HP and Deathly Hallows!!!

Over 300 million people worldwide breathlessly awaited their copy of the seventh and supposedly final Harry Potter novel, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows".

NEWS BRIEF: "For Harry Potter, Good Old-Fashioned Closure", New York Times, July 18, 2007

"So, here it is at last: the final confrontation between Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, the “symbol of hope” for both the Wizard and Muggle worlds, and Lord Voldemort, He Who Must Not Be Named, the nefarious leader of the Death Eaters and would-be ruler of all. Good versus Evil. Love versus Hate. The Seeker versus the Dark Lord."

"With each installment, the Potter series has grown increasingly dark, and this volume .... is no exception. While Ms. Rowling’s astonishingly limber voice still moves effortlessly between Ron’s adolescent sarcasm and Harry’s growing solemnity, from youthful exuberance to more philosophical gravity, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' is, for the most part, a somber book that marks Harry’s final initiation into the complexities and sadnesses of adulthood."

Cutting Edge noted, in our book review of the sixth book, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Is The Final Secret of the Seventh Book Revealed?", that it is highly possible that Harry will be named the Messiah of the World of Wizardry at the end of the seventh book. We can only wait to see how this plot works out, but I believe that this is a distinct possibility.
If Harry is declared the Messiah, wouldn't that be a kicker, as the world seems poised on the edge of the World War III which will produce the real Antichrist? For this reason, I am anxious to get my copy and begin reading. We shall have a Book Review for you on Monday morning.

Interestingly, this next news article asks the question, "Is Harry Potter a Christ figure?"
NEWS BRIEF: "Christian elements lurk in Potter books: "Is Harry Potter a Christ figure?", by Manya A. Brachear, Chicago Tribune, July 20, 2007
"Is Harry Potter a Christ figure? ... As Potter fans await the release of the seventh and final installment at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, it's a question worth considering."

"Do you think Harry Potter has an agenda?"
Yes, I think Harry Potter has an agenda. From the beginning, when kids were so encouraged to draw a lightening bolt in the middle of their foreheads, I believed Potter was conditioning children and adults to accept the final mark of Antichrist.

As far as whether Christians should read Potter, the answer is Biblical. God forbids His people from having anything to do with witches and familiar spirits and the "peeping and muttering" that witches go through to stage their rituals.

Furthermore, Potter novels describe real witchcraft in great detail. No Christian should allow himself to be so completely subjected to such powers of Satan. God's Word admonishes His people to avoid even watching evil.
Listen:
"He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises gain from fraud and from oppression, who shakes his hand free from the taking of bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes to avoid looking upon evil." (Isaiah 33:15, Parallel Bible, KJV/Amplified Bible Commentary)
Did you catch that last phrase? "... shuts his eyes to avoid looking upon evil."
A Christian simply cannot fill his mind with words and images of witches, wizards, familiar spirits, shape-shifting witches, and REAL witchcraft descriptions and still think he or she is in right standing with Jesus Christ!
Do not be deceived on this point! Jesus' warnings in Matthew 24 against being spiritually deceived at the End of the Age are so strong and are repeated three times, you must understand that unprecedented deception -- both spiritually and politically -- is one of THE End of the Age characteristics.
Listen:
* Verse 4 -- "Jesus answered them, Be careful that no one misleads you, deceiving you and leading you into error."
* Verse 11 -- "And many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many into error."
* Verse 24 -- "For false Christs and false prophets will arise ... so as to deceive and lead astray, if possible, even the elect (God's chosen ones)."
Parallel Bible, KJV/Amplified Bible Commentary)
Since the Christian Church has fallen into such spiritual apostasy over the past 50 years, I should not be surprised when I hear of a known apostate leader espouse the ridiculous notion that J.K. Rowling has woven the Gospel of Jesus Christ through her novels.
But, I must confess, I was shocked when I read these very sad remarks, thinking of the millions of trusting Anglican people who will believe these lying words.

NEWS BRIEF: "Anglican Bishop praises ‘Gospel according to Potter’ ", by Sally Williams, Western Mail, I.C. Wales, July 20, 2007
"THE Anglican communion should learn lessons from Harry Potter ... The Bishop of St Davids, Carl Cooper, said the Christian virtues of humility, respect and love portrayed in the stories about the teenage wizard should be replicated within the church."

"JK Rowling’s books are no strangers to controversy among the religious establishment, with previous installments being burned by Christian groups, and one Catholic Church official last year denouncing Harry Potter as the 'devil. But the Anglican church has shown an increasing willingness to embrace the popularity of the Hogwarts pupil. Bishop Cooper said that although the story is cloaked in magic and wizardry, it has strong Christian messages and themes are at its heart. He said, 'The reader is in no doubt that love and friendship need to be acts of the will as well as acts of the heart'."

When I read the Harry Potter novels, I was repeatedly almost overwhelmed by the intense hatred and occultism which simply covers the entire series like a heavy blanket. Only the bond between Harry, Ron, and Hermione can be thought of as having "love and friendship", and even that bond was extremely mild compared to the love Jesus showed for His disciples.

At best, Harry Potter is a mixture of intense hatred and evil, and the mild bonds of friendship between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. In other words, Christians will be subjected to the hatred of Belial and a mild love. Do you remember what the Apostle Paul said, "...what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial?" (2 Cor 6:14-15)
CFR member, Rick Warren, of the Purpose Driven Church, loves Harry Potter and encourages his members to read the novels. (Read Warren bragging about his Council of Foreign Relations membership, Paragraph VI, November 25, 2006, Newsletter)

"Though the seventh and final installment is yet to be released (July 21, to be exact), when it does, it will be well-worth reading. Though some would disagree, I am one to put Rowling's work in the camp of fantasy literature, along with Lewis and Tolkien, with her use of magic more mechanical than occultic. I found her earlier six volumes instant classics of the genre, and the final book will undoubtedly cement this series as among the best written." (Rick Warren's "Ministry Toolbox")

This kind of nonsense from church leaders is so very deplorable, and will not go unnoticed by the One Who will sit on the White Throne Judgment.
This next news story illustrates how deeply Harry Potter has penetrated into the hearts and minds of his legions of followers. Read it and weep.
NEWS BRIEF: "Kids' Grief Counselors Wait By Phones in Case Harry Potter Dies", By Mark Herlihy, Bloomberg News, July 20, 2007
"A U.K. children's charity has brought in extra staff to man its phone lines in expectation of a deluge of calls from distraught youngsters if Harry Potter dies ... 'For many children, Harry Potter and his friends have become a major part of their childhood', said Kate Trench, a spokeswoman for ChildLine, based in London, which provides telephone support services for children. 'Excitement could give way to sadness for those caught up in the huge build-up to the seventh and final book'.''

How sad, for so many children to be this devoted to this Satanic character, Harry Potter! This kind of devotion is exactly the kind of devotion Jesus Christ demands of His people. Listen:
"He who loves and takes more pleasure in father or mother more than in Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves and takes more pleasure in son or daughter more than in Me is not worthy of Me." (Matthew 10:37, Parallel Bible, KJV/Amplified Bible Commentary)

Can you just hear the application of this verse to Harry Potter?
"He who loves and takes more pleasure in Harry Potter is not worthy of Me."

This last statement might be the bottom line in this entire Harry Potter controversy.

[Humble Pie]

Jeff, not trying to bust your chops, but HOW does this person know what is in HP books???

Honestly, I think there's way too much focus on Harry Potter.

[nashdude]

If I can chime in real quick...

I don't think it's so much the content of the Harry Potter books, as much the same can be found in Lord of the Rings and the like. The problem that I have with the series is that it is geared SPECIFICALLY toward young and impressionable children, where this genre (to include the Christian fiction "The Chronicles of Narnia") should in large part stay with teens and adults.

While good things can be hidden in these themes, kids are more straight forward than adults. They have a harder time seeing through the subtleties of the genre. So instead of focusing on the moral of the story, they focus on the surface content---in this case, magic and self-possession. More to the point, self-possession that children are not mature enough to handle. Rather than being gently guided by those more knowledgable and compassionate, the books celebrate rebellion, and a theme of KIDS being in charge.

In short, I think the books would be no worse than LotR or Narnia if they were geared toward adults. But when you have six and seven year-olds reading them, they become a foundation for evil in the kids' lives.

Just my opinion.

True, Nash. But then you go to the Disney Channel. Most of the shows on there have the kids calling all or most of the shots. They do what they want and they are sneaky about it. And the parents are either non-existent or are oblivious to their activities. Much the same with Harry Potter and many other shows and books.

My problem is that a lot of the people who are so against Harry Potter have never even read one bit of the books and are only looking at the surface of what they're about - much the same way that the kids don't see through the subleties of some of these books.

I don't wish to debate anyone about Harry Potter; because everyone has their opinions and that's fine. But I am a Harry Potter fan and have read all of the books and seen all of the movies so far. Yes, there are things in there that are not Christian; but this is no different than most of the programming already on our televisions. And the same can be said for a lot of what the kids are required to read and learn about at school.

I do agree though that Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings and some of those should be targeted more to an older audience and not to young children. I wouldn't let my young ones see any of these. It's just too harsh for them at such a young age.

I've resisted the urge to just come out and say that there's nothing wrong with reading Harry Potter.

I will say that the line "Furthermore, Potter novels describe real witchcraft in great detail" made me laugh a fair bit.

"I am one to put Rowling's work in the camp of fantasy literature, along with Lewis and Tolkien" was also something I found amusing, although it is merely the womans opinion. Rowling is not a particularly talented writer.

Originally Posted by Ryua

I've resisted the urge to just come out and say that there's nothing wrong with reading Harry Potter.

I will say that the line "Furthermore, Potter novels describe real witchcraft in great detail" made me laugh a fair bit.

"I am one to put Rowling's work in the camp of fantasy literature, along with Lewis and Tolkien" was also something I found amusing, although it is merely the womans opinion. Rowling is not a particularly talented writer.

I too have fought that urge but pretty much said that in my last post - and at the risk of ridicule too.

When my kids were young and it first came out, I didn't allow them to read or see any of it until I'd checked it out first. Then I decided they needed to wait until they were a bit older. It is just fantasy - a good one at that. And once the child is old enough to realize that, then he/she is ready to experience it. They know the difference. And I come from the perspective of someone who was involved in real witchcraft as a teen. I don't see how the Harry Potter books will lead someone away from Christianity or make them stumble. Everyone knows it's all just make believe. I think there's just too much fuss being made about it.

[nashdude]

Originally Posted by Trinity

I too have fought that urge but pretty much said that in my last post - and at the risk of ridicule too.

When my kids were young and it first came out, I didn't allow them to read or see any of it until I'd checked it out first. Then I decided they needed to wait until they were a bit older. It is just fantasy - a good one at that. And once the child is old enough to realize that, then he/she is ready to experience it. They know the difference. And I come from the perspective of someone who was involved in real witchcraft as a teen. I don't see how the Harry Potter books will lead someone away from Christianity or make them stumble. Everyone knows it's all just make believe. I think there's just too much fuss being made about it.

That right there is the heart of the problem. Not everyone is able to make the distinction between reality and fantasy. As a life-long gamer, I've seen hundreds of lives ripped apart because a game became more important to them than real life. Today it's MMORPGs. In the '70's and '80's it was D&D. While some games are more... questionable... than others, it all comes down to how engrossed the individual allows himself to become, or how susceptible the individual is to this kind of influence. At the end of the day, it's not the game's fault, but the player's.

Similar with HP. As long as the parent is involved, and refuses the book to a child incapable of making that all-important distinction (regardless of age), then the series is a decent one, as it is entertaining and reads easy. If the child DOES display those signs, however---or if the child is iffy about his place in Christ---I'd be hesitant of EVER letting him near a Harry Potter book.

Originally Posted by nashdude

That right there is the heart of the problem. Not everyone is able to make the distinction between reality and fantasy. As a life-long gamer, I've seen hundreds of lives ripped apart because a game became more important to them than real life. Today it's MMORPGs. In the '70's and '80's it was D&D. While some games are more... questionable... than others, it all comes down to how engrossed the individual allows himself to become, or how susceptible the individual is to this kind of influence. At the end of the day, it's not the game's fault, but the player's.

Similar with HP. As long as the parent is involved, and refuses the book to a child incapable of making that all-important distinction (regardless of age), then the series is a decent one, as it is entertaining and reads easy. If the child DOES display those signs, however---or if the child is iffy about his place in Christ---I'd be hesitant of EVER letting him near a Harry Potter book.

I agree Nash. I was just pointing out that I think there's too much focus on Harry Potter. And I was very involved with my children with this - as well as many other things that could be questionable with them. And I think it's up to every parent to be that way with everything - not just with Harry Potter. I know that's not the stance you were taking Nash. I've just seen it enough and wanted to point that out. Thanks.

Something makes me think that if Jesus was down on this earth right this moment He would NOt be reading Harry Potter books! We are told to be holy, and if one believes he is holy by reading these books, then so be it, but I don't think so. I can think of many better things to do than read these books or see the films