could anyone with sufficient knowledge tell me the difference between modern-day "witchcraft" and Harry Potter

Question

my opinion is that they're completely different, but there's this certain christian man who is just convinced that harry potter will lead the little children to wicca. he hasn't read any of the books, and probably knows nothing about wicca, or any sort of witchcraft at all, but he claims J. K. used "the same words" as wiccan spells do. I did a little research and it looks like he's full of it, but I myself don't know much about "real" witchcraft (just harry potter). I know J. K. used latin for most spells, do wiccans use latin? any opinions/other facts on this matter would be great. thanks in advance!

oh for the love of god, I know they're different, I'm looking for *examples*. so sorry I bothered to ask, it's not like that's what this site is for or anything.

did any of you even read the question? or did you see "harry potter" and "wicca" together and just freak out?

a very sincere thank-you to those who answered at the end there-- a lot of helpful, thought-out answers. the "christian man" is not my friend at all--- he's a school principal, and sadly, in charge of the school library. anyways, thanks for your help. I *did* do my "research," thank you very much, wikipedia and a billion other sites, but I wanted to hear what real wiccans/people with knowledge had to say about the specific situation. thanks again. :)

Answer 1

here we go.

the similarities will be easier to list. (there are 3)

the words Caput Draconis, and Fortuna Major, are the names of 2 of the runes associated with Geomancy.
Earth divination.

and the description of the Patronus Charm. is somehwat accurate. Negative energy and entities can be held off with Happy thoughts and memories.

the philosophers stone, was an item that was searched for by medieval alchemists. it was never found but one did claim to make one. (if you want a history lesson on that e-mail me)

now you have the similarities.

the differances. (there are a lot, probably more than i can list)

Incantations do not produce immediate visible effects.

there is no school dedicated to magical studies of the type that Hogwarts teaches.

we do not require wands.

we do not enslave the fey. (at least most of us do not)

we do not prohibit children from useing magic in a responsible or defensive manner.

we do not believe that some are simply born with it, anyone can learn our beliefs and use our magic.

we do not dual each other for practice.

the language of snakes is not Pasoltoung (spelling) in fact the snakes simply do not have a name for it, it is simply speaking.

paintings and pictures do not move unless they are on the magic TV box.

you do not need to be a witch to become a ghost. and ghosts do have the ability to move on after death if they choose to.

the spells in HP are mostly just latin for the desired effect, or whatever "sounded cool" to the author.

Wiccans use their own language as they believe that clearly stateing your intent is very importent.

most of us would not tolerate people like the Malfoy family in our circles. or even in our presence.

the Mandragora (screaming plants) do not exist.

Wolfsbane does not help against the lycnathrope.

the stated ingriedents of polyjuice potion would probably send one to the emergency room before it changed your appearance.

do i really have to go on?

But, there is REAL MAGIC in Harry Potter.

show me a witch today that could get 32 million kids to put down the controller to the Xbox to READ a BOOK.
that is the most powerful spell that this high priest has ever seen.

Answer 2

First and most important difference - Harry Potter is a work of FICTION.

Witrchcraft and Wicca are NOT the same thing. Wicca is a recognized religious practice, and has been since 1951, with a liberal heirarchy. It has it's dogma, like any other religion, and tends to be earth based and dual gods and goddesses in their worship. Harry Potter? No religion to it at all, merely the harnessing of spells in a fairly clinical manner, IMO - seems more like a science classroom than anything else- learn and master the easy stuff, go on to more advanced.

Witchcraft could be closer to Harry Potter, in that it is a craft that is learned with or without religious connotations- start easy, get harder with time and experience. However, modern witches don't do ANY of the spells semi suggested at in the Potter books; everything in there is incomplete and would result in nothing but time wasted.

Latin is not commonly used by witches or wiccans; it was however, the language of priests historically, well into the 1960s.

The only common factors - robes, wands, some herb use (there is NO gillyweed) and for some, formalized spells and rituals. That's it.

the ONLY thing the Potter books are going to teach his children is that the underdog can be he good guy, that good more often than not wins out over evil but not without losses, and some more advanced words in the english language as well as a few mangled latin words.

Oh the horrors - children becoming literate and learning compassion - what IS society coming to?

You're right, he's full of it - what it is I don't know; I just know I don't want to be near it when it comes spewing forth.

EDIT _ someone else is full of it. Wicca is NOT and has never been an ancient practice. Wicca is less than 100 years old, the construct of a man called Gerald Gardner.

Witchcraft, however, is a more ancient practice - and still not the same as wicca.

Answer 3

Hi,
I'm not going to claim to know everything but being a modern-day Wiccan; I think I can help you a bit. There is a huge difference in Wicca and Harry Potter. Wicca or "Witch Craft" is a religion, a celebration of the Earth and its energies, the divine magic that surrounds us every day, and taking those energies and focusing them to make you a better person and improve your abilities of using the energy to help you accomplish a goal. Yes Wiccan's use Latin; we also use French, Spanish and namely English. Harry Potter is a book, pure fiction created by a magnificent author with a wild imagination. Yes there are some elements of the book that are borderline real like "magical herbs" all kind of plants have healing properties so someone might view them as magical. Some witches use wands when casting spells but unlike Harry Potter it is a mere option, not a necessity. There are many differences and very few similarities, although I do love the books. 7 was by far my favorite. If you would like any other information feel free to email me.

Answer 4

I am a Celtic Pagan who does practise some magic-I've recently started learning how to use it.Harry Potter is nothing like real magic-it's just great fiction.

Real magic involves channelling natural energies-it can be very effective and very powerful but it is much more subtle than the stuff in Harry Potter.

I don't say any incantations that are anything like the ones used in Harry Potter.Mostly I chant in Scottish Gaelic because that's my first language and it feels more natural as a Celtic Pagan who bases his beliefs on the religion of the Ancient Celts of Scotland.I'm not sure if any other Pagans do magic in Latin- the most likely to do so would be those who worship the Roman deities I guess.However most magic-users say their spells in their first language.

From what I can tell though the spells and potions in the books are mostly literal Latin translations of what the spells and potions do e.g. veritaserum is the most powerful truth potion in the Harry Potter universe.In Latin the word veritaserum means 'Truthserum' or 'Truthpotion'.

Answer 5

Ancient Irish language would be a form of Gaelic evolved into what is now Old Irish, and in England the Gaelic dialect has now evolved into Welsh. Pre-Christian religions would not likely have come into contact with many Latin speakers until about 40 AD when Romans invaded.

So if you are talking about the true pre-christian religions then no, nothing to do with harry potter or latin yammering. There is not much record of the original pre-christian religion, so the modern revival of wicca is doing a lot of guesswork as far as language goes. but it doesnt really matter, its not a "text based" religion like the abrahamic religions.

If you really want to make him feel dumb..

Answer 6

Um well the words in the book are all Latin. Also in HP mythology the spells are made by the first wizards. Most Wiccans make their own spells in their own language-- if they're in the US that would be English, China Chinese and so on.

Harry Potter is about Wizards-- beings with inherent power born to them. Wicans, though not bad at all, empower themselves. To believe HP, you'd have to say that all wiccans are descended of witches, which isn't true.

I'm sorry you have to deal with someone that can't tell the difference between life and fiction for kids. I feel bad for his children!

Answer 7

Wicca is nothing like the magic in Harry Potter. I know very little about it, except that most wicca is based on nature and the earth. J.K was also a faithful Presbyterian who was a big fan of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Your Christian friend obviously doesn't know much about allegorical writing.

Answer 8

Spells (generally speaking, I'm not Wiccan but I do cast) are generally spoken in the native language of the caster. It is not the words that are important but the meaning behind them - words are not even necessary, if the mind can focus on what it wants.

The type of magic in Harry Potter is, as you know, fantasy magic, whereas actual real magic spells are more like tools for meditation. Their purpose is to help the caster gain perspective, insight, and or/calm. They are for personal improvement. Nobody leviates things or transforms things, that is not possible. Real magic does not defy the laws of physics. It just helps you focus your mind so you are more able to put things into action.

The one exception I'll make here (SPOILER!!!!!) is at the end of the 7th book. It refers to 'old magic', magic so fundamental in the fabric of reality that it is not cast by a spell. Harry's selfless act in embracing death for what he loves, as his mother did for him, protects everyone from Voldemort's malevolent magic at the end. He does not cast. It merely happens. It is there by will and by love. This shows that Rowling does in fact understand the nature of real magic (whether she's aware of this or not), and it has nothing to do with wands or words. It has everything to do with deeds.

But in any case the fact that the fantasy witchcraft in Harry Potter has nothing to do with nature-based religion is beside the point to your friend. Witches are witches as far as he knows, and witches look for power inside ourselves, not in the outside source of his almighty deity, and that's what really bothers him.

Answer 9

Unfortunately you are right--Harry Potter isn't going to induce any of the children of the fundamentalist cults to conert to wicca.

And I do mean unfortunately. Unlike these "fundies" who are nothing more than false "Christian" cults--Wiccans teach peace and respect for others--both human andin nature. Contrast that with the intolerance and bigotry of the religious right.

I am a Christian--but I'll take a Wiccan over wone of these right-wing religious fanatics any day of the week.

Answer 10

They really might use the same words. Wicca was literally invented in the 1900s by a man named Gerald Gardner (I usually call them "Gardnerians", but they don't tend to like that name as much as "wiccans" or "pagans"). There have been some attempts at borrowing from other religious traditions, and every once in a blue moon people have done some actual historical research, but most of it is, well, there's no nice way to say it. Made up. Stuff that living people will actually take credit for making up, more to the point.

What your Christian friend is afraid of, is that little children are going to be attracted to the occult. A lot of Christians are taught to believe in the occult.

There is a real danger with regard to the occult, but it's not the danger your friend is thinking of. People who tend to trust "alternative" medicines, fortune telling, magical rituals that they've gotten from the internet, and the like, often end up very, very, very poor, reliant on narcotics, and unable to trust traditional medicine even when under the influence of life-threatening illness.

To put it simply, the more attracted to the occult a person is, the easier it is to grift them out of every penny they have, and convince them they "need" whatever it is you have laying around the house that you'd be willing to give to them at an outrageous mark-up.

Harry Potter is "dangerous" in this sense, because it's already a marketing franchise, and it markets something that tends to make people even more gullible and willing to part with their life savings. How dangerous? Not very at all. Anyone with an ounce of self control isn't going to blow their paycheck on Griffindor and Hufflepuff crap (I've never read any of the books, by the way). Most people are going to read a few books, see a few movies, get some enjoyment out of it, and call it a day.

To the kind of person that's succeptible to blowing their dough on fads, though, it's probably something they should be kept away from.