They're Just Wild About Harry!

[PrisonerOfHope]

With another Harry Potter demon-fest coming out tomorrow, I thought this would be a good time to share a blog that I wrote about the idols in America today.

Pop Culture & Christians: An Idol By Any Other Name Is Still An Idol

"You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God..." (Exodus 20:3-5)

An idol: It's something that is worshiped or adored. God makes it abundantly clear in His Word that He is to be regarded above all. Man was created with the need to worship, and worship he will. Sadly, too many people are trying to fill the "God shaped space" within them by worshiping other things, be it their children, possessions, or an aptly named "idol."

HOW GREAT THOU ART!

"Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm!" (1 Chron. 16:22) It's the clarion cry of "Christians" jumping to the defense of their idols such as Benny Hinn...mere men whose doctrine is often seriously flawed. (Hinn, for example, has publicly stated that God is in reality nine persons, as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have a spirit, soul, and body!) These men live lavish lifestyles, fly private jets, and prey off widows and pensioners. Yet - as the heated arguments on so-called Christian discussion boards all too often attest - they are revered and yes, even worshiped, by their adherents. When Hinn makes his "grand entrance," the hymn "How Great Thou Art" is invariably played. One who is at all spiritually attuned and filled with the true Holy Spirit senses that it is not God who is being praised here!

Tens of thousands flock to arenas to see these men "perform," and even more send in their "seed faith" offerings - convinced by their gurus that God simply cannot bless them unless they sow an offering into the ministry first! I've often wondered: If you were to take a city with two large arenas, and Benny Hinn was appearing in one and Jesus of Nazareth in the other, which would draw the larger crowd?

Years ago, I used to post to a Christian board frequently. The topic of one thread was, "Who is the most famous or influential person you've ever talked to or met?" There were dozens and dozens of responses.....some had met celebrities, others had merely sighted them, and yet others had had an opportunity to speak to a politician or high-level executive. I posted, "Each and every day I have the honor of speaking to the Most High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth! And I know beyond any doubt that He not only listens to every word I have to say, but He's always there when I want to talk to Him!" No one was impressed or even commented - Not. One. Person. And this was ostensibly a Christian board! But oh my, did they ever get a rise out of hearing that someone had met Robert Redford or even their Senator!

A MATTER OF PRIORITIES

I was appalled and embarrassed when one of my classmates at a Christian college - a middle aged woman and mother - got all silly and giggly over seeing a picture of some singer (whose name already escapes me) and said, "Ohhhh.....he's my boyfriend!" No, she's not putting him before God Himself, but what about God's law? This is a woman who is married; she is not to lust after another. Does the fact that this person is a pop culture icon somehow make it alright? Somehow, I don't think God would condone it. The unprecedented popularity of the show aptly named American Idol shows where the priorities of much of this nation lie...and they're not where they should be.

I don't see a problem with enjoying artists, authors, or actors as a rule, but when that person - or that person's work - goes against anything written in the Word of God, it's time to back off and take a closer look.

God's not against fun, and He's certainly not against our enjoying ourselves. His laws and rules are put there with one purpose in mind: to protect us from being hurt. Sadly, many think that "following the rules" will destroy any hope of having fun, but the exact opposite is
true!

THEY'RE JUST WILD ABOUT HARRY!

Are you surprised that this had led to Harry Potter? I simply must vent about it! When the subject came up in my Pop Culture class, one woman who apparently agrees with Maya Angelou argued, "Why, Harry Potter has brought literacy back to our children!" Maybe so...but at what price? Generations of children grew up reading the Bible; is it no longer considered relevant? For that manner, there are a lot of good, wholesome books on the market - why do parents want to feed their children poison?

"It's just fantasy." That was what I was told by another classmate who jumped to the defense of her hero. Yeah, well.....

"There shall not be found among you anyone 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, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you." (Deut. 18:10-16)

She argued that since we no longer stone rebellious children, this Scripture - God's eternal Word - is no longer applicable. Well, it's her prerogative to (foolishly) ignore the OT, but the NT itself has many warnings about the subject, including 1 Thess. 5:21-22, James 1:27, 3 John 1:11, 2 Cor. 6:14-17, 1 Tim. 4:1, Rom. 12:9, James 4:7-8, John 3:19-20...and many more.

The very fact that something is abhorrent to our Father should make it equally abhorrent to us, but that sadly isn't the case. In fact, so incensed was this one particular woman about my belief that her idol Harry is evil, that - that even several weeks after that discussion she alluded to it, condemning me for going dancing at Studio 54 many years ago and essentially accusing me of being a hypocrite! So I disagreed with her; why not - if she's so sure she's right - just drop it and let it go, not stew over it for weeks, looking for an opportunity to bring the subject up again? ls something wrong with this picture? I can't help but feel that allegiance this strong to a fictional character is unnatural.

WHEN YOUR IDOL BECOMES YOUR GOD

Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged

The following link shows a video about the popularity of witchcraft among children and teens, and explains how the "fantasy world" of Harry Potter helps introduce children to Wicca.

www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Wicca%20%26%20Witchcraft/harry_potter-video.htm

Although some Christians - including Chuck Colson - see the HP series as nothing more than harmless fantasy, others see it as evil sweetly packaged to seduce our children. Fans of Harry Potter have been known to try and emulate him by putting a lightning-shaped mark just like Harry's on their foreheads. This mark is known as "Thor's calling card," and is the same mark adopted by the Nazi SS. Couple that with the prophecy in Rev. 13:16 ("He caused all great and small to receive a mark in their forehead..."), and one cannot help but wonder if our children are simply being conditioned in preparation of things to soon come. Not to mention, Harry's deceased father appears to him as.....a horned god! (As is Satan!) Hello - is anybody listening?

So great is the public's love of this creature that Harry Potter licensed products abound. You can get everything from children's clothing to toys to candies to books that are connected to Harry Potter in some way; amazingly, there's even an entire theme park devoted to this one fictional character!

Not surprisingly, there are websites that will try and convince you that this is all good, clean fun - and for the first time in years, the kids are reading, aren't they? Surely, only good is coming from this series of books! One website known for debunking urban legends even mentions "hysterical religious groups":

www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/potter.asp

They claim that the Harry Potter series is not leading children into witchcraft. If so, where is the list of sources to prove it? Note, Snopes is not a Christian site and, in fact, openly ridicules such topics as the Rapture.

Well, if I want an opinion on a subject, I'm going to go to someone who knows the subject backwards and forwards and inside out. Who better to know what is - and isn't - witchcraft than a former witch who is now a Born Again Christian? The following website has some good information on the subject, including links to other websites about Harry Potter and the occult; pay special attention to the footnotes:

www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/harrypotter.html

Not surprisingly, one can find arguments on both sides of the issue. But you know what? I'm sure that - if I bothered to look - I could even find websites that laud the merits and benefits of using crack cocaine! Sure, they may fly in the face of common wisdom...but people will go to any lengths to justify actions and/or behaviors they're not willing to cease partaking in.

There's a story that goes, "A woman offered her friend some brownies, and the friend - who loved sweets - accepted eagerly. As she bit into the first brownie, the baker told her, 'By the way, I accidentally dropped a wee bit of dog poop into those brownies...but I did manage to scoop most of it out.' Her friend was appalled, and spit the brownie out. The baker didn't understand why she was upset....after all, 99.9% of the brownies were made of good, wholesome ingredients! They were only barely touched by the dog poop! But her friend didn't want to eat any of that stuff, in any amount!" Along the same lines, rat poison is 99% good, wholesome cornmeal - it's the 1% of poison that kills the rats.

In 2007 Jacqui Komschlies wrote an article in Christianity Today comparing Harry Potter to "rat poison mixed with orange soda", and said, "We're taking something deadly from our world and turning it into what some are calling 'merely a literary device'". Jeremiah Films, a Christian video company largely known for its Clinton Chronicles release, also released a DVD entitled Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged which stated that "Harry's world says that drinking dead animal blood gives power, a satanic human sacrifice and Harry's powerful blood brings new life, demon possession is not spiritually dangerous, and that passing through fire, contacting the dead, and conversing with ghosts, others in the spirit world, and more, is normal and acceptable"

It's not just Christian Fundamentalists who are opposed to Harry Potter and everything connected with him. In 2002, the Greek Orthodox Church authorities in Thrace released a statement denouncing the Harry Potter books as Satanic, saying that they "acquaint people with evil, wizardry, the occult and demonology".

A number of Islamic scholars have argued that the books' magical themes conflict with Islamic teachings. A series of "online fatwās" have been logged by imams against Harry Potter, decrying it as un-Islamic. In 2002, the books were banned in schools across the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to a spokesman from the education ministry of the UAE government, the books' fantasy and magic elements were contrary to Islamic values.

The Roman Catholic Church takes no official position on Rawlings' books, but in 2003, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger – who later became Pope Benedict XVI – received a manuscript of a book critical of the novels from a German author. He stated in a private letter expressing gratitude for the receipt of the book, "It is good that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly". He also recommended she send a copy of her book to Fleetwood at the Council for Culture. In a second letter, the cardinal gave the author permission to make his first letter public. These letters from Ratzinger prior to his elevation to the papacy have been used to suggest that the new pontiff is officially opposed to the novels.

Criticism against the books also comes from the one of the official exorcists of the Archdiocese of Rome, Father Gabriele Amorth, who believes that, "Behind Harry Potter hides the signature of the king of the darkness, the devil".He further told the Daily Mail that the books make a false distinction between black and white magic, while, in reality, the distinction "does not exist, because magic is always a turn to the devil". Amorth believes that the books can be a bad influence on children by getting them interested in the occult.

There are parents who would rush to grab a toy away from their child the moment they hear that the toy is being recalled because there is a very slight possibility that the child might be harmed by it. Yet how many of these same parents are poisoning their children's very souls?

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matt. 10:28)

[shann0]

Ugh, I have a very dear friend who just loves the Potter series, and let's her young son read all the books etc. We've clashed on it a few times.

I told her JK Rowling is a witch, she based the main character on Aleister Crowley, the books were essentially channeled the way she describes it. It's nothing but pure evil.
She bases most of the characters on real life people who were witches and satanists. With names like Cassandra Vablatsky, which is not too far off from Helena Blavatsky, it's blatantly obvious what she's doing.
She says "It get's my son interested in reading, that can't be a bad thing!" So any reading material is ok so long as he's reading? How about giving him a Penthouse magazine?
It's just ridiculous. It's so demonic.

[PrisonerOfHope]

And don't forget the homosexual Dumbledore!

Saying these books are a great thing because they get kids to read is as stupid as saying anyone would be a better president than Zero...it's like choosing between the frying pan and the fire.

The fact that these books have kids (and even adults) so entranced should in and of itself tell people that there's some sort of spiritual forces involved here.

[shann0]

Yeah, it's crazy how defensive she is about JK Rowling. In fact, if I even post something that mentions Potter, she'll comment on it. Did you know JK Rowling used to work for a UN NGO? She's all wrapped up in the luciferian agenda.

[PrisonerOfHope]

The very fact that she's a billionaire just because of having written some children's books say a lot.

Satan gives a very good cash advance to his helpers (such as the rock musicians who can't sing or play yet make a fortune and have all the sex and drugs they want, on top of lavish lifestyles); unfortunately, they don't realize that payback is a *itch!

[PrisonerOfHope]

The Cutting Edge website has a good article on it:

HARRY POTTER -- REALITY OR JUST FANTASY? OR BOTH?!

As I began researching the craze over the Harry Potter books, I searched the Internet for pro-Potter sites. Two major defense themes of these sites were that Potter fell under the category of Free Speech and should not be "censored" in any way, and that Potter was simply "Fantasy" and therefore, harmless. Several Christian ministries picked this latter defense up quite readily, beginning with Chuck Colson stating that the magic saturating the Potter books was all right and not harmful, because it was just mechanical magic [like card tricks and illusions], and that no contact was made with the supernatural world.

Christianity Today picked up this quote and used it in an article they entitled, "Why We Like Harry Potter". Focus On The Family repeated Colson's quote, and used it to deliver a conditional acceptance of Harry Potter, even though they spent considerable time and effort exposing its blatant Witchcraft and expressing concern over it. Focus On The Family based its conditional acceptance of Harry Potter squarely on the un-Biblical concept inherent in the New Evangelical notion that a Christian needs to be like the world to win the world for Jesus Christ [Read NEWS1388 for full explanation]. Focus basically concluded that a Christian needs to read Harry Potter in order to be able to speak with relevance to the unsaved who are reading it.

FANTASY VERSUS REALITY TO A SATANIST

One of the most common themes of these pro-Potter sites is that the blatant, bold, and bodacious advanced Witchcraft that literally fills these novels is not harmful, because it is just a story. Potter books are not Reality, they are Fantasy. As Fantasy, they pose no threat to anyone who reads them, even to the most enthusiastic. Because the stories are just Fantasy, they will not cause anyone to actually go into Witchcraft.

Of course, that explanation does not seem to fit with the pictures to which we were subjected showing youngsters from ages 8 and up, dressing like Witches and Wizards, having thunderbolts drawn in the middle of their foreheads, and emulating Harry and his friends as much as possible. This activity, we are told, is still just Fantasy, so we are not to worry.

During most debates today, neither side seems alert enough to ensure that definitions of key words are identical on both sides of the debate. A Communist's great advantage in any debate is that they had secretly changed the meanings of key words, and very few people are any the wiser. For example, 'peace' to most Westerners is the absence of war or limited conflict; but, the Communist definition of peace is the complete obedience of every citizen to the dictatorial rule of the Party. If a person was not willing to subject himself to such obedience, the Communist Party would show that citizen the ultimate 'peace', the 'peace' of the grave; this fact is one of the key reasons Communism kills so many people when they take over a country.

There are so many more examples of this word redefinition process that books have been written on the subject. It is too bad that they are all out of print, now that Communism has officially failed.

With this concept firmly entrenched in our minds, let us examine the word redefinition that has occurred with the Harry Potter books. Defenders of Potter say that no one should worry about the Witchcraft in these books, since they are only 'Fantasy', and not Reality. And, kids as young as 8 years old are supposedly sophisticated enough to know the difference. Even Christian ministries are getting in on this theme. As we noted in NEWS1377, Chuck Colson boldly states that the Witchcraft in Potter is not real, and that no contact is made with the supernatural world. Christianity Today, in their article, "Why We Like Harry Potter", quotes Chuck Colson and says that the Witchcraft is simply another example of "literary device". No one seems to remember that was one of the defenses made a couple decades ago about Pornography. Even Focus On The Family stated that the Potter Witchcraft was just Fantasy, as we have already noted, above.

Since so many Potter defenders are singing exactly the same tune, I consider it highly likely that someone involved in the publishing and promotion of the Harry Potter books originated this theme, and passed it down the ranks. Certainly, all major news networks are singing this tune, and too many Christians are too accepting of it. Truly, we are at the End of the Age, of which Jesus spoke in Matthew 24, where He warned on three occasions within that chapter, not to be deceived by the unparalleled deception that would characterize the Kingdom of Antichrist. Are you this deceived today? Are your spiritual eyes open enough to see the truth once it is presented to you? If you are, then please see and listen.

The average person on the street in America today will define "fantasy" as "make-believe", or "pretend". Indeed, my Tormont Webster's Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary defines "fantasy" thusly: "The realm of vivid imagination ... illusion ... make-believe". This concept is deeply rooted in the mind of the average person of the Western world, so that when he or she is told that Harry Potter is just make-believe, this average person relaxes their guard dramatically, and feels falsely assured.

However, the Satanist and any person practicing the occult has a far different definition of the word, "fantasy". They believe that the Fantasy World is just as real as this dimension in which we live, work, and play. They consider the Fantasy World to be just another dimension, a dimension of which only they are aware.

Further, the occultist believes the Fantasy dimension is more exciting, and more adventurous, than the real world. This fact is depicted best in the extremely occultic [and Satanic] movie, "The Wizard of Oz". When Dorothy is in her real world in Kansas, the picture is a bland black and white; however, when she steps into the next dimension, her Fantasy World, the picture is a vivid color, and everything Dorothy does is far more exciting than in her real world. While Dorothy, who is a White Magic Witch, has to battle with the Black Magic Witches whom she encounters, she is shown to be triumphant. You see, this entire television and movie concept of "good always triumphing over evil" is nothing more, nor less, than the Satanic concept of White Magic Witchcraft triumphing over Black Magick Witchcraft.

Most occultists deeply desire to spend more and more time in their Fantasy World . They can travel there through Astral Travel, in which their soul actually leaves their body to go into the next dimension; of course, a demonic spirit must remain in the body to keep it from dying, as it will when it has no spirit. The Bible speaks to this fact most clearly; in Genesis 25:8, God describes Abraham's death in this manner: "Then Abraham's spirit was released , and he died ..." [Parallel Bible, KJV/Amplified Bible Commentary].

Of course, a person that practices Astral Travel is demonically possessed. The spirit that stays behind to keep the human body alive is the spirit(s) possessing that Satanist.

Occultists can also enhance their entry into the Fantasy World through drugs, especially the hallucinogenic variety. These drugs are so effective in transporting a person through the Fantasy World that they are highly sought after by occultists. However, these hallucinogenic drugs also debilitate the mind so much that the Illuminati forbids any of its members from taking them.

Occultists can also enter their Fantasy World through advanced visualization. Children are being taught Visualization techniques through Public Schools, sometimes as far down as First Grade under the guise of relaxation techniques during recess. Now, you know the ultimate end such satanic practices can bring a person.

Do not be deceived; this Fantasy World is the supernatural world of the demonic. While in this dimension the spirit of the Satanist is thoroughly deceived by the demonic host, by being given a counterfeit experience that is truly blessed, and very satisfying. The entire experience of the Fantasy World occurs in the supernatural [demonic] realm.

ENTERING THE FANTASY WORLD IN HARRY POTTER

The entire Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft takes place in the Fantasy World! Therefore, over 90% of each Harry Potter book occurs in the supernatural [demonic] realm! Now can you see how monstrous the false information Chuck Colson has just given Christian parents, when he assures them that no contact is made with the supernatural realm!

J.K. Rowling makes use of a very simple device to describe the portal into which a Witch and Wizard can leave the Muggles world of Reality, and enter the Fantasy World of Witchcraft. Let us turn to the second book of the series, Chamber of Secrets to see how entering the portal into the Fantasy World is accomplished.

'Harry had caught the Hogwarts Express the previous year. The tricky part was getting onto platform nine and three quarters, which wasn't visible to the Muggle eye. What you had to do was walk through the solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. It didn't hurt, but it had to be done carefully so that none of the Muggles noticed you vanishing."

" 'Percy first,' said Mr. Weasley, looking around at the clock overhead, which showed they had only five minutes to disappear casually through the barrier. Percy strode briskly forward and vanished. Mr. Weasley went next; Fred and George followed." [p. 67]

Just like that, these Witches and Wizards of the Weasley family, plus Harry Potter, vanished into the Portal separating the Real World from the Fantasy World. They literally traveled astrally, and spent the next nine months in the Fantasy World, in which Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft was located. The only "poetic license" Rowling takes in this scenario is that she does not leave the physical body behind while the spirit is moving and living in the Fantasy World; she takes the entire body and soul into the Fantasy World. But, this is the only differentiation she makes. Every other detail is perfectly in sync with the occult practice of entering into the Fantasy Dimension. Therefore, over 90% of any Harry Potter book occurs in the realm of the supernatural .

How, then, can Chuck Colson give a bold assurance to Christian parents that it is just fine for their kids to read Harry Potter because no contact is ever made with the supernatural world? Of all factors in investigative journalism, establishing motive is the most difficult, and I am not about to start in this instance. However, you now know the truth -- all the activities occurring in the Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft occur in the Fantasy Realm of the Occult.

Truly, we are the time of the age of which Jesus warned in Matthew 24. On three different occasions, He warned against deception. Listen:

Matthew 24:3-4 -- "While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, 'Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?' Jesus answered them, 'Be careful that no misleads you (deceiving you and leading you into error')." I find this exchange highly instructive; the disciples asked Jesus for THE sign of His coming and of the accompanying End of the Age. However, Jesus gave them many signs, from verses 4-32. When a person gives a complex answer to any question, he is likely to prioritize the answers, beginning with the most important. In this case, the first sign Jesus gave was to warn of the unparalleled deception of the Christian believer. THE hallmark characteristic of the End of the Age is unparalleled deception .

Matthew 24:11 -- "And many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many into error." We should expect false "Christian" leaders to arise, to give false assurances to Christians and lead them astray. The fact that we are seeing such a huge number of just such false leaders calling themselves "Christian" is proof positive that we are living in the Last Days of Time.

Matthew 24:24 -- "For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders so as to deceive and lead astray, if possible, even the elect." [All above quotes from Parallel Bible, KJV/Amplified Bible Commentary]

www.cuttingedge.org/news/n1390.cfm

Here are a couple of other good articles they have on it as well:

HARRY POTTER BOOKS ARE CONDITIONING CHILDREN TO ACCEPT PHOENIX BIRD

www.cuttingedge.org/News/n1380.cfm

HARRY POTTER CONDITIONING KIDS TO LOVE MAGICK, WITCHES, AND TO ADOPT THE VALUES AND ATTITUDES OF THE 'COMING GREAT ONE'!

www.cuttingedge.org/News/n1568.cfm

HARRY POTTER -- FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDINGS

www.cuttingedge.org/News/hp001.cfm

The Cutting Edge is a Christian website, connected to Doc Marquis, a former Satanist who got saved, so when it comes to magick and the occult, they're right on. If you go to their home page (www.cuttingedge.org) and look for "Harry Potter" in the search box, you'll come up with ten pages full of articles!

[shann0]

What ever you may think about Bill Schnoebelen, he wrote an article about Potter that is pretty good. He gives a good overview of exactly what kinds of things are demonic or occult inspired in the books, complete with page numbers. At least we don't need to read these books to refute the lame defensive arguements people make about them. Bill has done the hard work for us...

educate-yourself.org/mc/straighttalkonharrypotter30jan04.shtml

Straight Talk on Harry Potter


By William J. Schnoebelen <[e-mail]>
educate-yourself.org/mc/straighttalkonharrypotter30jan04.shtml
Jan. 30, 2004

STRAIGHT TALK # 22 ON HARRY POTTER

No book in recent years has attracted the success of the celebrated "Harry Potter" series. Supposedly these children’s novels, written by a woman in Britain named J. K. Rowling, have made her one of the wealthiest women in the world. She has written four books, the latest being HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, which weighs in heavier than some laptop computers. In total, her books have sold more than 30 million copies.

Her appealing hero is Harry Potter, a nerdy orphan boy whose parents were killed when he was very young by an evil wizard named Voldemort. From this encounter, he has a lightning bolt-shared scar on his forehead is raised by dull, cruel relatives (an aunt and uncle) who are "Muggles," the Harry Potter term for non-wizards who don’t like or believe in magic and who tend to persecute those who do.

Harry’s saga starts when he is 10 old in THE SORCERER’S STONE and he ages a bit in each book. He is 14 in the latest book. Without going into all the plot details (which may be better known than the Bible), Harry is rescued from his bleak, Muggle-ridden existence by an invitation to come and attend "Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." From there, he gets into all sorts of adventures, gradually building to a confrontation with the evil wizard who killed his parents.

These are marketed as children’s books (the first is suggested for ages 8-13 and the last book ages 10 to adult) although they are well written and are being enjoyed by adults as well. The problem is in the spiritual nature of the books. Not many books for children come to mind where the main hero is a wizard (or wizard in training).

To be sure, magic is a common feature in fairy tales and fantasy. But whether you are talking about Grimm’s Fairy Tales (some of which WERE awfully grim), the WIZARD OF OZ, or other common stories, there is a difference. Usually the magicians and wizards were secondary characters or even villains and the main ones (Dorothy, Snow White, etc.) were ordinary mortals who were either being victimized or helped by witches. But Harry is the hero, and readers are being asked to identify with him. This is of critical importance, as we shall see later. Magic is serious business, as anyone will tell you who has practiced it. I was heavily involved in magic and sorcery for at least ten years and I believe I am qualified to speak about the subject with some authority and experience.

A rather surprising controversy has arisen within the Body of Christ over the issue of Harry Potter books. These books ARE about magic and sorcery. Of this there can be no doubt. The controversy in the church revolves around whether or not such books should be in the hands of Christian children. Chuck Colson, who is a highly respected Evangelical author and speaker, astonished many when he weighed in on the side of Harry. He claimed the books were not dangerous for children because they were not about magic in the occult sense. Rather, he said, they concern "mechanical magic" which is a literary device. He states that the magic in the Potter books is:

"…purely mechanical, as opposed to occultic. That is, Harry and his friends cast spells, read crystal balls, and turn themselves into animals–but they don’t make contact with a supernatural world…. [It’s not] the kind of real-life witchcraft the Bible condemns." [1]

While Colson does not exactly define his term, mechanical magic, he implies it is something on the order of ray guns or time travel in the science fiction genre — a fictitious construct designed to entice the reader and move the plot along — part of an entirely fictitious universe. I do not find this persuasive. (In fairness to Mr. Colson, he later reversed his decision and now advises caution about Harry.)

First of all, part of the problem is that witches and magicians do exist. They DO cast spells and read crystal balls. A few even work on the discipline of lycanthropy[2] — shape-shifting into animals. Thus, there is nothing fictitious about any of this, except in the minds of head-in-the-sand Christians.

Secondly, part of the problem is defining what magic is. It is a term that has acquired all sorts of connotations in the public mindset. A newborn baby can be "magical." Although it may be poetic to say that your new girl friend’s smile is magic, what has happened is that "magic" has come to mean anything that induces a sense of awe or wonder. This is not precise.

Magic and Magick
Then there is the confusion between stage magic (illusion) such as practiced by folks like Houdini or David Copperfield and "real" magic. For this reason, most serious practitioners of the art of sorcery prefer to spell it the old English way, as "magick," precisely to distinguish it from pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

The famed sorcerer Aleister Crowley defined magick as "the science of causing change to occur in conformity with will." That is very broad. Obviously, if I turn on a light switch in my home, I have caused change to occur in conformity with my will. The way most students of the subject exegete Crowley’s remark is to say that it refers to causing "change" without using the usual mundane methods of causality available to all people.

A dictionary definition is "the supposed art of influencing the course of events by the occult control of nature or of the spirits." [3] This definition is key to understanding the problem with Harry Potter and with Colson’s definition. Most all definitions of magic include the idea of occultism and/or trafficking in spirits. Most often, the spirits are evil.

Harry is a child who is a wizard in training. What is a wizard? Again, the dictionary tells us that a wizard is "a sorcerer, a magician."[4] ANY of the textbooks of magick, called grimoires,[5] make it very clear that the source of true magical power is making pacts with and controlling spirits - evil spirits.

Another bit of confusion that must be cleared up is the difference between magick and witchcraft. The Potter books tend to blur them together, reflecting a common misperception. They are not the same, as any Wiccan (white Witch) will tell you. Some witches practice magick (we did) but some do not. Witchcraft as it is popularly understood these days is a religion, a pagan religion involving the worship of nature deities. Most often these are seen as a goddess and a god. The main point of Wicca for most serious witches is devotion to the gods or goddesses of their religion.

If witches do magick, it is usually of a simple variety, cord spells, candle spells or healings, etc. This is often what is called "folk magic" and is very different from ceremonial magick, the kind usually associated with wizards and magicians. Folk magic is usually done on a "limited budget" and is pretty simple. It often involves things drawn from nature. Nowadays, anthropologists call it "cultural spiritism."

Magicians, in contrast to Wiccans, often worship nothing. A Wiccan practitioner of magick might have faith in the gods of Wicca, but most magicians we have dealt with over the years are either agnostic or atheistic.

Usually, when one thinks of magick or sorcery, we are talking about "high magick" or "ceremonial magick." Ceremonial or high magick, as the name implies, usually involves quite complex rituals and a lot of time, study and preparation. For example, some of the rituals we did as witches who happened to be ceremonial magicians took more than six months to prepare.

Witches PRAY to their deities. A magician will seldom pray to anyone. He or she will command! The magician believes in the efficacy of her ritual work. She would not pray to get a result anymore than I would pray before turning on the light in hope that I would get electricity. It is not a matter of faith, it is a matter of "scientific technology". However, the technology behind magick is all mental, emotional and demonic in nature.

Conjuring
Colson and others make the mistake of assuming that there really is no such thing as the kind of magic described in the Potter books. This is not entirely true. While some of the activities in the Potter books, (playing Quidditch [6] for example) are obviously fantasy, many of them are not. Many Christians do not even realize that there are people out there who are serious sorcerers. Since they assume that all this is fictitious, what can be the harm in reading about it?

As a former magician myself, let me explain what charming little Harry Potter would have to do to arrive at the place he is at in these books. Let me walk you through an actual magical rite in brief. To achieve the power to fly, for example, the wizard might employ any number of rituals. He would have to determine what kind of elemental force is involved.

Flight or levitation would be of the AIR element.[7] This would determine the kind of robes, incense, candles, evocations, talismans or amulets and ritual tools used. Simply put, the wizard must use all the right tools and then cast a magick circle [8] and a triangle of manifestation. These are usually painted on the floor, or laid down in some sort of incense, sulfur or chalk. The wizard stays in the circle. There are certain prescribed numbers of candles or flaming pots that might be used, depending on the magical workbook and system used. The wizard would need to wear a certain colored robe — usually blue or orange for air. He would be armed with a magic wand (not a stick with a sparkly star on the end) because wands are usually attributed to the air element. He might also have sword, because it is often felt that to be prudent you should have a sword when doing evocations. With the wand or the sword it is believed that you can order spirits to obey you.

An evocation is the calling up of a demon or djinn (the Arabic form of our word, "genie."). The term evocation is used to distinguish it from the other common ceremonial magic practice called invocation. In magic, invocation is calling upon a higher being than yourself, such as an angel or god. Believe it or not, there are magical workbooks that involve calling upon archangels and angels and forcing them to obey you. Of course, a good angel could not be commanded by sorcery.[9] It therefore stands to reason that such angels would be fallen and evil. Evocation is used to call on lower-than-human beings such as demons or elementals.[10]

The actual ceremony (aside from preparation) can take a long time. The wizard summons the spirit into this "triangle of manifestation." This is a triangle painted or inscribed on the floor about a meter on each side. This is the evocation. There will be lots of incense burnt, partially because this is believed to give the spirit some sort of material basis with which to materialize. The goal is to actually get the demon to appear visibly in the triangle, but in a form that is not too disturbing to the wizard’s sensibilities.

Bargains with the Demon?
Once the demon has manifested, the wizard will have some sort of talisman (which could be a medallion or a piece of parchment with writing on it) with which to bind the demon to their will. The demon will not want to obey, so there is usually a long period of threatening the demon, brandishing the sword at it and uttering horrid maledictions if it will not obey. The demon will also try to escape or trick the wizard into leaving the circle. If the wizard should step out of the circle during this time, the demon would have the right to crush him to a pulp and carry him off to hell (or somewhere like the abyss [11]). Another thing that could occur is that if the wizard accidentally does something to disturb the integrity of the circle (scuffing off some of the chalk or sulfur, etc.) then the demon could do whatever it wanted to him.

It may take several hours, but finally the demon will grant the wizard’s demands.[12] This may involve simply bestowing the power of flight on the wizard, or charging him a talisman with powers of flight so that as long as he wears it, he can fly. Then the demon is released to return to its place with the final adjuration that it promises to do nothing to ever harm the wizard once he banishes the circle. Demons are supposed to keep their word (??).

This is all based on an elaborate set of rubrics that, in my experience, the demon or spirit frequently will just ignore and rip the wizard to shreds. Most wizards really believe that these rules (such as the circle) will keep the demon at bay. Sometimes the demons will allow the wizard to luxuriate in this delusion for some time before finally lowering the boom. This is why most REAL wizards I have known have come upon bad ends. VERY bad ends.


Step into the Abyss
What follows is an actual account of a ceremonial magic rite that went very wrong. The magician had set up his circle in the garage after painting all the windows over with black paint. He done all of the ceremonies described earlier and had called up a demon into the triangle. The garage was filled with the smell of incense and the howling of the demon. It was not happy at being confined to the triangle.

After almost four hours of cursing and adjurations back and forth between the wizard and the demon, the room had grown very dark. There was no light left but the candles and the lurid coals of incense. The very chalk lines on the floor marking the circle and triangle seemed to shimmer in the gloom. The demon seemed just about to buckle to the will of the magician. Then, all of a sudden, the telephone rang!

Without thinking, the magician reached out of the circle to answer it. With a horrid scream, his entire body disappeared in a belch of flame, along with the demon. In a second, the garage was empty of all but the faithful, terrified scribe sitting in the corner and the smell of roasting human flesh. The magician was never heard from again, and left behind a wife and child. The ultimate irony of that tragedy is that there was no phone in the garage!

A Deadly Game
This illustrates how demons will NOT play by the rules, and how deadly magic can actually be. A magician would say that this unfortunate fellow had been sucked into the abyss forever. A more Biblical suggestion would be that he was sent to hell for his blasphemy. Most magicians ultimately think that they can become God. At the very least, they believe they can acquire god-like powers.

This horror is the "back story" behind cute little Harry. True wizardry or sorcery would not really allow him to have much fun at all without going through the above rituals. This is what Harry would have to learn at his wizard’s academy, Hogwart’s. Here is where the "mechanical magic" concept comes in. People like Mr. Colson want to tell us that none of this applies because Harry was BORN a wizard. His parents were magicians. Therefore, he comes by his talents naturally. He is a natural born wizard.

There is a bit of truth in this. In real life, if Harry’s parents were really magicians or wizards, they would be demonized to their eyeballs. They would have more demons than a cheap hotel has roaches. Because of Exodus 20:5-6[13], those demons would pass into baby Harry at birth. He would indeed grow up with a (super)natural propensity for sorcery. However, instead of having to conjure up all these different demons with their different powers, he would have them right within him from birth. It is "convenient," but it is not something I would want MY child to desire.

In fact, we have ministered to several people who were born into just such a background and who were horribly tormented by demons simply because they didn’t particularly WANT to get involved in sorcery and all the nasty things than can ultimately be expected in such pursuits. Only the power of Jesus could set such people free.

The fact of the matter is, there is no such thing as "mechanical magic" in the sense that I believe Mr. Colson is using the term. It cannot be just a plot device because magick, by definition involves a spiritual component. Unlike ray guns or time machines, magick brings with it a philosophical or even theological worldview. You could be a Christian, a Jew or a Buddhist and fly a rocket ship. The same could not be said of magick.

You are What You Eat!
To return to the point about the difference between magick and witchcraft, magick is essentially agnostic. The true goal of every wizard is to become his own god. There is no room in world-view of a sorcerer for a sovereign God. This magic world-view[14] sees the universe as a machine that dispenses favors to magicians in response to their performing the right ritual.

It is opposed to the Biblical world-view in which there is an all-powerful, sovereign God that we cannot manipulate with charms. This God is a Person, not a machine or an impersonal force. In the Biblical world-view, we pray to God and if He feels our request is in His will, then he grants it.

This is a major concern of mine in seeing these kids devouring Harry Potter books. Whether or not they grow up to be sorcerers, they are immersing themselves in the magic world-view that does not fit with the Bible. You cannot be your own god and also worship the one, true God. This is why these books are more dangerous than they appear. You are what you eat, intellectually and spiritually.

If you consume books like Harry Potter that promote a magical view of the universe, you will come to believe in those things - gradually. This change in beliefs will be very subtle. It will seep into your mind like smoke and before you know it, it will become a part of your mindset.

On top of that, many media report that children are not just reading the Potter books, they are re-reading over and over again! They do this because they are entertaining, but also because they find this world of sorcerers and magic beguiling and charming (both words rooted in magic) and because they IDENTIFY with the wizards. This is eerily like Christians who read and re-read the Bible, except of course they are digesting the very Words of God.

The Harry Potter books, in common with most horror and fantasy material, present a godless universe, one in which the most powerful wizard wins. They are books in which the hero is a wizard who shows no evidence of belief in God and does not use the power of prayer to combat evil. This is NOT the vision of the universe that a Christian parent should wish to instill in their child — nor is "white" magic an appropriate response to evil. John Andrew Murray, a Christian headmaster of a school in Raleigh, NC, has observed in USA TODAY that the Potter books contain no evidence of a "higher moral authority."[15] This creates a very morally confusing universe for young readers.

Some might object that the Hardy Boys, Superman or other juvenile heroes of old never prayed either. But the difference is that they did not use the devil’s tools (ceremonial magic, necromancy, etc.) to fight evil. Most of those heroes fought evil with physical might or intelligence (however, superhuman they might have been). Theirs was not primarily a spiritual battle. Harry’s battles are spiritual in nature, whether the author or the reader acknowledges it or not. In using sorcery, he is fighting fire by pouring gasoline on it!

Crucial Differences
Some people have said, "What is the difference between these books and the fantasy works of C.S. Lewis (the Narnia books) or J.R.R. Tolkien?" Well, three differences really. First of all, Lewis was a Christian, although he was not really the kind of Christian most evangelicals or fundamentalists would approve of. Tolkien was a devout Catholic. Whatever you might feel about Catholicism, both of these authors come from a strong Judeo-Christian background and there is a moral component in both their works, even though they are fantasy.[16] Fantasy, per se, is not bad. It is only bad if it promotes a godless or "might makes right" view of the world.

The second difference is that our culture and our world have changed enormously since the days of Tolkien and Lewis. Currently, our youth are awash in a culture that promotes evil, occultism, lust and power for its own sake. The magic world-view is all around them. It is promoted in Pokemon, in television, movies and music. More critical, it is often promoted in classrooms. Think about it, we now have several major TV shows where the heroes are witches. We even have one now called "Angel" (of all things) where the (anti) hero is a vampire!

Our young people swim in a miasma of spiritual filth that they cannot even perceive anymore. Often, God has been driven from their lives and been replaced with the ethos of power, violence and self-indulgence - in short, Satanism. In the 1950’s and 1960’s such ideas were rare enough that children could afford being exposed to fantasy stories which promoted magic. It was an uncommon thing. Today, they are already on toxic spiritual overload just from living in our society. It is a miracle if any young person can keep their faith. Those who do are to be enormously commended.

Spiritual Lust?
This is the difference. The morals presented in the Potter books are anti-God and anti-Christian. More importantly, the lifestyle of magick is presented as fun. Few kids would find magick so appealing if they knew they had to grapple with a hideous demon to acquire it; and even then have a good chance of being slaughtered before the end of the ritual.

Not only that, the books are definitely drawing kids towards witchcraft. "Who wouldn’t choose a wizard’s life?" asked TIME magazine.[17] Even authentic, real Wiccans are "charmed" by the Potter series, according to the Associated Press.[18] Anything that witches find good and charming certainly ought to be viewed with suspicion by serious Christians.

This brings us to the third difference. The HP books are filled with much more explicit, appalling evil. There is a huge difference between what went on in Lewis or Tolkien and what kids are reading about in Harry Potter.

Just as a small sample, imagine a ten-year-old reading about:

1) The animal sacrifice of a cat[19]
2) Non-magicians like you and I (Muggles) are portrayed as dull, boring, cruel or useless;[20]
3) Power is the ultimate moral choice, irrespective of good or evil;[21]
4) Blood sacrifices;[22]
5) Cutting off the hand of a living person for a ritual;[23]
6) Boiling what seems to be a baby or fetus alive in a cauldron;[24]
7) Possible demon possession;[25]
8) Werewolves [26] & vampires [27]
9) Bringing a evil wizard back from the dead through the shedding of blood [28]
10) Astral project or travel [29]
11) Casting spells and levitation [30]
12) Being able to shape-shift into an animal [31]
13) Crystal gazing or divination [32]
14) A hero (Harry) who tells lies, [33] steals, [34] breaks the rules,[35] and cheats by copying another student’s homework,[36] (cheating is OK in wizard ethics[37]).
15) Approval of astrology[38]
16) Being taught that people can exist without their souls[39]
17) Communion with the dead, dead souls living within us[40]
18) Harry takes mood-altering drugs (which are REAL herbs that are used by witches and shamans)[41]
19) Use of the "Hand of Glory,"[42] a grisly occult artifact that is the severed hand of a hanged murderer. Its fingers are lit and burned as candles. The hand is placed in a house to make everyone in the house fall into a spell.
20) Use of magic charms[43]
21) Belief that death is just the "next great adventure"[44] (which might be true if you were a Christian, but no one in these books is a professing Christian.) For non-Christians like Harry, death is a one-way ticket to hell! These are dangerous, false ideas, especially for a younger person. Little attempt is being made to keep these books from the hands of children even younger than ten!

Additionally, there is a strong anti-family strain in the Potter books. As was mentioned earlier, Harry’s biological parents were murdered. Other than them, the only biological family he has are horrible. Harry’s uncle, aunt and cousin, with whom he lives, are mean, selfish and unloving. They are "Muggles" (non-sorcerers) who make Harry’s life miserable for his beliefs and even make him sleep in a closet!

Harry’s witchy friends are made to appear very appealing next to these loutish family members, who could be seen as caricatures of "fundamentalist" Christians. The ordinary human adults of his family are seen as stupid and powerless, while the witches and warlocks are wise and powerful. What sort of message does this send to children about their relatives who might not live lives as fascinating as that portrayed in the books?

Some of the Christians who defend HP books claim that one could never learn enough to truly practice magick or sorcery by reading them. That sort of statement could only be made by someone who was comparatively ignorant of sorcery. As a former magician myself, I can say that an intelligent child could learn a great deal of authentic magical material.

More important than that - these books enflame what C. S. Lewis called a "spiritual lust" for occult knowledge and power. They tickle the desire to become "little gods" and fill the child’s head with violence, blood sacrifice and a world view which is decidedly anti-Christian. Is this desirable? Especially when the books are so well-written that the children are reading them over and over and virtually memorizing them?

A Harry Potter movie is coming out, and will probably be accompanied by all the usual Hollywood marketing (Harry Potter Happy Meals, etc.). There are already calendars, action figures, etc. If the books are any indication, this could be a cultural phenomenon that will make STAR WARS look insignificant by comparison! Parents need to be aware of how dangerous the materials in these books are, and stand their ground courageously for the love of their children!


Endnotes

1 Chuck Colson, 11/2/1999 Breakpoint radio broadcast.
2 Lycanthropy is an old and honored element within the disciplines of magic and sorcery. The werewolf is the best known example of lycanthopy, but there are others. Most third world cultures which practice shamanism have practitioners who endeavor (and sometimes succeed) in shape-shifting themselves into animals — bear, wolves, ravens, etc.
3 OXFORD DICTIONARY AND THESAURUS, US ed., 1996, p. 900
4 ibid., p. 1767
5 Grimoires are magical workbooks, often hundreds of years old. They range from the relatively civilized like the SACRED MAGIC OF ABRA MELIN THE MAGE to the nasty ones like THE BLACK PULLET.
6 A fictional game resembling polo played on flying broomsticks.
7 Most magicians in the West have four elements of Air, Fire, Water and Earth.
8 This is NOT the same as a Wiccan circle. The point of the Wiccan circle is to keep power IN. The point of the magick circle is to keep things OUT.
9 Hebr. 1:14 indicates that angels can be asked to serve by those who only those who are "heirs of salvation" — i.e. Christians.
10 Elementals are believed to be nature spirits related to the four elements. An air elemental would be a sylph.
11 The abyss is a concept in ceremonial magick. It is a place between two spheres on the Tree of Life over which you must cross to become a "godlike being." If you fail, you fall into the abyss that is described as a place of annihilation or a place of mindless horror and darkness. In either case, the magician’s soul is believed to be utterly destroyed forever.
12 Actually, there is a fair amount of resemblance between a typical magical ceremony like this and the lengthy and arduous Roman Catholic rite of exorcism.
13 This is the Biblical passage where we are told the sins of the fathers are visited unto the children. This is especially true of idolatry.
14 See Straight Talk on Witnessing to the Occultist, Witch and New Ager, etc. available from our ministry.
15 "Latest ‘Harry Potter’ Book meets with Cautionary Response from Christians" by Art Toalston, Baptist Press, 7/13/2000.
16 There are Christians who would object to the orthodoxy of Lewis and Tolkien. Neither man was exactly a fundamentalist Christian. Lewis was an Anglican, although much of his theological writings indicate a strong evangelical point of view. This booklet is not the place to enter into a debate over C.S. Lewis’ theology. Suffice it to say that, as benign as his works were, the Harry Potter stories are much, much worse.
17 TIME, 9/20/1999.
18 "Potter Charms Modern-Day Witches" by Deepti Hajela, AP 1/30/2000.
19 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, p. 139.
20 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, p. 33.
21 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, p. 291.
22 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, p. 656.
23 Ibid. p. 641.
24 Goblet of Fire, p.666. Careful reading of this passage does reveal that the fetus-like creature which is thrown into the cauldron is actually Lord Voldemort. However, many younger children may not get this point (we didn't at first) and it is still an extremely disturbing image.
25 Goblet of Fire, p. 653-54.
26 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, p. p.345, 381.
27 Ibid., p.147.
28 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, p. 463.
29 Ibid., pp. 667-669.
30 Ibid., pp. 344-45.
31 Ibid., p. 534.
32 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 297
33 Sorcerer’s Stone, p. 292.
34 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, p. 165.
35 Prisoner of Azkaban, p.31.
36 Ibid., p. 146.
37 Goblet of Fire, p. 343.
38 Sorcerer’s Stone , p. 257.
39 Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 247.
40 Ibid., 427-428
41 Sorcerer’s Stone , p. 137, 286-87.
42 Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 52.
43 Ibid., p.118, 188.
44 Sorcerer’s Stone , p. 302.

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[PrisonerOfHope]

Book sales of all Harry Potter books have set new records and have made J.K. Rowling more wealthy than the Queen of England. ("War Cry Network", Paragraph 1.5).

You have got to read the article at this link:

www.cuttingedge.org/News/n2117.cfm

[wateredseeds]

When I was in high school and harry potter was just starting to get big, i read a book called "harry potter and the bible". Which is an anti-potter book of course. Honestly i could've cared less about harry potter, but i was in a literature class and i had to have something to read. I read more books for that class than you could imagine. I think i was pushing at least 2 or 3 book reports a week. Anyways, my teacher was piqued by it...i don't know what ever became of mr. kociemba...but he seemed interested that there was an anti-potter crowd out there.