What's Wrong with Harry Potter?

Whats Wrong with Harry Potter?

by Harley Pinon

What's wrong with Harry Potter? What's wrong with R-rated movies? I think that there are several answers to both questions. Again, there are those who would defend both. Let me talk about some aspects of the R-rated movies. Movies are rated R for many different reasons. Sex is certainly one reason that comes to mind, but let's look at some other aspects of R-rated movies. Sometimes it is the language. When we were children, we recited the little saying, "Stick and stone may break my bones, but words can never hurt me." It sounds encouraging, but the truth is, that is a lie.

Words hurt in many ways. Music is a powerful example of how words can affect us. Sometimes words to a song go through our minds many years after we hear them. I believe the year was about 1946 when Halo came out with a singing commercial for their shampoo. Sometimes Carolyn and I laugh as we begin singing the halo commercial. Think about that power. When the two of us sign together, I think we can repeat the song in it's entirety. When it was last heard I do not know, but probably almost 60 years ago.

That is an innocent example, I use it only to illustrate how something can be etched into our brain by hearing it over and over. If we are bombarded with curse words, after while these words go through our minds without our willingly admitting them into our thoughts.

If we witness violence, we become callous to the suffering of other people. Then someone "snaps" and he acts out the scenes of violence which he has witnessed so many times. What we see and hear over and over does make an impact on our thoughts and our actions.

The importance of minding what we put in our minds.

The Bible has much to say about what we put into our minds. Solomon put it this way: "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. {21} Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; {22} For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. {23} Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. {24} Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. {25} Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. {26} Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. {27} Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil." (Prov 4:20-27 NKJV) I have put in red what I consider to be a focal thought of this passage, but I have included the context because the context is often important to help us understand a verse, or thought.

A related thought is found in (Prov 23:7 KJV) "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:"

Jesus put it this way, "Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God." (Mat 5:8 NKJV) What we think about is so important. The Psalmist put it this way: "Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; {2} But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night." (Psa 1:1-2 NKJV) Let me ask you something. When I become absorbed in a movie, is that sitting in the seat of the scornful if it is a scornful movie?

As Christians, we are encouraged to think on things that are good, beautiful, and uplifting. Paul said, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." (Phil 4:8 NASB)

But what about Harry Potter?

So far we have dealt in generalities that might apply to a lot of different situations. Now let's be more specific: what is wrong with Harry Potter? Let me say this at the outset, I have never attended a Harry Potter movie, or read a Harry Potter book. I know someone will be willing to say, then how can you say anything about it. There are many cases where we do not have to experience something to understand. I have never smoked a cigarette, but I know the harm they do to other people. We can see what the Bible says about witch craft, magicians, etc., without having to experience such ourselves.

The New Testament is relatively silent about the occult, but the Old Testament has much to say, and is very clear about what God thinks about it. (Lev 19:26 NIV) says: "Do not practice divination or sorcery." It is spelled out more clearly and with greater force in Deuteronomy: "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, {11} "or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. {12} "For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. {13} "You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. {14} "For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you." (Deu 18:10-14 NKJV)

God said, "You shall not allow a sorceress to live." (Exo 22:18 NASB) Now if that is how God looked at a sorceress, why should I in any way appreciate or enjoy watching what they do? There are two great spirit forces at work in our world. There is God, His Holy Spirit, and His holy angels. There is Satan, the Devil, demons and demonic forces. Both are real! Both have power! It is real, it isn't a myth, and it isn't something to be taken lightly.

One great demonstration of these two forces at work is the case of the ten plagues in Egypt. Just before the plagues began, God had set up this demonstration: "So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as the LORD had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. {11} Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts. {12} For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs." (Exo 7:10-12 NASB) The point I want to make is that the power of the the devil and evil spirits is real. It isn't just make believe, or innocent fun. Again, when Moses turned the water to blood, we read, "Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD had said." (Exo 7:22 NKJV)

Then the plagues begin. The frogs came as a plague, but we continue: "And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt." (Exo 8:7 NKJV). This is a power, it isn't just make believe. This is real.

Then comes the plague of lice: "Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. {19} Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had said." (Exo 8:18-19 NKJV)

So here is an example of the power of God and the power of the devil as they collide, as it were. Which one is greater? Obviously, it is the power of God, but there are those who are so fascinated with the power of the devil because the devil allows his servants access to this power. It is impressive, but limited.

Again, I'm quoting a rather lengthy passage, but it gives an account of what had happened to the children of Israel. They had become so involved in witchcraft that they came to trust in it rather than the living God. Remember what God had said about sorcerers and witches. Now look at the state they are in as Isaiah describes what is going to happen to them. "But these two things shall come on you suddenly in one day: Loss of children and widowhood. They shall come on you in full measure In spite of your many sorceries, In spite of the great power of your spells. {10} "And you felt secure in your wickedness and said, 'No one sees me,' Your wisdom and your knowledge, they have deluded you; For you have said in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one besides me.' {11} "But evil will come on you Which you will not know how to charm away; And disaster will fall on you For which you cannot atone, And destruction about which you do not know Will come on you suddenly. {12} "Stand fast now in your spells And in your many sorceries With which you have labored from your youth; Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you may cause trembling. {13} "You are wearied with your many counsels; Let now the astrologers, Those who prophesy by the stars, Those who predict by the new moons, Stand up and save you from what will come upon you. {14} "Behold, they have become like stubble, Fire burns them; They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame; There will be no coal to warm by, Nor a fire to sit before!" (Isa 47:9-14 NASB)

Jesus warned us of those who would pretend to be great spiritual leaders, and would have power to work certain signs and wonders. Here is what He said, "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. {25} "See, I have told you beforehand." (Mat 24:24-25 NKJV) Jesus has warned us, and the scriptures make it clear that we, as Christians, are to have nothing to do with such evil. Paul said, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." (Eph 5:11 NKJV) I think that is pretty clear: no fellowship! Have nothing to do with such things.

There is much that could be said about Harry Potter, but I will stop here. There is an article on the internet which is very good. It doesn't cite all the verses that I have used, but the author of this article makes some very good points which I hope you will consider. Here is a link that sounds a warning about the problems of Harry Potter: