|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:48 pm
freelance lover I wil say in the seventh book there pretty much a Bible verse on Lily and James' tomb, and the Christian overtones in that book are pretty strong. You also have to consider JKR is Christian and the western world is predominently Christian. No matter what you believe, your thoughts and actions reflect Christianity in some way. Most literature today has some form of Biblical allusion in it, including Harry Potter.
But I wouldn't say its Christian. Of course, its not evil either. It's just a work of fiction people read for enjoyment. Nothing more, nothing less.
And Catholics are definetly Christian- heck they're the original Christian- everything broke off from them. I agree. However, the bible does say that what is poured into our hearts is the overflow of our soul, and the eyes are the window to the soul, so whatever we read or see on tv gets poured into us, so although it's not evil, it's not beneficial either. And Catholicism came about after Jesus was gone for a while... I don't know if that's the way God would get stuff done today, but the branch itself can be categorized in Christianity, even if many of their hearts cannot.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:50 pm
Lady Kayura Many great authors don't intend to have things in their novels but when written, things are discovered. There's symbolism in things they didn't think about. Perhaps it was subconscious or just chance. But when I read the series I did see some symbolism that could relate to Christianity. So Rowling didn't intend for it. So?
As for talking about wizards. CS Lewis wrote his Narnia series to be religious but they have witches and talking animals. Does that mean it's not a religious book? No. razz I agree, but there's a big difference in the witch in Chronicles of Narnia vs. the protagonism of the witches and wizards in Harry Potter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 7:20 am
CCubed Fine one bible verse that mentions a serpent but doesn't refer to it as evil or devil-like or satan himself. I found two. I hope you don't mind "snake" rather than serpent - I wasn't reading the KJV and the likes. Numbers 21:8-9 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. Acts 28:3-6 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 12:40 pm
I go with no because Witchcraft is idolizing One's self and Spirits, making u thing that You have power when only GOD has all the power.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 10:25 pm
No it is not a Christian series at the core or otherwise. Yes it has some Christian overtones, but, many books regardless of the genre do. This is like saying The Walrus and the Carpenter is an indictment of organized religion when Lewis Caroll meant no such thing by it. Also Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, no two ways about it. They worship "God" and believe that only through Jesus can one be saved, the Protestants believe the same thing. They just tend to be a bit more...liberal on some matters. Harry Potter =/= Christian. Its a book. Fictional. And fantasy. Entertainment only. Not a guidebook, not the work of "Satan."
Just entertainment. And personally I see no problem with the witchcraft. Its rather intriguing. And Godthad, witches, at least as I know it, worship a Goddess which helps them have power in their lives.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:59 pm
sirmartyr777 I agree, but there's a big difference in the witch in Chronicles of Narnia vs. the protagonism of the witches and wizards in Harry Potter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:11 am
Gambol CCubed Fine one bible verse that mentions a serpent but doesn't refer to it as evil or devil-like or satan himself. I found two. I hope you don't mind "snake" rather than serpent - I wasn't reading the KJV and the likes. Numbers 21:8-9 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. Acts 28:3-6 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. The stories, especially the one in numbers, in their original contexts, start with the image of the snake being evil. God however, uses that evil and makes it a good. As for the Acts one, the snake was evil. It was trying to kill Paul and God showed them his power.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 11:22 am
Ultimately, by the definition of a christian book, the Chronicles of Narnia nor the Harry Potter series are chrisitan books. However, this doesn't mean they're evil. If you can read these books and not be drawn into the magic within them, then there is no problem. The problem becomes when you think it's real. Many children who read this think it's real. That's a problem since magic is evil. I've seen children wish they were like Harry Potter, could cast magic and could teleport. This becomes a problem, it's no longer simply reading a book for enjoyment, they've been drawn into it and imagine it as a reality.
So, we've come here. Reading a book for entertainment and no other purpose is not wrong.
Reading the book and believing it's real and wanting that to be your reality is wrong since all magic is evil.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 1:10 pm
CCubed Ultimately, by the definition of a christian book, the Chronicles of Narnia nor the Harry Potter series are chrisitan books. However, this doesn't mean they're evil. If you can read these books and not be drawn into the magic within them, then there is no problem. The problem becomes when you think it's real. Many children who read this think it's real. That's a problem since magic is evil. I've seen children wish they were like Harry Potter, could cast magic and could teleport. This becomes a problem, it's no longer simply reading a book for enjoyment, they've been drawn into it and imagine it as a reality. So, we've come here. Reading a book for entertainment and no other purpose is not wrong. Reading the book and believing it's real and wanting that to be your reality is wrong since all magic is evil. All magic is evil eh? Then love is evil, then your God's "miracles" are evil, then those who used herbs to help heal are evil, then Catholics who practice voodoo in the Caribbean are evil. Also your comment on children being drawn into the magic, that is not wrong or evil. They be CHILDREN. Imagination and fantasizing is part of being a child. They grow up in time and they see the truth of how its all fiction. You need to learn to get into the books you read. It makes the reading experience more enjoyable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 8:35 pm
I don't think Harry Potter is made to be a Christian book series, even if it does have the good vs. evil and good prevailing theme.
They're a very entertaining read though 3nodding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 7:43 pm
AnimeMonkey I don't think Harry Potter is made to be a Christian book series, even if it does have the good vs. evil and good prevailing theme. They're a very entertaining read though 3nodding Good vs Evil is not exclusively Christian. Its been around longer than it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 10:13 pm
Ricette CCubed Ultimately, by the definition of a christian book, the Chronicles of Narnia nor the Harry Potter series are chrisitan books. However, this doesn't mean they're evil. If you can read these books and not be drawn into the magic within them, then there is no problem. The problem becomes when you think it's real. Many children who read this think it's real. That's a problem since magic is evil. I've seen children wish they were like Harry Potter, could cast magic and could teleport. This becomes a problem, it's no longer simply reading a book for enjoyment, they've been drawn into it and imagine it as a reality. So, we've come here. Reading a book for entertainment and no other purpose is not wrong. Reading the book and believing it's real and wanting that to be your reality is wrong since all magic is evil. All magic is evil eh? Then love is evil, then your God's "miracles" are evil, then those who used herbs to help heal are evil, then Catholics who practice voodoo in the Caribbean are evil. Also your comment on children being drawn into the magic, that is not wrong or evil. They be CHILDREN. Imagination and fantasizing is part of being a child. They grow up in time and they see the truth of how its all fiction. You need to learn to get into the books you read. It makes the reading experience more enjoyable. Love is magic? I remember it being magical (an adjective which in the context of love would mean Mysteriously Enchanting and not mean that love is of or produced by magic). God's miracles have no place in this conversation being that they aren't acts of magic. However, if you want to debate this further, start a new thread so as to not deviate too far from the point of this one. The Catholics in the Caribbean AREN'T evil, their acts are evil. No person is evil of and by themselves, except of course Satan and his demons. We see this clearly because before we label someone as evil, they have to commit evil ACTS. Imagination and Fantasizing is part of childhood, of course. However, there's a fine line between imagination and the mixing of a fictional reality with reality. Also, they don't all grow up and see it as fiction. That's a generalization. We would assume that they would grow up and realize, hey, this is fake. However, if no one TELLS them it's fake, they can't know it's fake. We learn by seeing as children. We do things that we see other people do. We learn to walk by watching others walk and having our parents help us, we learn to speak by hearing our parents and others speak. Case in point, depending on environment, the child may or may not grow up and realize that it's fiction. Example: Feral Children Now the last part of your objection. I've never had any problem imagining myself in the world a book paints. At the same time, I've never finished Harry Potter or any other book series and immediately wanted to be transported to that land. I recently read the entire Twilight series and look forward to Breaking Dawn, but at no time during Twilight did I get finished and want to be Edward. I've gotten into the books i've read as you put it, but I can separate the reality of the real word from the reality painted in the book. It doesn't make the book any less enjoyable. What it does is make sure that the book doesn't become an addiction. There's a point, where you can be too drawn into a book. Then again, that can happen with anything. As for Good vs. Evil. You're right in that it is not intrinsically Christian, but it is intrinsically religious. Good and Evil have to be set on a moral precedent as decided by the overall opinion of Society. Stealing is wrong because it is considered an intrinsically evil act by the general opinion of society.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 10:16 am
Instead of trying to make excuses to justify why you should enjoy watching or reading something, how about you just expose yourself to it? I don't suppose God would want you to hide in a little only-Christian box all your life o.o.
If you don't want to see anything Un-Christian, you might as well sit in a corner of your house and board up all your windows and doors.
Of course Harry Potter isn't Christian! Anything that is a reference to Christianity is coincidence, but that doesn't mean I don't like it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 5:00 pm
cellphonetragedy Gambol cellphonetragedy Catholism is different from Christianity.... Incorrect. Catholicism is a denomination of Christianity. yet at the core it has a lot of different beliefs... yeah, but they all believe in Jesus... therefore Christianity.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 5:05 pm
These books are far from Christianity...
If you were to ask Narnia... then yes, but Harry... no... and I mean, NO!
And along with the whole, trying to justify reading them... so what? I read fantasy and science fiction books all the time. I read a lot of "un-christian" books to my niece for bed time whenever I'm at my brother's house. Personally, I believe that if there is some good meaning or moral behind the story... or if it's just for plain entertainment.... then read it. Reading is good for the imagination and stimulates the mind... so that when you need to tell your testimony, one, you'll have a bigger vocabulary and sound intelligent wink ... and two, be able to communicate the word of God better to those who don't know it.
Plus, who ever said that being a Christian meant that you couldn't have fun? That wouldn't exactly be appealing to non-believers then, would it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
