"You're Famous, Harry Potter!"
                            By Eileen Koff

    This self-fulfilling prophesy quoted in the first book of the three book series written by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, has certainly come true. As of January 2, 2000 The New York Times places the three Harry Potter book series at the three top positions for fiction hardcover, an unprecedented development in modern publishing. Aside from being well written, imaginative and adventurous, what contributes to the success of these books? Why are adults and children so drawn into this series that they are compelled to read and reread the books?   Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2 KJV)

    Over the past 20 years, through TV and other forms of media, we have been made aware of the lifestyle of the occult. Bewitched, the TV series, was one of the first attempts to introduce this "glamorous" lifestyle. It did not take long for the media producers to see that people were beginning to seek out alternative religious practices, and more and more media attention to the occult began to permeate our society. Devices used by witchcraft (Magic, Crystal balls, conjuring, etc.) have become so much of our day-to-day-society, that we have become anesthetized as to the spiritual context from which they come.

    This book series is now enticing the very young, and is reintroducing these concepts with graphic and obvious word usage that the occult is fun, desirable, and totally acceptable. The Wicca/witchcraft belief system includes spells, chants and other rituals used for worshipping the goddess of this neo-pagan religion. The word "witch" is a derivative of the Old English noun "wicca" (sorcerer) and the verb "wiccan" (to cast a spell). Wicca, an alternative religious practice, is one of the fastest growing sects in our country. In the United States, the Wiccian church has been granted IRS status and the U.S. federal government has appointed military chaplains on their behalf.(1) The religion has at its focus god and goddess worship. Wicca wants a place at the "Table." They want acceptance, not tolerance.  You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.  (1 Corinthians 10:21)
 

    The Harry Potter series goes out of its way to portray a mundane world of those humans who either don't believe in witches, or who despise it as evil. The Dursley family (Harry's biological family) is intentionally portrayed as rude and cruel coupled with a lack of sympathy towards occult behaviors. With a distinctive antifamily tone, the adults in Harry's life are shown to be powerless; however, the witches, warlocks and other friends, are shown to be powerful and wise.
 

    The following is a brief overview of the story "Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone". Harry is a skinny green-eyed kid with glasses and a thunderbolt scar under his hair. This sympathetic poster child hero was orphaned at age one due to the villainous wizard Lord Voldemort. Lord Voldemort kills Harry's parents and tries unsuccessfully to kill Harry. Because of his failed attempt, Lord Voldemort loses much of his powers. For the next 10 years Harry lives with his "miserable" family in his uncle's London home, constantly tormented by his guardians and by his spoiled bully of a cousin. On his eleventh birthday however, everything changes. Harry discovers he is a wizard of great fame, as someone who overcame imminent death, and terminated a demonic foe. The icing on the cake is that he gets to attend Hogwarts, a coveted boarding school for aspiring wizards. The Hogwartian theology is clearly spelled out in black and white:

    Many educators and parents will only see Harry Potter as another fantasy book with a few bizarre twists. Fantasy literature always pits a tension between good vs. evil. That is what the Harry Potter books do so wonderfully well. However, it is no longer good vs. evil. It is evil vs. evil. They depict white witchcraft vs. black witchcraft, but make no mistake, it is all evil. When children or adults root for the "Good side" in the Potters' book they are really rooting for a side that is still very dangerous. White witchcraft in the end is just as dangerous and destructive as black witchcraft. There are strong consequences of delving into the occult. God has clearly stated to leave all forms of Witchcraft alone. Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. (Leviticus 19:31 KJV)
 

    Once we are introduced to seductive occult practices such as spiritism, astrology, mind control and spell casting; the craving for more and more information brings us to the obvious next levels of occult practice. Few children, unfortunately, have enough biblical knowledge or the discernment needed to evaluate good and evil or to resist these threats to their faith. Our children are bombarded by peers who are fascinated by occult empowerment. It is hard for them to turn away from such enticements.

    Who is to say what is in the heart of a child?  It depends on whose worldview you follow.  Kay S. Hymowitz has written a book entitled "Ready or Not-Why Treating Children as Small Adults Endangers Their Future and Ours". Ms. Hymowitz's extensive research explains that the role of adult authority is in the process of becoming endangered due to an increasing worldview that children, "already own the materials out of which to build their individuality and autonomy and that adults, or society must beware of disturbing them".  Setting rules and boundaries for our children has thus lost its appeal and behavior is then left up to the child as to how to respond. In the "me" society, parents have willingly given up their authority because it frees up their time for their own pursuits. The parents main function has become sideline cheerleaders and obtainers of the goods and services for their children. Basic structure has left many of our homes. The good news is that this fatalistic view may be turning. With the recent school shootings, we are beginning to see just how "miserable" our children have become without rules and guidelines.

    Wicca and other forms of the occult recognize this inner need in children and are capitalizing on this. Harry Potter sets a stage for process, structure and reward. We need to have our eyes open to the battle that is going on for our children's souls. The "bottom line" is that Harry Potter is deeply subversive and undermining to everything a Christian should stand for.

(1) 12/99 Article, " Why Are Parents So Concerned About Harry Potter?" by Karen Jo Gounaund
 

(Eileen Koff has a B.S. in Child Development and is co-director of Isaiah 54 Ministries. They wish to give special thanks to Marilyn Jaeger for her extensive research and support for this article.)
For more information: Contact Isaiah 54 Ministries
 

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