Christians are getting bashed and laughed at left and right for their stand on the Harry Potter books. People are calling the Christian position "silly", saying these are just fantasy books and are not promoting witchcraft in any way.

Today I went into a bookstore to buy a computer book. Right in the front of the store was a large kiosk containing all of the Harry Potter books and related material. Immediately to the left of this was an even larger kiosk full of witchcraft how-to books, many of them obviously aimed at young people. Having worked in a retail chain store myself, I am sure this is not an isolated store thing but part of their national chain promotion.

Do they think we're stupid?

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2000

Answers

Many early Christians tried to avoid reading pagan works like the Illiad and the Odessey, though their culture was steeped in this mythology.

When I was a kid, I was interested in Norse and Greek mythology. I checked out kiddie books on these subjects. There was something appealing about the stories. Later, I checked a book called _Black Magic, White Magic_ out of the elementary school library. I thought it was all make believe. I read a few paragraphs out of the book maybe. It was boring, chopping up herbs and saying incantations. But my mother saw it and it really bothered her. She was surprised they would have such a thing in the library, and I had to take it back. She may have talked to some of the people in the school library. Later, I got a Dungeons and Dragons game.

A few years later, when I was 12, I didn't want anything to do with the occult. I burned my Dungeons & Dragons game and my He-Man toys. I didn't want to have any toys or games like this. I am glad God led me away from anything having to do with the occult. I wasn't casting spells or throwing fire balls or anything like that, but I do wonder why these seemingly innocent things like D&D and mythology had such a pull on me at that time.

It is dispicable that a book store would try to sell how-to witchcraft books to kids. Parents should teach their kids not to get involved in such things. Many parents think it is all make-believe. I am glad my mother knew better when I was a child. God knew better when He told Israel what to do with witches and necromancers.

But there is probably another reason why people are making fun of Christians for their reaction to the Harry Potter books. An Internet satire magazine called _The Onion_ wrote an article that was supposed to be a joke about children starting Satanic covens after reading Harry Potter books. A look at _The Onion_ web page will show their stories are just made up satires, and that they make fun of Christians a lot. Many Christians believed the onion story that started to be circulated as if it were a true story. It helped stir up opposition to the Harry Potter books. So many some people are making fun of Christians who believed a far-fetched email.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2000

Yes, and thats the other one of my peeves ... gullible Christians making fools of themselves and all of the rest of us by continually passing around all these stupid email hoaxes. Like Madeline Murray O'Hair is trying to stop religious broadcasting (even though she's been missing and presumed dead for 5 years now).

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2000

Amen, John!

That is one of my Big peeves too!! People just hit the 'forward' button and spread lies, rumors & gossip (sin) around with NO thought.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2000

Okay...... now that I am on Pet Peeves......

My next one is Preachers who use 'illustrations' in their sermons that have been around on the 'Net for the last few YEARS!!!!!!!!!! Pa-lease...... :-) (Along with Preachers who get their Entire Sermon off the 'Net.............)

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2000

I was reading a fascinating series of articles about Harry Potter on the "focus on the Family" web page (www.family.org). Put away your prejudices here. They presented a very balanced, very Biblical view of the whole Harry Potter phenomena. I highly recommend it.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2000

Yes. I think you're stupid. Even my friend who is named Christian thinks you're stupid. You people are very paranoid. You think that every controversial subject is somehow linked to Satan. I happen to play Dungeons and Dragons, and it contains many references to the occult but never once does it tell the players to kill people, commit suicide, worship the devil, or practice witchcraft. You people should mellow out. You have way too much time on your hands. Stop inventing false conspiracies!

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2000

Hi, John,

You're a lot braver than I am. I hesitate to ask the question you have for fear of getting an answer such as mr. warren has just given. ;-)

I fear mr. warren is a trifle young and naive, however.

But, unfortunately, we HAVE been stupid in some respects. We have sown the wind (accepted some of what the world offers) and reaped the whirlwind (a glut of the worst of what the world offers).

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000