Writen by Audrey Lizee
Whether you are 2 years old or 82, you've probably heard of Harry Potter. Maybe you too did not understand who he is but he's everywhere! I started out doing some history research about Halloween, but curiosity once again dragged me elsewhere, into the unknown world of Harry Potter. Halloween is one of my least favored holidays, so I never encouraged it much while my kids were growing up. Everything is about choices in life, our children's heroes and fads change, some we accept, some we don't. Right now seems to be the Harry Potter movement, or phenomenon, and somehow it seems more complicated than a 'fad' or hero, somehow there seems to be a hidden agenda. I compare it to a user-friendly repackaged guide to an unknown world of mythology and witchcraft.
What I did discover about Halloween was that originally, it started out as 'All Hallows Eve' as it fell on All Saint's Day or as the Roman Catholics called it 'Allhallowmass'. Eventually, it was moved to November 1, as Halloween took on pagan worship and traditions. Actually, 'trick or treat' and 'jack o lanterns' are both carry-overs of pagan tradition. Also included in this celebration day is the darker side of the occult, which still occurs today and is growing at an alarming rate across the country!
So, where does Harry Potter fit in? Well, Halloween is the great holiday that Wicca and Satanic worshippers hold in high regard. Supposedly it is the day when the veil is very thin between the spirits of those gone before us and those here on earth. It is the celebrating of the communion between nature and the spirit world, a time when the connection is the easiest. The Harry Potter series is closely tied to the Wicca or White Witchcraft teachings. So, where does the controversy come in? It is between Christian/non-Christian, God/Satan, good/evil, and how they mix; like oil and water.
J.L Rowling is author of this 7 book Harry Potter series, the fifth of which is to be released shortly. She dreamed up the basis for this story while riding on a passenger train one day and has now sold over 76 million copies, in 42 languages! The books are based on fantasy and pagan traditions of the magical arts; sorcery, charms, spells, fortune telling, astrology-centered on the mythical magical world of witches, wizards and creatures of good and evil. It is told that a witch killed Harry's parents on Halloween night, but Harry escapes. He becomes a wizard by going to Hog wart school and author Rowling creates him a hero as he studies witchcraft and magic for revenge. This boy is made to sound like a hero but he blackmails, deceives, lies, hates his enemies and takes drugs to more easily communicate with the spirit world. He practices occult, spiritism, magic, wizardry, witchcraft and astrology. No matter if it was Rowling's intent or not, Harry Potter has become a literacy device introducing young readers and society to the age-old war between Judeo- Christian values and sorcery (Harry Potter Wicca, witchcraft, and the Bible). Maybe it was not her intent for curious young readers to explore more deeply the "New Age" religion (or maybe it was?). Would you believe that Wicca is the fastest growing religion in the U.S? Would you also believe that a few months ago, Goggle search engine had 1 million links to the word, and today has 2.8 million? A witch school in U.S, dedicated to Wicca growth, now has 140,000 students. How is it that some schools are allowing Harry Potter books to be taught in the classroom, (Wicca is declared a religion now) but anything biblical is not?
Awareness is the key for parents and society as a whole. This is not about book burning, and banning, it is not about forbidding your child to read a book. (I remember years ago, forbidding my teenager from listening to a certain heavy metal band, but not long ago he showed me his collection of tapes to which he had memorized every word!) It is about standing up for what you believe, it is about teaching your children right from wrong, having them understand the difference between true and false fantasy, healthy and poison imagination, good and bad reading material, etc. It is about discernment, and not allowing ourselves to become desensitized to what feels wrong.
I believe that in the child's forming years of mind, heart and soul, it would be a parental duty to lean on the side of caution. They already have enough negative world forces coming at them, so it is up to us adults to set an example and help them find a positive Higher Power or "anti-drug" as the TV ads say. With proper resources, they will be able to decide whether Harry Potter is Hero or Heathen.
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