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HARRY POTTER MANIA
On 16 November, the Harry Potter film will be on general release. While the world applauds J K Rowling's commercial success, many Christians are greatly concerned.
This Warner Brothers film has cost £86m to create, but expects to break all box office records this Christmas . There is no doubt that it has been a carefully crafted and highly entertaining film. Although the film features children, who are perceived to be innocent, the witchcraft described is a fantasy too far according to Family Friendly Libraries. They say, "Harry is a warlock, his dad was a warlock and his mother was a witch ... The Harry Potter series focuses on the dark side of religion ... the power is in self-centred pagan worship and magic." The problem is that witchcraft is fact and not fantasy
This week, a Welsh newspaper had headlines saying, "Harry Potter is evil". The article goes on to say "a Cardiff toy shop is refusing to sell merchandise linked with the much hyped film because its owner believes the books are evil. Gary Grant, owner of The Entertainment Chain, which has 28 branches in the UK decided not to stock Harry Potter products as they conflict with his "Christian ideals". The committed Christian believes that, although this move could cost him more than £500,000 in the run up to Christmas, it will protect children's spiritual health. Gary Grant is quoted as saying, "The Harry Potter books include occult practices such as the casting of spells, levitation, transformation and communication with the dead to name a few. Make no mistake, the occult is evil, God makes this very clear."
This film is yet another challenge for Christian parents who need to decide what is right for their children to see. A number of helpful books have been written including, "A Closer Look at Harry Potter" by John Houghton published by Kingsway at £5.99 and "Harry Potter and the Bible" by Richard Abanes published by Christian Publications Inc at £9.99. Reviewing this latter book, the Christian Herald says, "Thoroughly researched and well written ... well worth reading".
In order to investigate the Harry Potter issue more thoroughly, Ready to Grow on Thursday, 6 December, will feature a 60 minute video "Harry Potter - Witchcraft Re-packaged" followed by discussion and we urge all parents and others involved
HARRY POTTER revisited
The torrent of media hype and pre-Christmas Harry Potter merchandising has swept the UK and USA far beyond their Christian consciences.
The release of the film now puts pressure on Christian parents to come to decisions as to what their children shall watch and read.
Without doubt, the books are brilliantly written and the film is high entertainment, but, unlike yesterday's fantasy tales, in which witches are always the "baddies", Harry Potter teaches that witchcraft can be good.
The Harry Potter theme is a quest for power using witchcraft and the material is so well researched that none of the many occultists on both sides of the Atlantic has criticised the accurate description of occult practices.
Children and young people have an insatiable appetite for learning if they can see some benefit to themselves. Satisfying this thirst for knowledge has been part of the success of the Harry Potter phenomenon. The problem with Potter mania is not that it is all fantasy, but that so much of it is fact. It teaches children that witchcraft exists and can bring special powers to those who practise it. It teaches that the words of spells have powerful effect. It teaches that witchcraft is real and that children can and should be involved in it.
With so many children being able to access the Internet, a plethora of web sites are seducing children who type "Harry Potter" into a search engine. Many of these sites are made "children friendly" yet explain how to compose and cast spells and to participate in other occult activities. Whilst some families have put "adult filters" on to their family computers none of these will stop child access to occult material.
This film is yet another challenge for Christian parents who need to decide what is right for their children to see. A number of helpful books have been written including, "A Closer Look at Harry Potter" by John Houghton published by Kingsway at £5.99 and "Harry Potter and the Bible" by Richard Abanes published by Christian Publications Inc at £9.99. Reviewing this latter book, the Christian Herald says, "Thoroughly researched and well written ... well worth reading".
What can we do about it? Many parents feel defenceless in the face of their children's pressure and their natural desire to please them. They also often feel that the school has weighed up these things carefully and so to make any comment is to create an unnecessary fuss.
This is a call for Christians to wake up and to realise that not even the educational establishment is spiritually discerning in these matters.
One parent wrote to their child's headteacher protesting at the use of Harry Potter in class and a proposed school showing of the film. The teacher replied, "… I have no belief in witches, spells or the occult. At school we teach about the love of God. We do not teach about the occult, nor do I believe the Harry Potter books teach the occult … the power of love and Christian principles are strong in the stories. Schools have used these themes from the book and film for Christian based assemblies. I hope we can agree to differ on this."
That parent replied, "I note that you say you have no belief in witches, spells or the occult. However, the Bible does believe in these things.
In Deuteronomy Ch 18 9-13 God said to His people: 'Let no-one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practises divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord ...You must be blameless before the Lord your God.'
And in Luke 17, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied round his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves.'
As God speaks clearly about witchcraft, and gives us warning against having anything to do with such things, I hope that a school which claims to be based on Christian principles would treat such concerns seriously."
Yes, we do need to be serious about that which God takes seriously.
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