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THE CUTTING EDGE

NEWS BRIEF: "Why We Like Harry Potter:  the series is a 'Book of Virtues' with a preadolescent funny bone, ChristianityToday.com,  7/18/2000, http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/2000/january10/29.37.html

A Christianity Today Editorial -- "It's Christmas present shopping time,  time for your 10-year-old to make his list -- and for you to check it twice.  But are the Harry Potter books at the top of his list -- the first books topping his list for as long as you can remember -- naughty or nice?  These mutimillion-selling stars of bestseller lists cause some anxiety for Christians since the main characters are wizards and witches."

"In fact, you may have read newspaper accounts and heard radio reports of how Christians are fighting school boards over having the books in libraries.  As a concerned parent, what should you do?  We think you should read the Harry Potter books to your kids."

We shall run into this type of reasoning from another Christian source in this article, but we need to stop here and simply address this horrible idea that it is all right for a parent to read objectionable material to children so that they can stop in the middle of the story to tell your child that what you have just read to them is very bad and they should ignore it.  This idea is the same as a defense attorney saying something he knows the judge is going to object to, to disallow, and then tell the jurors they are to forget what they just heard;  the defense attorney is laughing all the way because he knows human nature is such that the jurors will not only remember what he just said, but their remembrance will be nailed down in their subconscious minds by the judge's admonition to ignore it.  In other words, the judge's ruling against the defense attorney will forever lock the thing he said in the juror's minds.  Why is this?  Because human beings are, by nature, sinful, rebellious against constituted authority, and wicked. [Jeremiah 17:9]

Now, let us get back to this idea that parents can read objectionable material to their kids on the silly, un-Biblical notion that they can remove the sting of the material by "discussing" it with their kids, telling them how bad it is and that they should ignore what they have just heard.  This fantasy scenario will never, ever happen! 

In fact, if Christianity Today is now advocating that parents should read Harry Potter to your kids; tomorrow, will Christianity Today advocate reading Pornography to your kids?  What is the difference?  In fact, a parent will do less harm to their child by reading and/or watching pornography to their children than by reading Harry Potter to them.  Why is this true?  It is true because Pornography appeals to a child's physical, temporal lust, while Harry Potter appeals to a child's rebellious nature against God and anything related to God.  Effects of pornography will end when a person's body dies, but learning Witchcraft will carry an eternal punishment.  Now, do not get me wrong:  I am NOT advocating that a parent read and/or watch Pornography to their children; I am merely going to the next logical extreme to prove a point about Harry Potter and the Witchcraft taught.  Witchcraft carries more serious effects on a person than pornography alone.

In fact, God has far more warnings, and much more severe, against teaching children Witchcraft than it ever has against a man seeing the nudity of a woman.  Both are sin, to be sure, but God promised physical, annihilating judgment against the nation that teaches its children Witchcraft! [Read NEWS1377 for full details]

The other terrible result from parents reading Harry Potter to their children is that children learn lessons from parents by both their mouth and by their actions.  Even though the parent may say that the Witchcraft in Harry Potter is wrong and should not be copied, the child can understand that the parent, by his or her action in reading Harry Potter to them, is actually sanctioning it.  The child will then be able to choose which signal from their parents they are going to heed -- are they going to heed the advice coming out of the mouth, or are they going to heed the sanctioning of Harry Potter flowing from their action? The child will then choose the message they want to listen to, and it will almost always flow to the evil choice, given mankind's naturally evil heart [Jeremiah 17:9]

Now, let us return to this Christianity Today article supporting Harry Potter.

"... Christians should never apologize for rigorously scrutinizing what influences our children.  A major scandal of our how is how seldom this happens.  Modern witchcraft is indeed an ensnaring, seductive false religion that we must protect our children from ... But the literary witchcraft of the Harry Potter series has almost no resemblance to the I-a,-God mumbo jumbo of Wiccan circles."

Let me address the last sentence first; this author has made a superficially correct statement when he states that the witchcraft of Harry Potter has little resemblance to Wiccan witchcraft.  However, this statement leads one to conclude that the witchcraft of Harry Potter is somehow less dangerous and obnoxious than that of Wiccan, when the reality is just the opposite!!  While Wiccan witchcraft concentrates on the "godhead within man" and upon Nature Worship, the Harry Potter Witchcraft focuses on the really dark, Satanic, Antichrist form of exercising power.  Once again, Christianity Today is stating a half-truth, which leads to a complete lie.

Secondly, all thinking, discerning Christians need to totally reject this idea that the Black Magick witchcraft of Harry Potter is all right because it is simply a "literary" device!  Two decades ago, we were told that we had to accept Pornography because it was protected by the Freedom of Speech provision of our precious Constitution.  Thus, by this "device" Pornography was allowed to become established, and today it is infecting millions of our men with its fleshly lust.  On Judgment Day, Jesus Christ will not tolerate any such suggestion that it is all right to teach our children Black Magick Witchcraft because it is a "literary device". 

This idea is patent nonsense!!  Listen to the Apostle Paul:  "Let no one delude and deceive you with empty excuses and groundless arguments for these sins, for through these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of rebellion and disobedience."  [Ephesians 5:6, Amplified Bible Commentary ] 

Then, finally, the editors of Christianity Today say that Harry Potter is equivalent to a "Book of Virtues", citing the values of compassion, loyalty, courage, friendship, and self-sacrifice as being taught.  While no one argues that these stated values are Christian, one cannot argue that the Witchcraft of Harry Potter is harmless because it teaches these values. 

You might as well argue that it is alright to feed your child cheese and ham wrapped in a poisonous leaf!  The cheese and ham will not kill your child, but the poisonous leaf certainly will.  Conversely, the values of compassion, loyalty, courage, friendship, and self-sacrifice will not spiritually kill your child, but the Black Magick Witchcraft in which they come wrapped certainly will!

Are you really ready to stand before Jesus Christ with these arguments as to why you have allowed your child's soul to be ensnared by Satan through Harry Potter?  "Gee, Lord, I thought Harry Potter Witchcraft was all right because it taught these good values"!  I can hear the Lord say, "Not everyone who says until me, 'Lord, Lord', shall enter into Heaven ... I will say to them openly, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly, disregarding My commands'." [Matthew 7:21, 23]

What commands are parents ignoring when they read their children the Black Magick Witchcraft from Harry Potter books?

*  "There shall not be found among you any one that ... useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD ..." [Deuteronomy 18:10-12]

*  "He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly ... and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil ; He shall dwell on high." [Isaiah 33:15-16; Emphasis added]  Of course, this "dwelling on high" refers to Heaven.  ONLY those who walk righteously and speak uprightly are going to Heaven! Reading Black Magick Witchcraft is NOT walking righteously, nor is it shutting one's eyes from seeing evil.

*  "Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? ... O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously ..." [Habakkuk 1:12-13]  God's eyes are so pure He cannot look upon evil, and He commands us to do likewise.  Organizations like Christianity Today that find excuses for Harry Potter are "dealing treacherously" with you!  Notice that such people who do behold evil are "ordained for judgment".

*  "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil" [Proverbs 1:16]

FOCUS ON THE FAMILY ENDORSEMENT OF HARRY POTTER

NEWS BRIEF:  "Exploring Harry Potter's World, by Lindy Beam, Contributing Culture Analyst, Dec 1999, http://www.family.org/pplace/pi/genl/A0008833.html

This recommendation was not so bold and direct as was Christianity Today. Rather, Ms Beam seemed to explore both sides of the issue, admitting that these books portrayed frightening occult scenes and creatures to young children.  She said: 

"However, the series contains other aspects that may give Christian parents a reason for pause.  Magical characters -- witches, wizards, goblins, werewolves, poltergeists, and so on -- fill the pages.  The evil that Rowling portrays is both dark and scary.  In the first two books, the final battle scene is violent and may contain too much gore for young readers.  While the third volume doesn't end in so violent a battle, its warfare on the psychological is sinister and frightening.  All of the books include scattered references to blood, murder, and other forms of death.  There are several references to swearing along with a few gratuitous [ones].  Alcohol use is excused on occasion."

Wow!  With all these definitely un-Christian elements admittedly in the book, I can only think of the strict Biblical admonition:  "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."  {Philippians 4:8]

Certainly, I thought, Focus On The Family was going to recommend that Christian parents NOT allow their children to read Harry Potter books.  However, this is not the case, as I soon discovered.  Focus On The Family was giving a Conditional Acceptance of Harry Potter books, even though they admitted that the books were literally filled with dark, mysterious witchcraft.  Let us examine what recommendation they did give.  Each Focus On The Family recommendation is preceded by a (*) asterisk:

*  "We encourage parents to screen the books first to determine if the series is appropriate for the age and maturity of their own children."  According to this most un-Biblical line of reasoning, there is an age at which God specifically allows a child to fill his or her mind with scenes of the kind of Witchcraft specifically forbidden in the Bible!  What is that age, Ms Beam?  The answer will be deafeningly silent, because the truth of the matter is that God never has allowed one of His people, called by His name, to fill their minds with Satanism, at any age!!

*  "Then, parents who choose to allow their children to read Harry Potter should be actively involved in the reading process."  According to this line of reasoning, at what age is it appropriate for a parent to read Pornography to her children?  At what age is it appropriate for a parent to read books glorifying drug use to a child?  This is like parents who think it all right to serve their children alcohol, as long as it is in their home, not realizing how misguided this practice truly is.

While you may think I have run to the extreme, you need to consider the truth that drug use and pornography are less of an offense in God's sight than Witchcraft!  Witchcraft teaches people to worship a god other than the God of the Holy Bible, and nothing makes God more angry than that!  When are "Christian" ministries going to get their thinking processes straight in this day and age?

* "Apart from the benefit of wise adult guidance in reading these books, it is best to leave Harry Potter on the shelf.  Instead, explore such imaginative fantasy as C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, which, while including magic and even witches, give an untainted message because they are written from a Christian worldview."  As I said in NEWS1377, Satan has had his hand on our English language for the past 600 years.  I would not recommend even C.S. Lewis because it veers too close to the line of being appropriate and can encourage a child to seek even more information about witches and the magic they spell.  However, C.S. Lewis does not teach advanced Witchcraft, as does Harry Potter.

* "Harry Potter is a standard tale of good vs. evil, and good always wins in the end."  This lie is one of the most often stated in all of the Entertainment Industry, and where it is applied to Witchcraft, it needs to be halted once and for all.  Harry Potter is not a story of good versus evil; it is a story of White Magic Witchcraft versus Black Magick Witchcraft.  As Satanist Anton LaVey says in his Satanic Bible , this differentiation is nonsense.  "White magic is supposedly utilized only for good or unselfish purposes, and black magic, we are told, is used only for selfish or 'evil' reasons.  Satanism draws no such dividing line.  Magic is magic, be it used to help or hinder." [The Satanic Bible, Page 51]

In the Harry Potter books, Harry and his friends are the White Magic wizards fighting the evil Voldemort, the Lord of Darkness and Evil.  Both are wizards, and both are drawing their ability and power from the exact same source!  Anton LaVey just told us so!  From 1983-87, Masters of the Universe was the most powerful license ever in the history of Toy Retailing.  In the accompanying cartoon series, He-Man was the White Magic Witch, doing battle with Skeletor, the Black Magick Witch.  However, the story line was at least honest, for it depicted both He-Man and Skeletor lifting their magical swords to the heavens, and calling their power from Castle Greyskull!  At least the story line admitted that both sides draw their power from the lair of Satan, Castle Greyskull. 

However, Harry Potter and all other such occult story lines in America today, are not so open with their listeners.  Oh, no, instead, we are told that the story line is a standard one of "good versus evil".  Nonsense! Furthermore, no one can rejoice when the Good Witch is always portrayed as getting the best of the Evil Witch!  All is Satanism.  Now, listen to more Focus On The Family recommendation:

*  "Harry, the hero, often triumphs because of his upright character and pure motives." What kind of "pure motives" can flow from a person who is a White Magic Witch?  All witches deny the Deity and Salvation work of Jesus Christ; therefore, Harry Potter must deny the Deity and Salvation work of Jesus Christ, or he is not a true witch.  Another Christian organization, Family Life, states, "We have been unable to find any mention by J. K. Rowling or her interviewers to religion or faith in Jesus Christ." How, then, can a witch who denies the heart and soul of Christianity still have "upright character" or "true motives"? 

I am reminded of Jesus' Words on this subject: 

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." [Matthew 7:16-20]

Do not Christian authors realize that, even as they are admitting that Harry Potter is FULL of the most evil witchcraft imaginable, that they are describing a tree of Bad Fruit?  Why, then, do they turn right around and recommend the bad fruit of the Harry Potter tree?  We Christian parents need to be absolutely outraged at any and all books that teach stories set in un-Christian and anti-Biblical scenes!

* "This mindset clearly affects the way magic and wizardry are portrayed -- not as an occult power but as a literary device (comparable to the use of horses and six-shooters in stories of adventure in the Old West)."  Once again, this is pure nonsense!  None of the Old West stories depicted gross Black Magic Witchcraft, as does Harry Potter.  How can you compare neutral horses and guns to heinous Witchcraft that God has specifically forbidden, with great and strong language?  You simply cannot, and still maintains the credibility of the discerning Christian audience.

Unfortunately, we have a lot of Christians today attending Liberal churches and who are not well-versed in Scripture; therefore, they are not discerning, since Biblical discernment is a spiritual matter. We have already covered God's exceedingly strong language forbidding the very Witchcraft of the Harry Potter books.

Focus On The Family used to be Fundamental to the cause of Jesus Christ.  I remember one day in 1986, when Dr. James Dobson said that he felt America had already crossed the line with God, and that now His Divine Judgment, physical annihilation, was inevitable.

But then, inexplicably, just a few short years later, Dr. Dobson printed the initial book on Promise Keepers and began promoting this organization founded on principles totally un-Biblical! [Read our NEWS1171, "Promise Keepers -- A Discerning Examination" for full details].  This support of Promise Keepers was our first concrete sign that Dr. Dobson was moving away from the Narrow Road of Christianity; now, his conditional acceptance of Harry Potter is another significant indication of this drift. 

 Do not be deceived:  Dobson's conditional acceptance of Potter opens the door against evil just a tiny crack, which is exactly what Satan desires.  Once the door is open just a crack, he can open it all the way over a period of time.  This fact is why Jesus Himself commands us, "Hold fast to what you have"! [Revelation 2:25; principle repeated in Rev 3:3; Hebrews 10:23; 4:14; 3:6;[

Please allow the Apostle Paul the final word on this whole subject of Harry Potter:  "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.  Abstain from all appearance of evil." [1 Thessalonians 5:21-22; Emphasis added] 

Every one of the Christian organizations, and most pro-Potter websites, I have read have admitted that Harry Potter is filled to the full with Witchcraft, Wizardry, spells, crystal ball reading, changing from human to animal and back, demonic hauntings, and so on.  If you consider yourself a Christian, you will obey this verse: 

HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD AND ABSTAIN FROM ALL APPEARANCE OF EVIL!

FAMILY LIFE/CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST RECOMMENDS CHRISTIAN PARENTS NOT ALLOW THEIR CHILDREN TO READ HARRY POTTER!

"The books' main character is a wizard who is learning to practice spells, witchcraft, and magic ... We have been unable to find any mention by J. K. Rowling or her interviewers to religion or faith in Jesus Christ ... We do not believe that Rowling is purposefully writing to point readers to Jesus Christ. She is appealing to the most powerful brain function children have–imagination–and steering them toward witchcraft and power. Through her creative and whimsical use of words and her delightful storytelling style, she is making witchcraft and magic seem a little too attractive. If children are fascinated with Rowling's view of witchcraft and the occult, it may be very easy for them to be introduced to material that is horribly dark and evil." http://www.familylife.com/articles/printme.asp

We can only agree, completely!  Finally, we have found a Christian organization that has recognized the inherent dangers of allowing children to learn the ways of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  Children ARE fascinated by the dark powers of the occult, because of their inherently evil sin nature; therefore, God has commanded parents to keep their children from such danger and corruption.  While we disagree with much of Campus Crusade For Christ, at least they have issued the correct recommendation on Harry Potter!

"We encourage you to avoid Harry Potter. If you wish to err on the side of caution, do not allow your children to check these books out from the library, purchase them, borrow them from friends, or listen as their teachers read them in class."  Of course, it is a little difficult for children to avoid listening to Harry Potter being read in their public classroom, which is just the most recent good reason for Christian parents to pull their children out!  While purchasing the Scholastic Teacher's Guide on Harry Potter, I asked the clerk at this educational store if a lot of public school teachers were buying these teacher's guides; the clerk said, "Oh, yes, these books are selling like crazy".  Therefore, you know that the chances are excellent that your child will be reading these books in public school. 

The conditioning aspect of a public school system is the key reason Karl Marx first advocated such an institution. Do not be deceived: the primary reason for public schools today is to indoctrinate your precious children into the values and attitudes of the coming New World system of Antichrist.  His appearance has got to be very close, as Harry Potter demonstrates that a high proportion of the public are conditioned to accept him, a stated pre-condition for Antichrist to arise.

While we disagree with Family Life suggesting C.S. Lewis and certainly the dark J.R. Tolkien, we applaud them for their discernment for coming out against Harry Potter. 

GOD'S COMMANDS ON WHAT TO TEACH YOUR PRECIOUS CHILDREN

God commands parents to teach His commandments so thoroughly to their children that their young minds will be saturated with them.  Listen:  "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." [Deuteronomy 6:6-9]

Here, we can see parents instructed to talk of God's Words in everyday life, teaching them with earnest diligence, and setting an example of a lifestyle of Christian living every day of your life.  Biblical ignorance is so rampant among even devout Christians today that most Christian parents are not aware of how seriously God has commanded them to saturate their children's minds and hearts with Biblical words and precepts.  If Christian parents were really and truly saturating the minds of their children in this way, they would be walking so close to the Lord that they would instantly recognize the danger posed by Harry Potter's obvious Satanism, and stay far, far away from it!

As the Apostle Paul warned, "Let no one delude and deceive you with empty excuses and groundless arguments for these sins, for through these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of rebellion and disobedience."  [Ephesians 5:6, Amplified Bible Commentary ] 

This deception is getting so very, very good that "even the elect" might be deceived, just as Jesus foretold.  Truly, this is the End of the Age.

Are you spiritually ready? Is your family? Are you adequately protecting your loved ones? This is the reason for this ministry, to enable you to first understand the peril facing you, and then help you develop strategies to warn and protect your loved ones. Once you have been thoroughly trained, you can also use your knowledge as a means to open the door of discussion with an unsaved person. I have been able to use it many times, and have seen people come to Jesus Christ as a result. These perilous times are also a time when we can reach many souls for Jesus Christ, making an eternal difference.