Written by J.K. Rowling
Overall Grade: A+(+?)
Before I begin on my defense and admiration of Harry Potter, I first want to set something straight. As Christians I believe our first priority is being obedient to God. Therefore, if you have heard of Harry Potter, prayed seeking God's guidance, and you feel God has told you to not read the books: awesome. Feel free to skip this whole entry and I hope you will come back and read the next one. Far be it from me to entice you to disobey something God has told you. On the other hand, if you don't have any thoughts on Harry Potter, you are still undecided, or your pastor or family has said that he 'is of the devil' and you just want to understand the hype: please read this blog and then go seek the face of God for yourself. We should never take what others say as the end all of anything we do but seek God and His will for our lives. That being said, let's continue. :)
What I hear most upon saying that I read Harry Potter is that it's 'witchcraft'. Looking on the surface of that claim it seems to be accurate, as Harry is a wizard and he studies magic. But when one takes a closer look at things we see that J.K. Rowling's brand of 'magic' is really latin-based words that she has made up. We all know that there are no such things as magic wands, unicorns, potions (especially ones that contain eel eyes, armadillo bile, or dandelion roots). It's fake, make-believe, fiction if you will. And for those people who say Harry will lead kids to wicca, they obviously don't know the first thing about it. When I was in high school I knew several girls who practiced wicca. Out of curiosity one time while discussing Harry Potter I asked them if it was close at all to what wicca was really like. Do you know what they said? "No." And then they laughed themselves silly. They really thought I was asking them if they waived wooden sticks around and tried to make things levitate. Wicca is a demonic religion and I fully believe that, sorry if that offends people but truth usually does. Harry does not pray to the sun or moon goddesses, he does not hold seances, in fact J.K. makes fun of that whole notion. So do I think reading Harry will lead to witchcraft? No. Should we always be on guard from evil things? Yes, but I don't believe Harry Potter is one of those things.
Some of the things I love about Harry Potter are the thematic elements that run through the whole series. A few of those being: it doesn't matter who are are when you are born, your decisions decide who you really are; love and friendship are the most important things and can conquer any evil; being selfless, even to the point of dying for your friends, does not make you weak but is the truest form of bravery; and no one is better, or more important, because of their 'blood' or status we are all people and regimes that prop themselves up on those claims of being superior are evil. Would any series that teaches these lessons (along with many others) be harmful to children? I think not. In fact there aren't that many books out that teach those lessons so well anymore.
Another thing I must address is the notion that Harry is a vengeance filled teen who is out to murder. What a load of bull butter. I know whoever made these claims can not have read the books because it is so utterly stupid to think that. Harry's parents were murdered, does he want the one responsible to pay? Of course, isn't that what a justice system is all about? Holding people accountable. But when the chips are down and as Voldemort keeps coming after him Harry would really rather just be someone else. He'd rather leave and let someone else take care of it, but alas Voldemort won't let that happen. He believes that Harry is a threat and is out to kill him. So Harry stands his ground and fights back, what any red-blooded American would do.Harry alone has the power and skills needed to fight Voldemort, Voldemort gave him those weapons, and wouldn't it be more cowardly to run away than to face death but save the lives of countless innocents? And when he has the opportunity to fight Voldemort he never tries to kill, but always to disarm so that he could be taken and held accountable by those fit to do so.
So that's my rant on Harry Potter I just finished the series, again, and felt the need to put my opinions out there for people to read. I'm always up for more debate and discussion if you want so feel free to post. Also for those interested, there is a book I recommend: Looking for God in Harry Potter by John Granger, he's smarter than I am and the book is a good read and can clarify a few things if there are questions. Anyway I feel better getting this off my chest and I'm excited to be starting a new book today, so hopefully a new post will be coming soon!!!
Until then... "It is important to fight, and fight again, and keep fighting, for only then can evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated." -Albus Dumbledore
I am applauding you! Thanks for posting, I can always tell who has actually read the books vs. who is making a preconceived judgment (it is sad that you have to defend these books and yourself, but given the circumstances, thanks for clarifying.)
ReplyDeleteSomething I love about these books is how remarkably relatable they are, given the plot/setting of the story.
One of my favorite parts is in #5 when Harry is feeling all alone and as if everyone is against him. During his encounter with Luna, in the forbidden forest, he reveals to her how he has been feeling. Her reply, "I suppose that is how You Know Who wants you to feel. When it's just you alone, you’re not as much of a threat." (It has been a while since I've read the books, so most of my memory is coming from the film, which may vary) I also appreciate the lesson Harry learns at the end of this installment, that unlike Voldemort, he has something worth fighting for. :)
Thanks Natalie I appreciate your support! I do love that part you're referring to, although it is just in the movie, but I think that if J.K. had thought of it she would have included it in the book. She set Harry up for those same thoughts but never quite explained it the way they do in the movie. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment!!!
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