This post is for those who believe that the Harry Potter series of books and movies are evil. You know who you are. Hear me out. I’m not 100% sure, but I doubt I’m headed for hell for enjoying Harry Potter. While we’re confessing, I like to read books off Banned Books lists also.
Years ago, Mom bought every Harry Potter book for herself as they came out, then passed them over to me for the kids when she was done reading them. Aron started reading #1 to the boys over a year ago and they recently finished #4. It brings them together.* It’s not like we plunk them down in front of the HP movies and say, “Okay, now, try not to have nightmares later.”
Forget all that crap about the author coming out later (ha!) and saying Dumbledore is gay. I don’t buy it for a second and it doesn’t change the fact that the stories are great. The author (J.K. Rowling) was just looking for more publicity. She’s pretty, talented, famous AND rich … she also must want to be controversial. Whatever.
Here are “The Moral Lessons of Harry Potter”, part of an article I saved from the January 2002 issue of Child magazine (now defunct):
“Adversity can be overcome through perseverance and hard work. Despite the circumstances surrounding his early life, Harry is hopeful and able to thrive. … Harry is always having to confront his fears.”
“It’s important to be accepting of differences in others and to treat everyone equally. … Having been rejected by his own relatives, Harry is particularly sensitive to others’ suffering …” Yes, I’m aware that I’m “religious” and am supposed to cross the street when I see a gay or different-in-any-way person coming my way. But get out your Bible: Jesus himself hung out with prostitutes and lepers and other socially unacceptable people. If I have a divorced friend, that doesn’t mean I’m going to become divorced.
“You don’t have to be perfect. [Harry is] rather gawky, and his hair won’t even stay in place … Nonetheless, he prevails, using logic, kindness, patience, and bravery when strength or special powers fail him.”
“Education and knowledge are essential. … School plays a prominent role in all the Harry Potter books. … [and] Rowling employs rich vocabulary words, such as flouted, prudent, and abashed.”
“Loyalty to friends is important. … Even though the characters are strong as individuals, it’s as a team that they solve all their problems.”
How do YOU feel about Harry Potter?
*Aron made an Executive Decision and isn’t continuing the series until the boys are older. We moved on to SuperFudge and Wind in the Willows.
Yesterday I jumped on a soap box in comments and then felt like I should have not done that...that bring said, I tend to follow the love everyone...and that means EVERONE!! And just because someone may have sin in their lives that is more apparent than the sin in my life is not a reason for not loving. This was a good thoughtful post. Way to go, Kerrie
ReplyDeleteHave A Fantastic Friday
from A Raggedy Roberta Anne
I love HP. Love those books! Personally, I think the people that say that the books are evil are full of crap.
ReplyDeleteIn the last book Harry sacrifices himself for the people he loves. Sound like anybody else we know? Whose name starts with a "J"? That's my favorite thing to throw out when people start saying that it's evil.
Awesome post. :)
I think the first thing I will say is that I absolutely disagree with religion=avoiding sinners. I think that is why I hate that word "religion". What makes your religious? I just know that God sent His Son to be the Savior of the world, and the only way to heaven is thru Him and you will go to Hell without trusting in Him. I am a FIRM believer in LOVE the sinner....HATE the sin. And the let's remember the "get the plank out of your own eye before you can help your neighbor get the speck out of his ." Now with all that said, we do not do Harry Potter. I don't hate people who do or think they are evil. It is a choice I make for me and my children. My decision is based purely on what the Bible says about witchcraft and what God thinks of it. Ex.Galatians 5:10-21.
ReplyDeleteTrust me, I do enough sinning daily, and if His Word says "no" I do try hard to not "do". This is just one "not do" for me and mine. For everyone, they have their own "not do" either based on His Word or their own "what I can live with" standard.
Why is it that most of humanity: 1) have totally separated themselves from Source, 2) continue to believe blindly in a collection of books put together by humans with human agendas and 3) continue to keep Jesus of Nazareth on the cross, passing on its own accountability to an awakened man whose life, words and teachings have been mis-recorded and egoically twisted for the agenda of the unconscious masses?
ReplyDeleteBelief in something prevents one from actually experiencing that something. Ask yourself why you don't ever say "I believe in water." That would be silly, right? You don't say that. You have experienced water many times in your life and there is no need to waste time with "believing" in it. If that's how it works with something as simple as water, how much more does it work with God? In other words, belief in God prevents experience with God. You can't think God-experience...you simply experience.
As far as the Bible goes, I suggest studying the cultural context from which each part comes.
Doing so will show just how much human agenda is involved.
Hp is the Book of Acts, esp HP7.
ReplyDeleteI write FanFiction for the internet, so that tells you how I feel about it! Lol. Joseph is almost five and has seen parts of movies one and two and I'm waiting until he's older to read them to him. I adore the books but he's not quite ready, kwim?