Books in Christian Perspective: The Harry Potter Series - H
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Books in Christian Perspective:
The Harry Potter Series
Hello beautiful people, and welcome back to another blog post! As always, I'm bringing you the tea, plain and simple, the flat-out truth. In this post I'll cover every possible angle of the Harry Potter series, every possible argument and counter-argument, so that by the end you'll have all the facts at your disposal in order to make an informed decision. Without further ado, let's get into it!
Okay, so first a little bit of background info: the Harry Potter series is composed of seven books, each title beginning with "Harry Potter and the ______." In order there's
The Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone
The Chamber of Secrets
The Prisoner of Azkaban
The Goblet of Fire
The Order of the Phoenix
The Half-Blood Prince
The Deathly Hallows
Eight subsequent movies were made, the final book being split into two movies. The series follows a boy named Harry Potter who finds out he's a wizard (but I'm pretty sure that even if you were as sheltered as I was, you'd know that much😂).
Obviously the main objection to the series is that it takes place in a world of magic. This world is within our world; the wizards and witches live alongside Muggles (non-magic people) and for the most part coexist peacefully. Some anti-Harry Potter literature I've read* says that the fact that wizards and Muggles coexist is a red flag: in other book series that involve magic (e.g. The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings), the magic in question takes place in an entirely separate world. However, Harry Potter takes place in our world.
Why is this a bad thing? Because it gives the readers/viewers a misconception about magic in our world.
There is magic in our world--in the real world. The Bible talks about it and warns against it. In biblical times, demon possession and evil spirits were a lot more of an issue than today (though that's not to say people aren't bothered by them anymore--there's still of plenty of that ish that goes around). However, back in Bible times, people would try to ward off evil spirits with charms, spells, rituals, and other forms of magic.
It's a trick, see? A trap. The Devil terrorizes people with evil spirits, making them so desperate for peace that they try to use petty spells and charms to ward off the demons. In doing so, those people aren't turning to Jesus for peace and salvation. They place their trust in their petty "magic," instead of going to the One who could truly rescue them.
My study Bible** put it thus: "People often turn to magic because they want more control over what happens to them. They're afraid, and they don't trust God's control of the events of their lives . . . People who know that God loves them don't have to be afraid of the future. God is in control, and he will take care of them always." Couldn't have said it better myself! 👏
That's why it's so important to stay away from things like Ouija boards, tarot cards, and mediums. Either they're flat-out wrong, or the Devil is pulling the strings. No good can come from it, you hear me? The only person who knows the future and has your best interests at heart is Jesus. Sister, I beseech you: turn to Him for peace and guidance.
With that said, the type of magic exhibited in the Harry Potter series is not the same as real-world magic. And this can be dangerous because it lulls readers into a false sense of security. They read the books or see the movies and think, "Oh, that's so ridiculous, magic isn't real!" But magic is real, and trust me when I tell you Voldemort looks like a Pygmy Puff next to the real Dark Lord.
The other end of the stick is that people will read Harry Potter and will think it's real. While J.K. Rowling did her fair share of research into the occult practice, all of the spells she included in her books were invented by her; someone who has studied Latin or any of its daughter languages will be able to see that. All of the potions mentioned in the series are either without specific instructions, or require fictional ingredients. As far as ceremonial rituals go, the only one of note I remember came at the end of book four, The Goblet of Fire, when Voldemort was being reborn. That one was creepy, and I definitely wouldn't recommend trying to replicate it. 😅
With all that said, I can see why parents would hesitate to let their children read/watch the Harry Potter series. It could definitely be a dangerous combination when coupled with poor discernment. Even after my parents thought I was old enough to read the books, I still didn't trust myself enough be sufficiently discerning. So to the young teen wondering if they should give in to the trend, my advice is this: don't be afraid to wait. I did, and I'm glad that I did. I assure you the books and movies will still be there if and when you feel ready.
Okay, now that I've talked about everything that's bad about Harry Potter, let's hear some good stuff, eh?
First of all, J.K. Rowling makes a very clear distinction between wizards and Muggles. While it's not quite clear how or what enables wizards to perform magic, it's obvious that this "gift" isn't given to everyone. It's not entirely genetic--a person who is related to a witch or wizard, but is incapable of doing magic, is known as a Squib. Alternately, at times a child born of Muggles may inexplicably develop magical capabilities--a person known as a Muggle-born. Whatever the reason behind magical capabilities, there is a very clear divide between the realm of magic and non-magic.
For this reason, all readers and viewers of the Harry Potter series can assume they are Muggles, simply because they have never exhibited any signs of magical capabilities like the characters in the series. Since they know Muggles can't do magic, they will be discouraged from trying to follow the lifestyle of a witch or wizard.
Secondly, the actual stories have very good and well-meaning morals. J.K. Rowling claims to be a practicing Christian, and even went as far as to say she included Christian/biblical references in her books. I'm not sure about all that, but I can definitely see where the life lessons in Rowling's books correspond with Scripture.
Quote: "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV "The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'"
Lesson: It doesn't matter what you look like or what you feel capable of; what matters is what's in your heart and the choices it leads you to make.
Quote: "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."
Scripture: Galatians 6:1-2 NIV "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Lesson: Accountability among Christians is just as important as conviction to the lost. If you see a brother or sister in Christ going astray, it is your duty to call them out.
Quote: "Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy."
Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14 NIV "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Lesson: You and I both know the end times are near. Even so, we must remain faithful to our values, even when doing what's right means taking the difficult path.
Quote: "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."
Scripture: Romans 15:13 NIV "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Lesson: As awful as these last days may be, we can remain ever-hopeful and optimistic as long as we keep our eyes on Jesus.
These are only a few examples; there are many more throughout the series that reminded me of biblical lessons. One that remains very poignant in my mind is the concept of a dementor. Rowling created a creature called a dementor that feeds on happiness and hope, making you feel cold and hopeless and alone whenever one is near. The way to fight off a dementor is with a Patronus--a spell that creates a guardian (usually in the form of an animal) that will chase the dementors away.
This concept really spoke to me because, unlike most of the other spells, the wizard casting the spell is not defending himself. The Patronus is the one fighting off the evil, just like how in our darkest moments, when all hope is gone, and we feel like we will never be happy again, we must rely on Jesus to restore peace in our lives. Jesus is our Patronus. #getittrending 😂💛
I could go on and on about the Harry Potter series, dissecting different aspects of it and so on, but I think you get the idea by now. I'm not saying it's harmless, because I know it's not; but I'm also not condemning it as a total lost cause. In the end, it must be your decision as to what extent you involve yourself in the Harry Potter trend.
I hope you feel at least a little bit enlightened by what you read here today! Everything contained in this blog post is entirely my opinion unless stated otherwise. Good luck out there, beautiful people, and never forget the true Patronus! 😂👏
Much love and God bless,
H 💘✨
*Do You Believe in Magic? Discovery series, David Sper, 2004
**Zondervan Teen Study Bible, New International Version, ft. Larry and Sue Richards
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