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tickledpink 07-25-2001 04:57 AM

Harry Potter: Fact or Faux?
 
I am usually leery when I recieve things like this, becasue I've seen many children's characters accused of having harmful influences or "Satanic" references (Barney, Teletubbies, Pokemons). However, has anyone else heard any references to Harry Potter?

I was distrubed when I received this (my son has 2 Harry Potter books which I will be reading for myself now).

Does anyone know if any of this has any validity? I apologize for the long post, but this is actually the edited version...

"Please read this material carefully and see how satan is destroying the minds of our youth through literature

Potter Books
"Jesus died because He was weak and stupid";

This is a quote from 6 year old Jessica Lehman of
Easley, SC, after reading the HARRY POTTER BOOKS!

The following is an email sent for the American Family Association,
which is VERY disturbing, to say the least. Please forward to all
email contacts,especially Christians and Pastors.

Dear Christian, This is the most evil thing I have laid my eyes on in
10 years ... and no one seems to understand its threat. The Harry
Potter books, are THE NUMBER ONE selling children`s books in the Nation
today....

Harry Potter is the creation of a former UK English teacher who
promotes witchcraft and Satanism. Harry is a 13-year-old `wizard.` Her
creation openly blasphemes Jesus and God and promotes sorcery, seeking
revenge upon anyone who upsets them by giving you examples(even the sources with authors and titles)
of spells, rituals, and demonic powers... Let me give
you a few quotes from some of the influenced readers themselves:

The Harry Potter books are cool, `cause they teach you all about
magic and how you can use it to control people and get revenge on your
enemies" said Hartland, WI, 10 year old Craig Nowell, a recent
convert to the New Satanic Order Of The Black Circle. "I want to learn the Cruciatus
Curse, to make my muggle science teacher suffer for giving me a D." (A
`muggle` is an unbeliever of magic.)...
DOES THIS GET YOUR ATTENTION?

If not, how about a quote from High Priest of Satanism: "Harry is an
absolute godsend to our cause," said High Priest Egan of the First
Church Of Satan in Salem, MA, An organization like ours thrives on new
blood no pun intended and we`ve had more applicants than we can
handle lately. And, of course, practically all of them are virgins, which is gravy."
Since1995, open applicants to Satan worship has increased from around
100,000 to now...20 MILLION children and young adults!)...
Still not convinced? I will leave you with something to let you make
up your own mind. And finally, a quote from the author herself,
J.K.Rowling, describing the objections of Christian reviewers to her writings: "I
think it`s absolute rubbish to protest children`s books on the grounds that
they are luring children to Satan," Rowling told a London Times reporter in
a July 17 interview. "People should be praising them for that! These
books guide children to an understanding that the weak, idiotic Son Of God
is a living hoax who will be humiliated when the rain of fire comes
...while we, his faithful servants, laugh and cavort in victory."


[This message has been edited by tickledpink (edited July 25, 2001).]

DELTAQTE 07-25-2001 05:51 AM

LOL!

In no way shape or form would J.K. Rowling say that about her books encouraging satin, this is just another hoax by the right wing to scare parents.

I am a huge Harry Potter fan, and if Harry is evil, then I guess the Nardia series was evil also.

(shaking head)

You said your son has two books, has he gotten the newest one?


QTE

NOWorNEVER 07-25-2001 01:28 PM

It's 2001 and the devil is busy. I will not let any of my younger family members TOUCH those books. Before letting your children read or watch anything, take a look at it for yourself and ask yourself: "Does this promote some aspects of Christianity or Satanic elements?" The cover of Harry Potter books picture various things promoting witchcraft and sorcery. Obviously, this is not of God. Of course the author is not going to be as blunt and have a picture of the devil and 666 on the cover...but it's the small subtle things you have to pay attention to. Would a Christian write such books?...uh, no. Same w/ Pokemon, which stands for "pocket monster"...obviously not of God. Don't think your children will be deprived of anything. My mother wouldn't let me or my younger brother even watch He-man or She-ra because they raised their swords in the air to gain power from "a higher force" and all my Mom knew is that it wasn't God...and that's all she needed to know. I didn't understand at the time, but I do now. Just be very cautious because like I mentioned earlier, the devil is busy and his number one target is CHILDREN!!!

------------------
*someday...if it's in God's will*

showstopper_1908 07-25-2001 01:38 PM

I would have to agree DELTAQTE.
We can sit here and analyze everything to death and find an evil element of almost all things (except Vegetales). I must admit, I would have been one bored, underexposed child if all I watched was Vegetales.

*Disclaimer- this post is not to offend any person who may have ONLY watched Vegetales growing up nor to offend any parent who only lets their children watch Vegatales.


Quote:

Originally posted by DELTAQTE:
LOL!

In no way shape or form would J.K. Rowling say that about her books encouraging satin, this is just another hoax by the right wing to scare parents.

I am a huge Harry Potter fan, and if Harry is evil, then I guess the Nardia series was evil also.

(shaking head)

You said your son has two books, has he gotten the newest one?


QTE


sistermoon 07-25-2001 01:50 PM

I am a mother of two, I have read all the books, planning to see the movie and i am a christian.

I agree with Deltaqte ... this is fiction and in most children literature there is always a good vs.evil story line. the authoor has created a masterful, creative story that is can be compared to Star Wars, the chronicles of narnia and dare i say the wizard of oz ...

i would hope the christian training we are giving our children enables them to discern fiction from fact. good from evil.

just my humble opinion

kitten03 07-25-2001 02:35 PM

Sister Moon brings up a good point. So many children are watching television and reading books without guidance. Read the books before you give them to a child. You may find that you can't judge a book by its cover. I can honestly say that I have read all 4. I believe in God but don't believe that the book has evil purposes. You can't hide the world from a child because it's is full of evil. The best thing you can do as a parent, guardian, brother or sister is to discuss and show a child the way to go with the information they are given. Maybe some children will take a satanic turn by reading it but children are just that and make mistakes and learn from them(hopefully)

Ideal08 07-25-2001 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by showstopper_1908:
I would have to agree DELTAQTE.
We can sit here and analyze everything to death and find an evil element of almost all things (except Vegetales). I must admit, I would have been one bored, underexposed child if all I watched was Vegetales.

*Disclaimer- this post is not to offend any person who may have ONLY watched Vegetales growing up nor to offend any parent who only lets their children watch Vegatales.

LOL!!! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif LOL LOL!! LMAO!!! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

That was really funny to me!!! LOL, ohmigoodness, LOL! I guess it's because I've never heard of Vegetales. I'm imagining in my mind what this could be all about. What exactly do the characters (which I'm assuming are vegetables) do and talk about? Are they fighting germs? LOL, do they bad talk the tomato because it's really a fruit? LOL LOL! Ok, yall, I'll stop. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

Back to your regularly scheduled thread...



[This message has been edited by Ideal08 (edited July 25, 2001).]

BlueReign 07-25-2001 03:07 PM

Doesn't take much to get you tickled does it Ideal? LOL http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

Anyway, I think it is all in how you look at things and I try not to go overboard with censoring everything my kids watch and read. (I've got 3 kids yall, ages 6, 8, and 9 so they are at the age where they are addicted to cartoons)

Well my sons had me do their room in Digimon and they have a Digimon poster on the wall with all of the Digimons. I noticed every morning my 8 year old would wake up and stare at this poster before going to school. What's up with that? So, I checked this cartoon out and even though its far from what I grew up watching it has the good vs. evil and good always wins theme so it was ok by me.


showstopper_1908 07-25-2001 04:47 PM

http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif Ideal, VegeTales is a Christian childrens show (sorta like Davey and Goliath) that teaches Christian values in the story lines. It's a must have video collection for children after they read about the evils of Harry Potter http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/tongue.gif

Quote:

Originally posted by Ideal08:
LOL!!! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif LOL LOL!! LMAO!!! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

That was really funny to me!!! LOL, ohmigoodness, LOL! I guess it's because I've never heard of Vegetales. I'm imagining in my mind what this could be all about. What exactly do the characters (which I'm assuming are vegetables) do and talk about? Are they fighting germs? LOL, do they bad talk the tomato because it's really a fruit? LOL LOL! Ok, yall, I'll stop. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

Back to your regularly scheduled thread...

[This message has been edited by Ideal08 (edited July 25, 2001).]



[This message has been edited by showstopper_1908 (edited July 25, 2001).]

SunnySmile 07-26-2001 12:14 AM

Well I have not read any of the books, nor do any of my little cousins. Although I have looked at them, since it does do with witchcraft it is satanic and for that reason I would not read them nor let children read them. Before you let your son read them try to flip through them first to see what it is all about.

tickledpink 07-26-2001 10:19 PM

I went to a hoax website and found that it is indeed a hoax. Seems it began as a satirical article in "The Onion" and either someone took the satire to be serious, or decided to create a hoax off of it.



------------------
"Things that make you go hmmmmm..."

-Arsenio Hall

Poplife 01-02-2002 01:28 AM

Hey
 
These searches DO work!

Anways, I'm glad I found this thread because I have read all four HP books after taking my 11 year old sister and her friend to see the movie.

I love the books because they have heart, plain and simple. And I agree with sistermoon. As long as we are teaching our kids right and wrong where's the problem?? Be worried when your kid starts siding with the villain.

I can't agree with the whole "it's unholy" schpiel. Stories dealing with mysticism and magic are in every culture. If you are going to say the Potter books are detrimental and should be avoided then you might as well take Sabrina the Teenaged Witch off the air. Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, the Wicked Witch of the West, the three fairies in Sleeping Beauty, and the evil witch queen in Snow White will have to go then, right? The Irish have fairytales about leprechauns. Are they demonic? What about the talking candlestick and clock in Beauty and the Beast? Where do you draw the line?

If my sister wants to chatter on about how cool it would be to play Quittich (wizard sport) or have a painting wave hello to her, then so what? It's a fantasy! A dream! If her escape for the day is to attend the Hogwarts School of Magic then so be it.

Potter and his friends have qualities I would like in my own child. They are kind, faithful, moral, and compassionate. And in a world where the hero is often huge, handsome, and wielding a gun, I find it comforting that my sister is admiring a skinny 11-year old orphan with a courageous heart and a wand. ;)

Peace and Happiness!

prettypoodle6 01-02-2002 12:52 PM

Re: Hey
 
Quote:

Originally posted by Poplife
If you are going to say the Potter books are detrimental and should be avoided then you might as well take Sabrina the Teenaged Witch off the air. Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, the Wicked Witch of the West, the three fairies in Sleeping Beauty, and the evil witch queen in Snow White will have to go then, right?
i agree with you 107%!

i've only read 2 of the books so far (yeah i am late!), but i really like them and i dont see anything wrong with them at all. there are WAY too many childrens books/comics/cartoons that deal with non-christian like themes...... but for some reason this series is singled out, i dont get it?

im excited when kids WANT to read, period!

Urbane 01-02-2002 02:51 PM

Re: Re: Hey
 
Quote:

Originally posted by prettypoodle6


im excited when kids WANT to read, period!

THANK YOU!!!

No disrespect to anyone or their opinion. But why can’t we just be happy with the larger picture? The end result is that children are reading and excited about reading. I’ve been around kids that can tell me the in’s and out’s of every popular video game but can’t spell or read a sentence. I agree that you have to monitor what your children read/watch but how many parents are doing so? How many parents are telling kids to turn off the video game/TV and pick up a book? I haven’t read them but from what I hear it expands your imagination which is something that I think kids need nowadays.

prayerfull 01-02-2002 04:52 PM

There will be no Harry Potter merchandise in my household. At first, I was about to buy one of the books for my son, but then I started looking at it a little more in depth. It's all about "mysticism" and stuff like that and quite frankly, all that is a kids version of witchcraft, tarot, horoscopes, etc. I don't think that any of the Harry Potter stuff is "evil" per se. I just don't want my kids to get into all that mysticism stuff.

In addition to Harry Potter, my kids are no longer allowed to watch Power Rangers or anything else that promotes violence, because they take all of that power ranger energy to school. My son is also no longer allowed to watch Digimon - - Digital Monsters. He started acting the parts out...too aggressively. His behavior immediately changed when he stopped watching it. Kids easily take cartoon characters and make them their "heroes".

I am all for Vegetales. They're great little movies. My kids are also allowed to watch all the regular cartoon and Nickelodeon, but I screen what they're watching, as should all parents. Really, it's a matter of choice. What I may do with my children may not be what another parent does with theirs. Only you can decide what is right or wrong for your family and household.

twistedsister 01-02-2002 05:11 PM

Re: Harry Potter: Fact or Faux?
 
http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/home.asp


the only way to determine if it is "appropriate" material for you and your child...is to examine the materials for yourself...not base your opinions on heresay and second hand knowledge...i don't have any children but if i did...i would allow them to see the movie and read the books...on the other hand i have some relatives that at the very mention of me wanting to see the movie (um...i think i'm old enough:)) reacted as some people have in this thread..."i'm not goin' to see no 'satanic' movie"...a little extreme in thought to me...but that's my opinion...maybe the above links will help parents to better determine whether the books and film are appropriate for their children...

Quote:

Originally posted by tickledpink
I am usually leery when I recieve things like this, becasue I've seen many children's characters accused of having harmful influences or "Satanic" references (Barney, Teletubbies, Pokemons). However, has anyone else heard any references to Harry Potter?

I was distrubed when I received this (my son has 2 Harry Potter books which I will be reading for myself now).

Does anyone know if any of this has any validity? I apologize for the long post, but this is actually the edited version...

"Please read this material carefully and see how satan is destroying the minds of our youth through literature

Potter Books
"Jesus died because He was weak and stupid";

This is a quote from 6 year old Jessica Lehman of
Easley, SC, after reading the HARRY POTTER BOOKS!

The following is an email sent for the American Family Association,
which is VERY disturbing, to say the least. Please forward to all
email contacts,especially Christians and Pastors.

Dear Christian, This is the most evil thing I have laid my eyes on in
10 years ... and no one seems to understand its threat. The Harry
Potter books, are THE NUMBER ONE selling children`s books in the Nation
today....

Harry Potter is the creation of a former UK English teacher who
promotes witchcraft and Satanism. Harry is a 13-year-old `wizard.` Her
creation openly blasphemes Jesus and God and promotes sorcery, seeking
revenge upon anyone who upsets them by giving you examples(even the sources with authors and titles)
of spells, rituals, and demonic powers... Let me give
you a few quotes from some of the influenced readers themselves:

The Harry Potter books are cool, `cause they teach you all about
magic and how you can use it to control people and get revenge on your
enemies" said Hartland, WI, 10 year old Craig Nowell, a recent
convert to the New Satanic Order Of The Black Circle. "I want to learn the Cruciatus
Curse, to make my muggle science teacher suffer for giving me a D." (A
`muggle` is an unbeliever of magic.)...
DOES THIS GET YOUR ATTENTION?

If not, how about a quote from High Priest of Satanism: "Harry is an
absolute godsend to our cause," said High Priest Egan of the First
Church Of Satan in Salem, MA, An organization like ours thrives on new
blood no pun intended and we`ve had more applicants than we can
handle lately. And, of course, practically all of them are virgins, which is gravy."
Since1995, open applicants to Satan worship has increased from around
100,000 to now...20 MILLION children and young adults!)...
Still not convinced? I will leave you with something to let you make
up your own mind. And finally, a quote from the author herself,
J.K.Rowling, describing the objections of Christian reviewers to her writings: "I
think it`s absolute rubbish to protest children`s books on the grounds that
they are luring children to Satan," Rowling told a London Times reporter in
a July 17 interview. "People should be praising them for that! These
books guide children to an understanding that the weak, idiotic Son Of God
is a living hoax who will be humiliated when the rain of fire comes
...while we, his faithful servants, laugh and cavort in victory."


[This message has been edited by tickledpink (edited July 25, 2001).]


KappaStargirl 01-02-2002 06:52 PM

Re: Harry Potter: Fact or Faux?
 
Quote:

Originally posted by tickledpink


Does anyone know if any of this has any validity? I apologize for the long post, but this is actually the edited version...

"Please read this material carefully and see how satan is destroying the minds of our youth through literature

Potter Books
"Jesus died because He was weak and stupid";

This is a quote from 6 year old Jessica Lehman of
Easley, SC, after reading the HARRY POTTER BOOKS!


Harry Potter is the creation of a former UK English teacher who
promotes witchcraft and Satanism. Harry is a 13-year-old `wizard.` Her
creation openly blasphemes Jesus and God and promotes sorcery, seeking
revenge upon anyone who upsets them by giving you examples(even the sources with authors and titles)
of spells, rituals, and demonic powers... Let me give
you a few quotes from some of the influenced readers themselves:

The Harry Potter books are cool, `cause they teach you all about
magic and how you can use it to control people and get revenge on your
enemies" said Hartland, WI, 10 year old Craig Nowell, a recent
convert to the New Satanic Order Of The Black Circle. "I want to learn the Cruciatus
Curse, to make my muggle science teacher suffer for giving me a D." (A
`muggle` is an unbeliever of magic.)...
DOES THIS GET YOUR ATTENTION?

If not, how about a quote from High Priest of Satanism: "Harry is an
absolute godsend to our cause," said High Priest Egan of the First
Church Of Satan in Salem, MA, An organization like ours thrives on new
blood no pun intended and we`ve had more applicants than we can
handle lately. And, of course, practically all of them are virgins, which is gravy."
Since1995, open applicants to Satan worship has increased from around
100,000 to now...20 MILLION children and young adults!)...
Still not convinced? I will leave you with something to let you make
up your own mind. And finally, a quote from the author herself,
J.K.Rowling, describing the objections of Christian reviewers to her writings: "I
think it`s absolute rubbish to protest children`s books on the grounds that
they are luring children to Satan," Rowling told a London Times reporter in
a July 17 interview. "People should be praising them for that! These
books guide children to an understanding that the weak, idiotic Son Of God
is a living hoax who will be humiliated when the rain of fire comes
...while we, his faithful servants, laugh and cavort in victory."


[This message has been edited by tickledpink (edited July 25, 2001).]


I'm sorry to crash your board, but I feel the need to set the record straight on this, especially since I am a children's librarian and Harry Potter is a huge part of my life.

The quotes you read from the 6 and 8-year-olds about Jesus dying for being weak and stupid were completely made up. That quotation is from an article in The Onion, a terribly funny satirical newspaper that circulates heavily in the Midwest. You can see the article for yourself if you do a search at The Onion. None of what's printed in there is true, except for Dan Savage's article, Savage Love, and maybe the movie reviews.

The only way to truly tell whether a book goes against your religious beliefs is to read it yourself. I am very wary of what the American Family Council or anyone else tells me to think about the book, these people tend to be censors of many things. They promote their beliefs without reading the books or seeing the movies first. As a librarian, I've been taught that censorship is an impediment of our civil rights, and I try to stop as much of it as possible. I truly believe that fear of these books is simply fear of the unknown and the unread. People hear the word magic and assume Satanism and anti-Christianity, when in fact religion of any sort is never mentioned. How can a book be against something it doesn't even discuss?

And a muggle, by Hagrid's definition in the first book, is someone who simply doesn't have magical powers, not necessarily a non-believer of magic. There's nothing wrong or right about that according to wizards, but the wizarding world keeps itself secret because "everyone'd be wanting magical solutions to their problems."

For those of you interested in Christianity's standpoint on the Potter books, there are some books in which you may be interested, including What's a Christian to Do With Harry Potter?. Look for books that do not automatically set out to attack the books, but that incorporate HP into Christian ideals to see how the two do or don't fit together. Some writers believe that Harry Potter himself is an exemplary example of a Christian: He is smart, courageous, faithful to his friends and school, and above all ALWAYS chooses good over evil. Check Amazon for the books.


If anyone wants to discuss this with me further, feel free to PM me, I'd be very interested to hear what you think about the books.

Poplife 01-02-2002 09:15 PM

Like I said before, if you teach children what is right and wrong, what is real, and what is fantasy, then they won't "get into all the mysticism stuff" in a way that hurts them. My sister take dance lessons, flute lessons, horseback riding lessons, and is on her school Step Team. She's a very well adjusted HP fan. Yes, she gets happy when Harry saves the day, but she doesn's sit up in her room trying to make magical potions or attempting to fly on a broom.

I think it really depends on the children themselves. Some kids can't read HP without trying to reenact the novel. Other kids just put the book away and never give it a second thought. If your kids are still at the "act everything out stage" them please keep the book away from them because it's action packed. But if that is your true concern, then don't write off the books all together. And to get the full effect, you have to read the whole book. Not skim it or see then movie.




Quote:

Originally posted by prayerfull
There will be no Harry Potter merchandise in my household. At first, I was about to buy one of the books for my son, but then I started looking at it a little more in depth. It's all about "mysticism" and stuff like that and quite frankly, all that is a kids version of witchcraft, tarot, horoscopes, etc. I don't think that any of the Harry Potter stuff is "evil" per se. I just don't want my kids to get into all that mysticism stuff.

In addition to Harry Potter, my kids are no longer allowed to watch Power Rangers or anything else that promotes violence, because they take all of that power ranger energy to school. My son is also no longer allowed to watch Digimon - - Digital Monsters. He started acting the parts out...too aggressively. His behavior immediately changed when he stopped watching it. Kids easily take cartoon characters and make them their "heroes".


Poplife 01-02-2002 11:14 PM

Live and Learn
 
[QUOTE]Originally posted by twistedsister
[B]
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/home.asp


I just spent an hour at this site! It's really amazing how kids respond to positive books and their teachings. I just wanted to post some quotes from a few kids who won as essay contest entitled "How the Harry Potter Books Changed My Life". There are so wonderful I thought it'd be nice to share. :)



"In Book One, Harry discovers a mirror in which he sees his deceased parents. He is spellbound, and comes back every night to look. One night, Professor Dumbledore is waiting for Harry. He explains that the Mirror of Erised is actually the mirror of desire. It will give him neither knowledge nor truth. Dumbledore tells Harry, "It does not do to dwell on your desires and not to live." When my own life is hard, I think about Dumbledore's advice. Don't sit around wishing for your heart's desire. Do something — live."

~Laura S., age 13,



"One day my dad and I were listening to a local talk show. They were discussing the Harry Potter books and how they were supposedly evil and anti-Christian. This made me very angry and I wanted to tell him that the books were not evil or anti-Christian. My dad urged me to call, so I did. I called Mr. Berg (the talk show host) and told him magic is not evil and one of our greatest Christian writers, C.S. Lewis, wrote books with a lot of magic in them. Later that week people started calling and writing to him agreeing with me. Finally, he said he would actually read the book before he badmouthed it. It made me very happy that I had helped changed someone's opinion. That is how the Harry Potter books have changed my life."

~ Millie T., age 11




" I'm J.K. Rowling's biggest fan. I really like to read her books.

As much as I would like to win the contest for myself I would love for my 4th grade teacher Mr. Jake Nash (known to us as Dumbledore) to have the honor to meet J.K. Rowling. He purchased a book for every student in his class and encouraged us to enjoy reading it. Of course we all did.

Harry Potter changed all of us. It brought us together and gave us a common link. I have learned that being determined can help you achieve the benefit on the other side of an obstacle or challenge. If more people read Harry Potter more people could have the courage and strength to help other people and stand up for what they think is right."


~ Nick D., age 10




"The books have taught me that I will find my own special powers. I can't do magic, but I can believe in myself. I can't fly on a broomstick or become invisible, but I will stop saying "I can't". Harry learned that with help from people who cared about him he could make impossible things happen. I hope that the books will help my cousin Joe [who lost both his parents in the same year] find his own special powers and know that life can be wonderful again even after terrible things have happened."


~ Rachel J., age 9




"Before I started reading Harry Potter, I thought the only way to have an adventure was simply to read about it, but now I know you can have an adventure in everyday life, like at Hogwarts [Harry's school of magic], there is always magic, fun and disaster.

Harry Potter has also changed my views on relationships with other people. After reading these enchanting books, I am wiser on how to deal with, and not deal with, difficult people. People like Professor Snape who torments Harry in potions class, and people like the Slytherins who always find ways to laugh and jeer at Harry, Ron and Hermione.

I also learned not to judge people by their looks, or financial difficulties. For instance Malfoy, who teases Ron about being poor, and calls Hermione a "mudblood." [nasty word for a person who is only part magic] Instead, it is better get to know each person. Chances are hasty judgements could lose you a best friend."


~Sarah B., age 11

tickledpink 01-03-2002 09:11 PM

Re: Re: Harry Potter: Fact or Faux?
 
Quote:

Originally posted by twistedsister
http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/home.asp


the only way to determine if it is "appropriate" material for you and your child...is to examine the materials for yourself...not base your opinions on heresay and second hand knowledge...i don't have any children but if i did...i would allow them to see the movie and read the books...on the other hand i have some relatives that at the very mention of me wanting to see the movie (um...i think i'm old enough:)) reacted as some people have in this thread..."i'm not goin' to see no 'satanic' movie"...a little extreme in thought to me...but that's my opinion...maybe the above links will help parents to better determine whether the books and film are appropriate for their children...


:rolleyes: Again, let me repost my original message from July:

Quote:

I went to a hoax website and found that it is indeed a hoax. Seems it began as a satirical article in "The Onion" and either someone took the satire to be serious, or decided to create a hoax off of it.
The original intent of the post was to see if anyone had heard anything similar. After researching it, HP seems to be ok. My son enjoys reading the books and we all saw the movie. The most important thing is listening to and talking with my children to see what their comprehension of the books & movie is.

Poplife 01-04-2002 01:16 AM

Re: Re: Re: Harry Potter: Fact or Faux?
 
Quote:

Originally posted by tickledpink
The original intent of the post was to see if anyone had heard anything similar. After researching it, HP seems to be ok. My son enjoys reading the books and we all saw the movie. The most important thing is listening to and talking with my children to see what their comprehension of the books & movie is.


I revived the thread because people are once again downing Harry Potter in lieu of the movie's release and extreme popularitynot to mention the huge jump in books sales worldwide. Just because you have resolved your issue with the HP books and rumors doesn't mean that everyone else has as well. It's obvious from the more resent posts that people are still in the dark about the books, are divided on the issue, and/or have opinions and questions despite your update post. If that's the case then the discussion should continue.

I think most people knew the Onion thing was a joke. I mean really, Rowling started HP book in a coffee shop to keep herself sane. Besides, if anyone took that article seriously then they didn't read the book and/or are way too impressionable.The issues lie with the parents, not the children. Kids are very open and accepting. It's parents that have difficulty accepting what they fear and/or don't understand, and that is always worth talking about.

tickledpink 01-04-2002 02:41 AM

Re: Re: Re: Re: Harry Potter: Fact or Faux?
 
Quote:

Originally posted by Poplife




I revived the thread because people are once again downing Harry Potter in lieu of the movie's release and extreme popularitynot to mention the huge jump in books sales worldwide. Just because you have resolved your issue with the HP books and rumors doesn't mean that everyone else has as well. It's obvious from the more resent posts that people are still in the dark about the books, are divided on the issue, and/or have opinions and questions despite your update post. If that's the case then the discussion should continue.


I didn't ask why you revived the post. Nor did I respond to you. Obviously if you wanted to start a discussion on this topic, it would have made sense to search as you did for a topic that was similar. I responded directly to someone that quoted me to show that I had researched the topic and come to my own conclusions, therefore, I personally was no longer seeking a resolution.

CrimsonTide4 10-08-2002 10:24 AM

New Book Sees Christian Imagery in Harry Potter
 
**NOTE FROM CT4:D:** I do not read Harry Potter but I found this article and wanted to share with those who do or have children who read it.

New Book Sees Christian Imagery in Harry Potter
Tue Oct 8, 9:52 AM ET
By Nigel Hunt

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Harry Potter (news - web sites) may carry a wand, ride a broomstick and count a werewolf among his friends but a new book claims the boy wizard's adventures are really full of Christian imagery and morals.

"I could run a weekly bible study using Harry Potter as a starting point. It is a gold mine of biblical truth if you look at it that way," Connie Neal, author of "The Gospel According to Harry Potter," told Reuters in an interview.

J.K. Rowling (news - web sites)'s best-selling series of books have stirred up considerable controversy among Christians with critics fearing that children may seek to emulate some of the occult practices that are depicted.

"Poor Harry I think got a bad rap at the beginning," Neal said, noting her book includes 52 of 80 incidents, which she called "glimmers of the Gospel," in the Potter books. "I was surprised there were so many. Some were very blatant."

Neal's favorites include the death of Harry's mother. The Dark Lord Voldemort threw the curse of death at Harry but his mother loved him so much that she threw himself in front of the curse and saved him at the cost of her own life. Her sacrifice mysteriously broke the power of Voldemort.

She noted that during a recent conversation, a teen-ager with a pierced nose had commented to her; "Hey, isn't that a bit like what Jesus did on the cross."

Harry also prays in two places, celebrates Christmas and Easter and belongs to a house, Gryffindor, whose symbol is a lion and whose most bitter opponent, Slytherin, is represented by a snake. Jesus is sometimes described as "The Lion of Judah" while Satan is often depicted as a serpent or snake.

"Satan is never mentioned in Harry Potter but I've not found a better literary representation of evil than in Voldemort," Neal said.

HARRY'S MENACE

Neal's book, published last month by Westminster John Knox Press, the publisher of the highly successful "The Gospel According to Peanuts," has not been well received by Harry Potter critics within the Christian community.

"Connie Neal is well meaning but she really doesn't know what she is talking about," said Richard Abanes, author of "Harry Potter and the Bible -- the Menace behind the Magick."

"Kids are curious and when they are either watching the (Harry Potter) movie or reading the books they become curious about witches and spells, not Christianity. There is no Gospel according to Harry Potter," Abanes said.

Abanes said that while witches and magic are used in fantasy literature such as C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" or J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings," those works take place in a different world with different rules.

"Harry Potter takes place in the here and now in England, using references to existing occult practices," he said.

"If you are reading certain fantasy literature that has magic of a kind that you can go to the library and look it up then it might be a problem. If they can't it is no problem at all," Abanes said.

He also said virtually all the good characters lie, cheat, steal and go against authority. One of the book's heroes, Harry's friend Hagrid, is frequently drunk.

Neal said she was also concerned about the dangers of children becoming interested in the occult, noting it was important for parents to discuss that with their children before reading them the books.

"Our world is full of lots of dark spiritual pursuits. If you believe the Bible you have to believe they are real and dangerous," she said.

Abanes, however, remains unconvinced.

"Kids are kids. You can give them all the warnings you want about eating too much candy but leave a kid in a candy store, tell them they can eat one piece a day and they are not going to listen to you," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...sure_potter_dc

Senusret I 10-08-2002 07:31 PM

Just a Brief Comment
 
I don't read Harry Potter....not because I think it is Satanic, but because I am not really feeling children's books as a 23 year old man. :)

I did however read the Chronicles of Narnia, and I am surprised that Richard Abanes in the above article would state that Connie Neal doesn't know what she's talking about. He further tries to use Narnia as an example to prove his point.

If you all recall, the children in the first volume were all English children during World War II (or I). There were in fact two separate dimensions if you will, but C.S. Lewis (the author) was himself a theologian who wrote plenty of non-fiction works about Christianity.

Knowing Lewis' background, and then picking up say "Companion to Narnia," one can see not only the MANY Biblical allusions that Lewis makes, but also the influences that CS Lewis also had on JK Rowlings work.

Like others, I do not agree that HP is Satanic, but do what's best for your kids.

AchtungBaby80 10-08-2002 08:53 PM

Witchcraft isn't Satanic. Anyway, how many little kids do you see running around dressed up as witches for Halloween? Lots. I'm sure their parents don't mind *that*...so what's the big production for?

I love Harry Potter, by the way. :) They seem a little deep to be "children's" books, though.

KappaStargirl 10-09-2002 03:24 AM

dardenr, forgive my bluntness, but if you think that Harry Potter is a children's series, then you obviously have not read the books. They are NOT children's books, even though the main characters are children. In fact, there is an absolutely amazing mailing list called Harry Potter for Grownups where people are writing entire HP histories and lexicons, tying it into mythology, history, etc. Rowling herself is a Narnia fan, and there are a lot of parallels between the books that are being discussed over at FictionAlley.org. They are very deep books. All you have to do is learn a little bit behind some of the characters' names: Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, Arthur Weasley, Alastor Moody, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, to name a few. Those alone will tell you that this is a complex series of books written by an incredibly culturally literate author. I'm 25 and have never accepted that these are children's books. Take the first one out of the library ('cause that way it's free and I can keep my job) and check it out. I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Interesting fact about Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: It had SEVEN MILLION copies in its first American printing alone. Average number of copies in a given author's first printing: about 25,000-35,000. The New York Times created a children's bestseller list because so many people were complaining that these books took up 4 of the top 10 spots on their bestseller list (a practice I don't personally agree with). It's more or less the biggest phenomenon in publishing since movable type. I learned in library school that J.K. Rowling is the third bestselling author in UK history, after Shakespeare and Agatha Christie.

Senusret I 10-09-2002 10:25 AM

Thanks for the advice, but I don't anticipate reading them any time soon. Nothing personal, I'm just not feeling the genre anymore.

hipshimmy 10-13-2002 12:53 PM

I live in NYC and I hang out in the village. I have met people down there who are "out of the broom closet". Unfortunately, I also have met people who worship the man down under. They both seem to think Harry Potter is that same children's fiction that has been put out for years. The witches I have met seem to think it is show good prevailing over evil. I didn't hang around the others long enough to see what they think about Harry Potter. My take on it is that the movie is not based on a true account of actual events and neither is the book. I can promise you that. I think the book encourages children to read and that's it. I rather have children reading fiction than playing a video games and watching violent programming. When they pick the book up, it is in the fiction section. All you have to do is tell the kids it is make believe. My mother always told me that the stuff was made up and I believed her. I knew what the word fiction meant and that movies are made for entertainment purposes. Most kids know it is just a book made into a movie. What is the big deal?

Choo-ChooAKA 10-24-2002 06:43 PM

I've read all of the Harry Potter books and I loved them. They were fantastic. I can't wait for the movie premier next month and I've been on pins and needles in anticipation of the next book. My interest was kindled when I began reading it to my kids. Unfortunately, at ages 5 & 6 (at the time) they would inevitably fall asleep long before I was ready to put the book down. I finished the entire series on my own before I had finished that first book with them. :D

Just as an aside: witchcraft has nothing to do with devil worship or magic. True practitioners of the wicken tradition, from what I know of it, are worshippers of mother earth. Harry Potter is a fictional "magic" character. Rowlins chose to call him a sorcerer in order to capitalize on all of the, really erroneous but entertaining, myths we've been fed about witchcraft. If you're worried that your kids may be somehow corrupted by the book, read it with them in order to help them interpret it. This might be a good time to investigate with your child exactly what the Wicken tradition is and what Pagan rituals involve - a good lesson in rejecting mass interpretation and looking for the truth beyond what's given. Additionally, terms associated with "witchcraft" will lose their mystery and therefore their power (an idea explored in the books - a name gaining power simply because of the fear surrounding it) to scare your kids.

Withcraft/sorcery, phoney baloney, whatever you chose to call it. It's not that serious. I look at the series as one about human beings with all of our good, bad, and ugly faces. We, unfortunately, cannot do magic so my kids naturally emulate the protagonist (Harry, the good guy) in the ways they can: by exhibiting humility, being loyal to their friends, and showing courage in the face of danger (which could simply mean speaking their mind on the playground).

Wonderful book. Lighten up you silly muggles! ;)

Bamboozled 06-18-2003 03:44 PM

TO ALL MY FELLOW HARRY POTTER FANS:

Don't forget the release of Book 5, The Order of the Phoenix, at midnight on June 21st! I pre-ordered mine on Amazon months ago, so you know I can't wait to get started. Anyone else feel me?
http://teacher.scholastic.com/schola.../bookcover.jpg

Choo-ChooAKA 06-18-2003 04:02 PM

Harry Potter Can't Wait!!
 
I'm with you. I pre-ordered mine, too - through Borders. I can't wait! :D

I'm taking my kids to the release party on Friday night (they're an excuse for me to go ;) ). We'll be there when the first issues are handed out! :cool:

Let's chat about it on Monday (I'm sure we'll be finished by then). Can't wait! It's been waaaaay to long.

Bamboozled 06-18-2003 04:32 PM

You do know the book is 896 pages, right? I don't know about finishing over the weekend, but I'm sure I'll get through quite a bit of it. We'll definitely have to chat about it on Monday. I REALLY want to go to a release party, but I don't have any little kids to take with me :(. I guess I'll just have to wait for you to tell me how it was, LOL.

Choo-ChooAKA 06-18-2003 04:42 PM

896 pages?!?!
 
I heard it was a LITTLE longer than Book IV, not 100+ pages longer! Hmmm, we may have to chat week after next (I don't have time to read during the week, so if I'm not finished by this Sunday, then I'll have to wait until next weekend).

I'll fill you in on the party. :D

AXEgirl 06-18-2003 05:07 PM

I LOVE HARRY POTTER!

I can't wait until the new book comes out!

As an aside, the first book, Harry Potter and the Philsopher's Stone, is actually based on a very old story in alchemy. I didn't learn that until I pledged my professional chemistry fraternity.

Choo-ChooAKA 06-18-2003 05:09 PM

AXEgirl...
 
Tell me more! Was it something to do with Nicholas Flammel?

SigmaChiCard 06-18-2003 08:12 PM

Re: AXEgirl...
 
Quote:

Originally posted by Choo-ChooAKA
Tell me more! Was it something to do with Nicholas Flammel?
All I know is that he was a real person forever ago, and that there is some pub with his photo in it. I guess maybe he was an alchemist or sonething

AchtungBaby80 06-18-2003 08:20 PM

Re: Re: AXEgirl...
 
Quote:

Originally posted by SigmaChiCard
there is some pub with his photo in it
What's the name of it?

Intense1920 06-18-2003 09:43 PM

Books-a-million is doing pre-orders for the fifth book at 40% off (at $17.99) the retail price with an additional 10% off (at $16.19) if you are a discount club member.

abaici 06-18-2003 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bamboozled
You do know the book is 896 pages, right? I don't know about finishing over the weekend, but I'm sure I'll get through quite a bit of it. We'll definitely have to chat about it on Monday. I REALLY want to go to a release party, but I don't have any little kids to take with me :(. I guess I'll just have to wait for you to tell me how it was, LOL.
It's supposedly 1/3 longer than The Goblet of Fire.

I am trying to find a child to take to the release party. At times like this, I wish I had children!


Well, since I start my summer vacation on Friday, I WILL be finished by Monday.

aopirose 06-20-2003 03:58 PM

I am too! I have a child but he is only 2 and will be sleeping very hard come midnight. LOL

Quote:

Originally posted by abaici

I am trying to find a child to take to the release party. At times like this, I wish I had children!



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