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Harry Potter
http://arwen-undomiel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=21829		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Feanor [ October 1st, 2011, 6:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Harry Potter
Ok. I've heard tons of different views on the harry potter books!!!
It's crazy! Some people love them and say they're the best books ever, and some say they're terrible and evil. My mom says they are about crazy witches and warlocks... harry is a warlock, right?
But someone I know, who is also a christian, says they're awesome and not bad at all.

It is quite confusing. :blink:
I'd like to give them a try, but of course, mom thinks they're bad,(never having read them of course.)

So, what's your view on them?
Are they stupid and bad, or are they really good books?
Author:  Erkenhelm [ October 1st, 2011, 8:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
I found them highly enjoyable from when I started them in second grade until I finished them like somewhere round the end of high school. I'd definitely recommend reading them. Not exactly sure what you mean by "evil" but them seem really innocent to me.
Author:  Taurquende [ October 1st, 2011, 9:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
I don't want to skirt too close to the "no religious discussion" rule, so you'll find more information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_ ... ter_series :bye2:
I will say most Christians find them perfectly innocent, but your mom could share the views of those mentioned in the link. Whether you agree with them or not is, of course, your call. :)

From a purely literary standpoint, they're a really fun read. :D If you haven't heard the plot, it's basically this: Harry is a wizard who had no idea he could do magic until he turned 11 and received an invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which would teach him how to use his magic and take his place in an extensive but secret magic community. He is especially special ( :-P ), though, because when he was just a year old, he survived an attack by the most evil wizard in history, while the evil wizard was almost vanquished-- but not quite, which is what most of the later books are about. :)
Author:  Synariel [ December 3rd, 2011, 2:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
They are awesome! I think a lot of people say they are evil because they are about magic using wizards and witches and traditionally wizards and witches can be pretty evil characters who use dark magic. And the people who assume that-most never have actually read the books or seen the movies and so they have no REAL idea what it's about.
But I've read Harry Potter, and it isn't an evil story. The magic in the story is presented in a general way-rather than all being good or bad. People are taught how to use magic and then they have to make the choice to use it for good or evil. It's a great story about good people overcoming evil. I would TOTALLY recommend it. It has a lot of really touching and uplifting parts to it. You easily come to love the story and the characters and you even feel kind of sad when the story is over.
You should definitely read it. :D
Author:  Feanor [ December 5th, 2011, 12:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
Thanks for replying, everyone... but lol now I'm just more confused.

Sorry if I break any rules... (and I'm not trying to start an argument)

Any kind of magic is evil. But as long as you don't go practice it or anything, I don't see anything wrong with reading/watching stuff with magic in it.
Lord of the Rings even has magic in it!
I like the Inheritance cycle, and so does my mom, and it has lots of magic. It doesn't seem evil to me.
Sure the author has totally different views than me, but that doesn't stop me from liking his book.

So.. what is wrong with Harry Potter? So many people hate it, but I haven't really seen any bad reviews about the Inheritance books(about the magic in it).

My mom says the magic in HP is just like magic people use in real life. So maybe that's why?
I seriously don't get what's the problem.
I've asked mom and she doesn't even really know...

Is there anyone on here who doesn't like HP,(who has read it) can you give me your reasons why you think it's wrong? (other than it's not interesting) You can PM me if you want(it's not against the rules to pm about 'religion' is it?)

~Feanor
Author:  Will [ December 5th, 2011, 1:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
Feanor wrote:
Any kind of magic is evil. But as long as you don't go practice it or anything, I don't see anything wrong with reading/watching stuff with magic in it.

My mom says the magic in HP is just like magic people use in real life. So maybe that's why?


Those are very debatable views, which can be supported and opposed by many arguments.

That having said, I think you should keep in mind that it is fiction and that those book are written with the intention to entertain an audience. So just go and find out for yourself if you like it or not. If you just read them, you can judge yourself.
Author:  Arabella Baggins [ December 5th, 2011, 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
Feanor wrote:
My mom says the magic in HP is just like magic people use in real life. So maybe that's why?
I seriously don't get what's the problem.
I've asked mom and she doesn't even really know...

~Feanor


That depends. Do you know of any people using magic to turn animals into water goblets in real life? Or reading a book entitled The Monster Book of Monsters that bites any who tries to read it? Or levitating a giant club to use to hit a large mountain troll over the head? XD

All joking aside, I love Harry Potter. Yes, there is magic, but it's also a classic story of good vs. evil, and friendship, and trust, and how you shouldn't judge based solely on outward appearance. Harry Potter is all harmless fun, I think, but I love stories about magic anyway. I do know that people consider these books to be evil, and I will be honest when I say that there is evil in them. Lord Voldemort, the villian, is evil. But so is Sauron, and the villian in Inheritance (can't recall the name, only read the first two novels so far...). But there is also good triumphing over evil. And there's fun--Quidditch, a game played on broomsticks; kids sneaking around under an Invisibility Cloak; romance and mystery; the everyday mundane of school assignments--even writing an essay about magic can't make the essay any more exciting!--and the feeling of excitement every time the train starts to move as it goes on its long journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Personally, I think Harry Potter is an amazing series, and you should make an attempt to read the first one with an open mind, if your mom says you can. After all, if you don't like it, you don't have to finish it! I think it's worth a try, though. :)
Author:  Taurquende [ December 5th, 2011, 5:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
I think we might be getting into a bit of a danger zone. We're basically having the debate stipulated in the wikipedia article I posted earlier. :P

The bottom line, Feanor, is you'll have to choose for yourself. :) If you don't see what's wrong with it, then go ahead and give them a try! If you begin to feel like the magic used in it is the wrong sort and you shouldn't be reading it, then put it down.

I think for safety's sake, any other religious viewpoints or discussions on Harry Potter should be sent to Feanor via PM. :)
Author:  Seren [ December 20th, 2011, 6:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
Feanor wrote:
Ok. I've heard tons of different views on the harry potter books!!!
It's crazy! Some people love them and say they're the best books ever, and some say they're terrible and evil. My mom says they are about crazy witches and warlocks... harry is a warlock, right?
But a friend of mine, who is also a christian, says they're awesome and not bad at all.

It is quite confusing. :blink:
I'd like to give them a try, but of course, mom thinks they're bad,(never having read them of course.)

So, what's your view on them?
Are they stupid and bad, or are they really good books?


Oh the Harry Potter books are awesome. I haven't read the rest of the thread but seriously, if you haven't started to read them you need to! Like now!

If anybody has any problems with the magic thing, they just need to remember that they're books of fiction. Real-life magic (which I do practise) is nothing like the magic of the Harry Potter books and neither have anything to do with Satan or similar entities. (Considering that the only possible way to believe in the existence of Satan is to believe the Bible then you won't find that many non-Christians who believe in him... )

Oh and Harry is a wizard, not a warlock. There are a few mentions of warlocks in Harry Potter, The Warlock's Hairy Heart in the Tales of Beedle the Bard is one I can think of, but that story is a fairytale so it's probably an archaic term.
As for the term "warlock" in real-life, it has nothing to do with witches or wizards. Warlock actually means "oathbreaker" and if you called a male witch a warlock he wouldn't be very pleased... (Blame Hollywood for the whole warlock = male witch rubbish.)
Author:  ~Kahme-Vyina~ [ January 10th, 2012, 8:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
I've only just started reading the series, but I love it! I don't know why it took me so long to get into it, but I'm definitely catching up now. :)

From my perspective, the books are innocent, entertaining fantasy, nothing more. Nothing evil about them. It's fiction, not to be taken too seriously. However, it's perfectly fine not to like the books -- not everyone will like and dislike the same things. That's just how it is. People are entitled to their respective opinions; even if I don't agree with them, those opinions won't keep me from enjoying the world and people that J.K. Rowling has created. She deserves all the success and affection that she has garnered. :D

Outside the fantasy element, there are also the elements of friendship, loyalty, love and overcoming one's fears. Those are great messages for people of all ages. To say that Harry Potter is evil is very black-and-white thinking. There's much more to it than that. :yes:

I agree with everyone else: feel free to read the books and decide for yourself. :p
Author:  Feanor [ January 10th, 2012, 10:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
Haha I want to try them... but can't.
I seriously doubt mom would let me read them.
Of course she doesn't mind me reading books about Merlin...(no one told her those were evil, though...) so I really don't get it... so what if they have magic in them??? It's fantasy! And just cause I don't agree with something in a book doesn't mean it's not a good book...
Like the Inheritance cycle... some of the author's beliefs, which I disagree with, show through in the books... but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the story.
Author:  Lhunardaien [ January 11th, 2012, 5:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
Maybe the one of the differences between Harry Potter and the Inheritance cycle is that the Inheritance cycle is situated in a world other than our one (Alasea, or something like that?), while Harry Potter is situated in our own world with the addition of a magical community. With the Inheritance cycle, it's so clear that it's fiction, because of the other world.
Maybe Harry Potter looks more realistic, because some of the events from the story happen in existing locations in the UK. Maybe that's why people think different about those stories?

These are just some of my thoughts on this subject, so let me know what you think of it!
Author:  Larael [ May 19th, 2012, 9:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
I think in this instance you just have to show your mum that you can differentiate between what is real and what is fantasy. As much as a lot of Harry Potter fans would like the books to be real, they are not. There is no harm in imagining the world that the books present, but it's important to keep in mind that it isn't a real one.

In the long run the morals of the books are what a parent should look at. There are wizards and magic in LotR, but both series of books have similar moralities to them. They both stress the importance of good triumphing over evil, the power of love, friendship, loyalty, and courage. I think that should be what your mum sees over the wizardry and magic aspect of it [which are presented harmlessly anyway]. :)
Author:  Feanor [ June 17th, 2012, 9:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
Quote:
I think in this instance you just have to show your mum that you can differentiate between what is real and what is fantasy.
lol she already knows that... :P

So, now she is definitely NOT letting me read them.
And.. she finally gave me the reason. She says the magic in the books is really similar to witchcraft in real life. (I wouldn't know for sure... I'm not a wiccan[obviously] and neither is anyone I know.)
Yep. That's why.... not so sure I like her reasoning, but thankfully I lost interest in reading them a while back before she said that. or I would probably be kind of mad at her. :P)
Author:  GotPrecious [ August 10th, 2012, 11:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
Well, I am a Christian, and I don't find anything to be wrong with them. My mom has even read them and she loved them. She told me that it's not like witchcraft in real life. The book is about a boy without any parents (Harry Potter) and the battle to destroy evil (Voldemort). J.K. Rowling says in the book that the only reason Harry is still alive is because of his parents love for him, which created a "shield" against Voldemort's attempt to kill him. There are many who say the main theme in H.P. is love. (there are also those who will say the main theme is death, but the same thing goes for LotR. Lots of good people die, but in the end good with always win. Friendship, trust, and love) The magic in the Harry Potter books is really just the wand-waving and potion-making. Fantasy. It's not satanic. Aside from that, they're great books! I even like it almost as much as I like LotR.
Of course, you should obey your parents. If they don't want you to read it, then that is their choice and I don't want to encourage you to nag them about it.

Hope that helps!
Author:  Feanor [ August 15th, 2012, 6:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harry Potter
I don't really care to read them now... and my mom is firm in her belief the books are evil. (even though this 'fact' is based only on opinions of others, mainly our pastor who only read a few paragraphs of the books...)

I am going to read them once I'm an adult though... so in case my future kids(if I have any :P) want to read them, I'll actually know if they're good or not.
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