News, How Christian is J K Rowling’s “Christian Inspiration” for the series of Harry Potter books? (paranormal, woman)

[John1960]

ARLINGTON, VA (ANS) -- J. K. Rowling made a recent statement that “Christian inspiration” played a role in her writing of the series of Harry Potter books.



Whatever J K Rowling may say about inspiration for the books, the true
J.K. Rowling
judgment of the books should rest on what they themselves present. I don't doubt Ms. Rowling's sincerity, but if it is authentic Christianity that inspired her, would she have created a child hero who practices occult arts that are clearly condemned by God's word? Harry and his friends casts spells, take a class called Divination, communicate with the dead, and learn how to mix magical potions. In fact, they are in school to hone their practice of the occult.

How Christian is J K Rowling’s “Christian Inspiration” for the series of Harry Potter books?

[TakeAhike]

I'm sure there will be many detailed responses.
~~~

'Before becoming a Christian, Marcia Montenegro was a professional astrologer who taught astrology for several years, and was involved prior to that in Eastern and New Age practices. Through her ministry, Christian Answers for the New Age, Marcia speaks and writes on New Age and occult topics. Based in Arlington, VA, she is the mother of an adult son and the author of SpellBound: The Paranormal Seduction of Today's Kids...'
~~~
I think this woman might be trying to make some $$?

I'm glad I grew up in a time when fairy tales/fantasy were not analyzed so thoroughly.

bhs

[Preterist]

Originally Posted by bhs119

I'm sure there will be many detailed responses.
~~~

'Before becoming a Christian, Marcia Montenegro was a professional astrologer who taught astrology for several years, and was involved prior to that in Eastern and New Age practices. Through her ministry, Christian Answers for the New Age, Marcia speaks and writes on New Age and occult topics. Based in Arlington, VA, she is the mother of an adult son and the author of SpellBound: The Paranormal Seduction of Today's Kids...'
~~~
I think this woman might be trying to make some $$?

I'm glad I grew up in a time when fairy tales/fantasy were not analyzed so thoroughly.

bhs

Harry Potter is not a fairy tale and its realistic situations and embodiments of real-life sorcery and witchcraft place it outside the realm of innocent fantasy. Rowlings herself has admitted that she receives many letters from children begging to be let into her school of witchcraft even though, of course, it does not exist! The sale of books on witchcraft has risen sharply and the topic of witchcraft is one of the most widely researched in libraries.

Does Rowlings have the right to write such books? Of course she does. But those of us opposed to what they embody, no matter how innocently it is packaged, have the right to point out why we don't like them and why we don't want our children reading them.

I see a big difference between Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland! My children have read the latter, and as far as I know, none of them has ever tried jumping down a rabbit hole.

Preterist

[Tricky D]

Originally Posted by Preterist

I see a big difference between Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland! My children have read the latter, and as far as I know, none of them has ever tried jumping down a rabbit hole.

The problem is that there is no difference between a parable and a fairy tale. They are both works of fiction trying to install a sense of morality or other pearls of wisdom into children and adults.
The difference between the bible and a fantasy book is that a fantasy book does not pretend to be anything other than fiction, while the bible (or those who believe that the tales therein can only be literal) insists that it can only be non-fiction.
I do not find it surprising that the same people who believe that the bible can only be real also believe that sorcery and witchcraft is real. Because superstition, like religion, is only based on faith and not evidence. Even when the evidence contradicts their faith, believers find a way to interpret it in such a way that they choose their religion's dogmatic view over reality (aka common sense).

[Preterist]

Originally Posted by Tricky D

Originally Posted by PreteristThe problem is that there is no difference between a parable and a fairy tale. They are both works of fiction trying to install a sense of morality or other pearls of wisdom into children and adults.
The difference between the bible and a fantasy book is that a fantasy book does not pretend to be anything other than fiction, while the bible (or those who believe that the tales therein can only be literal) insists that it can only be non-fiction.
I do not find it surprising that the same people who believe that the bible can only be real also believe that sorcery and witchcraft is real. Because superstition, like religion, is only based on faith and not evidence. Even when the evidence contradicts their faith, believers find a way to interpret it in such a way that they choose their religion's dogmatic view over reality (aka common sense).

Even when the evidence contradicts their faith, believers find a way to interpret it in such a way that they choose their religion's dogmatic view over reality (aka common sense).

Proof? (perhaps a different thread)

Preterist

[+] Rate this post positively

[jeffncandace]

I say read the books before judging...i find the books
to be Inspiring :-) God bless!

[Preterist]

Originally Posted by jeffncandace

I say read the books before judging...i find the books
to be Inspiring :-) God bless!

Inspiration means that something encourages you to act or believe in a certain way. What type of action or belief does Harry Potter encourage you to take or have?

Preterist

[Tricky D]

Originally Posted by Preterist

Inspiration means that something encourages you to act or believe in a certain way. What type of action or belief does Harry Potter encourage you to take or have?

To not judge a book by its cover.

Proof? (perhaps a different thread)

BTW I wasn't asking for proof. Like I said faith and proof don't mix, because then it becomes all about the interpretation of the evidence which has less to do with reality and more with ideology.

[Padgett2]

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that anyone's who has strong faith and imparts that idea of what is real and unreal to their children, will not have any problem with the Potter books. Of course, if they lie and tell the children that Santa Claus is real, the children know that parents lie, and they might be telling one about Harry Potter too. Santa is magic.

It's the person that has deep seated doubts that will be the one that wonders if it's real. Some of those bible stores are just as hard to believe as any fairytale ever written.

Should we also shun Cinderella and her fairy godmother? Maybe the Wizard of Oz with it's magic slippers? Snow White and the Magic Mirror? Many of the old fairytails have an underlying message of good/evil and.....horrors of horrors....MAGIC!

When I was a child, my father was already dead. I had problems believing that he had gone to heaven and that he and the angles were watching over me. I had no problem with believing in fairies.

[Mooseketeer]

Originally Posted by Preterist

Harry Potter is not a fairy tale and its realistic situations and embodiments of real-life sorcery and witchcraft place it outside the realm of innocent fantasy. Rowlings herself has admitted that she receives many letters from children begging to be let into her school of witchcraft even though, of course, it does not exist! The sale of books on witchcraft has risen sharply and the topic of witchcraft is one of the most widely researched in libraries.

Does Rowlings have the right to write such books? Of course she does. But those of us opposed to what they embody, no matter how innocently it is packaged, have the right to point out why we don't like them and why we don't want our children reading them.

I see a big difference between Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland! My children have read the latter, and as far as I know, none of them has ever tried jumping down a rabbit hole.

Preterist

I thought the Caterpillar in "Alice in Wonderland" is smoking an opium pipe ?!?! Very common in Charles Dodgson's time but still... "Alice in Wonderland" and the rest of Dodgson's writings too have had their share of controversy since its publication as did the author ( claims of latent paedophilia etc..).

JK Rowling's books are about the eternal fight between good and evil and good comes on top. It's about friendship, love, loyalty and the duality of our humanity. If that is the worst your kids can learn then I would say they are doing pretty well.

It has also encouraged children not to only to read again but to enjoy it and to use their imagination.

The books are extremely well written, fun and have formed an international "community" around them. Not of satan-worshippers but of children who identify with characters who are different due to being bullied, abused for simply not fitting in. It shows how people can surmount anything , no matter how difficult and painful with love and friendship and the bond of created families. I would say that it is not only a very positive message but a crucial one for our kids to learn about morality, empathy and such.

I just find it difficult to understand how these traits can be portrayed as being negative in any way. I have not met a kid ( or adult) yet who empathises with or look up to Voldemort or Malfoy. All are united in their belief that HP and his friends are on the side of the "Angels" and as such heroes. To want to defeat evil and do good, how can that be a bad influence on anyone ?

And yes they are a modern fairy tale, just a modern one.

Fairy Tales are some of the darkest stories ever written. And deal mostly not only with white magic but a lot of black magic too. ( Snow White, Sleeping Beauty etc..).

All the well love fairy tales ( all of them originally from early European Folk tales , then written up by Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm and Andersen) were written as a warning to children about the big bad world and their subtext is incredibly dark .

I'm surprised you have missed that fairly obvious subtext.

And if you are teaching your kids about the Bible, talk about dark and violent. Rape, murders, wars, human and animal sacrifices... the "Good" book is pretty scary.