Harry Potter Poll

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Comments

[Michael P. Taylor]

You didn't have box for "I have no qualms about it but I can see why some Christians do", so I had to admit to qualms that I don't actually have. Darn.

[Brant]

Rats. I suspected I'd miss some gradient of possibility, here.

Care to elaborate? I think that would be interesting. You can see that misgivings would be well-grounded, but you don't share those well-grounded misgivings...?

I don't deny that's possible, I'd just love to hear what you think.

[Bobby]

I don't understand why Christian's have issue's with Harry Potter, but then they'll geek out of Lord of The Rings. Is there a difference?

[Mike Taylor]

No, I don't think that the misgivings would be well-grounded, but I have come to the stage where I've given up my own ill-grounded expectation that Christians' misgivings will necessarily be well-grounded :-)

The first and most obvious thing about the Harry Potter books is that they are full of witches and wizards, and that the goodies are among them. Right off the bat, I can see where Christians would react by assuming that's A Bad Thing. But I don't think that anyone rational who's actually read the books would be likely to hang onto that perception for long.

In fact, this case is startlingly similar to that of evolution: I have no qualms about it, but I can see why other Christians might; and I think they're wrong to have the qualms, and doubt that they would remain for long if the Christians in question educated themselves.

[J]

I remember having a conversation with someone before the series came out on film. I believe I mentioned something to the effect that it promotes witchcraft. The person kept telling me that it doesn't. Think about it: A school of cute little kids (now a little older), who seemed to want so badly to get accepted to the school to begin with, being taught and trained and even competing against each other in the 'discipline' of witchcraft - something the bible warns us of. In turn, making it look cute and desensitizing America, and some Christians, to something that the God of the bible declares as being against Him. (see Galatians 1:6-12)

[Rick]

you dont have to hide Truth in "darkness"...and that is what this stuff is:

"darkness"

the guy is casting spells...not casting out demons in the name of Jesus - and thus claiming the power of the Holy Spirit.

its BOGUS...and it's not testifying to the Gospel, or doing anything worthy if directly, and identifyably bringing Glory to the Almighty name of name, king of kings, and LORD of Lords - Jesus Christ...

nice try though! (at the packaging - darkness masquirading as light)

[Sarah]

I think that Harry Potter is not suitable for Christians to read. I mean like others have said, it does nothing to glorify the Lord and in contrast it is teaching things we are supposed to be against. Witchcraft and casting spells, it might seem harmless but then again isnt that what Satan wants?? To make the big bad things seem good so that we can shrug it off as harmless??

[maTT]

Yeah, that must be pretty lame...a fictional work with fictional characters and fictional situations can be pretty bogus. Especially with the themes of forgiveness, sacrifice, integrity, and junk like that. I mean, they don't even quote the bible, for crying out loud!

[Rach]

I am both a committed Christian and a Harry Potter fan. I wanted to add a few of my comments.
1. The difference in The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter is clear-- LOTR is written by a Christian, and therefore the magic occurring within-- both good and evil-- have a clear source. HP is not written by a Christian, and thus the magic is represented as some sort of neutral force without any direct authority. Both are clearly fantasy (although LOTR has more possibility of being true than HP), and both clearly contain elements of truth within their stories.

2. Yes, I said HP contains truth, and since I believe that Milton's premise in Aereopagetica still holds, then the truth in HP, which may be reflected in no other fiction today, is worth reading and will win out in the arena. The truth is that LOVE is greater than all other powers in this earth.

3. I don't believe that fantasy and the representation of "magic" (or spiritual forces) is inherently sinful. However, the qualms that Christians have about HP promoting witch craft are valid. HP can and will influence people who are unable to distinguish fantasy from reality. Again, this does not make the story "sinful", nor does it prevent the story from glorifying God, if you believe-- as I do-- that God is glorified by truth.
4. How are Christians to combat any negative HP influence if there is a blanket rejection of it? How are we to seriously approach the issue with a non-Christian who LOVES HP if we never read it? I agree with you-- witchcraft is opposed to God.

5.However, I also believe that the story is more than witchcraft. After all, shall we not read literature like the Odyssey because pagan gods (which are clearly against God) are in them? They promote values like warfare and self-glory, which are against God. And yet even C.S. Lewis wrote "Until We Have Faces."
6. The Bible opposed the practice of witchcraft, NOT reading literature in which the representation of witchcraft exists. Thus, the Bible leaves us freedom to choose, but warning that whatever is not done in faith is sin. I have sought God's face over this issue, remain unconvicted, and look forward eagerly to the last installment. I do so in faith that my pleasure in a well-written story is good. If you cannot read in faith, then you absolutely should not.

[Mike Taylor]

As a point of information, it seems that J. K. Rowling is a Christian: when asked about this an interview, she declined to discuss it on the grounds that if she talked in detail about what she believes, it would give away too much of book seven. We may get more details after books seven is out, then.

By the way -- for those who've not read the books -- the oft repeated key point of the stories seems to be, as Dumbledore explains to Harry, that all the magic they do at Hogwarts is as nothing compared with the power of love, especially as expressed through the sacrifice of a life. Just so you know.

[Shawn]

I just wanted to second what Bobby said up there.

Just because Lord of The Rings was written by a "Christian," which I would love to see someone prove and verify, they hail it as some awesome trilogy that EVERY Christian should support.

Yet Harry Potter has all the same aspects (which ironically make it so controvercial) and because the Author has not been "hailed" as a Christian, we demonize it.

The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe also has many of the exact same uses of magic or mystical type things, yet CS Lewis is a credible Christian author.

I can name movie after movie that we (the church) don't collectively demonize because there just isn't a church bandwagon to jump on yet.

[Rick]

Just a point of clarification to the surmise that a few posters have made herein:

The writer claims to be a Christian in personal life.

Support:

I recently listened to a radio interview on WRMB Boynton, Beach which is a part of the Moody broadcast system in which the interviewee (an advocate of the series for the sake of Christianity) claimed that the author does not "publicly market" themesleves as a Christian as to not "tip off the readers where the storyline is heading" (eluding to an eventual ending that will suddenly "turn the light on" and show where she has really been "coming from".

furthermore, the interviewee began analogizing the fact that harry's mother "laid down her life to take the blunt of a spell cast against him" going as far as to compare that act to Christ...this seems a BIT MUCH to me.

Just wanted to make this known...i dont recall the name of the interviewee, but the show ran at approximately 6:30pm and is on nightly...im sure one could go to thier website, ascertain the series title and simply look in the back logs to get the details if desired.

regards,

rick

[Mike Taylor]

Regarding Rowling's being a Christian: for those who feel the need, this is picked apart in some detail at http://swordofgryffindor.com/2007/03/25/guest-blogger-jk-rowling-a-christian/

[Matt]

Maybe instead of getting all huffy and lashing out against the series, the church should just relax and address specific issues that bother us. This would make a great resource for parents or anyone curious about the books, and it would prevent the church from looking like a bunch of wild dogs, ready to pounce on any mildly offensive issue that presents itself.