Your Comments

 Harry Potter I

For letters sent after October 28, 2000, click on Harry Potter Comments

Your responses to

Bewitched by Harry Potter  

Harry Potter and D&D

Harry Potter Lures Kids to Witchcraft - with praise from Christian leaders

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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From Kim Brady: I just finished reading the info on Pokemon and the Harris Potter books. What an eye-opener once more. I did not know much of Pokemon, and I asked my daughter who is in 7th grade if she had heard about it, and she began to tell me many of her friends bring the cards to school and trade them. ... We also talked about the Potter books, she said everyone is reading them. I had never heard of them until I read your information. ...

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From a concerned mother: Thank you for the article on Harry Potter. I had heard that it was "the book" that children are reading now. How sad that something so contrary to what is moral has become that popular, although not surprising these days. It seems that the new world way of thinking has become what is wrong is right, what is right is wrong, and do what you want is the only rule. I truly feel sad for the entire generation of children out there who have no idea how to read or write, can't add without a calculator, and feel that adults are in the way of their getting what they want. It certainly is an insidious process.

My sister is the registrar at a high school in Aurora, Colorado, and my niece and her father are/were both teachers in the Colorado school system. Unfortunately my niece and her father were both black-balled at their schools, forced out of teaching, and are now doing other things. They made the mistake of actually trying to teach in their classrooms. I visited them this week and listening to what they were saying about federal control of the schools was so awful. It was never meant that the federal government was to have control over the content of school books or methods of teaching, but they have forced the schools to follow the socialist line and are actually dumbing down the population. I will keep coming back to your site for the truth. Thank you for speaking up for morality, Christianity, and for the armor that we need to face what is undoubtedly coming in the future.

From "abel lastings" (Re: oh my!): I give berit "wild woman" kjos full permission to post this response in its whole, if she is honestly willing to share she will....

Well pokemon wasn't enough. Earthday made kids commies. Now Harry Potter has hit the Berit list of evil.

I can hardly contain the laughter. You truly are a broken record. You've got your conspiracy theory down pat. The occult overmind is setting in! The commies are coming to make the earth green! Your children are about to become the tools of evil! Yeah you go right for the children. I know why you go right for them. It grabs people's attention. It frightens mothers and tenses fathers. You use their primal parental protection against them. You use it to lure them into your outlandish ideas and half baked philosophies. I strongly urge the chrisitans you persuade to your side to let down their initial reaction to your articles and think them through. Let go of the anger. Let go of the immediate "something has to be done about x evil kjos ranted about this time." You know why? I certainly think most people are entitled to their beliefs whether right or wrong but that does not make them valid. Kjos is obviously "off her rocker", she uses your emotions to pry into your value system. Beware! You want to see the global conspiracy for your "soul", look at www.crossroads.to. Rethink what you have read, you do have a mind of your own. If you are an intellectual Christian you can look past these cult-like leaders(Kjos). She's on her personal vendetta. I guess that reality has dealt her some sort of hand she can't handle. She is obviously very upset about the world and views it through a VERY tainted glass. Want proof. Here use her own foolish words.

snip: REMEMBER HISTORY'S LESSONS. The witchcraft and wizardry in Harry Potter books may be fantasy, but they familiarize children with a very real and increasingly popular religion -- one that few really understand. Far removed from the terrors of tribal witchcraft and shamanism, Americans are oblivious to the bondages that normally follow occult favors. But historical and archeological records have traced the earth-centered myths, practices, and consequences through the millennia. These records show that pagan cultures have always been tormented by wars, disease, droughts and famine. Often that list included savage torture, mutilation and human sacrifice. snip:

This is the statement of someone who is VERY ignorant of history. I guess Kjos never knew the black plague ravaged christian Europe. She never heard of the crusades propigated by Christians. She ignores the bloody Catholic / Protestant conflict of ireland (even the first revolution my Martin Luther lead to battles in what is now Germany). She never heard of the tortures the missionaries put the indigenous peoples of South America through. The inquisition and the various implements of torture invented for this moment in history are non- existant in her warped mind. Murder, rape, theft, and other crimes against humanity have been committed in christian nations, and by "good" christians. Being christian does not make you an accomplice to these atrocities but the fact is they have happened and they are disgusting. Kjos would rather gloss them over. Human history is bloody and dark throughout all periods, cultures, and ALL religions, including christianity.

I may seem harsh. I may seem like a "dark" person. I can tell you one thing. I do care about my fellow humans. I do feel that the life we share is worth more than anything else in reality. I can tell you from the bottom of my heart Kjos is sick. She may be a very hurt person deep inside, perhaps her brand of christianity has given her a shield to hold up in the face of a cold reality, but I know she is very wrong in many (probably all) of her views. Can you say someone is wrong? Well of course you can when they don't even use good supporting evidence in their articles. Please don't fall for the emotional trap. Read philosophy! Any philosophy even Aquinas at least someone with a reasonable handle on constructing flowing thoughts. (ick aquinas lol :().

Importantly! Don't read these articles and "run for your gun". Your children will not benefit from what she has to say in these articles. Your life will not be any holier because of her. If your kids play pokemon don't panic. If the read the sword in the stone. Good for them. They are reading. If you think that the Harry Potter books are too occult and you and your child are not capable of being able to read secular literature than read C.S. Lewis. Just read. You can't fuel life on the bible alone! You most certainly can't fuel life on Kjos Berit's articles, maybe you can feed your anger and fear.

Well Kjos, I hope you can post ALL of this. I can understand why you may not. I hope you can stop spreading fear and anger. I hope you can burst the bubble that prevents you from clearly analyzing anything. You have a habit of glossing over facts and details.

I wish I could spend a week writing an article about you for people to be properly warned, but unlike you I can not be the savior part II.

People be carefull. -Abel Lastings

Berit's note: Let me remind you of something I explained earlier: Cultural Christianity is not the same as Biblical Christianity. (See chart showing the difference) The evils committed under the banner of "Christianity" through the Crusades, the Inquisition, the medieval European establishment, etc. had little to do with genuine Christianity. It had everything to do with man's greedy, power-hungry human nature which seeks its own ways rather than God's.

Biblical Christianity means being joined to Jesus Christ through faith in what He did for us at the cross, then allowing Him to live His life through us, so that others might know Him and see His love. (That love may include sharing His warnings as well as His promises with those in need.) Through the ages, the established church, like Old Testament Israel, has tended to drift away from its devotion to God and become just other institutions, subject to the same human impulses and painful consequences as the rest of the world. Please don’t blame human evils on a "straw-man" or a convenient distortion of Christianity.

From BB: I read your article on Harry Potter. I must tell you, as a Christian, that it was one of the most shrill and hysterical things I have ever read. Children raised in a Christian household should have no problem reading fantasy books such as this. It is just this type of silly rhetoric which helps brand us as "Extremists" or other such negative labels. This is the same mentality which has led in the past to the banning of works by authors like C. S. Lewis. I am as conservative as you will find, and your take on this book offends me.

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From Dennis Monroe: I read with understanding some of the email responses that people from the secular community sent to you about your various articles (e.g., "abel lastings"). I say with understanding because I understand that they do not understand, i.e., know, love, and understand the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, I also read with dismay some of the responses from so-called Christians, e.g., "from BB." This "Christian" apparently does not understand that the word of God is unerring and infallible (R. C. Sproul has written some very good material on the holiness of God and the unerring, infallible nature of His word). This person, through his/her lack of understanding, is quite literally putting the children involved in the face of grave danger that a lot of Christians have lost sight of. What I mean is that if you truly believe in and understand the nature of God, then you also truly believe in and understand the nature of Satan. This person apparently does not understand either one. Too many people are unfortunately like this.

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From a concerned mother: I agree with your analysis and would like to point out that the disgust toward the normal and the "regular" is one thing that really divides between the Harry Potter and Pokemon stuff and the C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein writings.

I am sure you come under great attack and wanted to let you know that there are quite a few of us out here in the grass roots, in the public schools, working with our own and other kids and parents right along with you. I have been trying to find more info on Pokemon and your analysis gave me a great place to learn more. Thanks for doing my homework for me!! God bless you all!

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From John Novak: It amazes me how far I've personally come since waking up from modern Christian hypocrisy. Denouncing "occult" practices as evil when the founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ himself, was the master "occultist", practicing transmutation and alchemy, channeling, speaking to angelic guides, mind over matter, and psychic healing. Heck...he even remote viewed a coin in the mouth of a fish for one of his disciples to go get to pay taxes! He also spoke to a deceased soul and brought him back from the astral planes.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." -John 14:12

All of these practices are now condemned as "evil" by people such as yourself and the author of this article who claim to follow his teachings and his example.

One more thing... "But historical and archeological records have traced the earth-centered myths, practices, and consequences through the millennia. These records show that pagan cultures have always been tormented by wars, disease, droughts and famine. Often that list included savage torture, mutilation and human sacrifice."

Are you serious? Read your own Bible...Old Testament! Good grief! Look at the history of the Israelites! Look at the history of the Christian churches and the absolute intolerance for freedom of religious expression! More people have been sacrificed in the name of Christianity than any other! Mutilation and torture go hand in hand with the early Christian Church. Go read up on how Christians treated the native peoples in the Americas.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. I'll follow Jesus' example, not modern Christianity's warped interpretation.

I wonder if you'll post this on your reader comments page.

Berit's note. (Skip this if you read it earlier): Cultural Christianity is not Biblical Christianity. (See chart showing the difference) The evils committed under the banner of "Christianity" through the Crusades, the Inquisition, the medieval European establishment, etc. had little to do with Biblical Christianity. It had everything to do with man's greedy, power-hungry human nature which seeks its own ways rather than God's.

Biblical Christianity means being joined to Jesus Christ through faith in what He did for us at the cross, then allowing Him to live His life through us, so that others might know Him and see His love. (That love may include sharing His warnings as well as His promises with those in need.) Through the ages, the established church, like Old Testament Israel, has tended to drift away from its devotion to God and become just other institutions, subject to the same human impulses and painful consequences as the rest of the world. Please don’t blame human evils on a "straw-man" or a convenient distortion of Christianity.

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From Diane: I really enjoy your articles and I have been to some home schooling discussion boards where this topic has been discussed. I was appalled at how many adults love these books!!! I provided a "link" to your article about these books and some of the responses I had received were that they were glad to have read your article but many people disagreed and found the books to be of good character!!!!!!!! As a home schooling mother I really appreciate your research . . . .

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Anonymous: I'm rather insulted. Your interpretation of Harry Potter does nothing except reinforce the label of modern Christians as intolerants.

Here's a metaphor. Harry's muggle aunt and uncle treat Harry rather badly. In fact, before Harry goes off to Hogwarts in the first book, he didn't have a proper room. He was forced to live in a cupboard. All because his aunt & uncle disagreed with his mother & father, and all the magical hooey. So, to keep Harry from turning to a path of wizardry & witchcraft, they treat him miserably, to the point of child abuse in our world.

Can you see the damaging irony?

If you were Harry's aunt & uncle, would you respond the way they did? Or would you ask another question: WWJD? I don't think Jesus would lock a child up, just to keep him from even seeing something he considered evil. Furthermore, Harry is now notorious for an act of rebellion. In the 3rd book, he inflates an even more rude family member, after this lady blatantly insults Harry's parents. You should be careful of your condemnation of Harry... why is there no mention of the Animorphs on your site? There's real violence... 5 kids that can become any animal they want, so they can murder and kill in their wild animal forms. Or maybe Everworld, a virtual buffet of gods other than God. Need I say Goosebumps? Your omission of these series just leads me to believe that you're just jumping on a Harry Potter bandwagon with no real substance to your arguments.

Maybe the aunt & uncle serve as a larger metaphor: maybe they represent a small class of people who use intolerance as a platform to complain how people are intolerant of them.

Berit's response: Thank you for sharing your thoughts, but you missed my main points of concern. And your last sentence illustrates my warning. Please look again at my statement about "muggles."

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From Terri Mulberry: An unofficial website, http://www.geocities.com/hwarts, is a Harry Potter fan club. Although unofficial and fictitious, fans are invited to register in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Along with the person's name, e-mail, and 50 word paragraph, the only other requirement is to identify your parents as either a witch or muggle. Christians who think there is no danger in Harry Potter would do well to consider how the world is seeing and using Harry Potter mania.

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From J.K-Illinois: Are you serious? I'm a 21-year-old college student, who can't believe you would come up with something as ridiculous as this. All three books about Harry Potter were great. The whole problem is people like you. Not once when I read the three books did I think the author was trying to promote witchcraft or any other nonsense things that you have implied. Maybe, if you would try to lighten up, you could see the fun in these humorous books. You are the ones putting this nonsense into children's heads about the occult, not the Harry Potter books. I am a devote Christian, and I read the bible. I am not offended nor angered by these books. It hurts me to see people turn an innocent book into trash such as you have done. The books give children no more false hope than does the classics such as Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, or Wizard of Oz. But then again you probably think these books are about nonsense things like the occult. Let children be children and let them read as they choose. I highly doubt that just because a child or adult enjoys Harry Potter books that they worship Satan or hate Jesus or God.

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From Susan Reynolds: To even hear someone in this day and age try to incite a witch hunt through children's books (or any other method) is ludicrous. Children's books will not turn children into witches or anything else you consider evil. To even suggest a ban on these books is a horrible thought.

The only reason people have ever banned books in history is to keep others from reading something that might persuade them in some fashion different from those in power or those in a majority. The only thing that banning a book causes is fear and forced stupidity and forced conformation. To ban a book is to breed ignorance. You are trying to do exactly that. Before you go on, try to consider for just a moment all of those people who have banned books in history and why they did it. There is nothing wrong with you having an opinion about something. Everyone has opinions. But, you should respect others choices. And just because you see witchcraft as evil and as being used in the Harry Potter books to convert little children to an "evil" religion, none of that means that that is actually the case. A young man on the Steve and DC radio show was absolutely correct when he told you that children can distinguish between fantasy and reality--and if they can't, it is not Harry Potter's fault, but their parent's fault. Stop scapegoating a fictional character. It is ridiculous. You should never take the attitude that your beliefs are superior over another's. That is wrong. Don't promote fear through ignorance. There have been many times that the Bible has been banned...is that a good thing? No. Why was the book banned? Because it promoted something that those in power were afraid of--something those in power wanted to prevent the masses from seeing and forming opinions of for themselves. When has banning a book ever helped society? Never. Ignorance is not bliss.

Berit's note: Please re-read my article and notice that I didn’t even suggest the Harry Potter books be banned. You misread my message. Instead, I was trying to warn Christian parents that they need to teach their children the kind of biblical discernment that will enable them to recognize the upside-down values of witchcraft and wizardry, then make wise choices. (The next message illustrates my point.)

I agree that everyone has the right to their opinion. So why be so angry when I express mine? While I’m not promoting book-banning, schools and libraries across the country have banned Bibles, Christian magazines, and a variety of popular Christian books. Could they be afraid that children might learn something about Jesus and His values through Christian literature? Publishers have also banned positive references to the traditional family, churches and pastors from classroom curricula. In other words, few children in our government schools really understand the beliefs and values that once made America great. You are right about one thing: banning Christian books have neither helped our nation nor the individual child that missed the opportunity to see reality from our God’s perspective. I find it interesting that those who most angrily decry book-banning have most successfully been authorized to actually do the book-banning from coast to coast.

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From T.J. Stevens: I am the am the [nine year old boy] who refuses to read Harry Porter books and I am letting my friends know that they should not either, but they tell me it's cool reading. I do not agree, I do not even like the book covers... I attend a Christian school and they do not allow Pokemon, but they allow Harry Potter books. Is there anything my mom can do to bring this attention to the principal? ... We love the Lord very much.

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From Jeremy of The Page O' Steimel: Congradulations! Due to your constant showing of excellence in the field of stupidity, I am happy to inform you that you are the very FIRST winner of the Stupidity Award! Feel free to download the JPEG of the award at: <http://www.dreamhaven.net/~lockec_3/stupid.jpg>. You can put it on your front page to warn innocent visitors that nothing
but moronic opinions exist inside. Once again, on behalf of The Page O'Steimel, conradgulations!

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"A wise man fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident."

Proverbs 14:16

Anonymous (Re: REVOLTING): The article on Harry Potter made me SICK. You Christians never cease to amaze me with your almost comical stupidity. I read the comments as well, and they were even worse. It just shows what a mindless flock of sheep you have reading your garbage. It's a BOOK, and a good one at that. The things you people said almost gave me a heart attack! And you know what? I'm glad you're losing, I hope Congress makes the reading of Harry Potter a requirement by law. And you know what else? You're going to KEEP LOSING, because reason will always beat out mindless masses.

Anyway, back to the book. Harry Potter is a fabulous book, one of the greatest written in this decade. Maybe if you Christians could write a book worth glancing at, you would have HALF of an argument. And what makes me happy is the knowlege that there's not one stupid thing you can do about it. It's a good thing we have a Constitution, or every MORON in the world might be running our government. I hope you can find it in your twisted little minds to APOLOGIZE to all those who admire great literature and who are not madly afraid of illusions such as your "GOD."

Publish this if you like, but I would ask my name be kept ananymous (and my email) as there is no telling what idiots in masses will do when justly insulted. Thank you for your time. I would appreciate a response.

Berit's response: Thank you for taking time to write us. Your comments will be posted by tomorrow morning, and I did not include your name or email address. I'm sure many will appreciate your views.

Personally, I believe your message is a bit hateful and arrogant. But it's your opinion, and I certainly believe you have the right to express them. I wish you would be a little more fair in granting me the same rights. Remember, I am not trying to ban the books. I agree with you that everyone who wants to read it has the constitutional right to do so. I'm simply providing information and a warning -- from a Biblical perspective -- to Christian parents and children who might prefer not to fill their minds with Harry's perspective. (I would guess that the same concerns keep you from reading the Bible.) Don't you believe that we share the same rights you do?

His second letter: I believe in a government called an Intellectual Oligarchy in which the intelligent few rule the ignorant masses (much like Brave New World, but with some moderations). Therefore, I think you can see why I think Christians aren't entitled to an opinion. Very un-American, I know, but something necessary to better the state. You seem like a fairly intelligent person, and I would urge you to enlighten yourself. Check out the American Atheist website, and see why living a logical and reasoning life is so much better than one of blinded fear and illogical thought. I urge you to really sit back and THINK about your religion. Does it really make sense? Look closely, it has a lot of holes in it. Is it any wonder to you that scientific discoveries keep proving the Bible wrong. Just admit it! One
day, science will be so advanced, that everything in the Bible will be proven wrong. Join the winning side now, and live a happier life, free of masters, free of God.

Ps. You may be happy to know I'm only 15, so you are attracting young people
to your site. Please, use your power in a positive way!

From Susan: To even hear someone in this day and age try to incite a witch hunt through children's books (or any other method) is ludicrous. Children's books will not turn children into witches or anything else you consider evil. To even suggest a ban on these books is a horrible thought.

The only reason people have ever banned books in history is to keep others from reading something that might persuade them in some fashion different from those in power or those in a majority. The only thing that banning a book causes is fear and forced stupidity and forced conformation. To ban a book is to breed ignorance. You are trying to do exactly that. …Try to consider for just a moment all of those people who have banned books in history and why they did it. There is nothing wrong with you having an opinion about something. Everyone has opinions. But, you should respect others choices. And just because you see witchcraft as evil and as being used in the Harry Potter books to convert little children to an "evil" religion, none of that means that that is actually the case.

A young man on the Steve and DC radio show was absolutely correct when he told you that children can distinguish between fantasy and reality--and if they can't, it is not Harry Potter's fault, but their parent's fault. Stop scapegoating a fictional character. It is ridiculous. You should never take the attitude that your beliefs are supierior over another's. That is wrong. Don't promote fear through ignorance. There have been many times that the Bible has been banned...is that a good thing? No. Why was the book banned? Because it promoted something that those in power were afraid of--something those in power wanted to prevent the masses from seeing and forming opinions of for themselves. When has banning a book ever helped society? Never. Ignorance is not bliss.

Join the most exciting community of women on the web!

From Jacqui Komschlies: I just finished reading the lengthy "comments" section. Some of the things people write make me ashamed of how far we've come. I often pass on your articles to my friends and other people at our Christian school. Some people "get it" immediately, and others just look at me blankly. They don't even recognize that there is anything wrong with these things.

As a child, I was fascinated with anything to do with the supernatural. If there was a book that turned out to have a "normal" explanation, I didn't like it. I started with true science fiction, went to horror and then to science fantasy. The science fantasy was where I found the supernatural that I was craving, with wizards and magic, power and adventure. By the time I was 20, I was reading 4-5 books a week. That realm took over my thoughts. I couldn't stop thinking about the goddesses I was reading about. I even started dreaming it. One day, the goddesses from my dreams started talking to me. That was enough! I finally woke up to what I was doing to myself and my faith.

If I had kept on, I would have lost my faith, and perhaps even become trapped in possession. I still considered myself a Christian the whole time! If someone like you had pointed out to me what I was doing, I would have laughed at you. I might even have said some of the same things the people who write you have said. The thing is, no one looking at me would have thought anything was wrong. I was a normal teenager. I didn't smoke, drink, swear or go "too far" with my boyfriend. I went to church and was a leader both in my youth group and at school. Yet look at what was happening to me, just from what I was reading.

Thirty years ago, I had to search for those type of books, but now they're everywhere. Thirty years ago, my reading tastes were extreme, but now the child who stays away from that type of material is the exception. I fear that what happened to me is happening to more and more Christian children. One thing that whole period of my life has done - I can speak with authority of the dangers of straying into territory that God says to stay away from. Keep up the good work!

From J.K.: Are you serious? I'm a 21-year-old college student, who can't believe you would come up with something as ridiculous as this. All three books about Harry Potter were great. The whole problem is people like you. Not once when I read the three books did I think the author was trying to promote witchcraft or any other nonsense things that you have implied. Maybe, if you would try to lighten up, you could see the fun in these humorous books. You are the ones putting this nonsense into children's heads about the occult, not the Harry Potter books.

I am a devote Christian, and I read the bible. I am not offended nor angered by these books. It hurts me to see people turn an innocent book into trash such as you have done. The books give children no more false hope than does the classics such as Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, or Wizard of Oz. But then again you probably think these books are about nonsense things like the occult. Let children be children and let them read as they choose. I highly doubt that just because a child or adult enjoys Harry Potter books that they worship Satan or hate Jesus or God. Thank you for taking time to read this and if you wish to respond my email is....

From Jeff Kramer [most of his letter is in the Pokemon section]: I came across your webpage as a link from the American Decency Association…. I found the article about Star Wars and the New World Order very amusing. I must ask, do you people take yourselves seriously? The idea that George Lucas (who by the way is a genius) is doing anything other than trying to tell a story and run his business is insane. I liked the insinuation that Lucas Learning is a brainwashing tool as well. Lucas Learning makes computer games that make kids use problem solving skills to complete the game. Or is that wrong because the kids shouldn't think of answers themselves, rather they should look to God for the answer to the game?

… I thank you for your time, and any response would be appreciated. Sincerely,

 

From a man who prefers not to include name: First of all, I must applaud you on an excellent site; unlike many others that purport to be like it, you have truly gone in-depth on the topics you discuss, and that is indeed a blessing. However, I'm afraid I believe your most recent topic of discussion is off-base, however well-intentioned it may be: your condemnation of the Harry Potter series and other instances of wizardry and role-playing in popular entertainment.

I can base my critique of your claim that all such works portraying the use of magic - be it good or bad - are a wicked influence on the children of this country on one solid example: the works of C.S. Lewis. As you are no doubt aware, Lewis was one of the most outspoken and theologically dedicated artists of this century, whose later essays remain some of the most thoughtful testaments of faith in the modern age and personal life was at first shrouded in the darkness of sin and disbelief but later renewed in the light of the Saviour, and yet he wrote the deeply magical, openly paganistic "Chronicles of Narnia" for children. Lewis himself believed he was doing a good work by writing the series - they clearly show good as triumphant over evil, and when one examines the story closely, one sees that is largely an allegory to the life of Jesus, which endeavors to show children the true path lies in following the good that is known without question (ie faith). No disrespect was intended for pursuing such a huge allegorical statement, and I believe that anyone who reads the stories without judging them beforehand will agree that no heresy was imparted in its execution.

So the problem for your positions presents itself thusly: if you continue to hold that all such stories invoking magic are wicked influences, then surely you must condemn Lewis's work as well, but if you do so you will be denying the efforts of a good Christian to teach children the true path through his powerful storytelling skills....

[Berit's response: I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but I must disagree. Please read points 1 and 2 in Bewitched by Harry Potter. I cite two major differences: one deals with today's culture which differs from the cultural context of C.S. Lewis' times, and the other looks at the difference between the two authors' world views.]

If you allow Lewis his place among those who show children the light of Christ through fable and allegory, then you must at least consider that tales such as Harry Potter (written by a woman of good standing and acknowledged faith) and others may not automatically be wicked after all, but in fact instructional tales about choosing the good life God gave us all to live. Shrouded in strange elements they may be, but strange does not always mean evil, simply that sometimes one must look deeper than simply the surface of the matter to behold the truth.

In any event, I hope you will at least consider my argument, meant as it is in the spirit of defending the possibility of good talecraft in today's world, and I thank you for your time.

From a concerned parent (Re: Christians in Denial): I am amazed at the number of times recently I have been told that you can make evil out of anything if you try hard enough! These comments have all been in regards to the stand my family has taken in the areas of Halloween, Pokemon, and other toys our children are enticed to play with. We do not steer our kids away from these things because of fear but because of knowledge! The Bible clearly commands us to have no part of the unfruitful works of the darkness, but to rebuke them, to come out and be separate, to immitate Christ's love and self denial, to be Holy as He is Holy, to be aware that we battle not against flesh and blood but principalities and powers.

How can Bible believing Christians encourage their children to dress up as witches, to play role playing fantasy games and to do everything as the world does. Our family used Halloween as an opportunity to spread the plan of salvation, we speak against these demonic games because we are called to be the salt and light not because we are on a witch hunt. How can we win the world if we are just like the world. God says we are not to be double minded. Christ made great sacrifices for us how can we not follow His commands!

We are in a very real battle that we tend to underestimate every day. God is so gracious to show us mercy and forgiveness, and to give us the Name of Jesus with which to win this battle. If only our eyes could be opened! Lord open our eyes to spiritual things, use this ministry to educate those in the dark! Shine Your light O Heavenly Father that You may be Glorified!

From Jacqui Komschlies: Yesterday, I took copies of your articles to my Lutheran Parent Magazine meeting (I am on their advisory board), because Pokemon and Potter were on our list of things to discuss. We became embroiled in a big discussion of adiophora and Christian freedom. It is all very confusing to me. I am not able to say with authority that the Bible says this, or does not say that as the Pastors on our board can. To me, it doesn't seem very clear that Harry Potter books fall into the "meat sacrificed to idols" category. All I can say is what books like that did to me. Perhaps I was just weak and susceptible, I don't know. For me, those type of books are now sin, because I believe that if I were to read them for enjoyment, it would be wrong. Maybe for someone else that would not be the case. It is very confusing.

You are not wrong, Jacqui. God will bless you for you obedience! The only safe place is at the foot of the cross and in the center of His wonderful will.

From Terri Mulberry: I had written an article for our church families about the Harry Potter series. In doing so, I chose to read the first book for myself. I found that I had to read it with a dictionary beside me as I suspected that some of the terms were not fictitional. What I found was amazing. Seems like Rowling is putting a lot of terminology into the minds of children. Ghosts and goblins would be expected, but bezoar stones? 

Anonymous: Unlike some others writing, I don't feel the need to attack your religious beliefs. You're as entitled as I, or anyone else, to believe as you see fit--and if those beliefs include love and concern for your fellow man, so much the better! But it's a little disturbing that you are so eager to find fault with books such as the Harry Potter series, which is only a fantasy, and one which suggests that we should be aware of evil and seek to combat it--not something I would have thought anti-christian. And it's also a bit strange that a member of the largest, most influential religion on the face of the planet is so fearful of the influence of a few books, or of other religions, or of the U.N. for that matter. I suggest that you pray further for guidance, and show more toleration for others of different beliefs. Perhaps you could learn to stop seeing everything as a plot or attack, and merely see them as something you personally don't care for. My best wishes for such a resolution. Thank you.

Michael Szidloski: I have read your articles about the Harry Potter book, and must say that I am appalled.  Your reasons for keeping this book from schools around the country are ludicrous.  If books were to be banned from schools for the reasons you proscribe we ban the Harry Potter books, then I would never have read A Wind in the Door, by Madeline L'Engle, or any of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books.  In fact, Tolkien's works are by far more "damaging" to the christian faith than the Harry Potter books, for Tolkien created an entire religion for Middle Earth.

As for your talk of feminists, I am extremely saddened by your choice of words.  It seems to me as though you may think that a woman's place is in the home.  As striking as it may sound, we do live in the 21st century, and not the 12th.  People are no longer burned at the stake, and women are no longer treated as cattle.  At least I hope they are not.  Forgive my sounding rude, but your writings sound similar to one fundamentalist islamic that I know.  I am saddened by your witch hunt, and hope that the veil of delusion is removed from your eyes soon.

Michael, I didn't say the things you imagine I did. Perhaps this another fallout from today's  almost fanatic promotion of the imagination: people no longer think or discuss issues factually. Feelings and imagination have replaced facts and logic.  I've not tried to ban the books from any school; my goal has been to warn Christian parents. They originally asked me for this information.  

Nor do I remember implying that women be treated as cattle. Personally, I can't think of a more privileged position than having a husband who loves and supports me, being free to raise our children at home, sharing in their adventures, helping others, reading, etc. But that's beside the point. Seems to me you might be arguing against a strawman. 

From Michael Szidloski [see note above]: Where is the logic behind this statement? "Books such as the Harry Potters series fit, because they reinforce the global and occult perspective. Page after exciting page brings the reader into the timeless battle between good and evil, then trains them to see the opposing forces from a pagan, not a Biblical perspective." 

Logic has nothing to do with religion, logic is based on factual premises and valid syllogistic structures, neither of which are included in any religion.  Religion is based on faith, which forms a very poor premise to build any valid logic structure on.  I suggest you read Mr. Lizard's response to your critique of the Harry Potter books. As for your statement that "feelings and imagination have replaced facts and logic."  Since when has the world been a logical and rational place?  

As for the part about women, I am sorry, for I took you ideas on feminism (the idea that women should have rights) for your attitude on women in general.  Your statement about Naomi Goldenberg and Ms. Rowling led me to believe (perhaps mistakenly) that you believed in a literal interpretation of the bible.  You claim that I put up a strawman argument,I have not, for my argument is not setting up a weaker version of your argument.  I am reporting what I have interpreted from your articles, and commenting on them.   

Berit's response: The problem, Michael, is that you base you interpretations of my comments and of Christianity in general on a faulty premise. Therefore you can't understand what I am saying. You seem to have bought today’s cultural bias against Biblical truth and world view without really examining what Christianity is. For example, it, more than other religions, respected, educated, and treasured women.

Some of the misconceptions are outlined in a book called "The Agnostic Who Dared to Search." The author, Dr. Viggo Olsen, MD, began his search as a skeptic who had embraced today's popular defenses against Christianity. I'm sure you can identify with his starting point:   

When the respected surgeon began his systematic search, he found more answers than he had questions. And, like other educated science-based seekers, he discovered that the answers were logical as well as reliable. Dr. Olsen's little book is now out of print, but you can find the same historical and archeological evidence for the validity of Christianity in many other books. For example: 

Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell

 

Michael Szidloski's response to the comments above:  *sigh* your assumptions never cease to amaze me.  You are committing the fallacy of diversion with your statement that I "...can't understand what I {you} are saying." 

Berit's response: It’s not a diversion, Michael. It’s true. You can’t understand what I am saying from a Biblical perspective. The Bible tells us that only those who trust and follow Jesus are filled with His Holy Spirit and can understand God’s heart and will. (1 Corinthians 1 and 2)

You are also throwing out a red herring by trying to focus on what you percieve to be my misconceptions about christianity, (which is the fallacy of a loaded eptithet), as well as offering someone else's arguements, which have nothing to do with the arguement at hand at all.  As for the treatment of women in the bible, I am no expert on it, but go to www.tencommandments.org, and ask Mr. Robert T. Lee about it.  He seems to have a veritable cournocopeia of knowledge concerning woman's roles in the bible, even if I disagree with his interpretation.  I suggest you leave the circumstantial character attacks at home next time, for they are quite annoying and do deploy a wonderful smoke screen over the issue at hand.

Thank you for the reference, but I prefer to go straight to the Bible. God has promised His people that He would be our counselor and guide, and I trust His Spirit more than I trust the many human interpretations. He is a faithful Shepherd to all who will follow Him. 

From Melanie Myer: I would like to point out that you have misinterpreted and  misrepresented J.K. Rowling's depiction of "Muggles".  You write, "...this  girl would be called a Muggle, someone who doesn't like or believe in  witchcraft and wizardry."  Upon a closer reading of the book, you would find  that a Muggle is simply a person who does not have magical ability.  You also state, "Muggles are no longer tolerated by those who embrace the new spirituality."

Berit's response: It's true.  Haven't you noticed how the word "Muggles" has suddenly become a popular buzzword. For example, a New York Times ad for the Harry Potter audiocassette states: "Don't be a Muggle! Share a magical listening experience with your family." Another article is titled "'Muggles' Seek To Muzzle Harry Potter In Schools." Both refer to the human equivalent of Ms Rowling's Muggles. Because of the Harry Potter series, both equate Muggles with something bad. Therefore the word is used to demean and ridicule those whose beliefs clash with witchcraft and wizardry. 

Secondly, I was flabbergasted at how you made a leap in logic, from A to  Q, in this statement: "This cultural phenomenon [bestseller status of Harry  Potter books] WILL SURELY [emphasis mine] make Biblical Christianity more  intolerable and increase the pressure on our children to conform to  earth-centered spirituality." 

It has already done so. Children who refuse to read the books are ridiculed by friends and teachers. The girl in Santa Rosa, CA, who chose not to play "Quidditch and ride a broomstick with her classmates suffered the embarrassment of being the only one left out of a very popular game. Even the media made fun of her. Few appreciated the courage of a young girl who would rather face cultural persecution than displease the God she loves. 

That statement of necessary cause and effect is a breach of rational argument which sounds suspiciously akin to the  practice of divination.  Hopefully, it was simply a matter of your emotions  getting the best of you and what you meant to say was something a little  different (such as, " this. . . MAY make", or "has the potential", or  "threatens to"). 

You are wrong here, Melanie. Please look again at my previous comment. You are ignoring the factual consequences of the Harry Potter phenomenon. Children are pressured to conform to the new earth-centered spirituality – and not just through the Harry Potter books. But this series speed the process.

 I'm coming from a perspective of agreeing with some of your ideas, and disagreeing with others.  I am a mother of three: two boys who attend Christian school, and a daughter whom I homeschool due to medical needs  (cystic fibrosis).  I have read the three Harry Potter books to my children, and we have found them rich with Christian symbolism, have enjoyed them immensely, and have found them enhancing our relationships with Jesus Christ.  We believe in the inerrancy of God's Word (specifically, in the original Greek and Hebrew), and believe that we are to love and obey God's Word in its entirety.

I appreciate your heart and the struggles you face. Nevertheless, what you call Christian symbolism becomes anything but Christian when put into a pagan context. That’s why globalist educators stress context – a word that has become part of educational frameworks across the country and around the world. When you take words like spirit, angel, or God out of the Biblical context and place them into a story written from a pagan perspective – with corresponding cultural symbols – those words and symbols take on a new meaning. That’s what’s happening to words and symbols today. With the cultural paradigm shift from the Christian paradigm to the global or earth-centered paradigm, words such as God and angel have been given new meanings. Culturally, “god” can mean any kind of deity, and – more often than not – “angels” refer to permissive, feminine New Age deities that function at their own whim rather than as messengers of the sovereign God of the Bible.  (See Touched By An Angel - But Which Kind?) 

I truly appreciate your last sentence. His Word is our guide, and if we set our mind to know and follow it, our Shepherd will surely lead us in His truth and ways. But we also need to remember such Scriptures as Colossians 2:8, which was written for believers: 

"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”

I hope that the above comments will enable and alert you to be more  accurate and truthful as you pursue your ministry. Respectfully, your sister in Christ, Melanie  

Anonymous: As a Christian and a school librarian, I can appreciate your concerns about the Harry Potter books. However, I feel that you have taken to an extreme. The children out there who do have an interest in witchcraft do not seek the Harry Potter books for inspiration. In fact they've never even thought of the books that way, because to them Harry Potter is pretend. They realize, like other children that Harry lives in a make believe world similar to Mary Poplins or the High King.

God does want us to be prepared to fight spiritual warfare and perhaps in some cases "die" for the cause, but Harry Potter is not one of those causes.

From Berit: Why do advertiser spend millions on ads that often are more fantasy than reality? Because they know that appealing images -- especially those that evoke emotions -- change both values and behavior. People remember the images and buy the product. Books sell ideas and lifestyles, especially fun and exciting books like the Harry Potter series. Those ideas and beliefs clash with everything God loves. I didn't suggest anyone die for Harry Potter. But giving up Harry Potter is a small sacrifice to pay for those who love Jesus. After all, He gave His life for us.  

Anonymous:  Who are you? And how did I manage to infest my computer with your crackpot Christianity? I was merely looking for a literary review of the Harry Potter phenomenon and somehow I got cross referenced to your little web of fundamentalist diatribes.

It sounds as if you are suggesting that the Internet should censor opinions that conflict with yours. Would you really like to set aside the First Amendment and the free speech we have long enjoyed in this nation?

On today's vast World Wide Web, our site is noted along with everyone else's by uncensored search engines. We didn't try to lure you here. Please remember that America is made up of people with all kinds of beliefs and worldviews. If we can't be civil to each other, we will all lose the rights we have treasured. If I can't speak unless I am politically correct, neither are you free unless you conform. 

From "Haven't gone astray after reading every word possible about Harry Potter": you sicken me. this is literature that makes children want to read and broadens the imagination God gave them. Children that have strong roots in the Christian faith know well enough that sorcerey is 'bad' and are not to follow it. God gave us all free will. I've read all four books TWICE. AND i have no desire to become a witch or sorcerer because I know it is all 'rubbish'. But for someone to call a brilliant piece of literature they've never even read evil, thats ignorant.

Let me remind you that everyone is different and those who do not believe in our Lord like Buddhists and religions like those see no threat in reading literature like Harry Potter.

From Berit: Yes, God gave us free will. We can either walk with Him on the "narrow road" or follow the crowd and do what is popular. You seem to have chosen the latter. I suggest your think about what Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-4. It shows where that road ends:

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  

You are also making some other unfounded assumptions. First, that I haven't read the books. Second, that a popular or a "brilliant piece of literature" is also good in God's sight. Third, that your "strong roots in the Christian faith" will keep you safe when you choose to do your will rather than His. May I suggest you read Bewitched by Harry Potter and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Let's pray together that God will speak to your heart  through His Word. 

From Rebecca: LOVED your in depth info on Harry Potter.  I work heavily in online Christian chat rooms and want to let you know that those I come in contact with concerning some of the articles you discuss & explain here on your web site, I always forward as a link for them to read your information.

The signs and writing are on the wall as to how CLOSE we are to the Lord's return... becoming as the days of Noah!  On one hand I see it as SCARY; as I watch a nation turn pagan in front of my eyes... yet exciting because HE IS MY BLESSED HOPE! I sit & watch people go from bad to worse & the nation crumble - knowing I have the answers & truth in JESUS CHRIST Who is able to CHANGE our Country - & they want no part of Him or believe HE is the answer!. It is heartbreaking. I will keep praying the Lord sift & work to DRAW who will come and SHOW THEM the lies they're believing.

What I found MOST alarming about this Harry Potter "gimmick", is that this time, Satan isn't even needing to disguise himself to be accepted. He has exposed himself in plain view through the occult with magic and spells and people are eating it up & can't get enough!

Satan at least had to WORK harder to get acceptance in the past; today, he all but waltzes in saying he's satan!. (he seems to be doing his best work in keeping people from believing he's a real entity!)

I watched a local TV station do a piece on this Harry Potter obsession at a bookstore opening and there were masses of small children, young kids & even adults dressed up in warlock costumes and performing "mock" spell castings... pink foamy gel in kids hands used in magic & chanting spells... all sorts of demonic things. I couldn't believe my eyes & my heart just SANK watching something so blatant!

Anyways... I just wanted to say that I fully agree with your article; THIS IS NOT MAKE BELIEVE; the spirit realm is very real - it's not a sandbox to play in (I can say that because I learned that fact the HARD WAY & got into severe demonic trouble 3 years ago with what I thought was "just a game", "not real" -NOT SO!). Even dabbling in the unclean thing WILL snare us & give satan RIGHTS to blind/ oppress us.! We're told not to even TOUCH the unclean - for good reason! (our protection).

I pray God's strength & peace to you both in your valuable ministry! May God watch over & protect you from the evil one. IN HIS HOLY name, Rebecca.

JESUS Christ who is the eternally blessed God. Rom 9:5

Michele Minick: I've been doing my best trying to debate the issue of Harry Potter books with people. I clearly feel in the minority. I have formed a Christians Against Harry Potter club in Yahoo clubs. I often direct people to your excellent web site. Can you tell me, how do I respond when they bring up the Chronicles or Narnia, or Oz? How does "magic" in some of the classics differ from the magic in Harry Potter?  Thank you for your help, and God bless!!

From Berit: Though C.S. Lewis included many occult images and practices in his stories, he did attempt to teach a Christian world view through the Narnia series. Few Christians missed the fact that Aslan represented Christ, "the Lion of Judah," or that the lion had to give his life in order to meet our need for redemption.

In contrast, the Harry Potter books show and promote an occult world view. They demean people like us (who refuse to accept witchcraft and wizardry) as muggles, while they entice children to seek pagan power and love what God calls an "abomination" (See Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). While some argue that the books teach "good" values, these "lessons" are taught in a pagan context -- one that turns everything upside down. Long ago, God warned us about this timeless and tempting tendency: 

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;

Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness...

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,

And clever in their own sight!" (Isaiah 5:20-21)

 

From Ken McCormick: This is certainly an interesting web site. I was directed here by another parent in my school district who is also opposing the use of the Harry Potter books as required reading in the classroom. Glancing over the responses to you which you have posted, I see you have come in for the same sort of vituperation that I have experienced as a result of my public criticism of Harry Potter. Clearly, this popular entertainment represents something deeper to many people, or they wouldn't be so indignant at hearing it criticised. To those who have urged you to "get a life," I say it appears to be they who very much need to "get a life." Keep up the good work.

For your information, two of my letters to the editor on the Potter books follow.  (Click here to read his informative letters) 

Anonymous: today as i read my morning paper i notice mr. potter in the letters to the editor. i read intently the breif letter stating that harry potter lead children to worhip satan.  

now i do believe that you are off base. i am christian in faith, my father being a minister.  I was brought up to except and appreciate other areas of study and religion. my sister was a lesbian my parents were divorsed. Are these to acts against God or are you so preoccupied by you faith that you can't handle differences for what they are. 

many children read these books, my brother teaches them in his fouth grade class. they do not pull children away from faith and i would go so far as to say children that age don't understand faith well enough to stray from it. we must teach diversity for there to be any reason in our society. please take this into consideration or you are no greater than hitler.

From Berit: I haven't said that Harry Potter would lead children to worship satan, but I can see how today's fascination with evil characters (Darth Vader, for example) shows a strong attraction, bordering on reverence, for powerful evil characters and the power they represent. Wouldn't you agree with that?

We need to understand the world's different beliefs and cultures and learn to care about each other, but we don't need to "teach diversity." That phrase implies excaggerating our differences, using them to manipulate young and old into setting aside Biblical values and seeing all things from a new global perspectives. America has never been perfect because people are not perfect. But, with its Biblical emphasis on love, honesty, and sharing, it has proven more accepting of differences and more kind to the poor than any other country in the world. That's why so many people from around the world flocked to America.

No those values are being destroyed in the name of peace and diversity. We are heading for an eruption of anger and conflict in this country -- in spite of all the manipulative strategies for consensus building and anger management -- that Americans can hardly even imagine.

God's Word tells us that homosexual practices -- and in many cases divorce -- are sins. So are irrational anger, bitterness, slander, false reports, gluttony, promiscuity, stealing, etc. And Jesus said that even if we didn't actually commit any of these sins, just thinking or imagining them would be a sin. In other words, no one can live a perfect life. Everyone needs to come to the cross and be cleansed, set free, and saved from the power and condemnation of sin. That puts us all on the same plane, doesn't it.  I think that's exciting. We all need Jesus.  

It's also exciting to know that those whose sins seem the greatest are often the ones that best can sense the love of Jesus when they decide to trust Him. Remember the woman in Luke 7  -- probably a prostitute -- who sought Jesus at Simon's house so that she might anoint Him with a special salve?  Afterwards Jesus said to Simon,  

 "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.... You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." (Luke 7:44-47)

  

From Don M.:  Praise the Lord for His leading you to do this article.. its a winner ..and I will put it out this Sunday at Church...

As Gods Word describes the strange last days..... "certain men have "crept in unawares"... also I am reminded of men having given heed to seducing spirits... much of what passes as "getting more in touch with God" is nothing short of mysticism and sorcery with a "christianized label on the tag"...

I , of course , cannot judge motive, but these men are endorsing what God Hates,...and they are by such deed in need of reproof and correction ...for they lead many astray and in peril of their souls by undermining God's clear warnings .

These may be called "leaders" due to their "notoriety" but God has never looked at "notoriety" as an asset... God values obedience to Him and His Word. After reading the endorsements from these 'so-called" leaders. I would suggest that we define them as "Notorious" ...but of course, the holy Spirit already did that for His own instantly as we read the flattering compromising and embracing of what the Lord calls abomination...

What a wonderful time to Know TRUTH !!!! Jesus Christ is King and reigns !!!!!!

Shine the Light..!!!! ( It makes the darkness scatter like rats in a sewer) oooops, I guess I need to polish up my 'consensus" team building skills a bit...  *gag* ..what a world......!!!!

Let God be True and "every man" a LIAR....  

God said it, and I believe it, and that's good enough for me... Would that Gods Word were good enough for Colson, Christianity Today, Wheaton College professors, and the others I have to dust my feet from now. The separating and refinement fires continue to purge truth from error and followers from cultural christians. So be it. This had to happen. God said it would.

THIS IS EXACTLY LIKE THE BIBLE PROPHESIED...ALMOST TOTAL LOSS OF GODS COMPASS OF RIGHT AND WRONG... THROUGH THE ABANDONMENT OF GODS WORD AS TRUTH AND THE EMBRACING OF LIES AND SORCERY AS CHEAP SATANIC COUNTERFEITS !!!!

MAN, WHAT A GOD WE SERVE !!! EVERY PROPHECY TRUE AND RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR EYES !!! WOW !!!  

BRUISED, BEATEN, BLOODY, BUT NOT DEFEATED.......AND IN AWE OF OUR GREAT GOD..... MARANATHA.

Amen!  Thank you, Don

From JWG: I saw your site in a newspaper, and decided to go to it.  What I found was the exact segment of Christian faith that disgusts me the most.  The incredible close-mindedness, the inability to recognize the most basic changes in life since the time the New Testament (and the Old) was written, and the complete fear of anything remotely affronting to your values.

Harry Potter, for example, is a book.  It is not a Satanic beacon, and it does not encourage people to turn away from your "true lord."  Books are meant to explore new areas, not stay within the boundaries that scared and cowardly people want them to be in.  If you can't accept a slight spark of imagination, that you are truly quite sad. 

I am Jewish, and I must say, that if that is your idea of what God is and should be, than I want nothing to do with it.  God does not live to punish people for THINKING about something that takes away from his glory! 

The Evangelists, the whole group of Christians who believe in this fire and brimstone, disgust me.  If your belief of God is that he is a vengeful, hate filled and above all insecure being who needs to be protected from those who would pollute his name, than I want nothing to do with it.  And are you truly so dense to belive that a book, or a movie, is enough to turn us into devil worshippers?  If so, I'm sorry for you.

Keep on scrutinizing every little detail that comes your way to cleanse it of anything that could possibly change your idea of what should be, because that truly would be an abomination.  Obviously all that was written in the Torah/Bible is frozen in stone.  Why, I hope you show proof of your daughter's "cleanliness" by hanging her sheets in the middle of town, because if you don't, the satanic cults of the media have probably gotten to you.

Your Sickened Reader,

From Ann Leap: Hi I just wanted to say thank you for your informative article about Harry Potter! I knew we didn't like it but didn't know why! Even some of the Christian leaders in our church are letting their kids read them! So terrible. I will be sharing this article with them! Thanks so much for your insight! God Bless You,

From Mooserat [a 16 year old girl]:  I read you're article about Harry Potter, and I didn't like it one bit.   First of all, you got a lot of facts wrong.  You say many time that Harry  Potter has psychic abilities, when the books never make any mention of that.   In fact, Harry isn't all that great of a wizard.  You also talk about  "muggles."  You define them as people who hate, wizardry and magic.  This is wrong.  Muggles, as defined by the books, are simply people who do not posses magical powers, not people who hate witches and wizards.  To me this makes it seems as though you haven't read the books.

The second thing you talk about is how the books are turning people away from Christianity and God.  This is untrue as well.  My best friend is one of the  most devoted Catholics I have ever known.  She read the books, and nothing  happened to her.  She is still as devoted as she was before.  Even her 10  year old sister read these books.  She loves the Harry Potter series now, but she doesn't run around in black robes with a wand, chatting spells.  Like most people, they could tell the difference between fiction and fantasy and  she realizes that Harry Potter is fantasy.

From Berit: Some do turn to witchcraft (see Harry Potter Lures…), but they’re not likely to wear “black robes” or pointed hats. All the witches I have known (both male and female) dress like everyone else, though a few prefer ordinary black clothes.

I personally am not a Christian, but maybe it would be good for you to get an  atheists opinion.  After I read these books, I didn't want to become a witch.   I know that wizards and witches and all of that are just fantasy.  These  books are just entertaining stories that want to get kids to read.  I don't  think the author wrote them to turn Christians into Pagans.  (Even thought  they don't seem all that Pagan to me.  I think you are mistaken about  Paganism)  She wrote them because she enjoys writing them.

Check the “churches” in your area. One may be Wiccan. Remember, they are real enough to be considered authentic, tax-deductible church groups.

So, if you want to convince people that these books are evil, then knock  yourself out.  But you really are depriving people of wonderful stories.  I  thank you for reading this article, and I thank you for you're time.

From Berit: I defined “the mundane world of muggles” as “those boring, blinded, and biased humans who either don’t believe in the world of witches or who despise it as evil. Harry’s cruel aunt and uncle fit the last category.” Wouldn’t you say that’s fits the usage?

 From Kathy W. Stein [Subject: Have you lost your minds?]: G-d gave you a mind with which to think. 

From Ruel Haymond:  I have been following your articles and radio interviews for the past two years and I want to deeply thank you for the work you are performing.  I was just reading some of the comments sent to you concerning Harry Potter and it saddens me to read the criticism your reviews are receiving.

If I may, I would like to make some comments.  With so much literature available that will fill our children's hearts and minds with principles of truth and an understanding that they are literally children of a loving God or Father in Heaven, why do we even concern ourselves with books that would do less?  This life is so short and we have such little time to overcome the difficulties of this flesh, our passions and appetites, and to come unto Christ and align ourselves with His teachings.  Why would we seek anything questionable? 

So many make the argument that "at least children and parents are reading."  Why weren't we reading before the Potter books became available?  Do we not, as a nation, recognize the wealth of learning that is already available to us through the classics, scriptures, etc.?  We have always had great books to turn to.

Now, with respect to the pagan and occult leanings that these books declare, again I can't understand why we would voluntarily spend our time exposing our families to more of what the world is already thrusting upon us.  Are we not tired of the daily onslaught of humanistic and aetheistic teachings that we receive from the media, schools, etc.? 

Do we not realize that there really is a spiritual war raging and that we must be continuously vigilant in keeping the commandments of God if we even expect to avoid being deceived?  Do Americans believe that there is no devil and that opposition does not exist in all things?  Do we believe that Satan really does not want us to be as miserable as he is? 

The evidence that I have discovered, not to mention the revelations and prophecies found in scripture, warn us of difficult times ahead. Shouldn't we be doing all that we can to come unto Christ, put on His armor, and work to save the souls of everyone around us by doing as He did?

Also, with reference to the comments made concerning how much death and destruction has been brought about by those claiming to be Christians, I would like to share some thoughts.  As you said, those who used compulsion to spread Christianity across the earth were not behaving like Christians.  At the time of these crusades and such, I am positive that there were true, humble followers of Christ living, but they were not spreading their message in such an un-godlike fashion.

True Christians, those who look to Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, the Prince of Peace, the Savior and Redeemer of the World, and who are working on a second by second basis to take His name upon them, to always remember Him, and to have His spirit to be with them, these are they that would take the admonition of the Lord at face value. When He says that certain things are        abominations, these followers accept that and move on to what He would have them read or do.

 Again, thank you for taking this challenge upon yourself and may the Lord bless you.

From Nicholas Lusty, Erlangen, Germany: I was researching some of the hysterical webpages about Harry Potter and I have to write to you to say how pleasantly surprised I was by your webpages.

Although in the end I do not agree with your analysis, I find your standpoint honest and logical.  Unlike many other sites that warn people about the Harry Potter books, which use very selective quotes, completely out of context, your site states its principles and uses examples that apply to those principles regardless of their context.    

And secondly, I applaud your inclusion of letters, both well argued and ranting, against what you have written.  It is refreshing to find people with fundamental principles who have the confidence to argue from these principles and not bury their head in the sand and pretend there is no other argument.  Having read your pages I would certainly think a bit more about giving the books to any child  whose value system was not solid - as I said, I still don't agree overall, but you make a good point and put it well.

You provide a reference point for strong Christian values that isn't ridiculous to the secular, and that deserves applause.

    Thank you, Nicholas.

From Thomas Atkins. I think that we should burn the books and draw and quarter, burn at the stake, drown in water, or boil in oil any one who reads them.  That goes double for anyone who writes them! That's what the early Christians did and I think that we should do now! 

What do you think?  God Bless Your Work.

From Berit: You made your point, Thomas. I think you reflect the hostility that is part of contemporary classroom and media teaching "about" the Bible and Christianity. A lot of people share your attitude because of today's biased messages and distorted history lessons. Yet, there is some truth in what you are saying. I have tried to explain why in Biblical versus Cultural Christianity.     

From Alcuin:  A colleague has drawn my attention to a couple of pieces of yours....  “Bewitched by Harry Potter” and “Harry Potter Lures Kids to Witchcraft”.

I am slightly puzzled by your views. I suggest that the Harry Potter books are modern scriptures. They articulate veridical narratives. They are positive spiritually. That they are energised and sustained by the inspiration of God’s heavenly agents is evident from their world-wide success. Without the pure divine energy of the Holy Spirit they would not have come to wide notice. Why then do you, drawing for your authority on an out-of-date church scripture called the bible, try to quench their spirit?

As a teacher of twenty-five year’s experience, a Christian and a Religious Studies specialist, I have found that modern children are far more spiritually mature and discerning in their value judgments than were the children of my generation – blinded as many of us were by fundamentalist bibliolatry and fascist churchianities of one sort or other.

I suggest that all scriptures are inspired by God and are profitable - whether they are written for children, for adults, for westerners, for easterners, or for our colleagues in God on other planets, star systems and time zones (parallel, past or future).  That the Harry Potter books are better written, better edited and more relevant to the free life of God in the present day, than is the bible of political churchianity, I would have thought must be self-evident to any educated person. 

And we should not forget that, like Harry Potter, the spiritual master Jesus of Nazareth was a magician of some calibre himself. He walked on water, he raised the dead, he cursed fig trees, he multiplied meals, he rendered himself invisible. And he promised us that we too could be magicians and would do greater works of magic even than he did.

I suggest that to denigrate things like the Harry Potter cycle is to denigrate the creative influence of God’s agents within the evolving spiritual culture of our planet. This culture is evolving away from bigotry towards toleration, away from spiritual fascism towards spiritual freedom, away from single text parochialities towards cross-cultural inclusiveness, and away from churchianity towards the new Christianities of the Aquarian Age. It is also evolving away from personal powerlessness towards an executive spirituality of positive power.

It is much better that modern children should read Harry Potter than that they should read the bible. Later in life, I hope, those of them who are interested in the history of old religions will take a look at the bible and will profit from it. But we should never forget that the bible was not assembled for children. It was assembled for a squabbling bunch of Church politicians in the first five centuries CE. They have been dead, now, for over fifteen hundred years, and the life of God in man has moved on.   Yours sincerely,

From Berit:  I appreciate your knowledge of Scriptures, Alcuin, even though you seem to take them out of the the context of the overall Bible and put them into a world that is opposite to mine. One reason we can't agree is simply that your God is not the same as my God. Neither is your Christianity or "holy spirit" the same as mine. Therefore we will see and hear entirely different things when we read the same Bible. As it tells us in 1 Corinthians 9-10:

"'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.' But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that your views are quite similar to those of the Neale Donald Walsch who wrote a series of books that sounded Christian but turned His truth upside-down.  That would explain your fondness for Harry Potter and the magical power-sources he represents.

As for "churchianity", I can agree that what is often presented as Christianity may be a far cry from the life that Jesus offers us. Churches, like other organizations, can become just another self-perpetuating institution when its people ignore the call to die to self in order to live His life of love in this world. I pray that God fill His people to overflowing with His life so that we might show a hurting world the hope and healing that Satan may promise but only God can deliver. 

As for the Bible and children, God tells parents to talk about His unchanging truth when we "sit... walk... lie down and... rise up." (Deuteronomy 6:4-7) In other words, to raise our children to know and love Him, we do well to use all our conversations to communicate His nature, His worldview, His ways and His wonderful love.   

From Maginum Spiritwolf, Former Enslaved Christian, Now a Wiccan Witch:

Greetings and Merry Meet.

Lets cut to the chase here. In your article about Harry Potter, you basically called for the fundamentalist traditional censorship of the book. There really is no reason for your remarks against this wonderful series. But I will not try to argue with you. Look at other more main stream leaders of your faith. They all say the books are great.

From Berit: As I said in Harry Potter Lures Kids to Witchcraft - with praise from Christian leaders, I get my standard for good and evil from God's Word, not from the consensus of popular leaders. 

Now for another topic. You gave an article that states a school newspaper would publish Wiccan articles because Wiccan was very under exposed and they would not do the same for Fundamentalist article because it was over exposed. This is very true. For over 200 years now, Fundamentalist have had the center stage. They refused to share the stage with anyone else. So now the back lash has hit.

You know, The Government went after Microsoft like society is going after the church. Microsoft had built up too much so the government split them in two. Society is looking at other religions simply because society is tired of being frightened. They are tired of hearing the same old same ole from the Fundamentalist, I.E. Your going to burn in hell unless you follow Christ. Now other religions offer a better solution. Some like Wicca do not frighten people into staying. In fact, if people want to leave Wicca they are encouraged to do so. Lets see fundamentalist do that now eh??? Of course not. Fundamentalist know that if people leave so to does the money base they have grown dependent on. So the Fundamentalist brain wash people into believing that they must give 10 percent to the church.

1. Christ did not die on the cross. He survived and went to another nation, probably France. Even your book says his crucifixion was very unusual. (I.E. Died too quickly, taken down in only hours instead of days etc)

That's not true. Jesus was the last of the three to die. In order to remove the bodies before the start of the Jewish Sabbath, a soldier killed Him with a sword to speed the process.

2. So to keep money flowing into the church, stories about Ananias were made up in an effort to frighten people into giving their money to the church.

3. When other groups with better ways came along, the fundamentalist drove them out by claiming they are of the devil.

4 To enslave the pagan groups in France, Belgium and England, they claimed their gods were of a mythical Satan.

5. To carry this further, Fundamentalist oppose abortion not because they are against murder, but because they fear Abortion will take away from their membership thus taking away from their money base.

Nuff Said.

I don't disagree that terrible acts of injustice and cruelty were committed by so-called Christians during the last two thousand years. Much of this evil was initiated by church leaders.  I'm sorry that multitudes who professed to follow Jesus were such terrible witnesses of His love. However, this sad fact doesn't disprove His power and love. It only proves that, apart from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, "church" people are vulnerable to the same destructive arrogance as all others. 

Human nature doesn't change through the centuries -- nor from continent to continent. From the murderous hatred shown in Kosovo, to Nazi Germany, to Soviet Communism, to the Hutu-Tutsi killings in Africa, to the terrible ethnic slaughter of black Christian Sudanese by their Muslim rulers.... people will do terrible things to each other.  

But genuine Christianity is different. People who love and follow God will reach out to others with His love and kindness. Jesus tells us that we can know the genuine from the counterfeit by the fruits of their lives. Counterfeit or cultural Christianity will prove the power of human nature. Its "fruit" is listed in Galatians 5:19-21:   

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." 

The same passage continues with a list of qualities that will be shown by those who have been joined to Christ and filled with His life. If these do not become increasingly evident in a person, that person is probably not living in and with Jesus (see Biblical versus Cultural Christianity): 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)

From Claire: Let me start out by saying that I am a 14-year-old girl who has been reading fantasy novels for quite a few years now. I admit that I have felt a longing for something more than the mundane world can give me, and have been interested in Wicca as the most available outlet, but soon gave it up after relizing that lighting candles and chanting weren't going to work. It also got me very interested in quantum physics, as a more reliable source of somewhat magicical ideas.

What is the point of sheilding your child from stories of wizards and dragons? All it can do is stifle their imagination and close their minds. What is worse, having a child grow up to be accepting of other, more questionnable religeons, or to have one who has learned to decry anything different or fantastic?

No matter how many books you burn, the only thing that can truly keep a child from wandering in faith is a strong base in the family.

There must be a large spiritual gap for one to wish so strongly that fantasy is truth. You seem to be ignoring one very beneficial result of the Harry Potter series: They make children want to read. I can tell you only from expiriance that a love of reading very often creates a strong mind and love of learning, and makes spelling much easier.  

Several of my friends and I have loved to read since we were very young, and are now in all honors classes in high school. Even you must admit that this is a better reading fad among children than some others have been (remember Goosebumps?)

Alright, I'm done ranting now. Thank you for reading this...

From Berit: Did you read Harry Potter and Dungeons & Dragons- Like Peas in a Pod? In it, I tried to explain how fantasies affect the imagination, build false memories, and change values in college students and adults as well as in children.

You ask, "What is worse, having a child grow up to be accepting of other, more questionable religions, or to have one who has learned to decry anything different or fantastic?" That's not a fair question, since you only offer two simplistic options. Instead I suggest reading God's Word, praying for the discernment needed to know His will, then following His guidelines -- by His strength, not our own. 

If our children know God and have learned wisdom and discernment from His Word, they will be able to discern the nature of different beliefs. They won't decry "anything different," but neither will they accept that which clashes with God's Word. When making choices and discerning their options, they will follow His wise guidelines instead of their personal feelings or persuasive friends. 

From a "Dedicated fan": I am a 14 year old kid who loves to read. Please, I read your arguments, now please read mine. To conserve space and time, I will refer to Harry Potter as HP.

As for your comment that the HP books encourage children to join the occult, many children do not know what the real occult is. This is because the "magic" decribed in the HP books is nothing like that of the real occult. The real occult has been known for dark practices and making sacrifices, and many believe that they aren't even magical. I agree that the HP books encourage children to practice "magic", but it will be nothing more than a card trick.

From Berit: I have to disagree. For documentation, please read Harry Potter Lures Kids to Witchcraft - with praise from Christian leaders

And also, I find it very hypocritical of school districts who banned HP (and by reading your articles, I believe you agree with their decision). Schools encourage children to read, and then they ban the best children's fantasy series of all time (in my opinion of course). My brother, who hated reading, now reads these books all the time. I my self have read and re read these books, and I am no less of a Christian than you are.

And as for your comment, that HP seems to be "almost Christ like with his wound or mark, his psychic powers....", I would like to know what psychic powers you are talking about.

What kind of power would you call the force that -- in the imagination of the reader -- saved Harry's life from the deadly force of Voldemon,  enabled him to soar faster than anyone else on his broomstick, and made him the most accomplished wizard at Hogwarts? Magic? Perhaps, but all the students were learning magic, potions, and other occult skills. As a Star Wars fan might say, "the Force was with him." The first Harry Potter book even made a reference to that kind of force. (I don't remember the page).  See Star Wars.

Thank you for your time and now I anxiously await the release of Book 5 and the HP movie!!

-Dedicated fan. PS: The class is called Transfiguration, not Transformation.

Thanks for the correction. I fixed it. 

From Kimberley:  As I read the responses that so called "Christians" were making, I felt sick!!! When are we as born-again Christians going to wake up?  I am just so surprised that there are that many Christians out there who would believe that there is nothing wrong with introducing their children to the world of the occult.  It has become so easy for Satan to grab hold of our precious children now a days!  He doesn't need to use peer pressure anymore to lure kids into becoming his.  Their own parents are handing them to him.  PARENTS NEED TO WAKE UP AND TURN TO GOD FOR REPENTANCE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.  YOU ARE BREAKING GODS HEART AND YOU ARE HARMING YOUR CHILDREN IN A WAY YOU CAN NOT IMAGINE!!  

I, as a parent and a Christian, challenge the leaders of the Christian community to speak out!  Stop worrying about stepping on toes!  If we do not do what God has put us in a position to do as Christians,  we will one day stand before God and answer to Him!  God Bless you all and I will be praying that God works on your heart. 

From  Mike: After reading your articles on anime, harry potter, and what you consider the 'occult', i had to laugh. I find it highly amusing that there are still people in this world who feel the need to 'protect' the ignorant masses from their own blindness. Can't you find other ways of keeping yourself entertained than by picking cartoons and innocent games like Dungens and Dragons or dragon ball z apart? if you accually beleive that kids are being influenced by satan through pokemon and harry potter? 

Let me let you in on a little secret...SATAN DOES NOT EXIST!!!!! Neither does God, buddah, or any other religions deity. If kids want to fight after watching the pokemon movie, let them. why not? I think its funny how christians can massarce millions of people in holy wars, but still have to shield their childrens eyes from cartoon images of magic and mayhem. 

From Berit: Please read Biblical versus Cultural Christianity

I grew up as an atheist, but i don't drink, cheat, do drugs, kill, or smoke. I grew up on D and D, Magic:the gathering, Anime, and i watch a little bit of pornography. I'm not a bad person. You don't need God to tell you what to do or how to live. I can't infringe on your right to free speech, but give me a break!

I agree with the Webster's Dictionary definition of occult: 

1. adj. beyond the range of normal perception || secret, mysterious, esoteric || dealing with magic, alchemy, astrology, etc. the occult sciences. 2. n. (with 'the') that which is occult, the supernatural [fr. L. occulere (occultus), to cover over] 

I didn't tell you not to watch your favorite programs, Mike. Go ahead. I only share information that Christian parents have asked for. Should you have freedom to pursue your interests while Christians should be forbidden to speak and write about these things? Please think about it. 

Second letter from Mike: I just have to say that i'm really sorry I blew up like that. I never meant to degrade you beliefs.

Thanks, Mike. I appreciate that!

From Whitney:   arrrg!! I'm a fifteen-year old Wiccan and although this is not my purpose, i would like to quickly mention that anyone who likes Harry Potter would be  tenets because it's just more church. Also, I think Harry Potter is slightly religion. But since nobody takes my religion seriously, I guess it's okay. Oh boy, now I'm off track.

What I really wanted to say is that psychochristians like you are what deterred me from organized religions, namely, Christianity, not Harry Potter (which are wonderful books despite) or any other pop culture fad. It's the chance that I might possibly be associated with Southern Baptists, intolerant gay-bashers, fun-smashers and dance cancelers and the like. 

Oh, I know this won't deter you from your mission of seperating poor Christian children from imagination and fun, but I hope it will give you something to think about. Oh, and if none of these things had been popular, you wouldn't care, would you? Oh well, I've vented, it's off to chem homework. the goddess be with you, Whitney

p.s. I love sailormoon(missmoon40), evangelion, pokemon, magic the gathering, harry potter and star wars, but teletubbies are kinda creepy, you got that one. Is imagination so horrible?

No. Imagination itself is not horrible. The question is how you use it. What do you imagine? To understand my concern, read Harry Potter and Dungeons & Dragons: Like Peas in a Pod?

From Dustin Mathias: I'd like to begin by saying that you have some of the dumbest statements and articles that I have read in my entire life. I have no idea what has warped your mind so, but you both sound like fanatics. You sicken me. I would point out several things that are either false or just straight out LIES on your site, but there are so many of them that would require to me write for hours. I actually cannot believe that there are people like you who live in the same world as me. Maybe you should try looking up the real facts before you do articles or post news about a topic. Remember: Lying is a sin. Sinners go to hell. Bon voyage inferior scum.

Actually, I do look up the facts and document everything I write. Obviously we look at these issues from different perspectives. Perhaps this Chart would help explain our differences.

From HS: I am a christian and I play Magic and I play Pokemon and watch Pokemon and I read Harry Potter, and I enjoy doing these things, but I still believe in God and I still pray to him everynight and every morning for letting me get up and see a new day.

From Darent Sapphire: Riddle me this: Who said that only Christianity could validate a person's beliefs? Even if that were true, who gave Reverend Berit the place to dictate which form of Christianity was right and which was wrong? Is he more powerful than God's word? Did God speak to him and say that only his form was right and just? Is he God?
 
Riddle me this: If God is all powerful, why should he need you to go around and force your religion on other people. He said that was wrong in a sense. Man was given a choice to follow Him or not, He said not to judge a man but to leave it to him.
 
Riddle me this: If a fictional boy in a fictional world in a fiction book happens to be a fictional wizard how can that influence people to do witch craft? If they are that stupid to not be able to distinguish fantasy from reality then that is the problem with the parents teachings *GASP*.
 
Also, upon further study of your religion i realized something. You can only watch christan TV, you can't watch movies, you can only read the bible, you cant read fiction, cant read non-fiction, cant play video games, cant *GASP* use the internet because god  cant be omi-present in a world that does not exsist and speaks a language that only holds 1's and 0's.
 
Now try this: Reply to this e-mail. But i want some regulations. Use no bible verses, do not make refence to the super-natural becuase you and your followers think that super-natural things are wrong and not possible in anime, so how can it be possible in real life? Do not say you will 'pray' for me, and do not say god in the first 5 senteses. Have fun.

From Careena Scott: I agree with your view and commend your patience with the range of responses you've recieved.  Last year my 3rd grader began coming home with these "amazing" stories about "Harry".  He was enthralled with the "outloud" reading of this book by his teacher.  

 

I have to tell you, I really try to listen to the spirit (that would be, the Holy Ghost!) all day long.   I  had a very bad feeling about this (as I did the Pokeman cards he brought home - those were given back to his generous friend).  Each day he would come home, and this book was the first thing he wanted to tell me about.  It became a very strange, and abnormal obsession.  

 

He was really excited by the characters so when I visited the classroom I browsed through it.  I saw enough to have an hour discussion on the merits of good literature.  If it doesn't teach or agree with gospel principles, we don't need to read it as there are plenty of good books.  He saw, with my supervision, that there were things in that book that didn't agree with Heavenly Father's teachings.  He agreed not to read that book, nor to check it out from the school's library.  (Yes, I have very obedient children).  The teacher quickly finished reading the book and after my request, did not read any other HP books out loud.


Most of the children in his class not only read the HP books, their parents had gotten their own hardback copies!  There is no doubt in my mind that Satan came right out in plain view, and he did it because he could.  We of the world are such a "tolerant" group of folks.

From Colleen Cooke: I recently stumbled across your site and read about your views. I challenge you to print the entirity of this response to your site, which presents an intelligent view of the books in question by one who has actually read all of them AND somehow managed to resist rushing out to join a pagan or witchcraft group, remaining a devout Catholic. I also challenge you to respond in any intelligent way.

Quite frankly, I was horrified. In part I am apalled that someone who purports to be acting in the best interests of children is against what is so obviously a wonderful peice of FICTION (did you fail to consider that?) but I am also sad to know that you are influencing so many others. Your articles detailing the evils of this children's series certainly SEEM to be well supported with quotes from the text and quotes from the Bible. However, what troubles me is that 1)you are taking quotes from Potter out of context and twisting them to support your fanatical views and 2)you are doing the exact same thing to a book you supposedly revere, the Bible. From reading your visitors' comments I have seen that people are reading your twisted, misconstrued analysis of these books and based on that are denouncing the series in what can only be seen as an echo of your words. I would hope that more people would take the time to decide for themselves what is okay for children and what is not, rather than to jump on your bandwagon and cry "Down with Harry!"

I hope they echo God's Word and values, not my words. I'm not the only one with a heart set on knowing and following God's Word.

First I should tell you that I am a 24-year-old devout Catholic. (although I suppose that since I read and enjoy these books you would not consder me to be so) I am very involved in my church, graduated from a very prestigous university summa cum laude in a difficult engineering disicpline, was a member of a varsity sports team, and am considered a role model in my community. I think that these books are absolutely wonderful. The fanciful tales are well-written and delight children. Most parents are delighted that their children are so happy to be READING A BOOK, not wasting time on the computer, watching TV, etc.

Well, you certainly have nice credentials from the world's point of view. But I'm not sure how much they count with God. He makes it very clear that he is not seeking worldly wisdom from us. He wants us to humble ourselves and turn to Him, not to the world's great guides.  He says,

Where is the wise? Where is the scholar? ...Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know Him, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.For Jews demand a sign, and Greeks seek for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.... God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty...  so that no one should boast  in His presence."  1 Corinthians 20-29

These books are about imagination, and who would argue that a child's imagination is a most precious gift? It is part of what makes children children. These are tales that inspire a child's imagination. After reading these books, children dream of what it might be like to fly, what Bernie Botts' Every Flavor Jelly Beans taste like, whether or not they would be any good at Quidditch, what house the sorting hat might place them in, or whether they would be the sort of kid Harry, Ron, or Hermione might be friends with. This is not a wiccan instruction manual; children are NOT reading this book and trying to find out more about becoming pagans. I am sure that Ms. Rowling is very disappointed that some close-minded people such as yourselves are reading her books so narrowly and incorrectly as to label them as such.

An article titled, Children's Expectations are Out of This World, warned that few children will be content in a world that can never satisfy their out-of-the world dreams and fantasies. Yes, God gave us an imagination, but in Harry Potter Lures Kids to Witchcraft I show where it may lead them.

By twisting the text to fit your fanatical views, you are turning a classic children's book into a tome of evil, and very wrongly so. In reading the series so narrowly, you are clearly missing the point - the reason so many people are in strong support of this book. The point is NOT that "children who delight in Harry's occult world of spells and magic will naturally learn to enjoy evil and crave more" as you say on your website. The point is that, if children are learning anything from the series aside from exercising their imaginations, they are learning about tolerance of others, fairness and cheating, honesty, loyalty to true friendships, why NOT to judge someone or something based on appearances...the list goes on and on. All of these wonderful lessons are taught through the story or a magical little boy. This is not unlike another popular set of lessons often read to/by children, Aesop's fables. Those fables teach many good and valuable lessons to children. Does the fact that the stories sometimes feature talking animals make them, too, evil to you?

If you put broccoli and pizza in front of children (or adults) with the reminder that broccoli would be healthier, which would most children choose?  Children are drawn to the books by the thrills of magic and supernatural power -- not by examples of character. Besides, there are as many models of enticing bad characters in the series as there are "good" -- and the "good" aren't always that good. (See Harry Potter editorial letter) and Harry Potter and Dungeons & Dragons) Remember, the whole context is occult from a Biblical perspective.

You could learn a lesson or two from Harry yourself. Muggles aren't considered "boring, blinded, and biased humans" because they "either don’t believe in the world of witches or who despise it as evil" or those who "see witchcraft as dangerous and demonic" as you say in Bewitched by Harry Potter. In spite of your skewed explanation, witchcraft is NOT the key issue. Muggles are biased because they are critical and/or afraid of something they either don't understand or know nothing about. Harry's aunt and uncle are muggle to the core. They despise witches such as Harry, although they want to know nothing about these witches (what Harry learns in school, what he does in his free time, etc.). Rather than find out how Harry is different and the same as their own muggle son, his aunt and uncle instead choose to despise and fear Harry Potter, the unknown. That is the real reason his aunt and uncle fear him, becuase of ingorance. 

You, Ms. Kjos, are a muggle just like them, because instead of trying to see what Harry Potter is truly about and why it might be good, you instantly reject it as being evil. Your opinion is based on blind ignorance, as you read into the book what you want to see to reject it. You lack the intelligence necessary to see past the deivces of spells, potions, and magic in general, to see the story that lies beneath is indeed very much promoting "Christian" type values, if you would just stop twisting words and taking them out of context. Ignorant, intolerant people like you have been wreaking havoc on the world since the begining of time. Tragic occurances such as the Holocaust and the KKK (just to name a few nototrious and recent examples) come about becuase of such ignorance and intolerance. This is not a good lesson to teach Catholic children or any other children.

With a little imagination, intelligence, and tolerance of others, maybe someday you can aspire to leave your muggle status behind and soar with the rest of us, but I seriously doubt it.

Just a final Scripture from Jeremiah 5:21-24 that shows how history repeats itself:

‘Hear this now, O foolish people without understanding,

Who have eyes and see not,  and who have ears and hear not:

Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Will you not tremble at My presence,

Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea,

By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it?

And though its waves toss to and fro, yet they cannot prevail;

Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.

But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart;

They have revolted and departed.

They do not say in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord...." 

 

 

From Max Lybbert: I am really disturbed at your website's practices. I have read anti-D&D rhetoric and some anti-Harry Potter rhetoric and I have wondered how anybody who followed Christ's teachings could ever come up with such distorted versions of truth, or resort to outright lying in order to advance their position.

What bothers me more, however, is that so few people actually see through it. Recently a lurker on an Internet newsgroup asked readers what he could present at an upcoming school board hearing about Dungeons & Dragons.

The first reply said "I am a professional in the computer industry and I can say without reserve that Dungeons & Dragons made me a better person."

As part of the Sermon on the Mount, Christ said "Ye shall know them by their fruits. ... Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruits; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit" (Matthew VII, 16-18, KJV).

Studies have shown role-playing teenagers have a significantly lower suicide rate than the general population. Role-playing games encourage people to consider another person's point of view and resolve problems instead of simply attacking opposition. How can you ignore these fruits?

Harry Potter's involvement in witchcraft is much less than Sleeping Beauty's reliance on her fairy godmother to make her life easier and solve her problems. Ironically, the only set of fairy tales I know of that wouldn't bother you are Russian, and being Russian would be branded as communist brainwashing, even though they have existed long before Karl Marx.

I find it immature and inexcusable to brand children's books as dangerous when the reasoning is as ill thought out as I've seen at this and other sites. We read what little children have to say about the characters without knowing whether these children have behavioral problems. We see references to an imaginary world's imaginary magic system demonized because they don't agree with real-world religious systems. C.S. Lewis wrote books such as the Chronicles of Narnia to teach children about Christianity, and I have yet to understand why his lion-savior Aslan isn't considered evil while story elements like fruits that taste like anything in the world are. 

You would do well to truly research what you post on your website instead of blindly following what other people have read. No parent I know of who has read a Harry Potter book has found true references to Satanism, nor have they found references to magic any more serious or plausible than those in children's fairy tales.

Nor do I recall referring to Satanism in any of my Harry Potter articles. Could you point me to which paragraph I supposedly said that?  As for the "fruit" by which we will know the genuiness of Christian faith, your comment missed the point entirely. I will explain later today.

 

From Daniel Vickers, a Wiccan: Hi. One of my friends forwarded your site to me, and I was deeply interested in it. I was so shocked at your closed mindedness of your views, and twisting the meanings of everything. 

Here is a question for you....do you classify your religion as perfect?
 
I do not. Christianity is supposed to promote peace and love between your fellow men, and yet you condone other religions as evil, even though they share the same sort of beliefs (example, a God who lives in the heavens and a Evil entity that lives in a firery underworld, like the Roman and Greek mythologies that was around a lot longer the Christianity. In fact I bet that it was adapted from that).

Daniel, the Bible shows that God created Satan. Unlike the capricious gods of Roman and Greek mythology, Satan is not on equal terms with God. He is a created being who only has the power alotted Him by his Creator. That power is limited to what God allows in order to fulfill His ultimate purpose.  Nor is Satan simply a "dark side of the force" as illustrated in the Star Wars myths -- or as a wizard like Voldemort in the Harry Potter books, who turns to the bad side. God reigns over everything! The fact that you interpret the Bible in light of these myths demonstrates the influence such stories can have on Christian faith and our understanding of God.

Your religion is not perfect, how can you preach peace and love when it has the blood of thousends of people on it, for example, the Salem Witch hunts, resulted in mass hysteria and the massacre of thousends of men women and children by the burning on the stake, in the name of Your Lord. As you know the trials was unfair and resulted in innocent people murderd. Can you live with that?. Also same happend in Spain with the Spanish Enquision, hunting out people who they thought was Witches and murderd them in horrendus ways.

Please read Biblical versus Cultural Christianity.

As a matter of fact I am Wiccan, and the way you portray Witches is that we are evil and practice Satanic rituals, this is far from the truth, infact we are more peace loving then Christianity, and we do not try and brainwash people with hogwash. We believe that we belong to the earth, and we worship it, and its natural beauty. Yes our spells can be used for nasty purposes, but thats the differance between White Witches and Black Witches. Also we do not have the blood of thousens resting on our faith.
 
There is really no evil in this world, only that of rapists and murderers. And of course wars over who's religion is right or wrong.
 
Why cant you just leave people alone to get on with their lives, instead of dumping your religion onto them. Calling around to people houses and harrising them, preaching on the streets.
 
Another thing, The Bible can not be counted as a viable source of History, as its been changed in so many ways, the origional is lost. Been changed by people like you, in their own visions, of what is right or wrong. In fact Christianity is nothing but a overblown and gloryfied Dictatorship, ruling on what people can or can not do.
 
I dont hate you, I only hate what you are doing. One word of advice to you.
Just live your life, live it to the full, its okay to sin once in a while, infact its fun. You should try it. I thank you  

We have not intention of "dumping" our beliefs on you or harassing anyone.  But we, like you, believe we can help and encourage others by sharing what we believe. God has helped us in wonderful, miraculous ways, and we want to share -- with those who want the information and encouragement  --  that which we believe will help others share His life, strength, peace and victory.  I want you to know, Daniel, that walking with Jesus and seeing the wonderful things He does is far more fun than "to sin once in a while."  

From Teresa Boxleiter: My goodness. Thank you so much for your well informed attack on those dreadfull Harry Potter books! It does my mind well to know that you researched wichcraft and paganism in its modern essance instead of retreating to old superstitions of what you believe they are. Now that I know that all pagans and Harry Potter readers are evil, I can start a national campaign to rid the country (and hopefully world) of such evil influances. Freedom of religion? Ha! Only people who believe what we believe should be free in their persuit of the ultimate truth, right?

No, that's not what I said, Teresa. You have as much right to believe and speak from your heart as I do. I don't try to stop you nor take offense at your beliefs. Please allow me the freedom to express my concerns to those who want the Biblical perspective.  

From Amanda: I was just wondering why having other values aside from those of the Bible in the media is such a horrifying thing. This is a point which I was wondering about because isn't faith about believing?

I was raised of the Pagan faith, and watching movies like The 10 Commandments (which I rather enjoy, actually) did not sway my faith. It in fact, helped me to better understand the Christian religion which is a very helpful understanding to have since it is so widely practiced. 

Wouldn't having an understanding of other faiths help to promote tolerance in kindness in society?

Yes, it could, Amanda. It can also promote intolerance. It all depends on the message and process of teaching. Today's multicultural education promotes earth-centered religions that provide a pantheistic foundation for a new global ethic. Thus the hierarchical spiritual systems of the Aztecs is shown to be peace-loving and environmentally friendly, while the facts about their ritualistic human sacrifices are left out. 

On the other hand, Christianity is shown to be obsolete and cruel, with an emphasis on misunderstood Bible passages, on strict parental disciplines, and on the horrors committed during the Crusades and the Catholic Inquisition. This kind of teaching has produced misunderstanding and fueled hatred toward Christianity. Yet, I recognize that many pagans would say the same about us. If you would read A Twist of Faith, you would see that I have walked and talked with many pagans in order to understand their beliefs and show them God's love. (If you email me your address, I'll send you one as a gift)

On the chart of "Common Practices of Earth Centered Religions" that you feature on your page about Digimon, I think it is important to point out that some of those "common practices" are in the bible, also.  Afterall, how much prophecy and divination and dream visions take place? 

I did point that out, Amanda. Here is what I wrote: "All these systems -- now idealized through multicultural education -- brought violence, not peace. They usually saw people in other nations as subhuman, and their moral code honored human sacrifice.  Tragically, many of the unbiblical counterfeits of Christianity fared little better."  To make sure readers don't miss the point, I added a reference to Biblical versus Cultural Christianity.  

There are charms/amulets involved in Christianity also. The Cross, for example. In the Catholic faith, The Trinity is another example. To speak of "human sacrifices" that may have occurred long ago in Pagan religions is rather unfair when you don't mention the tremendous slaughters that the Christian religion has perpetuated.

Using the cross as an amulet or talisman for transmitting spiritual power is a pagan practice. It's not in the Bible.

It would also be good to consider that the Bible is a highly subjective source of information. Mayhaps you look in it and see a moral obligation to be kind to everyone, while others look in it and see orders to burn a bull to please their God, and to sell their daughters.

Also, as a Pagan, I have found that myself and my Christian friends share a lot of values. No two religions are entirely different. We've also learned that we can coexist peacefully, keep our own faith, and respect each other's choice in faith regardless of what we watch on TV.

I agree that we should coexist peacefully in this nation no matter what our own faith, Amanda. I wish we would all be kind and civil to each other while respecting each other's right to choose our own beliefs without pressure to compromise. However, if you look at the historical record, such freedom has never lasted long. 

From Rex Nihili: lolll U people are so stupid that u didn't check your sorces, because some of the quotations that U use in your articles about harry potter are false. try www.theonion.com ist a satirical virtugal newspaper, i think that some quotations come from there. 

by the way have u even bothered to read the book? i can assure you that it has nothing to do with real "magick" or "ocultism"... and about christian persecution, how can u hope that people from other religions respect u if u don't show the minimal respect for them?

I can assure you that we have not quoted the onion article, nor would we ever do so.  And yes, I have read the books. Did you see my quotes from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?

From April: I am a sixteen year old and a Christian. I have read all four Harry Potter books multiple times. My mother has also read them and I've read them to my seven-year-old brother. I don't think there is anything wrong with them. 

Before I read them to my brother I told him directly the difference between Harry Potter and the occult. My brother, along with other children, may say "I want to be a wizard" (or a witch), but what they mean is they want to ride on broomsticks and disappear under invisibility cloaks. I know what the occult is and I know people involved in it...and it's not Harry Potter. Harry Potter is butterbeer (non-alcoholic) and Bertie Bott's every flavour beans. 

It is not pentagrams and prayers to false gods. Harry instills courage and self-confidence in children. Not all the books are appropriate for seven-year-olds, but seven-year-olds can't read it without an adult. In the end, it is the parent that has to take control. If you don't want your kids reading it, fine, don't let them, but don't take it from everyone else's.  

April, I don't "take it from" you or anyone else. I simply review it from a Biblical perspective and allow people to use the information whichever way they choose. Do you believe that only those who agree with you should be allowed to speak and write? Would you trade the freedom God gave us in this country for a world where all minds are forced into the same mold?  We are heading in that direction (see The UN Plan for Your Mental Health), but Christians ought to know better than to speed that process by joining the crowds that would silence contrary voices.

It's not the end of the world if Harry gets banned by people who like to twist words in their own way. By taking everything with a glint of what you call evil in it away you will have your own heaven. A place where people are all doing the same thing. You will be legalistic, exactly what the Lord warned against. You will be trying to save yourself and everyone else when the only way is through Jesus. 

You are taking an important Truth out of God's context. The result is error. This is not an issue of salvation or legalism, April.  You are right when you say that only Jesus can save us. We certainly can't do it ourselves. But to enjoy His presence and walk in His triumph we need to follow His ways and warnings. (See Ephesians 5:7-12, Col. 2:8, Rom. 12:9 and Deut. 18:10-12) Please read  Harry Potter Lures Kids to Witchcraft and ponder some of the Biblical reasons for not steeping your mind in the popular wizard's world. Notice also that many Potter fans genuinely pursue witchcraft because of these books. Harry makes the occult seen so good.  

Harry Potter is not all that. He's not that powerful and he won't change the world. I just hope that you will be open enough to see that not everything is a tool of Satan and keep your eyes open enough to see when it is him. Thank you for your time. I hope this letter did not offend anyone. It wasn't meant to. Peace,

From KM: In response to the ideas behind Anakin Skywalker's name in Star Wars:

 
    "The words, Anak or Anakim, which sound like the name of young Anakin Skywalker, is mentioned 16 times in the Bible. They refer to the giants who may have been ancestors to Goliath."
    "As you probably know, these Anak folks were pretty nasty people."   As anyone who has seen the original Star Wars trilogy will remember, Anakin Skywalker, or Darth Vader, as he is more commonly known, could definitely be described as 'a pretty nasty person,' and he was also over two metres tall, which doesn't really qualify as a giant, I suppose, but is still pretty tall. So, the name 'Anakin' is probably a deliberate pun, and is probably meant to describe Vader more than young Anakin (the name was first mentioned in Return of the Jedi, long before anyone ever thought of making the prequels)

From James C. Miller: Ah, c'mon, you guys. I am astonished that self-proclaimed Christians and Bible readers such as you want to censor other books because they contain witchcraft and black magic all the while ignoring the SIGNIFICANT amount of witchcraft, magical spells, and occult ceremonies (such as the Old Testament sacrifice of the scapegoat not to the Biblical Yahweh, but to a desert god) in the Bible itself. What can you be thinking? Or are you thinking at all?

Wait a minute, James. Where did we say that we want to censor the Harry Potter series? We have stated repeatedly that our aim is to warn Christian parents. They ask for our evaluation of its content and its power to change values through occult suggestions. We have not called for censorship, because we don't expect the world around us to conform to our Christian beliefs and values. But we do want to provide families with the information they seek to help them follow the God they love. Both your family and mine have the Constitutional right to choose your own beliefs and values.

If you already know there's witchcraft, magical spells and occult ceremonies in the Bible, how can you possibly attack other books for containing the same stuff? If you succeed in censoring Harry Potter because it contains witchcraft, don't you realize that puts the Bible in jeapordy because it, too, contains witchcraft? Following your logic, if you ban Harry Potter, you've got to also ban the Bible. And if you don't know about the witchcraft in the Bible, how the heck did you miss it? Did you just read some, but not all of the Bible? Would you like a detailed listing of all the occult stuff in the Bible, Old and New Testaments? I can send you one if you wish.

Please tone down the sarcasm and silly suggestions. That's not the way to debate a serious issue. The difference between the Biblical references to witchcraft and Harry Potter's promotion of witchcraft has to do with the world view. In the Bible, the world is seen from God's perspective. Therefore it presents witchcraft as a dangerous alternative to following God. It warns people to avoid it, and shows the consequences of practicing witchcraft both to the individual and to the nation. (See Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter Lures Kids to Witchcraft) In contrast, the Harry Potter books idealize witchcraft, while they demean those who don't embrace or appreciate the occult as Muggles. The two are totally opposite. 

For heaven's sake (no pun intended), sometimes I'd like to see you religious zealots practice a little common sense. Hello! Earth to Andy and Berit.

Having read the whole Bible many times and having read all the Harry Potter books, and know the Potter books are just harmless childrens' books which, in fact, present much the same Biblical message your web site carries: have the courage to resist Evil and do Good Works. Attacking the Harry Potter books accomplishes no good whatsoever for anyone, but it does unnecessarily cause problems for other people with less-clouded thinking. If you have trouble understanding this relatively simple situation, I shudder to think what other unnecessary problems you cause in your own lives and that of others. Or do you LIKE causing unnecessary problems for strangers?

I assume that "strangers" who choose to surf the web and visit our website are capable of evaluate our information for themselves.  

I'd give anything to be present on the Judgement Day to see the astonished looks on your faces when your diety chastizes you for being WAY off course on this one.

From Ernesto Gonzalez:   (Most of his letter is on the Multiple Topics page): Tolkien would have hated Harry Potter because it created a fantasy world that was connected to the real one. If you must compare Harry Potter with what has come before it, compare it to Alice. You see Tolkien, as a devote Roman Catholic, believed that there was no greater art than that of sub-creation (creating a consistent and almost real imaginary world). 

I will not go into this here, but I advise any one who is really interested in fantasy to read Tolkien's essay "On Fairy Stories". Fantasy is not meant for children, and indeed when executed correctly, not as the Potter books have done by creating an alternate real reality, is mostly enjoyed by adults who fortunately have the wits not use art a guide to life (By Adults I mean Christian Adults). 

As for the comment in one letter which states that Tolkien is far more dangerous because it has created an entire religion, I ask once again that people think before making statements. There is little religion Tolkien's works, and this can be dived into two categories: the people who actively worship Eru (The One True God, who has no resemblence to eastern religions), and the few people who worship Morgoth (the Devil, Chief Among The Fallen Angels). All Tolkien has done is invent a cosmology. 

From "Sungod":  You and the people like yourselves are the reason that christianity is not respected by the majority of people in the world today. You show hypocrisy and intolerance towards those people not of your faith and believe that you should be moral censors all because you believe yourselves morally and spiritually superior to most of the rest of the Earth's population..

The only people that have exalted you and put you on this self-righteous pedestal are yourselves. You truly make me and possibly millions of other people sick. You misquote the October 30th article of World trying to create the impression that World had changed its stance on the Harry Potter subject. Thanks though for stating that Madeleine L'engle had to put up with attacks from the Christian Moralists for the book 'A Wrinkle in Time' as it really does show how ludicrous, petty and small minded you are.

From Michael:  I'll start from the begining, I am 18 years old, and like to listen to the Harry Potter books on tape (no time for real reading).  I am confused, are you for the banning of Harry Potter books?  Why?  Is it because they label people witches and wizards or is it because you are jelous that you didn't come up with the idea yourself.  

Personally, I am a Christian, and I see these books to be very entertaining, very well written, and inspiring to young children's imaginations.  If you get rid of Harry Potter, don't you get rid of other things, like some of Shakespears plays, or the Wizard of Oz.  If you think that Oz has some agenda into leading you into the occult, you have missed the point of the story.  The Wizards in Harry Potter are just the means to inspiring young minds to be creative as an end.  I can see your argument though, after all wands in the hands of children can be dangerous things.  I feel that you need to stop judging the book from a Christian perspective, and realize that it doesn't have an occult agenda, thus is in no need of critism.  A few questions.

 
1. Are you against Pokemon, therefore against a means of mathmatical learning, and critical thinking?
2. Are you against Fantaisia, therefore against a means of musical learning and art?

3. Are you against Macbeth, therefore against a means of poetic learning?   

4. If you answered yes to either 1 or 2 or 3, how would rethink your decisions, as it is these types of thing that inspire young minds. 

I'm not for banning, Harry Potter,but I am for warning Christian parents that the series clash with God's wise guidelines. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. 

Your last four questions don't make sense, Michelle, since you tie each one to an false assumption.

Second letter from Amanda:  I'm not sure what kind of schools you've been in, but I have never attended a school which taught that Mayan and Aztec religions were peace loving. As a matter of fact, I have never been in a school that emphasized Mayan or Aztec religions whatsoever. To say that Christianity in schools now is treated as the evil religion in my opinion, is ludicrious. In my experiences in schooling, I have only ever been made to feel uncomfortable by Christian majorities who teach that other points of views are wrong, or I have encountered mostly objective teachers who allowed students to hold whatever opinions they wanted. I have also never, and I stress *never* have personally experienced, nor known anyone who experienced someone in a school teaching Christianity from a negative perspective. Christianity is still the majority religion in this country. Wouldn't that lend reason to the logic that most people in official positions in things like schools which are designed to be free of religious bias would be very hesitant to speak out negatively against a majority view?

Actually not. Biblical truth doesn't fit this post-Christian era. Please read  The Enemy Of The People. Then consider how today's popular movies ridicule Christian pastors and parents -- especially fathers. The news media dismisses us as extremists, fundamentalists, radical and intolerant no matter how friendly we are to those who hold contrary values. Finally, read about politically correct multiculturalism in Pocahontas, Contact, and  Brave New Schools ( chapters 2 and 4 which are posted).  

You make it sound as if you feel Christians are persecuted. In being in the majority in this country, they cannot face any more persecution than people of Earth-worshipping religions do. And I assure you, we face much negative reaction, persecution, and stereotype. Have you ever had to withhold your opinion of religions while several co-workers sat around belittling your views for fear of losing your job? These things are very common place for me. As are peers who see my religious symbols and tell me that I"m going to hell, or teachers who have told me the same of my giving tarot readings.

What type of schooling do you propose we have? One that teaches that Christianity is the way? If a person wants the right to practice a religion of their choice in this country, then they have to respect the right of others to practice religions of their choice.

And "to show Pagans God's love"? I will never understand why people cannot respect another's religion without experiencing a burning desire to witness them. Your religion has the same chance of being right as mine does. All these things are rooted in beliefs, afterall. Who are you to say that I do not believe I feel my god as strongly and definitely as you believe that you do yours?

Mayhaps such freedom to coexist respectfully and peacefully does not last long because of people like yourself who try to spread the good word by defacing what others believe to be their own good word?

I suggest that the problem does not lie in hatred, but rather in refusal to accept the opinions of others as being equally valid. Which, as your webpage demonstrates, you do not do. 

From C. Robb: I was so disappointed to see that you all are not in support of the Harry Potter books. You people are the first ones to complain that kids dont read. You people come up with more laim crap to argue and fight about. If you think that the Harry Potter books are bad then dont read Mother Goose. You need to step down off the cross because someone else needs the wood.

From Ian T. Campbell:  Hello. I would just like to try to put an end to all the Potter business. First, let me just say that I am not trying to point fingers, but there are some things you say that are half-truths (in my opinion). First, there is the thing about the dementors... They are pure evil (and they say so in the Potter books), and no one likes the dementors. They also say that they will be of the first to re-join Voldemort, as it is in their nature. 

Second, when they say that you can exist without a soul, you can, in a way. A person cannot exist without a soul, but as long as blood is being pumped to your brain, technically you will still be alive. 

Third, some (most, actually) of the quotes you use are -er- half-truths (as in taking things and not explaining up to them), and  they make people who just stumble across your site and haven't read the books think that they are the Handbook to Paganism. I hope this was not your intent. 

No, that's certainly not our intent. Thanks for the warning. But I'm not sure I understand your concern. Could you please explain or give me an example?

Also, these books do NOT lure children to witchcraft, and they are definitely not works of Satan. I think he could come up with something better, don't you? They are a wonderfully entertaining fantasy book series, which just happens to be based on a fantasy version of witchcraft. The witchcraft in these books is not like the real witchcraft. The real witchcraft involves bloody sacrifice (I believe), rituals, chants, etc., as the Potter books' witchcraft involves none of that (well, I guess you could consider the chanting...). 

You are wrong. All the male and female witches or pagans I have met seem to be nice, intelligent people who have nothing to do with bloody sacrifices. (You can meet some of them in A Twist of Faith, chapters 1 and 4) Their chants and rituals could well fit into Harry's world. 

In real life witchcraft, anybody can join, but in the Potter books' witchcraft, you have to have magic in you blood. And Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry is basically just a place where young potential witches and wizards go to get trained up so they can control the magic in which they were born into. 

Many contemporary witches believe the same.

Also, in the books, there are to kinds of magic: white and black. Black magic is not used my any good wizard/witch, but only used by the villain, Voldemort. Speaking of him, in your Peas in a Pod section (the chart down 1/3 the page), I must shoot a couple holes in it:

In your section God-like, at this time Voldemort has been reduced to something like a demon, and we all know that most demons can inhabit bodies. Remember the demons going into the herd of pigs in the bible? Except that Voldemort (at this time) needs someone willing. Later (in book four) he regains his body by use of a particularly nasty spell, and can no longer inhabit bodies.
  1. In your shape-shifting section, you forgot to mention that what you're talking about is a Bogart, an evil creature that can shape shift.
  2. Giants are evil (to an extent) too. Hagrid (the Hogwarts gamekeeper) is only half giant, and he is not evil, but just the opposite.
  3. They don't use runes to write. Hermione took a rune translation class so she can read them if she comes across them

"I was eager to get to Hogwarts first because I like what they learned there and I want to be a witch." Gioia Bishop, age 10.

See? this person obviously has some things going on in her life; either bad family life (which would make her want to run away to some fantasy land and escape the real world, her parents never got around to teaching her that fantasy isn't real, or she might just have said that just to be 'cute' or something like that. All I know is that she is old enough to know the difference.

 

All we know is that she -- like  many others of all ages -- would like to pursue witchcraft. Please read the first part of  Harry Potter Lures Kids to Witchcraft again.

"I get letters from children addressed to Professor Dumbledore [headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the books’ setting], and it’s not a joke, begging to be let into Hogwarts, and some of them are really sad. Because they want it to be true so badly they’ve convinced themselves it’s true."

Same thing as above.

..."The growing number of books and TV shows like Harry Potter and Sabrina the Teenage Witch encourage an interest in magic as harmless fun," he warms. "However for some young people it could fuel a fascination that leads to dangerous dabbling with occult powers. So what starts out as spooks and spells can lead to psychological and spiritual damage."

Only if they are thick enough to think what is in the books is real. Need I say more?

The world of witchcraft and wizardry IS real, Ian. The fact that the broomsticks are strictly fantasy only minimizes the dangers of the actual occult realities. "Don't be deceived...." God warns us.  

Another thing that has been really bugging me is that you seem to preach that Harry is a great wizard and that he has mental powers. Please allow me to shoot some more holes in things you have said on your Comments from Visitors page.

..."What kind of power would you call the force that -- in the imagination of the reader -- saved Harry's life from the deadly force of Voldemort,  enabled him to soar faster than anyone else on his broomstick, and made him the most accomplished wizard at Hogwarts?"...  

 

Why flying has always come natural for him. You know, he just happens to be good at it. You also mention how fast he can go. That's because he has the best racing broomstick money can buy! And about Harry surviving from Voldemort, that is because his mother (a witch) died in an attempt to save him, and that triggered a big of strong, ancient magic, and so Voldemorts curse (Avada Kedavra, the illegal killing-curse) rebounded off Harry on onto him, reducing him to something like a demon. And about Harry being the most accomplished wizard at Hogwarts, that's just a plain lie made to fit in what you're talking about. Harry is far from top of his class. Hermione is top of the whole school. Harry's about mid-level.

 

Also, about Harry's scar, why it is a lighting bolt is because it was left by a powerful evil curse. I don't think that Avada Kedavra would leave a happy face.

 

You also say that they involve 'calling up the dead' in these books. It says in book four on page 697 "Diggory came back to life?" said Sirius sharply. "No spell can reawaken the dead," said Dumbledore heavily. "All that would have happened is a kind of reverse echo. A shadow of the living Cedric would have emerged from the wand... am I correct, Harry?"

 

Never once has anyone even ever tried to bring someone back to life in any of these books.

 

Yet, the dead did re-appear through Harry's magic talents, didn't they?  They manifested themselves, not just as shadows,  but as a contemporary living beings with distinct and recognizable personalities.  They listened and spoke words that fit the need of the moment. These encounters involved the kind of communication with the dead (or with demons masquerading as persons) that God's Word forbids. 

There are similarities between real Paganism and the Potter books' witchcraft  because that's what it is based on! In order to make a good book you have to take something from real life and twist it to what you need. Miss Rowling twisted all the disagreeable things out of it, but, for some reason, you are trying to convince people of things that are not there by using half-truths and lies to manipulate peoples emotions. Mind, I'm not pointing fingers, I'm just telling you what I think.

 

You also mention that the books are full of half-truths and lies... Ha! I can shoot very big holes in each one of your claimed 'lies'. Observe:

 

When it says "You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think we don't recall them more clearly in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry...

All they are saying is that his memory lives on in Harry. They say the same thing in The Lion King.

I also feel very strongly about all the slander you do on Ms. Rowling. I mean, how would you like it if someone put your name up all over the internet calling you a devil-worshiper?

Come on, Ian. You know I didn't say that.  

I am a devoted Christian, and I pray about this subject often, and I really do believe that these books are not a trap from Satan, but just good books.

First, I must thank you for examining and debating this in a rational sense, unlike some other groups that I considered have crossed the like (like Family Friendly Libraries, for one), even if I don't agree with what you do.

I also want you to know that I will be praying for you all to find out the truth. I will not work on changing your minds by force. I have a saying: I mind changed against its will, is of the same opinion still.

The solution to this whole mess would be just to make sure your children understand fact from fiction, and understand that real witches are kind of like Voldemort, and not at all like Harry and his friends.

 

I wish it was so simple. Wouldn't it be nice if children would prefer broccoli instead of candy because they know the facts about healthy vegetables?  In a culture where even schools now focus more on feelings than on facts, your argument doesn't carry much weight.

 

But thanks for your prayers. I appreciate them very much. I know I need God's wisdom and guidance every minute.

 

From Keaton Miller:  I have read your article thoroughly many times, and I think it is all a bunch of ....  Those quotes you provided? Incomplete.

You can go to the books, Keaton, and see the context for my quotes yourself. That's why I provided page numbers. I can't make my articles any longer than they already are.

Also, DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to limit minor's exposure to the books? Can you PLEASE tell me what the First Amendment says? 

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech; or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." 

No, but I have every right to share my concerns so that Christian parents and children can make up their own minds based on facts and a Biblical perspective.

My quotes and responses:

Spells, charms and hexes -- the "light" side of the force:

"My second piece of general advice," said Moody loudly, interrupting him, "is to use a nice, simple spell that will enable you to get what you need."

Harry looked at him blankly. What did he need?

... And it clicked. He was best at flying. He needed to pass the dragon in the air.  For that, he  needed his Firebolt....

"Hermione," Harry whispered.... "I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm properly by tomorrow afternoon."

 And so they practiced.... He was still having problems. The books and quills kept losing heart halfway across the room and dropping like stones to floor.

"Concentrate, Harry, concentrate...."

... He wanted to skip Divination to keep practicing, but Hermione refused point-blank to skive off Arithmancy...  (344-245)

_______________

"Well, you keep missing the cushions, don't you!" said Hermione impatiently, rearranging the pile of cushions they had used [for falling on while practicing] the Banishing Spell... "Just try and fall backward!"

"Once you're Stunned, you can't aim too well, Hermione!" said Ron angrily. "Why don't you take a turn?"

"Well, I think Harry's got it now, anyway," said Hermione hastily. And we don't have to worry about Disarming, because he's been able to do that for ages... I think we ought to start on some of these hexes this evening."  (page 574)

_______________

""I'm okay," said Harry. It was sort of true; he was nervous, but he kept running over all the hexes and spells he had been practicing in his mind as they walked, and the knowledge that he could remember them all made him feel better.   (620)

These three quotes are NOT connected in ANY way within the book. You make it sound like they are all part of a demonic plot within the book. I will admit, some of the characters, such as Voldemort, ARE demonic, but the main "good" characters are not. If you would take an open mind, you would realize that the third quote is in regards to the "Triwizard Tournament" that takes place in the book.

They are all part of the plot, Keaton. Harry and his friends are students of the occult. They are in training. These show how hard Harry practiced, not just for the Triwizard Tournament, but also because they wanted to be as good in spells and magic as possible.

More quotes from the articles:

"Reducio," said Moody softly. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse.... That one was very popular once too... anyone know any other [spells]?

Hermione's hand shook slightly as, for the third time, she raised it into the air.

"Yes?" said Moody, looking at her.

"Avada Kedavra," Hermione whispered. ..

"Ah," said Moody, another slight smile twisting his lopsided mouth. "Yes, the last and the worst. Adava Kedavra... the Killing Curse."  (page 215)

In regards to that, you OBVIOUSLY wish to misinform your readers. That whole chapter is called "The UNFORGIVABLE curses," and the "Mad-Eye-Moody" character clearly states that the use of those curses is enough to "land you a life sentence in Azkaban."

You are right. This curse is worse than the others. 
 
Second letter from Ian Campbell: Thank you for reviewing my review. You asked me to give you an example of what I mean... Well, it's kind of hard to sum it up in less than three paragraphs, so I'll just take the easiest way to get my point across:

         When I first came across your page, I lost some sleep. I had read the Potter books a while earlier, but forgot the content almost completely. So, I re-read them and came to the conclusion of this review. This really doesn't give you an example, does it? I'll try to be a bit more specific:

         Almost everything in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (your article) is misleading from the book. Please read the review after mine on your comments board where another person explains this. This is just one of many examples.

         Also, about your comments on my comments about how to solve this thing, children that young, who won't understand about that, shouldn't be reading/read to those books. They're too advanced for them.

         Your comment on my comment about raising the dead doesn't hold any water. The reverse-echoes of Voldemort's victims are only representations of the his victims, not the actual people, and when you talk to them, the dead cannot hear you. Also, why they have the personalities of his victims is because (I believe) when Voldemort kills someone, a bit of them is 'downloaded' into his wand. Just the personalities, mind you. Also, you have to have that to make it fit into the story line.

         I also want to say, again, that there are no rituals, and one could only consider chanting as casting fictional spells. And just because real witches believe the same (you have to be of witch parentage to be a witch), doesn't hold any water. In the potter books, you have to, and I mean have to. Also, I never said real witchcraft wasn't real, I just said it's not like it is in the Harry Potter books.

Ian, I stand by my original answers. As for communicating with the dead, your explanation seems rather far fetched. When popular books such as Harry Potter series (books 3 & 4) demonstrate communications with dead parents and others, they could well stir interest in an occult practice that has been part of pagan cultures for thousands of years. The examples from the book come closer to contemporary paganism -- as well as to the popular movies dealing with spiritism -- than to your reasoning.  

Many high school students involved in witchcraft are primarily interested in the power to do spells and magic. They have little interest in some of the formal rituals of more mature pagan groups. Remember, pagans can choose their own forms of worship and empowerment. They can easily learn how to alter their consciousness and cast spells from each other, from occult websites, and from manuals in school libraries (yes, they are everywhere). 

From Ian J. Carr (not the previous Ian):  Just a comment from a "post-Christian" (ex-fundamentalist) who has found true freedom.

Are there really witches, or only New Agers and others thinking they are???

Yes, and the witches and pagans I have met are proud of being pagans. As I mentioned earlier, they have all been well-meaning and well educated. You wouldn't know their beliefs unless they trusted you enough to tell you.

If they exist now, why did we stop burning them in the 18th Century? (Do you suspect, as I do, that some of those witches may have been innocent unfortunates?)

Those who were persecuting them were not true Christians. (See Biblical versus Cultural Christianity)

Should we re-instate the process????

Of course not. They have has much right, under the U.S. Constitution, to practice their beliefs and follow their god or goddess as Christians. 

 From Deanna from the country of Hans Christian Andersen:  I would like to comment on the Harry Potter books. Im a Danish women who just finished the last Harry Potter book. 

I find it amazing that some people are actually taking the book serious and wants to bann them!  All my respect to christianity, but honestly.....I think it is more dangourous to a child being brought up believing that everything the bible says is the truth, than reading Harry Potter. If you read the bible there is many things that are a lot more scary than a bit of witchcraft. People are getting turned into stones, being stones to death ect. Now that's ok to teach your children , but a bit of fantasy is dangerous? I find it very sad that people cannot see the books for what they are.

The children reading them will enjoy themselfs, the good is always winning over the bad, so nothing is beeing mixed up! and while they read them they are of the streets getting into other sorts of trouble.

  Im sorry if i offend anyone, thats not what i want, i just think you american people should stop getting so exited about everything. Thanks.    

You don't offend us, Deanna. I'm glad you wrote. Please be assured that we are not trying to ban the books. We are only reviewing them for Christian parents and young people who want to understand Harry Potter from a Biblical perspective. 

You say that "good wins over bad." But when the "good" side of the force (or supernatural power) comes from "other gods" or forces than our God, it can't be good in His eyes.  

Don't worry. Most Americans are not "getting so excited about" these things.  The only ones who really agree with us are those who truly love God and would rather follow Him than get "excited about" student wizards.  

From Josiah Rowe: I've just finished reading your pages on Harry Potter, witchcraft, et al. (I found them via a link from <mugglesforharrypotter.org>, a site which opposes various efforts to remove the Harry Potter books from classrooms, schools, and libraries.)

I also read the extensive feedback page.  I must commend you for printing the feedback, even of those who disagree with you.  I'll try not to repeat what other visitors have already said.  I don't suppose that I'll get anywhere by pointing out that in the Harry Potter books witchcraft is presented more as a lifestyle or profession than a religion, and that at Hogwarts Christmas and even Easter are celebrated... I can tell from your responses to others that to you this distinction is irrelevant, and that any depiction of witchcraft as good is to you anathema, no matter how fantastic the context.  So I'll focus on why I feel the fantastic elements of "Harry Potter" can be beneficial to children's moral, and even Christian, development.

First a little background... I'm a Christian, one who feels the power of Jesus Christ daily in my life and work.  I even spent a year undergoing a discernment process to determine whether I might have a calling to ordained ministry (through prayer and discussion with other church members, I eventually determined that God's will was for me to work in lay ministry rather than follow the path of ordination).  I also have a strong interest in education and moral development of children.

However, it seems that you and I have very different philosophies of what promotes moral growth in children.  You seem to think that protecting children from the evils of the world and exposing them only to "safe" materials is the way to promote moral growth.  I believe that it is better to let children be exposed to the world, and show them what is in accordance with God's wishes and what is against them.  Paul wrote to the church at Corinth,

"Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; rather, be infants in evil, but in thinking be adults." (1 Corinthians 14:20)

In other words, Paul advises Christians to be able to think and choose for themselves, not to blindly follow authority (as children do).  How, then, do we lead children from the state of blind followers to the state of leaders, or seeing followers (of Christ)?

By teaching them God's Word, Josiah. That includes understanding or interpreting the Bible, not according to today’s politically correct views and “critical thinking” processes but by the teaching of whole Bible. God doesn’t disagree with Himself, and He told us in  Proverbs 3:1, 5-7,

“My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands…

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.

He tells us know and follow His Word (verse 1), then trust Him and His guidance, not our own human understanding (inclinations, rationalizations, reasoning....).  Maturity in Christ means that we know the Bible so well that His Word has become our authority and wisdom in all things. 

This teaching is clashes with today's view that children and adults can wisely "think for themselves" apart from the diligent study of His Word, a commitment to live it, and -- most important -- a deep covenant love for God Himself.  True maturity means letting Him lead  us through the brokenness that teaches us to depend on Him. In that place of oneness with Him, we will no longer "be wise in our own eyes."  Instead we will be glad to "depart from evil," since we would share His abbhorance for it.  

Your letter is long, Josiah, so I need to stop here. I'll post more of it tomorrow.

From Dean: I'm a military member and have all over world and have experienced many different cultures and religions. In response to your "book-banning," Hitler thought it was a good idea to. Censorship is a bad idea in any aspect. If the censorship of art and literature was enforced years ago, civilization would still think that the earth was the center of the universe.

All I can say to you after viewing your site is: Lighten up and get a life. Respectfully yours, 

Dean, please tell me where I supposedly have suggested "book banning." When I read comments like yours, I become increasingly concerned about freedom in this country. How can we have any kind of rational debate on issues when you resort to such unfounded implications and sensational comparisons?   

More from Josiah Rowe's letter: I believe that it is through exposure to stories of good and evil, of difficult choices, that the moral sense of children is developed.  In this opinion I have the support of C. S. Lewis, whose essay _The Abolition of Man_ you have cited approvingly:

"For those within [the Tao, the universal set of moral axioms common to all human cultures], the task is to train in the pupil those responses which are in themselves appropriate, whether anyone is making them or not, and in making which the very nature of man consists."

I haven't read The Abolition of Man. Nor do I agree with your quote. Where did you think I cited it? 

...FANTASTIC depictions can help children understand moral choices; the good and bad choices made by Brer Rabbit and Peter Rabbit help them understand the choices they must make in life.  

The same could be said of depictions of magic and magic-users, from the Delphic oracle to Medea and Circe, from the witch of Endor (presented neutrally in 1 Samuel 7-25) to the three Norns, from Malory's Merlin to the Faerie Queene, from the witches of Grimm's and Andersen's fairy tales to the Fairy Godmother in "Cinderella", from Lewis's own White Witch to Mrs. Who, Mrs. What and Mrs. Whatsit in Madeleine L'Engle's _A Wrinkle in Time_. These stories, and many others, depict both good and evil consequences of specific magical acts; but the moral consequences depend on the act, not the fact that it is performed magically.  

From a Biblical perspective, an act "performed magically" cannot be good. Anything that manipulates power from supernatural forces or "other gods" would be part of the occult realm that God warns us to avoid. He knows well the dangers, oppressions, and terrors that pursue those who leave the safety of His presence and, instead, follow the world's spiritual paths to self-empowerment. He warns us to guard against "vain" or "futile imaginations." Read Deuteronomy 18:9-12 to see His abhorrence for spells, magic, divination and sorcery, then read Ephesians 5:8-12:

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret."

From Roxanne: I have just finished reading your Harry Potter website, and I was speechless. The quotes you include and things you say about Harry Potter are way off the point: 

"Reducio," said Moody softly. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse.... That one was very popular once too... anyone know any other [spells]?

Hermione's hand shook slightly as, for the third time, she raised it into the air.

"Yes?" said Moody, looking at her.

"Avada Kedavra," Hermione whispered. ...

"Ah," said Moody, another slight smile twisting his lopsided mouth. "Yes, the last and the worst. Adava Kedavra... the Killing Curse."  (page 215)

This is not complete. If you are going to put accusatory quotes on a website, please at least don't leave crucial things out. The class in this quote is not practicing the Avada Kedavra spell. They are learning the "Unforgivable Curses" and why not to use them. If you recall having read this, the students were scared of these curses. One of the kids in the class even whimpered when they talked about them. This quote does not promote the practice of death spells. It simply informs.

The reason I included the quote you cited, Roxanne, is not because it was a death spell. I had listed a variety of spells -- the other spells were more innocuous -- to show that Harry's world included the various practices mentioned in Deuteronomy 18.  If you look at the quote at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, you will see that one of those practices was spellcasting. That was it. My point was to make that comparison, not to imply that it would "promote death spells."  As I have stated repeatedly, the "white" or nice-sounding side of occultism is far more deceptive and dangerous than the practices that are obviously evil.

And I dislike your generalization of "high school wiccans." "Many high school students involved in witchcraft are primarily interested in the power to do spells and magic. They have little interest in some of the formal rituals of more mature pagan groups. Remember, pagans can choose their own forms of worship and empowerment. They can easily learn how to alter their consciousness and cast spells from each other, from occult websites, and from manuals in school libraries (yes, they are everywhere)" Do not tell me what people my age are doing. 

I go to a large high school where there is a large wiccan population. They are fully interested in the formal rituals and any other "mature pagan" thing. That is why you become a wiccan. Just as you, as a christian, aren't "in it" for just the passageway to heaven...You are in it for every aspect of Christianity. A Roman Catholic does not go to church and not believe in accepting the Holy Communion. You have no right to pass judgement on other's religions. Just because they are not yours does not make them wrong.

In my own research and discussions with neo-pagans and high schools students, I have found some differences from school to school. In one local high school, a crowd of students who called themselves witches did try to cast spells on other students. I was told that one boy fell down and broke a leg right he heard them shouting a curse at him. Other scary events frightened many of the students. I will try to find my taped discussions with some of them. But I realize that this particular group may not be a good representation of covens across the country. 

I appreciate that you are trying to help people. However, I think you are going about it in the wrong way. Do not get on the internet and preach to a (like it or not) Harry Potter loving world. Attack something worth attacking. By making a "witch hunt" of Harry Potter, you are becoming part of the Harry Potter craze yourself. 

Also, as in the Columbine shootings, as in any thing that may occur: The fault is not in the influence. If I write a book that says "go kill your dog," It is up to the people who read it to make the choice. "He told me to" defenses hold no water in a court of law. Just as I can exit this website when I want and a woman can choose whether or not to have a child, the reader can CHOOSE whether or not to do this, if the choice is presented. And in no way does JK Rowling say "Go be a witch." Any sane person can tell fact from fiction. If kids are becoming part of the occult, it's their own fault for being ignorant. They were warned. Don't make it into anyone else's because they misinterpret a message. Thank you.

Are you sure they were warned? This is a big concern for many Christian parents. That's why they ask me for information. And all I try to provide are warnings and encouragement based on the Bible for those who want it. And -- just as you said with regard to J.K. Rowling's books-- "the reader can CHOOSE whether or not to" follow my advice. We are not forcing or pressuring anyone. Wouldn't you agree?

From Tayltara: why, when you're trying to prove a point, do you quote the bad guys?  the book is not about leading children over to the dark side but teaching them how to overcome it.  why do adults insist that their children turn off the tv and read a book and then get scared when it actually happens?  i am 18 and at my niece's insistance i read all four of the books.  my sister is 30 and waited in line to buy all of them for her daughter (yes, she read them also so she could understand what her daughter was reading, it's called being a good parent!).  i know that i won't change your mind but couldn't you be finding something more worthwhile to be getting upset about?

why aren't you attacking brittney spears?  she's teaching children that it's okay to dress immodest.

Nobody has asked me about Brittney Spears. And I don't see as strong a need to write about things that are obviously immoral, occult or evil. The popular, politically correct and "fun" side of what God calls evil are far more deceptive. That's why people ask us to write about Harry Potter, Pokemon, Disney movies, etc. 

From John R. Longyear: You are entitled to your opinions, of course. I do not agree with them. I am glad that my son can enjoy fantasy literature and has the maturity to make the distinction between fiction and reality. Your own interperative fictions concerning the "witchcraft" and "wizardry" of J.K. Rowlings' novels are almost as laughable as "Bernie Botts Every-Flavour Beans."

Second letter from John R. Longyear:  In retrospect my comment was perhaps a little vitriolic, but I do perceive a danger in any philosophy or religion that perceives thinking outside of its own orthodoxy as a threat. I have personally known modern day witches, male and female, and can state unequivocably that they are good people with the best intentions towards their fellow beings. There may be rotten apples anywhere as I'm sure you are aware, but I hope you will be able to find tolerance and, yes, even common ground with those whose ways may may be different from your own. Sincerely and with love, 

From Marielize: Hi from South Africa.

I find this whole thing people are making of fantasy very scary. I threw out my TV more than two years ago because of the terrible values my children were learning (from America mainly). Non of these fantacy, but things like the Jerry something show, Soapies, Violence, etc. Could it be that by trying to focus so hard on children's fiction to find evil you are missing the REAL bad stuff that's happening worldwide? You may think it is OK to sensitize children to all normal things and force them to stare and search for evil. While you are looking into the innocent with such vigor, the devil have a real fun time out there!

My 9 year old loves reading and understand very well that Harry Potter is a fantacy character, so with pokemon. The day that your followers will start polluting her mind with occultish stuff, (that she understand nothing about and know nothing about) I may get really angry.

In the mean time I suggest learn to look for the beauty in flowers, the lovely sunsets, feel the peace of God with a hike in the forest or the warmth when God wraps you up in prayers of thank. STOP looking for dirt you WILL find that anywhere.

Fantasy is more effective than ordinary reality in changing values and conforming children's beliefs to the new global standards, Marielze. But I agree with your last paragraph. One of my favorite Scriptures is Philippians 4:8:

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."

In Under the Spell of Mother Earth, I wrote, 

Around the world, God’s people gaze into infinite space on a clear starry night and are amazed by the vastness of His sovereignty.  We consider the complexity of a human brain and marvel at the mystery of God’s matchless, all-knowing brilliance.  We see His ordered and unquenchable life in a world throbbing with tenacious regeneration – even in scorched places like Yellowstone Park after the fiery summer of 1988.

Evidence of His infinite love springs up everywhere:  in the fresh waters of a mountain stream, the rich colors of an orchid, the protective hovering of a mother bird.  And boundless energy sustain it all.  God’s creation – His rivers, oceans, winds, and trees – exudes the life He established in it!

That's why He told us, in Romans 1:18-24,  

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 

Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.  Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts...."  

From Bucky: I am a high school student who is writing a report on school censorship.  During my research I can across your Harry Potter website. Personally I must  disagree with many of your statements. Ever since I was a little kid I have  enjoyed fantasy. Not just the "occult" things you condemn but also such basic  fantasies like fairy tales and art. I must say I've never felt that those  things compelled me to practice witch craft or  sadism. Nor did they tell me to kill people, dishonor my family or do any of  the other things people who share your beliefs tend to say fantasy tricks you  into doing.

Then again I am technically an aetheist so you could probably use  that to support your theory. But even though I am an aetheist I willingly  admit that there are many good morals within the Bible. By no means should  people stop turning to it for solace. But why punish those who don't? Just  because another religion is different than yours is no reason to call it  "pagan" and "evil." In fact many of these "pagan" religions hold the  same basic values that Christianity does. 

Also let me apologize on behalf of those who share my view point but  thought the best way to explain them to you was through an insulting email.  Yelling at you and  calling you names doesn't acomplish anything. Though ironicly many of your  supporters did the same thing by insulting the non-Christians. Which brings  up an interesting point, there will always be both good and evil in the world. And in the end one can't exist  without the other. I mean we wouldn't notice the stars without the night would we?

Is the night evil? Why wouldn't we be able to exist without evil?

Anyways I also read the section where you said that the ideas of teaching  kids to have large imaginations was bad since it took them to a world without  rules and without their parents.  

Imagination alone doesn’t send that message. Today's popular books and entertainment guide the imagination, send suggestions and prompt images that manipulate a person’s views and values. 

I can only speak for myself but I always tried to  include my parents in my fantasies, they always had a place in the stories I  concocted as a child  and it was always a good place too. Actually I can speak for more than  myself, many of my childhood friends tried to let their parents in on their  games and stories but the parents wouldn't go along with them.  

Now before you  say "he's trying to say that parents should become occultists too!" let me  just mention that if parents would spend time with their kids and actually  paid attention to what they were interested in then  maybe they could help their children distinguish the good morals from the bad  instead of leaving them to fend for themselves. And in reality everything has good morals and bad.  

Even the Bible. Yeah it teaches love, honesty, and all that good stuff but it's also  been used for thousands of years to justify the descrimination of black  people, American Indians, Jews, homosexuals, and basicly anyone else who  didn't fit into the christian "norm."  

You can’t blame the Bible itself for the way it has been twisted by people who don’t follow the God of the Bible. See Biblical versus Cultural Christianity.

It's ironic that you're attacking  pokemon for creating a world where if a child doesn't want to play with the  pokemon he becomes ostricized when Christianity does the same thing. 

Finally let me say that while you have every right to be concerned over  wether or not something is harmful to your child I think that maybe you're  looking just a wee bit to hard to find "evil" symbolism in popular culture. I  mean I can understand getting upset with rap lyrics that say "kill you  parents" or something but taking a childrens book and saying "they mention  lightning and once in the bible lightning was used in the same sentence as  Satan was so therefore Harry Potter is the anti-Christ" is pushing it. Once  again let remind you that if you dig that hard into a book to find evil you  can do it to even the bible.

Of course I can't change your opinion, in fact I wouldn't want to. My opinion can't exist if there wasn't someone who believed the oposite and  vice versa). I just thought that my opinion should be represented on your letters page a little better.

My opinion is not dependent on “someone who believed the opposite.” It is based on God’s Word, and it isn’t affected by cultural changes and contemporary ideals.  However, the consensus process does depend on opposing views willingness to compromise one’s position.    

Related comments: See Witchcraft & Feminist Spirituality

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