Re: witchcraft and Harry Potter

[AJ Thomas <ajthomas@kings.edu>]

At Wednesday, July 28, 1999 3:10 PM, you wrote:
Hi!  I'm a moderate person and a strong Christian, and I keep
wanting to ask someone because I really don't understand, why are
conservative churches so against letting children even read about
witchcraft? If it doesn't extol or give specific methods and if it even
portrays witchcraft as the bad, evil, cruel thing it is, what is the
objection? I'm not arguing, just asking. Maybe this is obvious to
everyone else, but it isn't to me. Shouldn't they be taught about their
enemies so they know how to defend against them? I'm certainly not
trying to stir up a flame war; please let's all be adults.
*****
In reply, I believe it is because these churches are essentially lacking in
faith, that is, they consider something like the Harry Potter books to be
more powerful than their God.

However, I must object to your characterization of witchcraft "as the bad,
evil, cruel thing it is." Since you are studying to be a librarian, do what
a librarian should do and inform yourself. I suggest you read a book like
"The spiral dance," and then decide whether that is the description you
could give to witchcraft. Furthermore, read something like "Eunuchs for the
kingdom of heaven" and "Putting away childish things" or even just look at
the history books and see what has been done in the name of Christ during
the past 2,000 years--the Inquisition, the Burning Times, pogroms, the Ku
Klux Klan, even the current Northern Ireland conflict, and you might wonder
exactly which religion might be characterized as "bad, evil, cruel."

Why also must Christian children view witches as enemies? To consider
someone an enemy is to consider that person worthy of being killed. And,
quite frankly, there's been enough of that going around. Again, inform
yourself about witchcraft; there's enough out there. And even if you insist
on having children learn about the "enemy," choose something else besides a
book like the Harry Potter books. I would imagine it's like learning about
Germans from Grimm's Fairy Tales.

I am acquainted with people who are witches and people who are Christians.
None of them are perfect. Some I like, some I don't. Some are very moral
individuals, some aren't. Some of them are my friends, none of them are my
enemies.

A. J. Thomas
Assistant Circulation Supervisor
King's College Library
Wilkes-Barre, Penna.
ajthomas@kings.edu
its = possessive; it's = it is

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
 To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to:
   listserv@listserv.syr.edu          In the message write EITHER:
    1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
 4) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv
 For LM_NET Help & Archives see:  http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=