[Faith-talk] a PS about the Harry Potter phenomenon

[qubit]

Hello Tim, and thank you for your important contribution. I brought up Harry 
Potter and read it in the first place, because it is what children are 
filling their minds with now.  I think it is important to allow yourself 
some exposure to what one's children are reading and watching so as to glean 
any good and be prepared to combat the bad.

One thing about the HP story is that it is not real.  I mean, the characters 
are obviously make believe, and even the magic is often almost reminiscent 
of modern technology -- such as GPS systems (magic maps), magic wands, and 
moving pictures.
There are sinister forces in the story, but the characters and situations 
are so over-the-top and extreme that you can almost laugh at them.
And the children learn good moral lessons.
No, they don't refer to Christ -- I think I would object to it if it did. 
They did go so far as to mourn that Harry, going to his death, was like a 
pig going to slaughter.  The whole magic world is a little off and only 
reflects things in the real (or "muggle") world where normal humans live, 
but I think most kids can separate the stupid story lines from reality, just 
like they can separate Santa Claus from from Jesus.
Anyway, that's my thought.
I actually am sensitive to books that have dark and creepy themes -- I mean, 
I put them down rather than read them.  But Harry Potter is filled with 
creative adventure, lots of humor and a happy ending that children enjoy.
I'm not a mother myself, but I do like to keep up on what my niece and 
nephews and their children read so I can be conversant.

Another thing.  I am right now in a nursing home with a trake in my neck and 
am cared for by a lot of young nurses.  Most have read widely and grew up 
when Harry Potter first started getting really popular.  Most of the HP fans 
say they were raised in fundamentalist Christian homes where practically 
everything was banned.  One said the first thing she did when she turned 18 
was to read HP.  When I told her I was a Harry Potter fan, and that I saw 
specific Christian elements in the story, she was actually a little shocked. 
After living in her parents home all those years, she hadn't noticed the 
themes directly copied from Christianity.
Shows how much she was taught.

Ok, I will not bash. I don't mean to bash any church.
I only think censoring too much creates an irrepressible curiosity in kids.
Children growing up should learn how other people think when they can 
discuss it with their parents.

Just my opinion.
Happy NY.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Timothy Clark Ministries" <timothyclarkministries at gmail.com>
To: "qubit" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com>; "Faith-talk, for the discussion of faith 
and religion" <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2014 5:09 PM
Subject: Re: [Faith-talk] a PS about the Harry Potter phenomenon


my dear brothers and sisters -
 harry potter is of the devil. it promotes magic, violence, and other things 
that goes completely against the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Any 
Christian who reads this, really needs to rethink their  faith  and their 
basis as to which they believe.
 My dear friends, I implore you just like I did last night, to re-think the 
things that you believe. Honestly, I am deeply saddened that we are having a 
conversation on a list dealing with faith concerning books that are clearly 
of the devil. Anything that goes against the Bible, God's inspired 
authoritative word is of the devil.
 We must be clear, we must be firm, and we must be fascinated in the 
doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ as given to us by the apostles. Read the 
book of acts, it might just change your life. Stop giving over to doctrines 
of seduction and heresy. You're walking a fine line and I pity the man who 
falls off the edge.
My dear brothers and sisters, I would not be ignorant by casting my pearls 
before swine. However, should this continue, it will leave me no option but 
to shake the dust off of my feet and regretfully unsubscribe from this list. 
I will not be  encroached in doctrines of seduction. doctrines that are 
clearly going against god’s word.
 my goal is to preach the gospel. i pray we can discuss this with kindness 
on our lips and love in our heart.
Timothy Clark Ministries



  http://www.timothyclarkministries.blogspot.com

On Tevet 8, 5775 AM, at 4:35, qubit via Faith-talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> 
wrote:

> Hi all, before I stop writing for the night, I wanted to just say as a
> followup to the thread a few days ago where I gave a brief overview of the
> whole harry potter 7-book story.  I said something about the story, even
> with the witchcraft and wizardry, actually having a weird resemblance to 
> the
> story of Jesus.
> I wanted to amend that statement to say that I think JK Rowling definitely
> wove some threads of Christianity into her story, but I know that in 
> several
> important ways, it was not the same.
> The reason I thought of it again is that there was a Harry Potter movie
> marathon on all last weekend, and I watched several of the movies to see
> what they did with the story.
> The movies are well done.
> I don't know about "filling one's head" with that type of stories is a 
> good
> thing, but hey, when I was little, we used to see movies and tv shows with
> witches and magic all the time, and I think that's part of being a child.
> Also, the kids in the story are such normal, good kids, and their
> experiences reflect the types of things children run into in real life, 
> and
> learn valuable life lessons.
> I suppose such a creative and well written story couldn't help but become 
> a
> worldwide phenomenon.
> I still can't see why some people want to ban it.
> If children are taught what is make-believe and what is not, a little make
> believe is a good thing.
> But there is a time and place for everything.
> The world is crazy.
> Take care.
> --le
>
>
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