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Aug 17, 2009 
Recently I re-read most of the Harry Potter books for the release of the newest movie. I wondered as I was reading what people in the religious world thought of the books. I remember the uproar in the churches when these books were first released. I remember hearing from the pulpit how evil these books were and to stay away from them. At the time I hadn’t read them and I thought that every preacher that was preaching against them had…so…I wanted to read them and see what was so bad about this particular series.
Well, I read them and I have to say that I don’t think many preachers have read the whole series. I do believe that if you’re going to preach against a book, you need to have read it so you can defend your views to those who have read it. As for evil, there are all sorts of evils in the book, but they are usually cast in that exact light. Harry, the main character, is a pre-teen who strives to be a good friend, and have loyalty to those whom he cares for. If anything, this is a great example, for pre-teens especially because today the mentality is “me first”. Harry puts his friends and “family” (staff of Hogwarts) first. I think this sends a great message.
I know that the church’s main concern with the Harry Potter series is the magic that is a central part of the books. The bible does speak against sorcerers, but the majority who read these books aren’t looking to become “dark lords”. As a parent, or a reader, you have to be careful that you’re mature enough to resist any pull into the world of the “dark arts”. These books are written as fiction and for entertainment. I really enjoyed them, but I wasn’t tempted to become a sorceress.
I really enjoy these books because they give you a glimpse into another world. A world that we can only enter into through these books. I do not consider these books evil, but I do want to warn you to read them as fiction. Enjoy them and let me know what you think!
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