Don't use Harry Potter

[Helper]

Harry Potter books and movies encourage kids to get heavily involved in occult activities that are condemned throughout the Bible. This is serious business. The so called "white" witchcraft Harry Potter promotes is what Satan uses to entice people, but the Bible says the devil pretends to be an angel of light. Yes, the devil is a real being, don't be deceived into believing otherwise or you may be a sitting duck. Jesus Christ himself was tempted by Satan. Remember, Harry Potter is fiction, but the Bible is not. If you doubt any of this, you need to start reading the Bible.

[Raiza]

With all due respect, to helper and all who think the same as you do; Harry Potter books and movies have certainly encourage children and youth; but only to get heavily involved into reading.:D Did you not read Macbeth, the Divine Comedy, the Odyssey, the Iliad, and the Eneid :confused: . Harry Potter has awakened many person's (young and old) to the pleasures of reading. As educators we should thank Jo for coming up with such a motivational tool. Leave the Medieval monasteries and the Salem madness mindset behind and step into reality, creativity, and the 21st century. I believe in God, Jesus, and humankind innate goodness. If you read the HP books you will find out that Good triumphs over Evil. You will also learn that loyalty is infallible, friendship is dependable, and that the most powerful magic of all is LOVE...Isn't that what God is? All love not judgment...You see we are the ones who are prejudiced, who hate, who criticize, and judge without looking at ourselves. :( Are you sure you can cast the first stone, my dear? The opposite of love is not hate, is fear...and you are living in unnecessary fear...Let it go! :)

[History in Conn]

Due to the subject I teach we do read excerpts from the New Testament in some of my classes. I find it to be a very valuable tool for students to understand where the western identity comes from.

That said your outdated ridiculous reactionary post is almost amusing. Luckily I teach in a public school where the kind of insanity you're preaching isn't welcome.

[Chef Dave]

Harry Potter is fiction - pure and simple. There is no statistical proof that children who read Harry Potter become involved in the occult.

If anything - Harry Potter simply helps to motivate children to read. It fires their imagination.

Harry Potter is the LARGEST selling children's book series in history. OVer 200 million books have been sold worldwide.

According to a study conducted by the Federation of Children's Book Groups, 59% of surveyed children said that these books helped with the development of their reading skills. Nearly half of them reported that Harry Potter encouraged them to read more.

[Boxcar]

I totally agree with the three posters above me. They make excellant points.

Besides, haven't you heard the theory that Harry can be compared to a certain person in the Bible? Just thought I'd throw that out there. lol.

[Boxcar]

I do have to add that everyone is entitled to their beliefs. if you feel strongly about this, more power to you. I just don't happen to agree.

[Chef Dave]

Remember, Harry Potter is fiction, but the Bible is not. If you doubt any of this, you need to start reading the Bible.

After thinking about this, it occurred to me that you might also be generalizing. Surely not all fiction is bad? I hope you are not suggesting that all non-fiction is good.

"Mein Kampf" is a piece of non-fiction. It was written by Adolf Hitler to justify the genocide of the Jews. One hopes you would not suggest that "Mein Kampf" is acceptable reading material?

Your viewpoint puts me in mind of the 7 years I spent working in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a theocracy that (in theory) is headed by a monarchy.

The matawah religious police, control everything. In-coming mail is censored. "Unacceptable" DVDs are confiscated. Magazines arrive with pages ripped out or covered over with heavy black marker.

The police force the Muslims to go to the mosque and pray. Storekeepers who don't promptly close for prayers are subject to arrest.

Both believers and "infidel" non-Muslim believers are subject to arrest for inappropriate dress, language, and eating or drinking in public during Ramadan.

Men and women who are not related who talk to each other are subject to arrest.

The list of "religious offenses" is long.

In the United States, a similar attitude was once found among the Puritans. During the 1600s, a ship captain who had been away on a long voyage was sentenced to the stocks simply for kissing his wife on the front steps of his own house!

During my life I have spent 17 years abroad. I have lived in Ghana, Thailand, El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon.

I am personally very thankful to be living in a country that is blessed with civil rights. These civil rights allow both of us to voice our respective opinions. Had I voiced these same opinions in Saudi Arabia, I would have been subject to arrest and/or possible deportation.

[Mr. Larrabee]

I can't imagine that anyone who's read the Harry Potter books would maintain such a belief. It is ridiculously obvious that as soon as you start reading, the magic of Harry Potter isn't based on any factual magic at all (except for the names of the disciplines and the imagery). The magical tradition depicted is one of fancy, as simple and entertaining as any fairy tale (and lets face it, who really believes that Cinderella is the work of Satan) with enough entertaining twists to keep children interested. I praise any author who craft a story that draws our children away from the video games and television sets.
Having read the complete series (as well as having previously studied actual witchcraft rituals as research) I really see absolutely no similarities.

[landreth2007]

As much as I support books being available to readers, including the Harry Potter series, I have to take offense at HP being compared to Jesus. One is a teenage wizard and the other is the sinless son of God. No comparison at all.

That being said, I have taught my students how to recognize the difference between reality and fantasy and I trust them to know the difference. After all, it is a state tested skill and we know how important those are!

[Chef Dave]

As much as I support books being available to readers, including the Harry Potter series, I have to take offense at HP being compared to Jesus. One is a teenage wizard and the other is the sinless son of God. No comparison at all.


I think Boxcar understated the point that was being made.

John Killinger, author of "God, the Devil and Harry Potter," claims that J.K. Rowling has written "the Christ story of the 21st century." It is Mr. Killinger's viewpoint that Harry Potter is a modest hero who is ready to sacrifice himself completely in behalf of others. He further believes that the Potter stories are founded on the mortal rivalry of good and evil and that Harry is the Christ-figure with both extraordinary (wizard) and ordinary (Muggle) credentials who becomes the focus of the conflict.

According to Killinger, "British literature from Beowulf to Bernard Shaw is steeped in the Christian understanding of life and the world, and any writer coming out of that tradition is indelibly stamped and shaped by it ... Harry is indeed a Christ figure, in the same way that Dostoevsky's Prince Myshkin, Mauriac's Xavier Dartilongue, John Irving's Owen Meany, and numerous other literary characters are Christ figures. A Christ figure is a literary device, a particular way of shaping an important character in a novel. He (or she) may not conform in every instance to the biblical image of Jesus, but bears enough of the traits or characteristics to suggest the relationship and send us looking for important messages in the text."

"In Harry's case, his unusual wound, his strange, miraculous childhood (remember the hair that grows back, the sweater that shrinks, his leaping over a building while running from Dudley?), his readiness to sacrifice himself for others, and his sustaining the Cruciatus Curse (in the latest book) are sufficient clues to link him to Jesus."

For further information, reference: Beliefnet.com Internet article, "Harry Potter, Christ Figure?": A Debate between John Killinger, author of "God, the Devil and Harry Potter" and Richard Abanes, author of "Fantasy and Your Family."

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/116/story_11681_1.html

[teacherninja]

Hey, guys, I think "Helper" dropped this thread back in 2001. I think somebody was just trying to get your goat.

[Boxcar]

That is funny.

I never remember to look at the dates of threads. I just use the New Posts thing.

Oh well. At least we all got to establish how we feel, although a bit late.

[mopar]

It is good to see that most teachers support the book. However, I'd like to see what parents had to say.

[Boxcar]

I think most parents would go for it too. They'd be glad their kid was reading something and not bothering them!

[Hermione]

As you can tell by my username, I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. Granted, I don't "teach" the novels in my classes, but they are available for check-out. I live in the Bible Belt, so I've heard this debate for years.

I've always encouraged anyone with the "Harry Potter is evil and encourages our kids to join the occult" opinion to read any of the books and then get back to me. If you still feel that way, then more power to you. At least you were willing to become educated about your opinion and weren't basing it on what someone else told you.

I recently talked with two college aged students who were in my class as sixth graders. They told me that their Harry Potter obsessions were alive and well after all of these years, and they thanked me for introducing them to a series which has brought them enjoyment for over a decade. My job is to foster a lifelong love of reading, and that's what I've helped do with those two students.

And no, they aren't casting spells. ;)

[busbus]

I've always encouraged anyone with the "Harry Potter is evil and encourages our kids to join the occult" opinion to read any of the books and then get back to me. If you still feel that way, then more power to you. At least you were willing to become educated about your opinion and weren't basing it on what someone else told you.


Hermione, I agree with you about basing one's opinion on their own reading. Too often, we are swayed by the opinions of others and can't explain why we dislike "whatever."

Personally, I am not a Harry Potter fan. Tried reading one of the books, tried watching the film on television. Just doesn't hold my interest. I really don't understand the fascination about this series. Then again, what fascinates me probably does not fascinate someone else. Each to his own! ;)

I have had several students who were huge Harry Potter fans. Some would read these books during "Sustained Silent Reading" time. No problem! I was glad to see them reading and enjoying what they were reading. :)

[Bananas]

One student in my resource room was a huge Harry Potter fan. He wore his hair and work glasses like Harry. :)

As an aside, Addict, do you know how Helper posted this thread with no available profile and N/A down as posts? Is this a legitimate poster?

[Boxcar]

I was curious about that too. When I realized this was an old post and looked at the poster's stuff, i was surprised to see it listed like that. Maybe s/he's a non-active member?

[dangercat]

I can't imagine anyone holding to such a narrow minded belief and teaching. I go to a catholic school and have never veiwed the books in that way. I actually have praised them for their use in getting children who have little interest in reading to read.

I also believe that everyone is free to have their own views, but that they should not force those beliefs upon others.By telling us not to use these books I do believe that the original poster is trying to force a veiw point upon others that not everyone is going to hold.

In high school I remember reading a number of books that were consiedered touchy subjects, but we read them because there is value in reading. I would never tell a child not to read a book that they found interesting and that made them want to read.

[ffincher]

It just so happens that I am in the middle of my "Children's Literature and Drama" class. I am a 3rd year education student. I attend a Christian University. We have devotion before and after every class. I was required to take four biblical classes as part of the curriculum. Old Testament, New Testament, The Gospels, and Paul's Prison Letters. All that said, my Children's Literature text book (from a Private Christian University) encourages books as the Harry Potter series. The book even calls out the Harry Potter series by name. I take that as an indication that these books are simply bringing children into a mindset of reading for reading's sake. Not reading for an assignment, but simply for the enjoyment of taking they trip with Harry, or any other fictional character.

[Boxcar]

Wow. I'm surprised this thread is still around.

I think that is interesting that your text mentions the Harry Potters. It is good to hear from someone who is in a religous enviroment.