Why would a pastor denounce Harry Potter books?

[danek]

I've heard from a couple of different people (freinds and family) that say they won't read Harry Potter books or watch the movies because the pastor at their church said they "go against religion".

Never mind the fact that these people are blindly following someone else's avice without making their own decision, what could The Church have against this fantastical fiction story? I'm not very familiar with the entire series, but I thought it was just a story about a few adolescents coming of age in a magical setting. I don't remember religion even hinted at anywhere in the story.

Can someone explain to me what could offend The Church?

 

[richmondesi]

Sorcery...

These are the same people that objected to the Smurfs because of Gargamel and Papa Smurf made magic potions and stuff...

 

[RichGem]

Sorcery...

These are the same people that objected to the Smurfs because of Gargamel and Papa Smurf made magic potions and stuff...

Also, I've read that many object as HP is a great departure from classical kiddy lit in so far as HP series (at least seems to, as I"ve not read the series), indicates that good does not always triumph in the end and that the ends can justify the means.

 

[Fraser]

good intentions taken too far can be worse than bad intentions.

 

[Dustinl]

Dane,

Please don't let what a few people say reflect what every "religious" person believes.

My ideology is conservitive Christian. Personally I don't see anything wrong with reading Harry Potter or watching the movies. I have read the series and am not out preaching or practicing sorcery as a result. I wonder what the difference is between Harry Potter and Gandolf's magic in LOTR? None I suppose.


DL

 

[Dustinl]

Also let me add that if my son wants to read the Harry Potter series when he gets older, Kudos to him for wanting to read!!! My wife and I will monitor what he reads, and we approve of Harry Potter. These days kids want to stay on the playstation instead of read.



DL

 

[chfair]

not read the series have watched all the movies (the series is just not high on my list), sorcery indeed would be my first inclination. no matter the setting, it is viewed as what it is. I am also lead to believe by my brother who has read the series, it gets quite dark toward the end.

there are many little undertones to the story that would easily find objection with the church.

careful this thread does not turn into a religious debate. as (edit: people may take offense), the OP may have offended people of faith (any faith), with a line or two of his post. just my two cents as a christian myself.

hope this thread does not take a turn for the worst. keep it nice gents

 

[SiBurning]

I'm not sure this is a good subject for a message board. Let's see...

Monotheism can't abide any competition to the one source of power. Magic is naturalistic, which means it has power from a source other than God. This contradiction must be reconciled. Christianity is dualistic in that it recognizes both good and evil powers. This duality is resolved by the complex theogony surrounding the casting down of Satan and his minions that exercised their free will by rejecting God's ways. By claiming that witchcraft's power actually derives from Satan, Christianity ultimately derives magic's power from God. Thus, witchcraft is against God. Anything that portrays magic as an acceptable practice, particularly to impressionable youths, encourages sympathy with those practicing magical practices, and by extension with the practices themselves. So, the Harry Potter series ultimately encourages devil worship, or at least sympathy for it, which is unacceptable to the Church.

 

[richmondesi]

With all due respect, the OP did not offend anyone. People might "take offence" to things like what he said, but that is their reaction and it is their problem. It is our job here to not let other people control our emotions...

 

[chfair]

With all due respect, the OP did not offend anyone. People might "take offence" to things like what he said, but that is their reaction and it is their problem. It is our job here to not let other people control our emotions...

indeed you are correct. yet another reason i was not an english major. none the less my wishes for this not to become a religious debate still stand. let the discussion continue.

 

[Prince]

It's a book that is meant for entertainment. No differences between Harry Potter and most of the stuff on TV. I have a few friends that believe like said pastor and my usual response is "I read all of them and liked all of them".

What more can I say?

 

[GFlanagan3]

I've heard from a couple of different people (friends and family) that say they won't read Harry Potter books or watch the movies because the pastor at their church said they "go against religion".

As a pastor I have read them all...I don't see them as a threat unless you take them seriously as in believing there is a REAL Harry Potter etc and this type thing happens.

Never mind the fact that these people are blindly following someone else's avice without making their own decision, what could The Church have against this fantastical fiction story? I'm not very familiar with the entire series, but I thought it was just a story about a few adolescents coming of age in a magical setting. I don't remember religion even hinted at anywhere in the story.

Can someone explain to me what could offend The Church?

It sounds to me like this guy is trying to build a 'cult of personality'. He seems to want to make a name for himself by being AGAINST something.
He forgets in Christ there is a certain amount of liberty. He has underrated his congregation by assuming they will 'fall' for the magical aspects of the Potter series and thereby follow that. He has forgotten to the pure all things are pure. I would just let those go that want to argue about the wrongness of the books and let them have their opinion. Sometimes arguing with a wall is a waste of time. Hope that helps.

 

[SiBurning]

I think Lord of the Rings is an exception to the general rule that magic is evil. Tolkien developed a rather mature mythology that wasn't really in conflict with the Church and established norms. In particular, humans had little to do with magic, and the contact they had almost always portrayed the magical objects as evil. Offhand, the only good magical object I can think of is the white tree of Minas Tirith, which has an analogy very early in the bible. Magical creatures and ancient titan-like beings such as Gandalf are exempt from the laws of men, the same way that angels and titans and other fantastic creatures in the theogony have super-human and magic-like powers.

I'm not saying what's right or wrong, just giving what might be a justification for the idea.

 

[mr_economy]

My brother once came home from a youth group meeting afraid that he was possessed by a demon because the pastor who gave that night's message warned them not to read Harry Potter or it might invite evil spirits into their souls. I can't make this stuff up.

I try to be tolerant of adults' personal religious beliefs, but after hearing the way that group tried to brainwash my brother I was nearly homicidal. Frankly, I think it was psychological abuse.

Having been through what I now consider a cult-like youth group experience of my own when I was younger, I have zero tolerance for religious organizations abusing their unique influence over particularly vulnerable children.

Harry Potter is a fantasy character in a fantasy series. It's true that the series is rather dark at times, so I think perhaps it's more appropriate for older children, but the vocabulary is aimed at precisely that age group.

 

[Unknownsoldier]

I've known people in their 20s who at Uni would ring home to check their reading lists with their religious parents and as such would refuse point blank HP etc. as being full of magic which is against their faith (pointing out in that case what is turning water to wine, walking on water etc. be then????). One evne stormed out of a history class because they were forced to discuss Darwin.....

Wasn't this why Twilight got written? And also the reason I had to sit through that bloomin' film......

Go figure... what people want to do, so be it, but all this over a childrens book???? arn't there more important and more harmful things to worry about??

Tom

 

[MoJoe]

I've heard from a couple of different people (freinds and family) that say they won't read Harry Potter books or watch the movies because the pastor at their church said they "go against religion".

Never mind the fact that these people are blindly following someone else's avice without making their own decision, what could The Church have against this fantastical fiction story? I'm not very familiar with the entire series, but I thought it was just a story about a few adolescents coming of age in a magical setting. I don't remember religion even hinted at anywhere in the story.

Can someone explain to me what could offend The Church?

I'm only guessing but I would think that this person didn't read the books and didn't watch the movies. There's nothing in either that attempts to recruit children to become Witches or Wizards or asks them to turn their backs on anything they currently believe in. In fact, the characters celebrate Christmas. The books simply create a world within our world and do so successfully. After that, it's about good versus evil. Pick your favorite book or film series that do the same thing in a different universe or world within our world - no different.

 

[Confuzius]

[youtube]2YtJHlaLovg[/youtube]

Very insightful post GFlanagan3, nice to see an opinion on the subject from a man of the cloth.

There are as many interpretations of religion out there as there are people... I have a friend who's dad is a born again some variety of evangelical christian, and my friend was forbidden from watching Kung Fu or martial arts movies when he lived at home, because they were dark arts and tools of the devil...

I understand the Philip Pullman objections much more than the Potter ones.

 

[danek]

My original post was truly not intended to offend anyone, and I tried very specifically to pose my question as plainly and without bias toward or against any belief; I was honetly and naively asking what someone (in this case a representative of The Church) could find offensive about a completely fictional story. I humbly appologize if I did offend anyone; please accept my sincere appologies as that was not my intention at all.

Thank you all for explaining how someone could be offended by the notion of sorcery; in my profound naive-ness I didn't see sorcery as potentially evil or anti-God.

 

[Dustinl]

No worries, Dane! I don't think anyone who posted to the thread got offended.



DL

 

[Navig8tor]

I have a co-worker who will not let his children read many books or watch many movies on the basis that they are against his religion. These include the HP books and movies which he hasn't watched or read but thinks are especially evil.

This is fine for him and his family but he has no problem letting his kids watch Dirty Harry and The Outlaw Josie Wales. Clint Eastwood is a family favorite of theirs. Apparently gunning people down is not against his religion.

Seems quite hypocritical, but his reasoning for these being ok is that they are just movies made for entertainment and the kids understand the difference between this and real life. He seems to believe the HP novels are an attempt to introduce children to witchcraft. Tellatubbies are also out because the one is gay.