Should Harry Potter Be Read by Believers
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Considering I am an avid reader and the thing I detest most in life is probably spoilers I want to warn yous that this post contains spoilers. I encourage yous to read Harry Potter and so come up back hither to hash out information technology!
The long debate of whether Christians should read Harry Potter or non goes back to when the books were offset released.
While I missed the generation that was growing up reading these books in elementary school past a couple years, I certainly knew of their wild popularity and purchased the series at a garage sale one summer in early high school.
See the books and DVD'southward on Amazon here!
See Harry Potter on Amazon hither!
They sabbatum on my shelf for many years because I was non sure if information technology was wise for me to read them. Growing up in a Christian household, I had heard the debate for many years on whether Christians should read Harry Potter books and involve themselves in the series. Some said they were sinful and you were going to hell if you read the books, while others praised them. I decided to avoid disharmonize for a while.
Now that I'one thousand 23, I have finally picked upwardly the books and read them through in a matter of a couple weeks.
Permit's only say the books hit me in every fashion. I fell in beloved with them just like the rest of the world. And while I understand the negatives of Christians reading Harry Potter, I too see the benefits of the series and how the serial actually represents our organized religion.
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While different Christian circles agree different opinions on the volume, I think at that place is a keen deal to learn from the serial, whichever side of the debate y'all sit on.
Why information technology is debated if Christians Should Read Harry Potter
I remember reading a Christian magazine in middle schoolhouse chosen SetApart Daughter where there was an article written about the Twilight series. I rave near this mag series frequently, and I highly suggest you check this ministry out as information technology has helped me grow in my organized religion in numerous ways; still, this i commodity made me question where Christians should draw the line.
At the time I was just finishing reading the Twilight series, and equally an gorging reader, I am quite enjoyed it. Nonetheless, this article chosen it sinful to read this series. Information technology stated that Christians should not exist involving themselves in things similar vampires, werewolves, and dark magic.
I was crushed. And then much of the fiction I read took me to unknown lands and new creatures. I loved exploring places only my imaginations could travel to. Even so somehow, information technology was wrong for Christians to get to these places in their head? According to the article, information technology was sinful for Christians to be involved in these mysterious creatures and lands.
My centre wanted and so bad to follow the Lord with my whole heart that I was left in turmoil.
This article, and as many accept written about Harry Potter as well, taught that vampires, werewolves, witches, and wizards were representing night magic i.e. the devil. Information technology was taught that these books put ideas and thoughts about Satan in our heads and that we were serving the devil through these books.
Information technology was an farthermost stance based on scripture. Deuteronomy eighteen:10-11 says, "There shall not be institute among yous anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead,"
The Bible clearly condemns all kinds of witchcraft, sorcery, and night magic and says to surround yourself with wholesome thinking, as in Phillippians 4:viii, which says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, any is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if at that place is any excellence, if at that place is anything worthy of praise, think well-nigh these things."
Yet God gave us imagination. Does this mean Christians have to avoid fantasy all together?
This is why it brought up debates within the Church building and whether Christians should read Harry Potter or not.
Later years of contemplating fantasy versus Christian truth, I came to some conclusions.
Things To Consider Regarding Christians Reading Harry Potter
The debate within the Church is an important one because I believe the Lord wants usa to talk about these gray areas, where there is no clear didactics in the Bible. The Bible does non tell u.s., "Do not acquaintance with vampires, wizards, and mystical creatures because they are of the devil." God intends for us to hash out our opinions on these topics and draw conclusions based on His discussion.
Here are some truths the Bible addresses about this argue: night magic is real; Satan is real; spiritual warfare is real.
Yep, Satan is active in our world. I Peter 5:8-9 says, "Exist self-controlled and warning. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring king of beasts looking for someone to devour. Resist him, continuing firm in the faith."
The devil is looking to overcome us and he uses nighttime spiritual matters to do this at times. I do believe that he can use the books our culture writes to tempt united states and draw united states away from the Lord.
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However, does that mean Christians should not read Harry Potter? Are Christians susceptible to deep sin when they read the series?
Yeah, they are. Christians are ever susceptible to sin and the devil. We are always fighting against him and his temptation.
However, Harry Potter does non threaten our faith similar other media might. It is up to each Christian to examine every book, movie, article, etc. in our globe and see where the truth of the Bible is present and encounter where the devil is present.
The Lord tells us to guard our hearts and discern for ourselves what truth is. That is what I did before reading Harry Potter.
I love this video that says exactly what it ways for Christians to read Harry Potter:
After reading Harry Potter, I did not feel like my religion was threatened in any way and I felt like the book could be used to correspond the Christian faith by its underlying message: sacrificial honey overcomes evil with resurrection power.
The Harry Potter serial exploded in popularity considering it represented themes of the gospel, and that is something every heart has a connection to because the God who made us put that message in every single one of our souls.
The same is true for the Chronicles of Narnia. The series was written to correspond the Christian religion, yet has a great deal of magic, mystical creatures, and new worlds. The volume serial is an astonishing way for the earth to feel the message of the Bible through a fantasy world.
In The Chronicles of Narnia series, the lion Aslan represents Jesus and God, The White Witch represents the Devil, and the children represent the Apostle Peter (Peter), Mary (Susan), Mankind (Edmund), and all children of the world (Lucy). Similarly, in Harry Potter, Dumbledore represents God, Harry Potter represents Jesus, and Voldermort represents the Devil, Satan.
While Narnia has deeper Christian themes than Harry Potter, I noticed sacrificial beloved, heaven and hell, and sinful souls in both series.
Reading Narnia does not threaten your faith, and reading Harry Potter should not threaten your faith either. In fact, both book series could help pb someone to Christ. Let's discuss the benefits of Christians reading Harry Potter.
Why I believe Christians Should Read Harry Potter
While Harry Potter does utilise magic and wizardry is the main aspect of the storyline, it is not the main theme of the book.
Reading the serial, I institute that the main themes were expert vs. evil, friendship, backbone, and overcoming your fears. All important aspects of life that everyone needs to learn and take role in.
The series did non teach me that I need to offset practicing magic or that I at present desire to practice some sort of deep dark sorcery. It taught me that above everything else, the mission is to bring honey and hope to this world and fight against expiry and evil until it is fully destroyed.
Noticing some themes with the Bible already? That's because, just like represented in the books, we are in spiritual warfare, as Christians. When we are saved through Jesus' expiry and resurrection and we accept His gift of grace and forgiveness, we are now his servant. We align with Him and His army and swear to His fidelity forever.
Our mission as Christians is to represent His love to the world and share the good news of our Savior. He saved united states from sin, death, and evil and now nosotros owe our lives to Him.
Lookout this video by Eric Ludy (same ministry as the mag I linked above) to come across what I mean:
What nearly the connection with magic? Harry Potter uses magic as a tool to defeat the evil Lord Voldemort. Magic is used for good.
What really hit me though was when a passage of Scripture showed upwardly in the last volume, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Dumbledore quotes on the tomb of his family members Matthew six:21 "Where your treasure is, there your heart will exist as well."
Scripture is quoted a 2d time, in 1 Corinthians15:26, "The last enemy that shall exist destroyed is death" representing Voldermort and the devil being destroyed forever.
I fully believe you, as a Christian, can read Harry Potter with a Christian worldview. In Proverbs 4:23 it says to baby-sit your heart and Romans 12:ii says to be in the world but not of it. And so baby-sit your heart before reading certain books and watching certain movies, but also take an interest in what the world is talking virtually and use Harry Potter every bit a way to point others toward the message of the Gospel.
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Encounter the books and DVD's on Amazon here!
See Harry Potter on Amazon here!
How Christians Should Utilise Harry Potter Every bit A Resources
All fantasy is not bad or of the devil. I encourage you to meet your faith to discern where to draw the line and discuss the gray area of media these days.
If you are a parent and your child is reading Harry Potter us it to bring upward a meaningful discussion, or if you're older like me use it as a conversation starter to talk with your not-Christian friends.
Talk about the themes of deep, meaningful, and solid friendships, every bit seen in Ron, Hermoine, and Harry. Discuss the theme of a strong dear between family members, like the Weasly versus the Dudleys. Encourage females through the themes of intelligence, bravery, and kindness in Hermoine Ginny, and Professor McGonagall.
But, most importantly discuss sacrificial honey and justice.
Jesus sacrificially died on the cantankerous for all of our sins, because He loved united states beyond measure. He chose to endure in our place so we did not have to pay the price of our sins.
In the aforementioned fashion, we see sacrificial love throughout all seven books of the series. For example, Harry's mother dies in place of Harry. While evil Voldemort on the other hand is doing everything possible to preserve himself. As humans we are selfish all the same continually await to Christ'south example of sacrifice.
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We also see a theme of resurrection through the Phoenix, which rises from ashes. Even the Resurrection Stone in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows allows Harry's family members to reappear and Dumbledore shows up again after his death. A parallel to Scripture when Jesus rises once again on the 3rd twenty-four hour period because decease does not win and does non overcome Him.
J.1000. Rowling, herself, acknowledged that the Harry Potter series had Christian imagery and alluded to the Christian faith in an interview with Oprah Winfrey:
How astonishing is information technology that the whole world is reading this series and getting a taste of the hope and beloved of Jesus?
I cull to view Harry Potter every bit a tool to teach us many valuable life lessons and traits but also a style to introduce the message of Scripture to the earth. Christ can bear witness up wherever He wants to and impact this globe.
And then whether y'all believe that Christians should avoid this altogether or that you can utilize media similar this to share the gospel bulletin, discern in prayer and scripture and meet with God.
Interested in what it means to be a Christian? Find out more than here: https://www.harvest.org/know-god
I'd love to hear your thoughts! Do you agree with me? Leave them in the comments below!
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