Well, I finished the new Harry Potter book yesterday. This means I also finished the series, and I'd love to talk with someone about the story as a whole.
What Christian elements or themes did you find? What unChristian elements disturbed you? Aside from being an entertaining read, how did the story move you? What did it make you think about? What do you think the author's point was? What did you like or dislike?
I'm asking because I think this book will have a lasting impact. Our kids will read it. Grandkids, too. I think there's opportunity here to discuss important themes, to glean insights, and to probe spiritual realities. Why not begin that discussion now?
I'll be sharing some of my thoughts at a later time in the comments section of this post. I'd love to hear from anyone who's read Harry Potter at all.
Any thoughts?
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9 comments:
What is the woman's name who wrote the series, J. K....?
Oh yea, Jezebel Kidnapper Rowling.
Just kidding! :)
I've not read any of the Hairy Pooter books but I thought I might give you a laugh. Later.
www.michaelhalcomb.blogspot.com
I'm a biologist, not a theologian, but i'll share my experience because it's likely different than that of many readers, in the personal changes i went through over the course of reading the series.
I read the first four H.P. books before becoming a believer, and of course i didn't see what all the fuss was about. To me they seemed clever, amusing and completely innocuous.
I read the fifth book after coming to Christ. The cleverness and themes seemed the same, but all the way through it, i felt weighed down by a profound sadness. Because of the changes in me, I was acutely aware of how lost the children (and all the characters) were, and how completely absent God was from the story.
Recently i read some commentary on another blog that claimed social value for the series based on its themes of good vs evil, promotion of loyal friendship, etc. That got me to thinking...isn't it Satan's M.O. to counterfeit qualities of the kingdom in every way except for the total absence of God? Doesn't he want his work to appear warm and attractive and admirable on its surface? How is a reader affected spiritually by immersing his or herself in a world, even an imaginary one, in which the characters rely on their own power and the practice of magic to get through life?
I look forward to seeing others' comments
Wendy,
Interesting take on the whole issue!
Glad you became a Christian; Hallelujah!
www.michaelhalcomb.blogspot.com
Where do I start, there are so many good ones to pick (at least once you get past the notable absence of God). I've got a top 10 list from HP7 but my highlights are... "evil exists within each of us, to be truly free we must confront it in ourselves; it invades our minds and stirs our hearts for any place it can cling to"....(in refrence to Snape) "Actions don't always equate a person's heart and hasty judgements can cost more than can be afforded" (I'm glad he was vindicated)....(Harry/Voldemort) "We fear what we don't understand and we only understand that which we've learned to love, so perfect love really does cast out fear"... "death is only Master to those who fear it"..."Love, and love alone, has power over all else.
And I almost wet myself when they are in the graveyard reading the tombstones and they read that "where your treasure is there your heart is".
I'm back in Wilmore now if you want to continue this at Solomon's Porch and meet face to face.
Dear Michael,
As a pastor, have you ever had a parent ask for your take (or verdict) on Harry Potter? If so, how did you respond?
Wendy,
Wow, nice to hear from you! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your experience in reading Harry Potter.
I really empathize with your impressions of the book. When I began reading the series, I just wanted to see what all the hubub was about & decide for myself. I liked the first book and decided that it was innocent fun with some good themes. I continued reading the other books primarily for the sheer entertainment value.
Book 5, however, struck a bad chord with me, too. I think this was the book that presented a disturbing parallel between Harry and Jesus. Both are endangered infants who survived a threat, both are seen as Messiah figures, prophecies revolve around both, etc. This was eerie to me. It seemed counterfeit & left me uneasy.
I asked for thoughts on this subject in part because I am conflicted about what to do with HP. On the one hand, I too see the redeeming themes in the book (friendship, community, perseverance, courage, hope, faith, providence, sacrifice, family, forgiveness, overcoming anger, temptation, etc.). On the other hand, your point about the kids relying on magic and their own power is a great one. God IS absent from the story--at least in a direct sense. Usually I find parallels or echoes of the Biblical story to be encouraging. I often found them unnerving in Potter.
One could say that the idea of God is present through the workings of Providence and the "supernatural" assistance that Dumbledore provides. In fact, Dumbledore reminded me of Gandalf in many ways. There are thematic parallels between Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings as well (including many of the redeeming ones mentioned above). There is the fellowship, the destruction of evil objects (tied to the soul of the antagonist), and the readiness of Frodo and Harry to sacrifice their lives to save the world. In both accounts, the outside world is not even aware of the incredible sacrifice that is being made and what it has won for them. (This parallel with Christ is one that I like!)
On a minor note (or is it?), even the cussing in Potter book 7 bothered me. Why put that in there?
All in all, I liked the series, but I want to explore the spiritual themes further. How do I respond to these books as a Christian? Your point about Satan deceiving by distortion/distraction is well worth considering.
Thanks again for the thoughts.
Dear ModernDayMystic,
I'm glad you liked book 7 so much! I liked it, too. I was hoping for a bit more resolution (spritually), as I had heard that Rowling was a Christian and hoped she'd lay her cards on the table more. Instead, I am still conflicted.
I too appreciated the Scripture references, but I was curious about the way they were used. The whole treatment of the afterlife puzzled me, too.
I was very touched by the ending, and it made me want to love my family better & appreciate every day more. That was great.
I'd love to hear more of your quotes, and I really want to hear more from Christians who loved the books. I think the themes (especially the spiritual ones) are worth exploring.
What would you say to Wendy's concern about Satan's counterfeiting of Kingdom qualities? I don't want to overspiritualize things, but there is a spiritual message in Potter.
I'd love more help in discerning it.
Thanks again for sharing! Do you have anything about this on your blog?
Clay,
I've not had anyone ask me about Harry Potter. I understand the seriousness of what you're talking about; I was just bringing some humor to it because I couldn't speak to the issue; hope I didn't offend you.
As for reading HP, I would probably point them to a different book but if they insisted, I would warn them to read it through their Christian eyes and with a Christian mind, so as not to be swayed by anything if it is there. I would do this, though, with any book they might be reading, not just HP.
I'm not anti-halloween or children's literature that isn't 100% Christian and I realize that sometimes Christians need to engage secular sources, if for nothing else, than to be up to par with the discussions taking place. But viewing the world through Christian eyes, when I say "world" I mean everything, is of the utmost importance. It might be a good read, that HP series, and there might even be Christian themes (I'm sure there are, most great literature no matter what type it is, has Christian themes); those are the things we should search for; are they given justice or being preverted? That's my take.
Thanks, Michael.
I didn't get offended by your humor! Sorry if I was overly serious. Please don't stop cracking jokes. It made our Greek class quite bearable!
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