Harry Potter and Religion

Religious extremism at its best. By that logic, those who speak on the "church's" behalf regarding how Harry Potter is evil are against all thought.

 

Darn it! I had the same thought. Any way though, to believe in God is a leap of faith so if people do believe in it, Harry Potter is a fictional tale about some kids and magic and it isn't going to stir people from their paths. Fanatics though do believe that anything that is not Christian in base is bad and a danger because the human mind is apparently weak and can be altered by the devil's works which equates to anything non-religious. Fanatics ruin it for everyone. The reason LOTR doesn't get slammed is because it is known that the author was a Christian and used 'some' Christian themes in it that he pointed out. That is the same for the Narnia Chronicles. Harry Potter gets it because it is extremely popular and there's no mention of God that can be recognized and we are weak simpletons with brains that can be exploited. If it wasn't so popular, it would be ignored too but children and adults love it. Now, I'm off to go play my fictional muggle quidditch game. *stomps off with a broom*

 

Exactly.

I can't believe some people would rather slam Harry Potter than any other magicey type of story. Yeah, I understand Narnia and Lord of the Rings had some mentions of God in it, but Christ on a 2x4, that doesn't give anyone any rights to burn the book or send hate mail to Rowling. Like I said before, it's people like Betty in that quote that seriously PISS ME OFF.

 

Appparantly, witchcraft and religion just doesn't mix

Ever since before all of us were even born, Religion and litertaure was always the question.

I remember I read a book about the middle ages saying about cencorship, where priests have to read the books first before it gets released to the public. If they don't like it, they tore some of the pages to make it not as fiction as it can be or sometimes they burn the whole thing.

Maybe the church wants to do something about it, but they can't.

^ I just wanted to point that out

 

I've read articles where churches burn some of the books...which seriously piss me off...

They're like the HP KKK or something...

 

Really, there are better things for the Church to be concerned with in this day and age than a work of Literary FICTION dealing with kids and magic.

If anything, the Church should be able to recognize the ever constant fight between Good and Evil in the books. Which should teach children to choose what is right. So as Harry and company fight Voldemort and company, they should know that good will triumph over evil in the end.

And burning books is a sad and outdated way for the church to react. It's not like a kid is going to go to school with a stick and start casting magic spells. Granted younger kids will have their fantasies but it is just that...children at play. If a grown man does this...well...something else may be wrong.

 

Lol, I like Saixs post.

But yeah,it's pretty weird how they react to a book about magic. It's not like it's a a book saying how to do spells, and telling children to blow somebody up with a stick they found outside.>_>

 

Personally, I agree with all people who think that the Harry Potter series does not affect religion. Honestly, I've read all the books and seen all the movies and played all the games and I still love God. Its not like the books ever say something like"Hate God, because he is bad". No, thats not what the book is about.

 

Just because Harry Potter has witchcraft in it doesn't mean it's bad. I thinkall the people that think it's bad just because there's witchcarft should go to hell. Why would it be bad? It's just mental and stupid.

Besides. Not all wiches and wizards are bad.

 

I'd explain how the witch became the evil persona we know of today but it would just be a long winded post filled with archaic references from mythos of various cultures. Maybe I will sometime in the future when I have a long span of time and nothing to do but type up such a thing.

Suffice it to say that it was one of the pagan traditions that were made evil to discourage new generations from taking up the practice.

I don't read the books myself. Most of the knowledge I have comes from the movies and from on-line. But I for one do not see the harm so long as the children know it's a book in the end.

Also, it is not just a book for children. I've heard of many adults reading the books when they're children are done. Or they read the books together. Can't imagine a parent reading The Lord of the Rings with their children. Maybe the Hobbit but not LOTR. Tolkien's a bit too winded for the average child's attention span.

 

Exactly.

I honestly will lose my respect to those who say otherwise about this topic.

 

I think why people are trying to say Harry Potter is bad is because of the English and the supposed witches of Salem. The English started that witchcraft stuff with the Renissance, dragons and dungeons, and having people make 'potions' to cure their illnesses. There are a lot of people who still believe in that, and also, they might be doing it because J.K. Rowling has made millions of dollars off her books.

 

If they're bashing Harry Potter just because Rowling has made more money than a damn church could every dream to make, they seriously need a slap in the face. Bashing a book just because of the money's terribly greedy; something I wouldn't expect a church to go through...

 

at my old skool when harry poter movie 1st came out i wuz gonna see it but the principal claimed harry potter promotes evil and dmons and all that. i ended up not seeing it at the theater but i watch them all on t.v. when they come on. i understand why they think it will take you to hell and promote witchcraft but most of us are smart enough to know reality from fantasy. i was hated at my skool cuz i wuz into yugioh and they said yugioh is from hell yet they let their kids play with pokemon?? i like fantasy stuff and all that buyt im not out casting "spells" and crap. honestly i dont like harry poter but i dont actualy think just for reading it or watching it u go to hell and all that crap.

mopst churches have become corupt and greedy now days. im a christian and dont got to church every week bc i have b-ball games on weekends but i read my bible and get the smae lessons that u can get from church without all the "you read this so ur goin to hell!" stuff.

 

Well everything has practically been said in this topic....pious people take it to the next undesirable level of attention. Actually does their bible even mention anything about "lets all go on a crusade becasue there are books written by people who aren't dead yet....or haven't seen burning bushes" or whatever.

Random Tangent: The best part that I LOVE about the piety of strict Christians is the hypocrisy in that technically....all technology is the work of Satan, as knowledge and the fruits of this knowledge were born from the TREE of knowledge (lol, I used that word so many times), no? So really any Bible-launcher that isn't a secluded Omish (they do that avoid electricity thing) makes me laugh, up until they try to convert me or argue that gravity is the work of the devil or that science is "lucky numbers"- I MEAN FATE FROM GOD TO TEST OUR FAITH IN HIM over rocket trajectories.

 

I know. The only reason why I like strict Christians is because I love arguing with them. May sound weird, but I try to at least pop some sense into their heads.

I agree, I think they're terrible hypocrites sometimes.

 

Oh yes; Harry Potter is teh Debil! Let's not teach our kids about bravery, equality, love, friendship, goodness, and that good will always triumph over evil! Yeah, we don't need our children learning all that crap!

*if noone figures out that this is sarcasm, they need help*

Harry Potter's main theme is not really magic. There are morals in there. Infact, the book is ABOUT bravery, equality, love, friendship, goodness, and that good will always triumph over evil. Voldemort (the villain) attempts to rid the Wizarding World of Muggle-Borns and Muggles, while Harry and his friends and allies uphold bravery, equality, love, and friendship and stop (with many casualties along the way, mind you. Farewell, ****, *****, *****, and ******. i r not spoiling, i swearz!)

 

It's amazing how churches don't focus on those points you mentioned...bravery, friendship, ect. T_T

 

Well many DO preach about good triumphing over evil. However, their version of "bad" is people who have different opinions than them. It's stupid, really. If I was God, I wouldn't burn someone with Hitler for having a different viewpoint.

 

Same here.

I still can't understand them though. For God's sake, Harry Potter is about good triumphing over evil. That topic takes up more than a good half of the books. But, they can somehow figure out how it's 'magic magic magic' instead.

Basically, none of it really makes sense.