Be sure to check out a new and developing website dedicated to a Christian analysis of the Harry Potter series: “Christians and Harry Potter“! They’re looking for submissions as well, so if you’ve been dying to write about HP, check them out.
New HP Site!
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes! Finally another one! I really hope we can dispell at least some of the Harry Potter Phobia that is going around by letting the world know that not all Christians hate Harry Potter. (In fact, I’d say most I know love it. I only know five people who don’t for “religious reasons”.)
Travis, I definitely agree with you. I’m a Christian and have worked with Christian teens who adore Harry Potter. Most of the folks I know that are against the books are a bit older than I am (I am 50+) and are basing their judgments on what they hear other older folks say. NONE of them has read the books. NONE of them are even aware of the storyline. All are basing their judgement solely upon the words ‘witchcraft’ and ’sorcery’. Those words scare them to death. And from those words, they assume (and you know what they say about ‘assuming’ things) that the story promotes and/or teaches children about witchcraft. Well, then maybe we shouldn’t be reading THE LORD OF THE RINGS or the CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. Perhaps we need to rethink the Bible, too. Witchcraft is mentioned in there. I tell these folks that it is a story, and only that, NOT a how-to book. It’s a tale of good and evil, with some fun elements thrown in to entertain the reading audience. I know there are people out there who live and breath Harry Potter. Every successful and popular book, movie, TV show that stems from a creator’s vivid imagination, seem to have their groupies who need to get a life. When I was a kid, Superman comics were at their peak. There was a TV show in the 50’s, too. Kids loved it. I loved it. Many wanted to be Superman. We all did, but only a small few really thought they WERE the ‘man of steel.’ A few kids put tablecloths around their shoulders and jumped off of high places. Maybe one or two were seriously injured, even killed, but that was caused by their unrealistic views. I blame parents for that. Give your kids wings AND roots. A fantasy book or movie is an escape, but not a place to move in.
How many of you have yelled ‘expelliarmus’ and it worked? (Well, maybe you didn’t say it right.)
I completely agree, Ms. Jan. I, too, am a Christian and tire of the people who immediately put the works of JKR right up there with Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses”. In fact, you should see the looks I get from my Sunday School friends when I mention my affection for the HP series. Many of the people get this surprised look, similar to what you would expect if I were to have said, “Sometimes, I really like to dance around my house in traditional Native American garb while singing, “Oh Susanna”.” But I think more Christians should vocalize their appreciation of the Harry Potter books. Perhaps it would make some wonder if there is more to it than what they have heard (generally, from people who have never even read it to start with).
I am very glad to see these websites that promote Harry Potter from a Christian standpoint, and I hope to get my husband’s cousin, a Methodist minister, to comment on the site. He is a huge Harry Potter fan and has some wonderful insight into the Christian themes of the books and how to read them to your children in a responsible manner. Wow…responsible parenting…who’da thunk it?