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Plus, there is an ethics in the storyline. There are good characters and evil characters.

This is true. However, it seems that Zenovia is saying that because of the success and popularity of the Harry Potter novels their integrity is called into question. Perhaps I am swallowing a camel but straining at a gnat but it seems very judgmental to call Rowlings integrity into question based on the fact that she is suddenly rich and has had great success. I would wish that kind of success on my friends and would like to have it myself. Whether or not I have the integrity to handle such wealth is another question. But it's not something that I should consider evil or even suspect. It simply doesn't have a thing to do with someone's spiritual condition.

In the case of the rich man who left off following Jesus, it was not his riches that were the problem. It was his greed. I think we are quite without enough information to determine that Rowling is greedy.

Jason

May I ask what can I do about a family member who is into horoscopes, Chinese horoscopes (like calendar?) don't understand that one, and some other psychic stuff? I'm deeply concerned because it seems to be leading into paganism. It (peganism) also seem to confuse one's sexuality (because it seems pagans and witches are predominately into lesbianism and neo-feminism).

Comments and suggestions, please.

SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine

SP,

I would suggest having your relative read some David Hume, perhaps the "Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding," but then that might have some other negative effects

But, personally, my inclination would be to treat all such pagan stuff the same way I treat Benny Hinn/t.v. evangelist faith healing; and that is to point out that these things have no rational justification whatsoever and are, in fact, against reason. And so the choice to believe in things like horoscopes is the choice between being rational and irrational.

Joe

Yes indeed, I am quite fond of what I know of the Harry Potter books. And if it is wrong to read Harry Potter, it is certainly wrong to read J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, or Hans Christian Andersen. Indeed, some of the more extreme legalists in my religious upbringing thought that C.S. Lewis was an imposter and from the devil and that reading fairy tales such as Sleeping Beauty was a good way to get your kids possessed and on drugs. I'm really not joking! Some of my friends had a very dull childhood.

Joe

A young family member? Sometimes chastisements will be rejected. I would start off by asking questions, and get the person to speak about spirituality. You may have to ease into the questions.

Then when you've gotten them to give you the sense of the spiritual world they have, you can guide and correct them. Maybe, if they would be defensive, through questions with a goal of convincing them that they came to the conclusion you want them to by themselves.

That's what I would do if the person in question could be sensitive, or defensive, but is open to a conversation.

I had that reaction against Narnia in mind when thinking about how people react against Harry Potter.

There are different kinds and ways of reading. Some people do not read in various ways, or if they do they assume others would not.

Zenovia,

Just curious. Do you really believe that demons come to people and turn themselves into black cats, and impersonate doctors and the like? I must confess that perhaps I'm too much of a rationalist and a skeptic. Or perhaps I'm really a native missourian ("show me state") and my parents just lied to me about being born in Georgia.

You don't have to answer me and I'm not going to pick a fight. I'm just curious, but I sometimes wonder if I am too skeptical toward these kinds of supernatural claims.

Joe

Terry,

I once heard a protestant pastor say that Lewis was not a true Christian because he wrote stories with magic in them and he drank beer.

Joe

Ahhh, if drinking beer makes one unChristian, I must admit, I'm a far far way from Christ.

I too am quite skeptical about much of the supernatural, though I've been "afraid" of stuff all my life. However, I got me a cat, and one I trust, so I figure he'll know if anything funny is going on well before I will. I've had odd encounters with the supernatural, myself, but still I don't take much stock in guys transfiguring into cats to chase girls. Puppies would be far more effective Or babies!

Dear Terry,

This is what makes the books so dangerous. Young people will believe that one can be a witch, wizard, and do magic, and yet still be ethical. (The devil is very deceptive). What they don't realize is that once they start delving into the demonic realm, love in their hearts will start diminishing, and they will start having a warped perception of human life. It is this altered perception that see's a foetus as not being a baby, and eventually leading to all the horrors we have seen both in Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, and so many parts of the world.

God Bless,

Zenovia

Dear Joe,

I know some things sound so outlandish, that they are hard to believe. That's even true about the first Christians, and the many miracles that occurred. I recall reading about them, and the stories became so repetitive, that I began to realize why the English writers simply discounted all of them...leading to a complete denial of all miracles by the Protestants.

I have had some minor experiences with 'unusual' happenings, and heard tales from members of my family...but the others things, such as flying on brooms, etc., do sound rediculous. Yet, we cannot know, and can only assume that there is no reason for people to lie about them.

God Bless,

Zenovia

Zenovia,

If what you assume is true, then it would be dangerous.

Terry

Thanks, Zenovia, for your comment about my family member...sad to say about her...she was raised Catholic...but now who knows??? She calls herself Catholic...but ??? Heh. Oh well. I didn't want to preach to her...because I'm afraid that'll push her away even further. SO I guess I'll just have to pray pray pray for her then.

I want to make a confession to you all...although I'm 1,0001% against paganism, witchcraft, all that stuff since I was born...fully against it...but....

Growing up in the early 70's...I enjoyed watching "Bewitched" comedy. Althought as a kid...I had fully known that it's not real...but it was funny to watch the show. Guilty as charged.

Back then, there were no closed-captioning...so now even as an adult...if I happent to see it being on TV...I'd watch it (to catch up all these years of no closed-captioning). Guilty as Charged. Heh. Oh well.

SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine

Potter is problematic because he uses lying as a means to get what he wants and because he gets what he wants through reliance on his own powers. Finally, it makes something evil look benign. Tolkien had used fantasy but had Christ as the referent. The HP writer has the self as the referent of both the source of one's own existence and the goal.

The occult and the new age is the greatest problem the Church faces. (The Vatican issued a document on the new age which is worth reading.) Reading these books makes a great evil look fun. People then get led to spiritual greed - the demanding of the gifts of God and the thinking that one can get them through one's own efforts.

One aspect of the occult is the denial of reality. Reality can be determined by one's intentions. People believe that they can control reality. It's about power and control.

A lot of times people are led into the occult by deep emotional wounds. This was the case of Fr. Mitch Pacwa. They turn to these things out of fear, or a need to be healed. The best remedy to help anyone involved in this is that you pray, pray, pray. Pray for that person every day. I have found that such people are deaf to anything you say. (Catholic priests say that the rosary is powerful when prayed for these people.)