Sarah Pulliam Bailey explains why many former Potter-bashers are warming to the Hogwarts crew:
In its early years, “Harry Potter” was a litmus test of orthodoxy for some conservative Christians, who expressed concern over its portrayal of witchcraft. A Christian lawyer sued a public library for encouraging young readers to check out the series. Texas Pastor John Hagee called the books a “precursor to witchcraft.” In 2005 a Canadian website published a letter opposing the books written by Pope Benedict XVI when he was Cardinal Ratzinger. (In 2009, the Vatican’s newspaper L’Osservatore Romano published a favorable review, seeming to reverse course on the series.)
The hysteria has largely died down, and not many religious leaders asked their flocks to avoid the final movie, which opens today. Potter observers cite a few possible reasons for the waning concern, including a natural desire to move on to other entertainment issues, but also an interest in the themes that unfolded.
Christians today are certainly not universally enchanted by the series. Over time, however, more readers have begun to express praise for its honest depiction of fear, loneliness and sacrifice as Harry faces the evil wizard Lord Voldemort. Many Christians have cheered the portrayals of loyalty, courage and love, as the main character repeatedly risks his life.
July 15th, 2011 | 3:21 pm
Wow, that’s rich: “media specialist” Bob Waliszewski of Focus on the Family saying they’re not monolithic on Harry Potter. Not too long ago, they threw a snit because Christianity Today dared suggest a bit of nuance when approaching the stories.
By the way, how does one become a “media specialist”? What does one study? What are his qualifications?
July 15th, 2011 | 3:26 pm
Christian fundamentalists have distinctive views on magic in fiction. Like how the Holy Spirit inspires a believer through reading the Word, the devil can also act through the reading of fiction. Either to subtly glorify magic, or even among the stricter sects, influence behavior or “open a door to him.”
That’s not really going to change. I’m ex Word of Faith, and I don’t think a lot of people understand how words hold an almost magical power for many fundamentalists. Almost to the level of an incantation.
I think instead that it’s because it’s been five years since the seventh book was released, and we are seeing the 8th movie based on that. I’d chalk it up to simple fatigue.
July 15th, 2011 | 10:06 pm
I’ll second Dave’s comment about the belief some have in the almost magical power of words. I was raised, for part of my childhood, in Word of Faith as well, and I remember being told not to say certain things or to talk negatively because it was believed it could affect things in the physical world. So, to say something like, “I could die,” was believed to actually have the possibility to bring it about.
I remember also being taught something similar about rock music. It was as if it had a magical power, too, by means of which supernatural forces could get inside you if you listened to it.
I’m sure that many Christians believe similar things about the Harry Potter books
July 16th, 2011 | 8:33 am
I still say Harry’s morals are seriously questionable. Friends don’t wreck their friends’ car then let them live with broken wands all year long. Rich friends ought to help poor ones. I suppose the reason Harry never considered buying Ron a new wand was because it was fun letting Ron barf up slugs? Or was it because the author just needed Ron’s wand to be broken because she’s not all that good at constructing plots?
But of course all through that series, working class people are like a caricature of what the rich wish the poor would be. For all the class envy that drives those books, it is the middle class aspiring to what the Malfoys have got – the Weaseleys never get tired of being treated like house-elves (who, of course, only resent being used as slave labor when it’s Malfoys doing it).
But if that’s what mainstream Christianity is into these days, more power to them, I guess. I prefer Tolkien’s far healthier view of both magic and virtue.
July 17th, 2011 | 9:21 pm
I think the deeper issue Christians should be wary of in the movies and books is someting pointed out by Michael O’Brien in “A Landscape of Dragons”. The movies and books like to reverse traditional symbolism. In the latest movie, a dragon, a classical symbol of evil (think St. Michael) rescues the characters. Or the witch that runs Hogwarts. Are there good witches and bad witches? Or what about actions, how many times in the books/movies does Harry lie and is later rewarded for it? Other examples abound. In the end, they break down traditional distinctions between good and evil. What kind of subtle lessons are the movies/books placing in the minds of children?
July 18th, 2011 | 11:42 am
http://bit.ly/nKcAWx
Check out this link to view my perspective on Harry Potter. I don’t believe children should be watching this period. There is a lot of violence in the Harry Potter movies.
July 18th, 2011 | 11:48 am
“Friends don’t wreck their friends’ car then let them live with broken wands all year long.”
Ron wrecked the car.
“Rich friends ought to help poor ones. I suppose the reason Harry never considered buying Ron a new wand was because it was fun letting Ron barf up slugs? Or was it because the author just needed Ron’s wand to be broken because she’s not all that good at constructing plots?”
Or was it because it was clearly laid out that there was only one wandmaker in all of England, and you can’t do mail order because wands are personally chosen (both of which are major plot elements, so they weren’t just thrown in there to give Harry an excuse for not replacing Ron’s wand.)
As for the rich/poor thing, wow, I just don’t see that. Nobody is ever portrayed as wanting to be like the Malfoys — I never even pick up a hint of envy, since they are not portrayed as being in any way happy or enviable people, and are mostly just ignored when they’re not making trouble for other people. And who treats the Weasleys like house elves? Other than the Malfoys, nobody — and the Weasleys certain DO tire of taking it from them. In fact, in every instance in which the Malfoys do that, some Weasley or other has to be restrained from lashing back for their own good. Not because the Weasleys “belong” at the bottom, but because the Malfoys have connections to the corrupt power structure and no scruples about harming other people. Rowling in now way treats that situation as fair, but as the ugly reality of the corruption in the wizarding world.
I think there are things to criticize about the ethics of Harry Potter, to be sure, but your criticisms always leave me wondering what books with the name “Harry Potter” on the cover you’ve read.
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