, because they are the only people who have ever been kind to him.

But what does that say to children who think their parents are being cruel? If a kid gets the bedroom he doesn't like while his sister gets the best, he'll be thinking of Harry Potter sitting in the cupboard under the stairs.

When a child is told to be quiet, he'll think of Harry Potter being wisked upstairs so that the Dursleys didn't have to deal with him or the shame of having him.

When a child is told he can't go to a certain school or do certain things, they'll compare themselves to Harry Potter, being oppressed by the horrid Dursleys.


I've actually heard people say things like that. "I know where Rowling got the idea for the Dursleys", "Her characters are really true, especially the Dursleys".

It gets annoying, actually.

He doesn't trust adults, so he feels compelled to do things his way.

Albus Dumbledore, Snape (sort of), Sirius Black (after a bit, that is), the Weasley's, and other teachers.

Many times, this leads to terrible consequences when he refuses to ask for help or sidesteps rules, so I don't think the books are trying to encourage rebellion.

Then why is it that when Harry broke the rules of the Hogwarts he saved the Sorceror's Stone and defeated Voldemort in the second of many glorious battles?

Why is it that every time Harry Potter succeeds it's either because the school set him up (Quidditch), or he disobeyed a teacher?

Secondly, Wicca doesn't seem to have many set rules like other religions. Some Wiccans will say one thing, some say another. I have known many Wiccan people, including a guy who's a high priest and has been Wiccan for some twenty years, who tells me HP is nothing but a fairy tale. So there really is no way to know if JK was influenced or not (but I personally believe not).

Well, that's all fine and well. As I've said before, it's really up to how you interpret Wicca. But the Wiccan Rede (trede, crede, whatever you want to call it) is all the same. Just a few simple rules, like respect life and things like that, that are highly emphasized in Harry Potter.

 

[Volos]

Why open our classrooms up to witchcraft?

If only Harry Potter had something to do with actual witchcraft you might have a point.



By the same token: why open up the classrooms to Christianity?