Harry Potter: Evil, or just medieval?
Art & Literature, Book Reviews — By Rachel Motte on October 21, 2008 at 7:10 pmIs Harry Potter a literary Christ figure, or the newest plot to turn you and your children into satanic evildoers?
When the Harry Potter books were new, many Christians refused to sell or even read them because of the elements of witchcraft found in the plot. It became fashionable in some Christian circles to swap Harry Potter horror stories and read books on why the fictional teenage boy was the next worst thing to happen to Christendom. Hating Harry became a popular pastime. It still is, though some of the energy of the anti-Harry Potter movement seems to have worn away as the books have aged and become less of a novelty.
Was this outcry deserved? Have hordes of schoolchildren really embraced witchcraft at the bidding of the green eyed wizard boy? Have we all been taken in by the golden griffin?
Snopes and truthorfiction.com agree that the internet rumors you’ve probably all heard about the scores of young people eagerly embracing Satanism have no basis in fact. Have individual readers turned from the straight and narrow after entering Harry’s world? Perhaps, but that’s not Harry’s fault. If John Granger is right, it’s not even Potter author J.K. Rowling’s fault.
John Granger, the “Potter Pundit,” holds a degree in classical languages and literature from the University of Chicago and is one of the first real academics to take a careful look at the Harry Potter phenomenon. (Tyndale generously offered to send me a copy of How Harry Cast His Spell: The meaning behind the mania for J.K. Rowling’s bestselling books when I wrote about John’s ideas elsewhere after hearing him speak.) Granger argues that, far from being hotbeds of dangerous occult activity, the Harry Potter books are positively riddled with powerful Christian symbols. In fact, he argues that this seminal Christian imagery is the reason Rowling’s books are so popular. The books have sold millions of copies worldwide and shaped the imagination of a generation because they are deeply and fundamentally Christian.
What? Deeply and fundamentally Christian? Are these the same books that are supposed to be lying in wait for your innocent children, subversively leading them down the path to doom? Yup, same books. If Granger is right, the source of the controversy behind this series lies not in the books themselves but rather in the fact that those reading them aren’t very well educated.
Western literature, built as it is upon a Judeo-Christian worldview, cannot be rightly interpreted without at least a rudimentary knowledge of scripture. Unfortunately, as the west has become increasingly secular, many no longer have this basic knowledge–hence the need for footnotes in newer editions of classical works explaining biblical allusions that would have been obvious to almost anyone just a generation or two ago.
Rowling’s books need similar footnotes, and Granger provides them for us. In How Harry Cast His Spell Mr. Granger unlocks many of the ‘secrets’ of Rowling’s success by explaining the origins and meanings of many of the story elements. Granger examines everything from character names to book structure to literary alchemy in a clear and easy-to-read manner that will delight both nerds and novices. He even explains why these books have appealed to people of so many different faiths and cultures, and why Dumbledore’s first name is Albus. (Come on, you know you’ve always wondered.)
How Harry Cast His Spell is a good introduction to some of the ideas and symbols that undergird not only the Harry Potter books but much of western literature. More importantly, it is a useful jumping-off point for discussions of bigger and better things. Mr. Granger, who has taught for Barnes & Noble University, given numerous radio and TV interviews and even made an appearance in the special features section of the Order of the Phoenix DVD, repeatedly invites his readers to interact with him on his blog and through email. How Harry Cast His Spell should not be a stopping place in your quest for a better understanding of these popular books and the culture from which they came, but rather the beginning of a long conversation.
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You Christians make me sick IMO. Srsly, SATANIC EVILDOER???1? L2SCHOOL fucking idiots. The bible is fake lolololol
Seriously, it is fake. L2think for yourself.
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ok so what if kids after reading the books say they wish they were a witch, when you saw a superhero comic didnt you ish you could shoot webs or fly?
harry potter in NO means is some sort of spellbook teaching your kids to use magic it doesnt tell your kids at the end of the books that they should sell your soul to satan its just a harmless book
I have read all of John Granger’s books. He is a very intelligent, highly articulate, and well-educated Orthodox Christian. I would recommend all of Mr. Granger’s books, especially “Looking for God in Harry Potter” and the one mentioned in this article. I am a Christian Harry Potter fan, as well as a fan of the great Christian fantasy authors, C. S. Lewis, who penned The Chronicles of Narnia, and J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings. I believe that Rowling has done what Lewis and Tolkien have done before her: she has smuggled the Gospel past the watchful dragons of our time, atheism and secularism. I have written a book on this topic called “The Lord of the Hallows: Christian Symbolism and Themes in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter” which is in the process of being published right now. For updates on this book, please visit my blog at http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com.
J.K. Rowling has said that she doesn’t promote witchcraft in Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling has also said that she doesn’t believe in witchcraft “in the sense” how critics say, and that she doesn’t “believe in magic in the way” how she has described magic in her books. Does she believe then witchcraft and magic in other ways and why she has very accurately written about witchcraft and magic? It seems that she knows very much about those things. J.K. Rowling has also said that she has researched mythology, folklore and occult beliefs (pagan religions, celtic religions, druids religions, witchcraft, and satanism) in order to write her books. She knows also that majority of the spells, which are used in her Harry Potter books are used in real life, in witchcraft and occultism. It is very obvious that she knows what she has been doing as writing her books. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books are stories about evil, not about good things. Those books are not harmless fiction, but tell for real evil witchcraft with magic spells and other evil things. Rowling has not written Harry Potter books merely by using fiction, but has used precise and accurate knowledge of occultism and her Potter books are not thus only a fiction, but based also to real evil.
J.K. Rowling has said that she is a Christian, and that she believes to God. Why Christian who believe in God write books, which emphasize witchcraft and sorcery and occultism? I think that she thinks that she believes, but actually she doesn’t believe as it has been written in the Bible. Because he/she who really believe to God and the Bible don’t write a book saying that there is good and bad witches, because the Bible say that all witches are evil. J.K. Rowling says in her books that Harry’s witchcraft is good and this one statement alone is enough to prove that Harry Potter books are evil. Of course there is also much more evil in those books. All books which promote witchcraft and don’t say that it is evil are evil books. There is no matter is author Christian or not, if he/she writes such books. The Bible says that all witchcraft and sorcery are evil, and so we have to believe as Christians.
http://koti.phnet.fi/petripaavola/HarryPotterbooks.html
I quite agree with you Phoenix. I have read and try to study Granger’s work. I am an Episcopalian sister, and I must say that Harry Potter informs a good deal of my prayer life. I find the books to be quite wonderful teachers of the power of love. I am a very liberal person, and I have found God very present in these stories. I find no conflict at all in that. In these books, one is born or not born a witch or wizard. For me that would be not any different than what color you are, etc. I believe everyone must find their own way to God and that everyone (like it or not) is God’s child created and loved by God…I do believe and respect everyones own feelings on the Bible. The boble means as much to me as it does to some of you, but my way of interpreting may be different. I also believe like John Granger that Severus Snape is a Christ figure, anyway greetingso all, you can disagree with me but I appreciate politeness, and I’ll do the same.