Harry Potter Hero Or Heathen

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.

Develop Your Childs Genius The King Of Games The Game Of Kings

Writen by Esther Andrews

Many people still think that the game of chess is appropriate for old people. In their mind's eye, they see 2 elderly people sitting across from each other in the park, playing a game of chess.

Well, it might sound surprising to you, but you can teach a baby to play chess. It has shown to be extremely beneficial for children of all ages to learn to play chess, and in addition, it is very entertaining. It is impossible to describe how much value a child gets from playing chess.

When my son Eric was about 2 or 3, he showed interest in board games, so I asked my husband if he knew how to play chess. I didn't know how to play Chess at the time, but luckily my husband knew the basics, and volunteered to teach little Eric. Eric took to it immediately. One day, my husband and I walked into a computer store, to buy a piece of hardware, and in the back room, we saw a person sitting in front of the computer, playing Chess. We started a conversation with him, and found out that he was a Chess teacher. When we came home, we asked Eric if he would like us to find a teacher for him, and he was very excited about it.

After some looking around and making some phone calls (now I know exactly who to call and where to look) we found a new immigrant from Russia who was a gifted Chess teacher. Some of his students became very famous grandmasters. So we made an appointment with the teacher, and he played a game of Chess with our baby. He looked at us after the game and said, a little bit amazed: "he is making all the right moves, it is amazing". Eric was 4 at the time, and the teacher took him on as a student.

Since then, Chess has been a part of our life. Chess has enriched our lives a great deal. Thanks to Chess, we have traveled and seen some parts of the world and the country we would have never traveled to otherwise. Whenever we visited a new place, we always looked for a street corner or a coffee house where people play chess, and always met interesting people and made new friends. There is always something new to learn, and avid players spend a significant amount of time learning and practicing. Many people find enjoyment in participating in tournaments.

All over the country there are many chess clubs that encourage the participation of children, and many scholastic tournaments are taking place all over the country. Players of all skill levels are encouraged to play in tournaments, and players of similar skill levels are paired to play with each other.

What will your child learn from playing Chess?

- He will learn how to put together a plan, and follow up on it.

- He will learn to calculate a few moves ahead of time, based on memory and imagination.

- He will learn how to concentrate.

- He will learn the difference between strategy and tactics.

- He will learn to think before he acts. That every move has consequences.

- He will learn to play fair and to be courteous.

- He will improve his visual memory and visual discrimination.

- He will learn how to follow the rules.

- He will learn to take responsibility.

- He will learn to have patience.

- He will develop his creativity.

There are so many more benefits to studying and playing chess, that you will have to discover for yourself.

When we started taking little Eric to a kids' Chess club, we met some kids that were highly gifted. I will never forget a little boy, 8 years old, who played a game of "blindfold" chess with the teacher, who was a master. "Blindfold" means that the player is not looking at the board, and has to play the game out of memory. The little boy played a whole game out of memory, and beat the master.

The most successful children were the ones who started very early. Children who had an older sibling who played Chess, or a parent who played Chess, and had the opportunity to watch the game when they were babies.

If you have a baby, if possible let the baby watch people playing Chess. Do you play Chess? Wonderful! Let the baby watch. If you do not play Chess, find a Chess club in your neighborhood, a park or a coffeehouse and let the baby watch the games as long as the baby is interested.

Some babies will be fascinated and watch the game for a long time, some will watch just for a few minutes. No problem! Let the baby watch as long as it wants. Even a few minutes will do. Do it as often as possible.

At home, have a Chess board around, and occasionally just show the baby the different pieces, and mention their names. Do it a few times a day. This is a good start for a baby, to get acquainted with the Chess pieces.

When your child is ready (and the parents know best!), you can show him how to move the pieces. A little bit a day will do. Make sure that the child spends some time around Chess players and gets the opportunity to watch some games.

For school age children, the best thing to do is to sit with them, explain the game and play with them. If you don't enjoy Chess or don't know how to play, you can find a teacher, or a Chess club that accommodates children.

Here is a special word about girls and Chess: some of the best chess players are girls! Just look at the sisters Polgar, and many other female chess players. If you have a girl, encourage her to play chess, it is a most beneficial activity for girls, as well as boys.

There are many Chess computer games on the market, starting from very affordable programs, like Chessmaster, and up to very expensive software and dedicated Chess computers. They are all fine, but remember - when your child plays with human beings, he learns much more and enjoys himself a lot more. It is a completely different experience. So take my advice, let your child play with other children, or even adults. Computer games can be a good addition.

A good place to start is the Chess Federation of your country. Here, in the US, we are lucky to have a very active Chess federation, and many Chess activities for young children. Here are some helpful links and resources:

www.uschess.org/beginners - Ten Tips for Winning Chess

www.uschess.org - The US Chess Federation

www.fide.com - The World Chess Federation

For the last 26 years, Esther Andrews has studied, researched and practiced the ways to develop a child's intelligence. She also served as the principal of the School for Gifted Education. As a result of this experience, she developed her own method and philosophy, that proved to be extremely successful with her own 2 highly gifted children. In her web site, http://www.all-gifted-children.com , she helps parents develop their child's genius, and provide for their kids the opportunity to achieve their maximum potential.

A Dads Thoughts On Dads Day

Writen by Lee Wise

21 Reasons I Love Being A Dad

What you will read in the next five to eight minutes will not qualify as one of the top ten professionally written articles of the year: guaranteed.

But you will read this, guaranteed: thoughts created on Father's Day from a guy who loves being a dad.

21 REASONS I LOVE BEING A DAD... AND AN OLDER ONE AT THAT

I love the privilege of seeking to inspire, encourage and help my children.

I love loving their mother.

I love the home movies I experience. The live ones. The in house "reality shows" if you please. Kids raggin' on each other, telling mom and dad stories one more time, hugs at the door, serious discussions begun spontaneously, phone calls to say "Hi, I love you," and small hands pressed on a glass door to see the wonder of all wonders: the neighbor's black cat.

I love happy birthday songs: songs sung in love and received the same way -- in love.

I love watching my kids with their kids.

I love the smiles of children and grandchildren.

I love good memories, family pictures on the walls, and cards from "Father's Days past."

I love the journey of growing with my children.

I love helping when I can and hurting when I can't. No, I don't enjoy the pain. It's the honor of trying to help because "I'm a dad" that I enjoy.

I love the privilege of praying for my children. I have the distinct honor of joining the heart of God with the needs, desires and dreams of my children.

I love being able to say, "Forgive me" when needed.

I love hearing "Mammaw" sing songs to her grandchildren.

I love being called "Pap."

I love sharing the lives of the kids with their mother.

I love watching the joy in the eyes of my wife as she talks on the phone with her children. (A *very* frequent event in our home I might add!)

I love giving the grandkids back to my kids just about the moment I think I'm going under (or moments thereafter!).

I love hearing the laughter of family in the other room.

I love being a friend as well as being a dad.

I love being a father-in-law.

I love memories of my dad loving me.

I love being challenged by my wife's love for each child, grandchild, and son-in-law.

DID I MENTION...

I love being a dad?!

Yours for a day filled with beautiful moments in time,

© Lee Wise All rights reserved.

Mailing Lists Without Limits - From AWeber! E-mail follow up, ad tracking,& real-time stats --> http://lee.aweber.com

About The Author

Lee writes family-friendly article and is the author and publisher of two ezines. Persmission is given to freely distribute the article. The copyright and resource box must be included.

Lee@hope-for-daily-living.com