Posted by deirdrehbrt on February 19, 2006, at 21:39:37
In reply to Re: X Files and Charmed, posted by lynn971 on February 19, 2006, at 19:32:03
Lynn,
I am approaching this question from a viewpoint of a Pagan who was once Christian. I still have great respect for Christ, and for a great part of Christianity. I just wanted to qualify my response with that in mind.
I think that from a Christian perspective, the only real problem with Harry Potter is that it presents the concept of Witchcraft and such in a positive light. Christianity, as a whole, does not believe any other religion to be correct, and demonizes thos religions. Any attempt to show them in a positive light is met with resistance and criticism. This is what happened with Harry Potter.
A portion of one Christian review of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: "Whether it’s grim treachery or comic relief, the film’s wall-to-wall sorcery is birthed from a faulty worldview that taps into the occult and never recognizes any divine authority. Unlike The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, the entire series is built on a shaky spiritual foundation that sends young fans confusing messages about the morality and merits of the dark arts."
The books and the movies though, have essentially nothing to do with true Paganism. They are, as they are meant to be, pure fiction. They depict magic, not magick. They are in no way an introduction to real paganism or witchcraft, though some might be interested in learning what these are really about after seeing the movie. If one indulges these interests, they will soon find out that there is a vast difference.
If children are properly educated about movies and fiction, and realize that what is on the screen is not a true representation of life, they should realize that Harry Potter is in fact fiction, and has no basis in reality.
If you are afraid that these movies would possibly lead your children into real Witchraft, Paganism or the occult, then don't let them watch the movies or read the books. If you believe that they have a strong foundation, understand the difference between fiction and reality, and would enjoy a good fantasy, then I don't see a problem with it.
Hope this helps,
Dee.
poster:deirdrehbrt
thread:610629
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20051105/msgs/611234.html