What is the problem with Harry Potter books?

Question

I recall there being a big ballyhoo about Harry Potter, and how some Christians wanted it out of school libraries. I have just read the first book (well, almost done anyway), and for the life of me, I can't figure out why an Christian would have any issue with this fictional fantasy book about a child with a tough upbringing who learns that he has special powers and becomes a wizard by attending a fanciful school for wizardry.

It's not real. There are lots of other books of magic and fantasy out there that do not garner protests. One can go to the local public library and pull Mein Kampf off the shelf, and follow that with books on Wicca and pagan religions. So why the problem with an innocent novel?

Answer 1

I'm a Christian who's only problem with the books is that there won't be any more. I've enjoyed them and so have my children.

Now there are some Christians who have taken God's warnings about witchcraft and the occult, etc. to include fiction. I believe that God was warning us about real people, real evil in the world, such as psychics who are nothing but con artists. It is also a warning about The Antichrist who will display some incredible powers, even returning from the dead. This has nothing to do with a series of books though and Christians should be concerned about the very REAL threats in the world.

God Bless.

Answer 2

I am a christian, and I do not have anything against Harry Potter, as I am a huge fan of the series. But some of our fellows are afraid it will attract young people to witchcraft. Most of the protesting was done in the time of the early books, when not much was known about the Harry Potter series. The protesting is still there, but in much less quantities. And also; people will not stop reading the bible because of a fictional book! If that non-sense was true, then no one would read the bible! Harry Potter is not the only fictional book that Christians have protested.

Answer 3

I'm a Christian and I've read all 7 books. I can see where there would be some objection to the books in a Christian home, but personally I say read them, let the be read, and then have informed, intelligent discussion with your kids about them. Put the pros and cons out there and make it a time for family togetherness. I enjoyed the tale, start to finish. There's some stuff I thought was a little old for children, especially in books 5 and 6, but sticking your head in the ground won't make the fact that evil exists in the world and must be fought go away.

I could ask why the Bible should be taken out of schools, but that'd offend the atheists and their answers would offend me, so I'll leave that alone.

Answer 4

Is witchcraft bad?? It seems to be a lot like what the priest does at mass, doesn't it???

I think the Harry Potter books are great, they teach, good vs. evil, friendship, and "thinking outside the box". I am very knowledgeable about Witchcraft, wicca, and the like (being a religious studies student), and I haven't gotten the idea that it is evil, witches don't even believe in Satan, so how can they be "satan worshipers".
But I know I am off topic, but c'mon, the stories are great, the movies are better, there is evil and there is death, it comes with being a human being.

Answer 5

I am a Christian and I have never read a Harry Potter book. My roommate has all of them, and I haven't read them at all.

I like the movies though. I if a Christian told me that Harry Potter is a sinful thing to see, I would go to see the movie again and tell them that I did.

What I think that you are experiencing is :
1) A weak Christian who can only eat herbs (Romans 14)
2) Legalism within Christianity.

For those who would think it wrong to read those books or see the movies, then it is wrong for them (Romans 14:14) .

But it is NOT wrong for me, because I see it as entertainment, while they would see it as sin.

Answer 6

I have no problem with Harry Potter.

But, fiction has a way of becoming fact or doubt.

Take the DaVinci Code, they took an ancient heresy, made an admitted fictional book about it, and an admittedly fictional movie about it, and I am shocked at how many people that don't know any better believe that Jesus was married and that he had brothers and sisters. Come on people, fiction is fiction......

Peace!

P.S. My kids have read all Harry Potter books, they are fine.

Answer 7

To me it matters not whethter it's Christians or any other religion that approve or diapprove of the Harry Potter books.

The main thing I see in here is prejudice and jealousy.

They pre-judge because they think only kids can relate to the the books and then they are jealous because they can't get their stuff published.

This is only my opinion. It's up to the individual person whether or not to agree with me. The same goes for the books. It's up to the individual whether or not they like the books.

Answer 8

Some Christians are really confused.

I'm also a Christian and I believe what you believe.

They want to ban anything that has to do with magic, because magic is from the devil, that is true, but that is just a story.

They believe they would be protecting their fellow Christians.

But I tell you this, if any believer is affected by the whole magic thing, then he has quite little faith.

Answer 9

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.

Personally I like the moral messages in Harry Potter - that it's necessary sometimes to break the rules, that it's our choices that make us who we are, how much friendship and courage and caring count, that we must sometimes stand up to our friends and even our heros. That what is legal or accepted isn't always what's right. That our family are those who care about us, not necessarily just those with whom we share blood.

Answer 10

irrational fear and relying on the opinions of others instead of thinking for themselves is what leads to this kind of knee jerk reaction.
example:
when i was a kid my mother became "born again". lots of things changed for the worse. certain Saturday morning cartoons became pariah just because some Sunday morning radio preacher or TV "hundred-club" guy said it was bad. as a teen my mother made me burn many of my own books, much like some of the uber-religious do now with the potter books, refusing to even let me sell them because she didn't want "any other child's mind corrupted".

the fundamentalist thinks that any positive, humorous, or entertaining depiction of the use of "magic" (all of which is, in their minds, evil and from "Satan") is corrupting and a device of evil.

These people don't treat magic, wizards, witches, sorcerers, etc. as the fictional things that they are now in modern society, but rather as real threats to their beliefs and ways of life.