Well, it has been a few days since my post on whether or not to allow my son to read the Harry Potter series. I appreciated the comments that were left there and if there was something you had wanted to share, please feel free to share now.
For years, I was against Harry Potter due to the wizardry of the books. It was quite weird how, after all these years, that I would consider opening up my family to reading the books and watching the movies. My conviction was strong but then, when I became a Christian, my convictions were strong in many areas that were not necessarily right.
Matt and I sparred a bit on the subject...me taking the con position and he the pro. He would come up with a reason why HP was a good choice and I would have an argument against it. We would often end up even because his points were very good as were mine. One point he brought up was a point that had grieved me for a long time...HP is a book with magic, wizards and witches, but it is good versus evil. Lord of the Rings, a book series with Christian parallels also has magic and sorcery in it and is good versus evil. We watch the movies a few times each year...if we allow that, shouldn't we be open to HP. OR, even more to the point...if we DON'T allow HP, shouldn't we NOT allow LOTR?? It's a real head scratcher.
Sierra came into the conversation and asked this question that I thought was a very good point. She said, shouldn't this be a case by case basis? She went on to explain that there are kids who probably should not read the book series. Maybe they are sensitive to certain story lines or maybe they are easily confused between fiction and reality. These kids should likely not read these books. However, if the kid in question can read a book and take it for what it is, a fictional story, and is not sensitive to certain story lines, than where is the harm. Hmmmm....good point.
I soon discovered something I never knew....Sierra has always wanted to read HP. She never said that she did due to her having respect for our rules, but she has always been curious. Daniel, however, has no real interest in reading the books. I started on this topic for the purpose of trying to find a book my son might really get into and want to read...and ended with my daughter getting excited at the possibility of reading the books.
My decision? We went to the library and picked up a copy for Sierra and one for Daniel. Sierra inhaled the first book in a matter of a couple days and is halfway through the second. This makes me happy to see her reading so diligently. Daniel is taking some prodding. I am not forcing it upon him, but I am hoping to get him past the first chapter and maybe it hooking him. Here is the really weird part....I thought it would probably be a good idea for me to read the books. Sierra is ahead of me, but she is 13 and I trust her judgement. For Daniel, I thought it would be a good idea for me to read them (which means putting my current series on hold).
So, let me say this before I go on. I did not take this decision lightly. The Christian world is split on these books...one side believing them to be evil and the other seeing them as fiction fun. I see both sides. I realize that the bible strictly forbids dabbling in magic. However......
I am reading book 1, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, right now. I am about 1/2 way done. My impressions so far are this:
So, unless I find something along the way that is highly against our views, we will continue on this journey of Hogwarts. I do not want to get caught up in believing so many things of the world are evil. I once heard the teaching of a woman at my church who said we should not let our children watch VeggieTales because vegetables do not talk and it will confuse the children. I remember the argument against watching Happy Feet because it was supposed to have a gay agenda even though the main character was a tap dancing penguin who was male and was totally in love with a female penguin....just because he tap danced did not mean he was gay.
And just because Harry is a wizard who flies on a broomstick and has a wand does not mean this book of pure fiction and fantasy is bad. It is actually quite enjoyable story telling.
For years, I was against Harry Potter due to the wizardry of the books. It was quite weird how, after all these years, that I would consider opening up my family to reading the books and watching the movies. My conviction was strong but then, when I became a Christian, my convictions were strong in many areas that were not necessarily right.
Matt and I sparred a bit on the subject...me taking the con position and he the pro. He would come up with a reason why HP was a good choice and I would have an argument against it. We would often end up even because his points were very good as were mine. One point he brought up was a point that had grieved me for a long time...HP is a book with magic, wizards and witches, but it is good versus evil. Lord of the Rings, a book series with Christian parallels also has magic and sorcery in it and is good versus evil. We watch the movies a few times each year...if we allow that, shouldn't we be open to HP. OR, even more to the point...if we DON'T allow HP, shouldn't we NOT allow LOTR?? It's a real head scratcher.
Sierra came into the conversation and asked this question that I thought was a very good point. She said, shouldn't this be a case by case basis? She went on to explain that there are kids who probably should not read the book series. Maybe they are sensitive to certain story lines or maybe they are easily confused between fiction and reality. These kids should likely not read these books. However, if the kid in question can read a book and take it for what it is, a fictional story, and is not sensitive to certain story lines, than where is the harm. Hmmmm....good point.
I soon discovered something I never knew....Sierra has always wanted to read HP. She never said that she did due to her having respect for our rules, but she has always been curious. Daniel, however, has no real interest in reading the books. I started on this topic for the purpose of trying to find a book my son might really get into and want to read...and ended with my daughter getting excited at the possibility of reading the books.
My decision? We went to the library and picked up a copy for Sierra and one for Daniel. Sierra inhaled the first book in a matter of a couple days and is halfway through the second. This makes me happy to see her reading so diligently. Daniel is taking some prodding. I am not forcing it upon him, but I am hoping to get him past the first chapter and maybe it hooking him. Here is the really weird part....I thought it would probably be a good idea for me to read the books. Sierra is ahead of me, but she is 13 and I trust her judgement. For Daniel, I thought it would be a good idea for me to read them (which means putting my current series on hold).
So, let me say this before I go on. I did not take this decision lightly. The Christian world is split on these books...one side believing them to be evil and the other seeing them as fiction fun. I see both sides. I realize that the bible strictly forbids dabbling in magic. However......
I am reading book 1, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, right now. I am about 1/2 way done. My impressions so far are this:
- This books is very well written. Rowling is a gifted writer. She is descriptive in her writing and she does not dumb it down. She paints a picture that I can clearly see as I am reading the book. I can see why this appeals to kids and adults alike. There are few children's chapter books that I can sit and read on my own. This one is quite good and I understand that they get better unlike other book series that decline.
- I often find myself getting caught up in the whole witches and wizards words in the book. I see the characters getting books on famous witches to study at Hogwart's and I can feel my feathers ruffling. But, here is the thing. The witches and wizards described in this book hardly fit the witches found in the bible. They are not praying to a God of the Nile like the sorcerers at the Nile nor practicing pagan rituals like other areas in the bible. This is a highly fictional, highly exaggerated version of witches and wizards. They have wands and broomsticks, for heavens sake. This is a fantasy book about a fantasy world (albeit on planet earth) much like many other fantastical books.
So, unless I find something along the way that is highly against our views, we will continue on this journey of Hogwarts. I do not want to get caught up in believing so many things of the world are evil. I once heard the teaching of a woman at my church who said we should not let our children watch VeggieTales because vegetables do not talk and it will confuse the children. I remember the argument against watching Happy Feet because it was supposed to have a gay agenda even though the main character was a tap dancing penguin who was male and was totally in love with a female penguin....just because he tap danced did not mean he was gay.
And just because Harry is a wizard who flies on a broomstick and has a wand does not mean this book of pure fiction and fantasy is bad. It is actually quite enjoyable story telling.
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