Harry Potter #1

Obviously the issue of the Harry Potter books is an issue that has surfaced multiple times over the years-generally each time a new book is released. Prior to being an adult :), my parents made the decision that I would not read these books. Now that I am an adult, I have the responsibility to research issues such as these through different authors and the Bible and make a decision of my own. So, if you have heard the "Harry Potter debate" twenty times too many, ignore this post. However, if you have not made a decision concerning this issue, I would encourage you to check out these two links:

1) Harry Potter and Lavender Brigade-Douglas W. Phillips

2) http://randomcomtemplations.blogspot.com/ <----Scroll down one or two posts and you will get Jerram Barr's articles

To begin, I first read Mr. Phillips' article and found it very interesting. I pulled out several points from it. Some I agreed with, and some I did not agree with.

A. My biggest hang up comes from how the Harry Potter differs from the Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings books. Throughout all the points that Mr. Phillips makes, each one could apply to the latter two. No matter how hard I try or what people say, I cannot bring myself to bring those two to the same "moral" level as Harry Potter. This is what Douglas Phillips alludes to, and I just cannot accept it. His major point is that if sorcery is being used, it is a negative thing. Therefore, such characters as Merlin from the "Sword in the Stone", Glinda the Good Witch of Oz, and possibly Gandalf *gasp* from the Lord of the Rings series are not good things. They use sorcery and magic, and therefore are against God's word. Bear in mind the verse that talks about killing those who employ the powers of magic in the Bible.

B.
"'Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.' (Matthew 5:27-28)

The same principle that applies to pornographic literature applies to witchcraft-glorifying literature. Men do not have the right to enter fantasy worlds in which they delight in their hearts in acts of adultery. Nor do they have the right to enter fantasy worlds in which they delight in immoral acts of witchcraft."

Okay, interesting point. However, I have an objection. It would seem that pornography is different from reading about witchcraft and wizardry in that the first-in general-would inevitably cause a human to have wrong and impure (adulterous) thoughts. However, it does not seem that a person reading the Harry Potter books would automatically feel like going out and joining a sorcery and divination club.

I will write more next time I post.