In the series we learn that Harry's mother was a witch, and his father a warlock, which is a male wizard, and Harry is following in their foot steps. What is God's view of such people?
Ex 22:18
18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. (KJV)
Lev 20:27
27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them. (KJV)
God doesn't look very kindly on witches or wizards. He says that they should die. If God has such a view shouldn't we view these the same? Should we take enjoyment in those who are witches or wizards? I think not.
You may have heard that the series will help build good character in your child because Harry and his friends show forth good fruit. If you read the series you'll find that there is plenty of bad character as well.
In the series many of the characters (including Harry and his friends) break the rules of the school and get away with it. When they disobey the penalty is expellsion for the school, yet when they are caught they are not punished, but just the opposite, they are praised by their teachers. Once Harry and his friends were punished, but with detention and not expellsion as the rules stated. What do you think this teaches? That you can break the rules and not pay the consequences for breaking them. Children are to obey their parents (Col 3:20) and even their teachers. They are to go by the rules. Then add to that the lying, foul language and stealing that takes place by Harry and others and ask yourself if these books are really good character builders.
Eph 4:25-29
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (KJV)
What about sorcery (magic, witchcraft)? The Harry Potter series is filled with sorcery, not surprising, seeing that it is a story about a wizard-in-training. God does not like sorcery, infact those that practice sorcery will not go to heaven, but their destination is the lake of fire that burneth forever.
Mal 3:5
5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. (KJV)
Rev 21:8
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (KJV)
So what should a Christian do with Harry Potter? I suggest that you do what those in Ephesus did when they received Jesus into their life.
Acts 19:19
19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. (KJV)
If you'd like to hear an interview with J.K. Rowling on The Diane Rehm Show, WAMU, National Public Radio, October 20, 1999, it is available online at http://www.wamu.org. If you want to listen to the show yourself, here is the direct link to go to it http://www.wamu.org/dr/shows/drarc_991018.html, just scroll down to October 20, and there is a link to the real audio version.
Some say that children are not effected by the series, but as Caryl Matrisciana shows in her article Harry Potter – Making Evil Look Innocent?, that not all kids can distinguish between reality and fantasy, thinking that witchcraft or Harry's world is real and even that kids want to join covens to learn about casting spells and are rejecting Christianity and the Church for witchcraft.
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