anti Harry Potter

[Schlobin at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 1587

Of course there are contradictory elements in the Bible, and it has long been
known by scholars that there was a mistranslation in the Bible (not witches, 
poisoners). 

I also deeply respect any other person's spiritual beliefs, although I may 
not agree with them, and many Christians find inspiration in the 
Bible....there are always inconsistences in any holy book.......

I think that a lot of Christian people who oppose Harry Potter believe that 
witchcraft is a tool of Satan, who is purposely and deliberately working evil 
in the world. Satan, they believe, is manipulative and creates things that 
are attractive and seductive to entrap people. They see Harry Potter as such 
a trap.

I don't believe in Satan, but I do believe in evil. There are people who are 
deliberately hurt, and torture others, and they are evil.

Many Christians notice that Harry Potter is not evil, but rather is the 
antithesis of evil, and find that the lessons of love, friendship, loyalty, 
fighting against injustice are God's fight and therefore moral, and therefore 
appropriate for children.

Here's where things get tricky.

Harry Potter's world is neither Christian or pagan.

I'm a pagan, and a witch. A real one. I don't work evil, I don't hurt people, 
I don't torture or maim or sacrifice, and I don't work evil magic.

There are pagan groups throughout the world. We are peaceful, and love nature.
(http://www.witchvox.com for those interested). We do not worship Satan. We 
don't recognize Satan as being real. We are not evil.

Unfortunately, there are some Christians who think pagans are also evil. They 
think Harry Potter is a pagan -- he's not.

Hogwarts celebrates Christmas as a secular holiday as do many in the world (I 
do).
The origins of Christmas/Yule were of course pagan as are all the Christian 
holidays. Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate any holidays for this reason, 
except the  death of Christ on good Friday. (problem is that the dying and 
resurrecting 
god is very pagan, also).

Hogwarts also celebrates Halloween as a secular holiday. It's not the pagan 
holiday of Samhain/Hallowmas, but rather the holiday that is about tricks or 
treats, etc.

Hope to hear some reactions from this post.

Susan