Harry Potter: Just one in a World of Demons
My sister-in-law just had a brush with Borders, regarding the new Harry Potter book.
No, actually, more accurately, it was regarding the BOX that the Harry Potter books came in.
Borders, if you are reading this, can you please not piss off teachers? They are the moulders of our children's minds and if they should go to work in a foul mood because of you, the children will suffer and the parents will get upset and everyone will boycott Borders (or better still go there and read all the books and not buy any).
Please don't call it Customer Service if you're not really planning to service the customer, only berate her/him.
Anyway, Harry Potter. Which mom doesn't wish she too made gaziilions of dollars sitting in a cafe writing books with her baby in a pram? Sign me up for THAT course! I might not agree with some of the spells in the HP series, or the amount of blood shed in the movies (seems like more and more as the series progresses, making it less and less of a viewing choice for my kids), but Joanne Rowling sure hit paydirt and I'm happy for her.
As a reader, I guzzled the first four books in a matter of days. Book 5 felt convoluted and strained to me. I hope 6 will have the smooth-flowing thrills of the first 3. But to be honest I'm a little off the series already.
I often wonder why books about the dark arts do so well. I read in The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren that it is because we are all born to seek the purpose for which we are made. We have a God-shaped hole in our souls that needs to be filled. Sometimes we try to fill it with fake prophecies (horoscopes, going to the fortune teller etc). Sometimes we try to fill it with drugs and alcohol. Sometimes sex. Sometimes we look for something spiritual that seems to have a bit of what we are looking for, like Deepak Chopra's books, or for some, tarot cards and witchcraft and other varieties of divination and calling upon spirits.
It's a human fascination. We know there is something BEYOND what we see, hear, smell and touch. We know there is a spirit world but few of us know the truth about that spirit world. Harry Potter is the soft, dressed up version. Movies like the Exorcist are the creepier version (but still, it gives too much credit to the devil, haha).
How many of us will really seek the Truth, and let the truth set us free? When things as seemingly innocuous as children's fiction present the demon world in palatable formats, will we be able to see that there are demonic forces making a claim on our children's souls?
Am I overreacting? Am I a crazy religious fanatic? All I can say is, if there are demons threatening my family I'm not going to stand around and let them in, no matter how cutely they are packaged. I've seen demons destroy families, make people depressed and suicidal, cause fights, spark terrorist acts — bible says the thief (ie the devil) comes to steal, kill and destroy. There is no redeeming value in satan. So it's either we destroy his spirits and cast them into hell, or they will destroy us.
The world of demons is becoming more and more real to me as I see the sort of things that happen around us. Child sex abuse, which I fight with all my might, is demonic. Teenagers stripping and hurting other teenagers is demonic. The man sexually assaulting and killing Huang Na, that's definitely demonic.
Which is not to say that people are completely blameless. These demons need a conduit, and they will use anyone who is spiritually weak. And that's the job that Christians (REAL Christians, not demonic so-called Christians who subvert the word of God) have — we are to follow Christ's directive to repent, be baptised in water and the Holy Spirit, and to cast out demons, and heal the sick, and preach the gospel to the ends of the earth.
So maybe I won't buy Harry Potter Book 6 (and if I did, I guess it won't be from Borders).
I hope one day there will be a Christian alternative to popular reading. Books like the Da Vinci Code act to twist human minds against the truth about Jesus, that He is the Son of God, made flesh, died and resurrected to bring salvation to the world. Yes, Jesus was tempted like a man, but He was SINLESS. But unless you know this (and not with your head but with your heart), the "fiction" in DVC will have achieved its demonic purpose.
Maybe I'll bring my notebook to a cafe and write the next great series, but one that gives glory to God. Who knows?
No, actually, more accurately, it was regarding the BOX that the Harry Potter books came in.
Borders, if you are reading this, can you please not piss off teachers? They are the moulders of our children's minds and if they should go to work in a foul mood because of you, the children will suffer and the parents will get upset and everyone will boycott Borders (or better still go there and read all the books and not buy any).
Please don't call it Customer Service if you're not really planning to service the customer, only berate her/him.
Anyway, Harry Potter. Which mom doesn't wish she too made gaziilions of dollars sitting in a cafe writing books with her baby in a pram? Sign me up for THAT course! I might not agree with some of the spells in the HP series, or the amount of blood shed in the movies (seems like more and more as the series progresses, making it less and less of a viewing choice for my kids), but Joanne Rowling sure hit paydirt and I'm happy for her.
As a reader, I guzzled the first four books in a matter of days. Book 5 felt convoluted and strained to me. I hope 6 will have the smooth-flowing thrills of the first 3. But to be honest I'm a little off the series already.
I often wonder why books about the dark arts do so well. I read in The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren that it is because we are all born to seek the purpose for which we are made. We have a God-shaped hole in our souls that needs to be filled. Sometimes we try to fill it with fake prophecies (horoscopes, going to the fortune teller etc). Sometimes we try to fill it with drugs and alcohol. Sometimes sex. Sometimes we look for something spiritual that seems to have a bit of what we are looking for, like Deepak Chopra's books, or for some, tarot cards and witchcraft and other varieties of divination and calling upon spirits.
It's a human fascination. We know there is something BEYOND what we see, hear, smell and touch. We know there is a spirit world but few of us know the truth about that spirit world. Harry Potter is the soft, dressed up version. Movies like the Exorcist are the creepier version (but still, it gives too much credit to the devil, haha).
How many of us will really seek the Truth, and let the truth set us free? When things as seemingly innocuous as children's fiction present the demon world in palatable formats, will we be able to see that there are demonic forces making a claim on our children's souls?
Am I overreacting? Am I a crazy religious fanatic? All I can say is, if there are demons threatening my family I'm not going to stand around and let them in, no matter how cutely they are packaged. I've seen demons destroy families, make people depressed and suicidal, cause fights, spark terrorist acts — bible says the thief (ie the devil) comes to steal, kill and destroy. There is no redeeming value in satan. So it's either we destroy his spirits and cast them into hell, or they will destroy us.
The world of demons is becoming more and more real to me as I see the sort of things that happen around us. Child sex abuse, which I fight with all my might, is demonic. Teenagers stripping and hurting other teenagers is demonic. The man sexually assaulting and killing Huang Na, that's definitely demonic.
Which is not to say that people are completely blameless. These demons need a conduit, and they will use anyone who is spiritually weak. And that's the job that Christians (REAL Christians, not demonic so-called Christians who subvert the word of God) have — we are to follow Christ's directive to repent, be baptised in water and the Holy Spirit, and to cast out demons, and heal the sick, and preach the gospel to the ends of the earth.
So maybe I won't buy Harry Potter Book 6 (and if I did, I guess it won't be from Borders).
I hope one day there will be a Christian alternative to popular reading. Books like the Da Vinci Code act to twist human minds against the truth about Jesus, that He is the Son of God, made flesh, died and resurrected to bring salvation to the world. Yes, Jesus was tempted like a man, but He was SINLESS. But unless you know this (and not with your head but with your heart), the "fiction" in DVC will have achieved its demonic purpose.
Maybe I'll bring my notebook to a cafe and write the next great series, but one that gives glory to God. Who knows?
posted by Threez at 10:29 AM
1 Comments:
Maybe I'll bring my notebook to a cafe and write the next great series, but one that gives glory to God. Who knows?
All things are possible.. Only God knows. :)
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