Christianity in Harry Potter

The Harry Potter books have earned their spots on the New York Times bestseller list and have been critically acclaimed. However, many conservative Christians have claimed that the series promotes witchcraft among its readers and corrupts the youth with its presentation of dark magic.

The seven book series follows Harry Potter, an orphan who has discovered he's a wizard and has been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He also learns the significance behind the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead; a dark wizard, Lord Voldemort attempted to kill him one night and Harry survived. Throughout the book, Harry faces the evil Lord Voldemort who will do anything to conquer the world of magic and knows that Harry is the one standing in his way.

The first book, The Sorcerer's Stone, was published in 1997 and immediately gained immense popularity. However, some Christians found reasons to reject and criticize the series. They justified their dislike towards the series through the readings of the Holy Bible. "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord." (_____) Since the Bible claimed that witchcraft was a disgrace against the Lord, Christians concluded that Harry Potter was a disgrace himself.

The Harry Potter books were criticized because of its content. They thought that the presence of magic in the stories would lead children down an occult path. Parents are fearful that children might be fascinated with this and will want to practice magic themselves. When a parent was asked why she banned Harry Potter from her kids, she answered, "It's dangerous. It encourages an interest in the occult. We should avoid it. I won't let my kids see it at all." (Christian Parent's Nightmare?) Yes, the book focuses on witches and wizards, magical creatures and spell casting and yes, children are immediately enticed by this, but children are fully aware that Harry Potter is just fantasy.

Children can decipher between fantasy and reality. According to PhysOrg.com, "Research has identified two areas of the brain that are more strongly activated when people see real characters than when they see fictional characters... Scientists have hypothesized that our brains may distinguish between reality and fantasy because real things tend to have a higher degree of personal relevance than fictional things do." (What is Real?) Fischer-Price, a leading toy company, said that fantasy was actually a major part in a child's development and will help children deal with tough situations and problems that concern them. (Parenting Help)

Because of these fears, parents have banned these books from their own children and have petitioned to ban the books from school. Due to the irrational fear that their children will attempt witchcraft, parents have felt the need to prohibit the reading of Harry Potter in their homes. A supporter of the petition to ban Harry Potter from Cromwell High School said, "Witchcraft is of the devil, and the devil is very powerful. When you put witchcraft in front of children and say it's okay to be a witch, you're destroying your children." (Book Ban Petition) He then compared Harry Potter to heroin, saying, "You wouldn't put heroin if front of you children and say its okay to try it." (Book Ban Petition) These claims are inflated and distorted. A nationwide bestseller will not destroy the child who reads it. These parents come off as ignorant and forget to realize that their children will not be running around thinking they are a witch or wizard after they read a book.

I recall a long time ago when my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Heirholzer, started reading The Sorcerer's Stone to the class every day as our school day would end. A student came in with a note the next day the let the teacher read it. After she read it, she escorted the student out of the classroom. She came back and proceeded her reading. The child's mother wrote the note demanding the the child could not participate in the Harry Potter readings or discussions. Parents are controlling their children the going out of their way to make sure their children don't come in contact with Harry Potter books.

It is also crucial to note the intensity of these beliefs. More overpowering than the student's mom, the 2006 American documentary, Jesus Camp, documents a Christian summer camp where children are challenged to become the Christian forefront of America. This extremist group controls the minds of young children and claims that these children will grow to be the "army of God." In this documentary, Becky Fischer, the children's pastor, stresses that Harry Potter is the devil. "Warlocks are the enemies of God! And I don't care what kind of hero they are, they're an enemy of God and had it been in the Old Testament, Harry Potter would have been put to death!" (Jesus Camp)

Harry Potter was even claimed to bring in demonic spirits to those who read it. Beverly Green, a Sunday school teacher from Georgia claimed that, "Harry Potter is saying you can dabble in witchcraft as long as it's entertaining, "If it's not good, it's evil. There ain't no in between. When you start dabbling in demonic spirits, that's dangerous ground. You're opening up your home, yourself to all kinds of attacks from the Devil." (The Trouble With Harry Potter) Had it been true, wouldn't these books be banished from society?

Another series with fantasy is The Chronicles of Narnia. These books involve children from the real world transporting through a closet into the magical world of Narnia. These children are called upon by Aslan, the Great Lion who guides them to defeat the evil White Witch who has taken the throne. When we compare the Chronicles of Narnia and the Harry Potter series, there is no difference between strolling through Platform 9 and 3/4 and transporting through a magical wardrobe. Both series embrace magic and many people fail to perceive the parallelism between the two stories.

Although the Chronicles and the Harry Potter books contain corresponding themes, C.S. Lewis' (author of the Chronicles of Narnia) books are so celebrated by Christians compared to Rowling's. This is because C.S. Lewis is a self proclaimed Christian. Just because

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