On a Christian radio talk show they were discussing the new Harry Potter book. Several callers said that when the Harry Potter books were becoming popular, many young people looked at Pagan websites and researched witchcraft. According to these callers, Christians are not even supposed to LOOK at that stuff, much less research it. My question is, if you're not going to research an opposing viewpoint, how can you argue against it, or say ANYTHING about it? Is Chrisitianity so weak that even looking into another belief is forbidden, lest the researcher be persuaded to change his/her beliefs?
2007-08-07 13:22:27 · 19 answers · asked by chazzychef 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
no i dont think theres a problem with it ... kids get into the occult without harry potter ..
2007-08-07 13:27:59 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
There is a debate among Christian groups about this. Some say that it is okay to read up on different things because we need to know what other people are doing. If we know what other people are doing it will help us to be more educated and also help us to witness better. The other side says, no, we cannot even look at these things. I believe that we should research other beliefs so that we can be more educated. It really depends on how strong a believer that you are.
Postscript: Also, it is up to the parents to teach children between fantasy and reality. If the parents are doing their job of teaching their child then they should not have to worry about that child reading Harry Potter and then trying to do witchcraft. I see a lot of hypocrisy concerning Harry Potter. The same parents that are against it, let their children watch Matilda. Why? Because Matilda is a little girl and she's sweet. And she was a witch. Hypocrisy! Teach your children and that will solve a lot of problems.
2007-08-07 20:37:21 · answer #2 · answered by biggestjesusfan, † Cat P.W. † 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What do you believe in" Is there anything you wouldn't want your kids to read or look at? I don't know. Raise your kids the way you want, I guess. A Harry Potter book could be research, I guess. Why not? I guess some parents would think their kids shouldn't read hate sites or something else. It doubt you can force a kid to do anything nowadays, but you can do some things. Some things parents may do would just be wrong. Sometimes the line is hard to find. Some parents can't even keep from fighting. You can encourage and discourage some things. I wouldn't want to do it all over again, we are all so imperfect. Often the parents have to pay and need to look down the road. What road I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure that their are few grown up parents.
2007-08-07 21:06:47 · answer #3 · answered by hb12 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Apparently, it is. Curiosity is a strong human characteristic. If it weren't for curiosity, we'd still be living in caves. Harry Potter has encouraged young people, many of whom never would have dreamed of cracking open a book unless they absolutely had to, is getting them not only to read the books, but to dig into what's behind them. They're doing research -- and on their own initiative! These are all GOOD things.
What those closed-minded people have deliberately blinded themselves to, HP has much in common with Christianity. It's about love, loyalty, and courage. It teaches that there are worse things than death, that death is not an end to existence. It's about doing what's right.
I believe that the main theme in HP is how love overcomes death. What could be more Christian?
2007-08-07 20:34:59 · answer #4 · answered by Diana 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Have you ever been around someone, or read things that influence you?
The problem is many are easily influenced, will believe a lie. The devil is always working to move men from God. He is the enemy of God. And when he can get men to read things that are contrary to God, it is like him whispering in your ear.
He whispers, the thought is collected in the brain, and when the man believes it, it then moves to the heart which is like a field of rich soil and the seeds get planted. If the seeds are watered by words that are against God, they grow and the fruit that grows on this plant will manifest itself in the image of he who planted it.
It is like a garden. A man plants seed that he hopes will produce good fruit. His enemy sneaks in an plants weeds amongst the crop. And it the weeds are not removed, the crop will be destroyed.
2007-08-07 20:35:44 · answer #5 · answered by heiscomingintheclouds 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's not forbidden, but there are weaker Christians (like children) who can be more easily led astray. Parents have a responsibility to protect their children until they're 18.
2007-08-07 20:41:43 · answer #6 · answered by Cee T 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is nothing. Did you know Christan churches forbid yoga for centuries since its associated with Hinduism. Yoga plays important part in Hinduism. But for last 10 years or so, yoga has become popular in the West.
2007-08-07 20:35:09 · answer #7 · answered by soniakidman 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yeah well what we need to do. Is quit letting them twist something as innocent as a children's book into one of Satan's Tools!!!!!! It's not a book to summon demons with!!! You won't go to hell for reading it. I've tried some of the spells they don't work. I tried them of course to disprove the truth behind them. Mainly the one that opened doors. But seriously folks let's quit bashing everything and start trying to live good. Instead of actually preaching Preachers are now just walking around condemning anything that's unknown to them.I guess there scarred of the unknown or something.
2007-08-07 20:31:05 · answer #8 · answered by Misfit_101 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I agree with you, I have researched, I believe in going to the edge of the pit and looking in but you are not suppose to fall in and that is the biggest problem most people have, they fall in. I also believe in knowing my enemies, who they are and what they do.
Whyurafraid is wrong in answer there are other religions who will excommunicate for reading up on the occult or other certain subjects, the Mormons for instance and others.
2007-08-07 20:29:28 · answer #9 · answered by LaptopJesus 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
certainly it depends on why your doing the research. They are assuming that these people are actually interested and they probably are. I have been debating on whether to read the book of Mormon or not so i can tell my mom how its wrong...but i don't want to spend my time filling my head with anti Christ material. so i choose not to.
2007-08-07 20:30:11 · answer #10 · answered by ►Coconut Butter◄ 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
i think that "they can't look" is taking it a bit far.
can they practice? no.
but they can certainly learn about it and try to understand it's beliefs.
at least that's what i try to do. I'm christian and love harry potter(i read the 7th one in a day)
lost
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eu/21618
2007-08-07 20:31:24 · answer #11 · answered by Quailman 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋