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Christian view of harry potter
Religious themes in harry potter
Christian view of harry potter
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When questioned about Albus Dumbledore’s, the fictional headmaster of Hogwarts, sexuality J.K. Rowling stated, “My truthful answer to you... I always thought of Dumbledore as gay.” (qtd. from Edward par 4). Rowling attended Carnegie Hall in New York City on October 19, 2007 to read an excerpt of her seventh book (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), sign some autographs, and answer fan’s burning questions. After outing Dumbledore, Rowling received an ovation at the event, but not everyone reacted to the news with the same excitement and support. The news over Dumbledore’s orientation started another controversy over the children series between supporters of the book and those who opposed the series with everyone voicing various responses to Dumbledore’s outing. Many of the popular responses come from people who support the novels believing the series spreads tolerance of homosexuality, and Christians that oppose the series believing the books threaten their religious views.
Devout Christians like Laura Mallory and Linda Harvey claim that Rowling’s confession proves the harm the Harry Potter series can bring to children today (Harvey par 2). David Dale quotes Mallory in his article, “My prayer is that parents would wake up, that the subtle way this is presented as harmless fantasy would be exposed for what it really is: a subtle indoctrination into anti-Christian values,” (Dale par 4) which puts her and Harvey in the same opinion that the series threatens a Christian life style. Other Christians supporting the books and think that Dumbledore’s preference either doesn’t matter or promotes Christian beliefs on homosexuals. One of the supporters, Regina Doman, points out in her article In Defense of Dumbledore that Dumbledore’s ...
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Harvey, Linda. "Christian Parents: Stop Trusting Harry Potter." A Free Press for a Free People. Web. 22 Sept. 2011. .
Johnson, Juan. "Dumbledore Gay… So What? Rowling Teaches Tolerance through Magical World of Diversity." Juan Johnson Consulting and Facilitation, LLC. Web. 25 Sept. 2011. .
Soulliere, Danielle. "Much Ado about Harry: Harry Potter and the Creation of a Moral Panic." Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 22.1 (2011). Print.
Stewart, David J. "The Evils of Harry Potter and Homosexuality." Jesus-is-savior.com. Web. 7 Sept. 2011. .
All citations from Cahill, Lisa. “Homosexuality: A Case Study in Moral Argument.” Homosexuality in the Church. Ed. By Jeffrey Siker. Westminster John Knox Press: Louisville, 1994. 61-75.
“For The Bible Tells Me So” by Daniel Karslake is a documentary style film that focuses on issues about sexuality. The film focuses on the conflict between homosexuality and Christianity and the analysing of several Bible verses about homosexuality. The film attempts to alter the minds of homophobes by using facts, science and several interviews with Christians who also have gay children. The interviews are done with five American, very Christian families and “how they handle the realization of having a gay child” (Karslake, 2007.)
Since the first segment of the series was released in 1997, Harry Potter has been challenged by churches and parents due to the practicing of magic by children found within the books. The books have been removed from school shelves, discouraged by churches, and censored by parents. It is claimed that Harry Potter is devilish, satanic, and encourages children to practice the occult, damaging their religious views (LaFond). Therefore, many parents keep their children from reading the book series. Yet, Harry Potter has been such a positive influence on my so many lives. Evident through the movies, theme parks, stores, and much more, J.K. Rowling’s series has been an overwhelming success for many reasons (“Because it’s his…”). In order to encourage
2002, sports final edition: pg 31. “Is Harry Potter Evil?” New York Times on the Web. 22 October. 1999.
Ever since J.K. Rowling first introduced Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, children and adults have read and loved the series. It has gained such popularity that all of the books have been made into major motion pictures, and a Harry Potter attraction has been opened in Universal Studios, Florida. Though the readers love Rowling’s intricate and exciting story lines, many controversies have arisen from these stories, not only in the United States, but also in various countries around the world. Perhaps the biggest controversy is the religious implications perceived by some critics. Although these critics believe that the series promotes paganism and encourages evil actions, these theories should not be taken so seriously.
The article details the problems parents have with the Potter series in saying that magic is appalling, Potter's anti-family behavior was impeding on family values, and children may become...
Firchow, Peter Edgerly. "The Politics of Fantasy: The Hobbit and Fascism." The Midwest Quarterly 50.1 (2008): 15+. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
...y for the lunatic fringes of my own religion” (“'Harry Potter' Author J.K. Rowling Opens Up About Books' Christian Imagery”).
Belcher, C. and Stephenson, B. H. (2011). Teaching Harry Potter: The Power of Imagination in
Renascence: Essays on values in Literature 59.2 (2007) : 93. Literature Resources from Gale Web. 24 Feb. 2010. Hatcher, Melissa. A. McCrory. The “Mythlore.”
Censorship has been a factor in the lives of humans since long ago in the times of the ancients, however, its prominence increased during the Middle Ages when literature became more common. Take censorship of books, for example, which has been relevant since the time after the persecution of the church, when it banned books about and/or including superstitions or opposition towards them, such as the condemnation of Thalia by Arius, a novel which portrayed “a literal, rationalist approach to the New Testament texts” (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/589822/Thalia), when “The First Ecumenical Council of Nicæa (325) condemned, not only Arius personally, but also his book... …The Emperor Constantine commanded that the writings of Arius and his friends should be burned and that concealing them was a capital crime, punishable by death.” (Rick Russell Former editor of AB Bookman's Weekly.) We look back on this as monstrous and wretched to deny someone their opinions and hide away the history from the public simply because it was in the favor of any particular group or sect. However, when we use censorship as a way for parents and teachers of children to regulate the reading material that we allow them to associate with, it’s suddenly justified and correct. Those censoring the books obviously think so. They hold the belief that they are protecting their youth from violence, harsh language, and crude humor. Parents and teachers around the nation censor The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain for similar reasons, but they continue to overlook the bigger picture. This title teaches the history of our nation, important life lessons, and the responsibilities of maturity and of growing up.
People in the medieval era were quite superstitious. They believed in fictional characters such as witches and wizards. ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ is a novel based on the existence of witches and wizards in secret communities. The medieval period is well known for the hierarchy of society. The society consisted of landlords and their servants. This medieval element was brought into the story in the form of house elves.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, author J.K. Rowling displays the themes of feminism, love, and death because she personally experienced the importance of each. Throughout her lifetime Rowling experienced many difficult and wonderful times with her family, friends, and fans. These experiences and the effects that they had on the author’s life are clearly demonstrated in her written work. Through her characters in this novel Rowling created an outlet that she may solve her problems and relive the wonders of her life not only for herself but for her readers as well.
Many people can name a specific experience that changed their world view, whether it be a significant event, a piece of art, an influential coach, or a religious experience. My view of the world changed significantly when I began to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. This wonderful work of literature opened my eyes to the power of imagination and allowed me to develop my passion for reading. However, it also brought me to a realization, one that every young child must face: that every word an adult says is not necessarily true. After becoming aware of the ability for adults to be mistaken—or even to lie—I began to understand and realize that to be trusted by others, one must have respected reputation, and that trust in adults begins with a knowledge of their integrity.
Harry Potter is adored by children of all ages, along with adults, for his witty humor and fantasy adventures. Children crave his friendship and magic powers. The first three books were on the New York Times bestseller lists before New York Times decided to split up the list into children's and adults' books because of Harry Potter's popularity (Gray par. 2). Harry Potter won the Parenting Book of the Year Award in 1998, and the 1997 National Book Award (Ballard par. 6). Harry Potter has swept through the world causing controversy over the positive and negative impacts the books are having on children. Although some people claim that Harry Potter is Satanic, Harry Potter has had a positive influence on children's literature because children are learning good values, a positive role model, and are reading more.