I hear people all the time ridicule the movies and say that they are promoting Witchcraft (like that is a bad thing). First of all, it's just a movie and a fun one at that. Secondly, instead of calling Harry Potter a Satan Worshiper (there is no mention of Satan at all in the movies) why not see him as a kid who thinks outside the box and finds creative solutions to solve difficult problems. Thirdly, and most importantly, I hear people say that Harry is a Witch (or Wiccan) and then refer him to as worshiping Satan... Being a witch does not make you Wiccan (and vice versa) that's like saying all Christians are Catholic and Wiccans do not believe in Satan so they can't exactly worship him now can they. Anyway, what is your opinion of the backlash against Harry Potter (and other movies in this category)? Do you think people are going overboard? Why don't people just not watch the movie? Why make such a big deal?
2007-06-25 05:30:49 · 18 answers · asked by Trouble_13 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
As a Christian who loves Harry Potter books, I see your point. It's silly really. From what I know, the problem started when some people heard their were satanic symbols on the book art. My mom was trained to find those at a camp she went to...there weren't any. And of course, the Harry Potter books did cause quite a stir and are about witchcraft and Ex. 22:18 says do not suffer a witch to live. Some people don't see the line between imagination and evil, and so they don't want it to touch their kids (and having these books in almost every school library disturbs them).
As for the whole Wiccan thing...I couldn't say.
People are going a little overboard, but they are just trying to protect their kids (and their society) from corruption...try to understand their concern and not judge them too harshly.
2007-06-25 05:53:09 · answer #1 · answered by ncangel89 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some people just can't tell fantasy from reality. Harry Potter is a fantasy-type witch, not a relgious one.
I've done a bit of research on this and here's what I've found.
1) The general prinicple against witches, or anything that would make witches appear cool or tempt children to play at them. Christians dont' like this, after all, all witches are evil and they are supposed to kill them. The bible says so.
2) Harry Potter does not have much respect for authority, and consistantly breaks the rules and not only gets away with it but is rewarded in the story for it time and again. This is not good morals, according to Christians.
3) I read a book that actually said the biggest problem is that Harry never once calls on Jesus Christ Almighty for help. He relies soley on his own judgment, which is fallible, and yet he comes out okay without turning to a higher power. Harry is self-reliant. He thinks for himself and has faith in himself.
And don't forget, all other religions besides christianity come from Satan!!!!
Pagan Taoist
2007-06-25 05:36:09 · answer #2 · answered by KC 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
OH MY GOD! Look, most christians and catholics etc HAVE READ the first book. At least they have a SAY, some people protest the book....and....dont even read, they watch the movies *which are for the most part inacurate* There is NOTHING wrong with H.P!!! J.K Rowling is a genius for taking tons of greek and norse myths etc and turning them into a world of fun and imagionation that will NEVER die! People are ignorant, and are so caught up in one thing, the fact that H.P takes place in a magical setting! To the catholics and christians, witchcraft has always been a taboo, and to bring it out in the open where it influences children AND adults, not in a negative sense, but in the sense that it broadens the scope of imagionation (plus HP is a DAMN good read!), apparently is a horrid thing to do. They (religious people) think HP is promoting the occult. People, the main thing that it is promoting is imagionation sensations THAT IS spreadin teh NATION!!!! HP is NOT bad, but to ignorant FOOLS who'd rather flame the idea of a wonderous magical world before even reading about it- it brings their world down. They are pathetic and should be set on fire -.- Perhaps they'd rather deal with their own dirt in the churchs rather than be out fighting a war they will NEVER WIN!!! HP = BILLIONS of people, Religion =...>.> *cough* They cant win. Sorry flaming religious peeps, you ish WRONG! Plus being wiccan = loving the environment and earth and using herbal remidies n such *potions eheh* GRAW YOU PEOPLE ARE annoying @.@
-Ryko
2007-06-25 05:42:25 · answer #3 · answered by xxx 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1st -- I believe you all can worship anyway you want, but I have an opinion on witchcraft.
2nd -- My opinion is that witchcraft will hurt you in the end. So good luck with your choices -- all the best -- and so on.
NOW to Harry Potter. The problem people have (IMHO) is "displacement." HP is set in the here and now with a secret society lurking beyond "muggle" vision.
Most fantasy, sci/fi, magical fare is set in the distant pass or future or in galaxies far far away.
Most of us Christians can except these "good vs evil" stories with great displacement. Rarely do you hear backlash against Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Snow White and 20+ other Disney movies (although it is not unheard of).
So personally I love the HP books and movies as great "good VS evil" stories and I look forward to the next book and movie -- for some it hits too close to home.
2007-06-25 05:36:30 · answer #4 · answered by Dionysus 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe people are definately going overboard with the movies. Harry potter may be a wizard, but it is your choice to believe in wizards and witches(I luv HP). You can still watch what you want and relize that the movie is just a fairytale. It pisses me off because people are not using thier brains!!! Its just like when you go to a fortune teller. You can go for the experience. The idea is to keep an open mind. We can't explain everything in the world so we should be able to watch what we want without critism . My grandma gets mad at me for watching Charmed on TNT. I think it is utterly hilarious cause if you truely believe in God a TV show/Movie/Magazine isn't going to change your mind about it. I say as long as your faithful to religion you should be able to watch whatever you want with an open mind remembering what you believe.
2007-06-25 05:44:36 · answer #5 · answered by Argent 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, the fundies who get their panties in a twist over Harry Potter hate the books too. Personally, I think that they don't like the idea of children reading 800 page books with few pictures. Those kids might get the idea that reading and thinking for themselves isn't hard. Then those kids won't sit in church and believe whatever the pastor says (like burning Harry Potter books is a good idea). Those children will ask questions, think for themselves, and read other really long books without pictures and learn something.
No, fundies don't like the idea of kids learning that reading is fun.
2007-06-25 05:46:07 · answer #6 · answered by atheist 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's based on a fear that children will follow blindly anything they hear or see. When in fact nearly all children realise that it is fictional and make believe.
Truth be told though, it took me a long time to like Harry Potter, mostly because people would ask me if I did anything like it. While it was in good humour it did put me off the books for a long time.
2007-06-25 05:38:18 · answer #7 · answered by Phoenix 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have no problems with them, all my kids as well as grand kids have all seen it and thus this far they have remained the same..They all belong to God, they are all still belonging to God and nothing is gonna change that either..I think it is crazy all the stuff people say about it., yeah alot of them has gone overboard with it. Its just a movie that's all..
2007-06-25 05:53:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because what happens in the books is called 'witchcraft'. And the Bible says witchcraft is bad. So if Harry Potter is OK, then the Bible is wrong about witchcraft. And if the Bible is wrong about witchcraft, then who's to say it's right about original sin? And if it's not right about original sin, then there's no overarching value to Jesus' sacrifice. And if there's no value to Jesus' sacrifice, then there's no point to Christianity.
2007-06-25 05:36:48 · answer #9 · answered by Doc Occam 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Every once in a while, the Christians choose one thing to freak out about. This is the currently elected "protest" among them.
2007-06-25 05:42:27 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋