One Christian's Perspective on The Harry Potter Series - Comments Page 2

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• 26 - David Flanagan

  May 14, 2007 at 10:01 am

  Shannon:
  
  I definitely know what you faced. :-)
  
  And I like your advice to your daughter. As someone who has been married for sixteen years with two daughters of my own, those are very wise words.
  
  We'll have to chat about the last book when it finally hits the store. :-)
  
  Regards,
  
  David

• 27 - David Flanagan

  May 14, 2007 at 10:14 am

  Sally:
  
  I do think that is interesting and yet I'm also not surprised. At the same time, while Christians have had some very heated debates regarding the Harry Potter series, there have been some very well known Christians who have defended the series.
  
  Personally, I enjoy a good debate and I think this debate is good for Christians to have. Trashing an author for his or her work is the wrong approach, but debating the material is fine.
  
  And I think a good example was the almost universal disagreement with so-called "facts" laid down in the book "The Da Vinci Code." Most Christians were fine with the book as a work of fiction, but for the author to begin to claim that there was a lot of truth behind the book so that he could sell more of them, well, that called for an informed response, such as an investigation of some of what the author claimed were "facts" written into his fictional story.
  
  Personally, I think the controversy behind the book was much more interesting than the book itself. ;-)
  
  Regards,
  
  David

• 28 - Mykel

  May 18, 2007 at 5:57 pm

  Thank you so much fo writing this. All of my friends and fellow students believe that these books are completely horrible and to read the meant that you are automattically not a Christian. Reading these words finally bring comfort to an unsettled soul. Again, thank you so much.
  
  Regards,
  Mykel

• 29 - David Flanagan

  May 20, 2007 at 12:47 am

  Mykel,
  
  I think the message to your friends and fellow students is in Romans 14:1-4
  
  "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand."
  
  Thanks for your comments and I hope to hear from you again sometime.
  
  Regards,
  
  David

• 30 - zyra

  May 27, 2007 at 10:02 pm

  thanks

• 31 - zyra

  May 27, 2007 at 10:29 pm

  im a christian..(i need someone who can understand my point of view) but i really cant help reading harry potter books..i dont have intention that this book is evil..ever since harry potter starts...im one of the fans before i watched the movies i need to read the book first,,..and when i read,like now im reading the 5th book..its like im picturing out what thescenes is..since i was in college i keep on bringing the book and when i have free time i read it...but yesterday in the church of all my church members shocked and keep on asking who owns the book and when they find out its me...they told me its not a good book! by the way im still 19 and so childish in mind..i keep on reading any kind of book..i also love the chronicles of narnia i watch the movie thrice...that time i was in a catholic school and our school recommends to wtch the narnia...im a born again christian..ok lets go back what happend yesterday,after they found out it wqas mine they put a bible aboveon the book and i left that book on our church office because that time where still having our service..and then after our service i ask one of my elder whats wrong with the book..then she answer me wait and i called our pastor to explain it to you...and then our pastor callled me and my mom..he explain it to us whats on the harry potter..he said its a witchcraft and its in the bibile its forbidden...but what i amazed most is that when he said all the powerful witch did not denied that there the one who made the harry potter book and when they made it they made some rituals...he said they used harry potter to enhance the mind of the people whos reading on it especially the youths whos a vivid fun on it..and one of my co-church members said she also have a harry potter book in there house where shes working and the moment the kid reads the book she can now see different kind of spirits...after she said that to us what she experienced..my mom also felt same with her..my mom wont believe in ghost coz she believes that ghost cant harm us coz we have cjesus christ in our hearts...but she said she never felt that theres something in our house already since i brought that book..something she cant explain...a cold air...and like past midnight she saw a dark thing past by at her back...
  
  i was so freak out i dont know how to explain the moment i heared my mom what she experienced...and then our pastor wants to burn the book as what they did before they burn the harry potter books with one of my church members...i was so confused im already in the half page of ther 5th book..so my mom also dont wnat to bring it back in my house...im so confused yesterday...i dont know what to do..i keep on bringing the book in my office..in the bus stop..coz im thinking when im free i read it..
  
  and then yesterday my pastor prayed for me..and she asking me to research more about the books...
  
  i know i loved God and i believed in God..i have a strong faith in God...and it never came up in my mind about the book...and then last night when i was sleeping all alone in my room but last night the i did not put the book beside me as i always do ever since im reading the harry potter book..i admit i felt scared last night i cant sleep properly...i keep on opening my eyes as i counted it around 5 times i think...but before i sleep i prayed to God...
  
  it made me so freak since today..im still bringing the book until now...and what im doing is researching about the book...thanks for reading my comments hope you can give a point of view about what im writting in your blog.
  
  
  thanks so much and God bless..
  
  
  zyra
  

• 32 - Anna

  Jun 15, 2007 at 7:59 am

  Thank you so much! i am both a Christian and a major Harry Potter. You have completely refleected my thoughts on the series. What some peole don't realize is that the book does have true morals and values, but the book itself is still fiction. Thank you agian!

• 33 - Sophia

  Jul 18, 2007 at 5:49 pm

  Zyra,
  I also am a Christian and I was deeply saddened to hear about how the people in your church have treated you over reading the books. I myself was struggling with whether or not it was good to read these books and watch these movies or rather if the Lord would approve or not. I love God above all else and I only want to do what is acceptable to my Savior. I was praying about it just this morning and then I found David's blog article and I felt peace and I also thought of the scripture Romans 14:1-4 "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand."....which amazingly enough David quoted in one of his responses above....coincidence? I think not! One thing that is crucial for you to remember is that the Bible says that "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world"(1 John 4:4). The Spirit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who lives in our hearts is more than able to defeat any spirit of fear or darkness that is trying to make you afraid. You pray and ask Jesus yourself what He wants you to do. He is faithful and He WILL answer you. To all of you who do not share the faith that Zyra and I do please do not feel the need to tell me that anything I said you do not agree with. I am not here to debate you or to promote my faith, but rather to comfort another believer. The church (some factions)can abuse the power that they hold over others. That is why I truly believe that you have to "test every spirit" and hold fast to the Holy Spirit, God's Word and what He speaks directly to you. You have direct access to Him and His thoughts and heart and NO ONE not even a pastor has the right to tell you that what the Lord has allowed you the freedom to do is evil or wrong. They can have their opinions. I am not speaking of direct clear instructions of what not to do such as listed in Scripture and I know you know the things that I am talking about. I agree with David when he says that the witchcraft in these books are not the same as the witchcraft spoken of in Deuteronomy. That is the conclusion I have come to WITH prayer and what I feel God has said specifically to me. One other note...if your mother does not want the books in her house and you live under her roof than I do think that is her right and you are obligated to respect that. The Bible does command us to honor our father and mother...BUT that does not mean that you can not agree to disagree. You can have what you want in your house when it is yours ;) I know that is hard especially when you are 19...but such is life eh?!
  Anyway..... Don't get me wrong I am not saying like many of these other Christians that it is okay to be a witch in God's eyes. I am not open minded and I am proud of it. I am not tolerant of what I allow in my life due to past experiences with the occult, but I do believe that as a Christian I should not be known for "telling people off" or judging them. It is not my place to do. I am only concerned with living out the faith that Jesus Christ has put in my life and obeying my God. That is my conviction and if you are reading this and it is not yours than that is your right and choice. No one can take away that right and that is the same way God is. He allows us our choice. To know Him is by choice.
  By the way I love Harry Potter and glean all the good that I can from him and all of the characters. I think that it is exactly all of the things that David said in his article about love, forgiveness, family, friendship, faithfulness...etc. Hope these words help you Zyra. That was truly my ONLY intent for writing this. God bless you and you are in my prayers!
  

• 34 - Christian Books

  May 12, 2009 at 10:51 am

  Great post. Definitely going to start following your blog.