A Question Concerning Harry Potter

[Nihil Obstat]

Is it okay to watch The Sopranos?  It's about this Catholic family in New Jersey.

Speaking of mobsters, I read a really cool analysis by Dr. Peters about how John Gotti was denied a Catholic funeral.

[Brother Vinny]

Speaking of mobsters, I read a really cool analysis by Dr. Peters about how John Gotti was denied a Catholic funeral.

 

Looks lengthy.  Bookmarked for later.

[Dr. Bombay]

Can you believe these people that think organized crime is from the devil? This is the 21st century after all.  What's a little criminal activity, especially if it's wildly entertaining?

[Brother Vinny]

Can you believe these people that think organized crime is from the devil? This is the 21st century after all.  What's a little criminal activity, especially if it's wildly entertaining?

 

Do you engage in watching or reading anything for entertainment?  The face of the matter is, there's going to be sin involved somewhere.  Drama is conflict, and the more passionate the conflict, the more engrossing the drama.

[PhuturePriest]

Can you believe these people that think organized crime is from the devil? This is the 21st century after all.  What's a little criminal activity, especially if it's wildly entertaining?

 

Your trolling skills have deteriorated. I'm afraid you've lost your touch after a month of being here.

[Brother Vinny]

Your trolling skills have deteriorated. I'm afraid you've lost your touch after a month of being here.

 

Is he trolling?  He may have some valid concerns.  I would like to know what sort of sin-free entertainment he enjoys, though.

[Dr. Bombay]

Do you engage in watching or reading anything for entertainment?  The face of the matter is, there's going to be sin involved somewhere.  Drama is conflict, and the more passionate the conflict, the more engrossing the drama.

 

I am attempting to cut back on my media intake since I discovered the mesmerizing effect moving images have on the human brain, whether intentional or not.  It puts you into a semi-hypnotic state and makes you much more susceptible to suggestion.

 

 

Now, having said that I'm not advocating living in a cave and eating dirt.  It's quite possible to be in the world without being of the world, which is what I believe Christians are called to be.  However, evil does not have to be graphically portrayed in order for the point to be made.  The problem with modern media is that it is too often and too graphically portrayed.  Implying that the deed was done is just as effective as actually showing the deed being done, if you know what I mean.

 

 

Let me give you an example using the horror genre, and this is something I wrote sometime ago on another forum.

 

Modern horror is for the most part just that...horrible.  When the original Dracula movie came out in the 30s, it was something else.  The vampire was portrayed as evil, with no redeeming qualities.  He could be repelled by a crucifix.  Most importantly, good triumphed in the end.

Today's horror genre, as a whole, takes a perverse pleasure in turning such conventions on their head.  In the case of the vampire in particular, nowadays he ignores or even laughs at the crucifix.  Your medieval superstitions are no match for the sleek, modern vampire.   Feeding on human blood isn't portrayed as depraved, rather it's sexy.  He walks in the sun.  He's no longer the embodiment of pure evil, he's a conflicted soul.  Sure, he kills human beings, but he's really torn up about it.  He's not an ugly centuries old monster, he's a cute boy next door.  And so forth.

Similarly, other movie monsters can no longer be portrayed in terms of pure evil.  The werewolf, the space alien, the serial killer, the ghost or demon.  These characters are all multilevel and deeply nuanced.  It is a reflection of our perverse society and how far we've fallen that it is rare for even the most horrific characters to be dismissed as pure evil who simply need to be destroyed.  And in the end if they do need to be destroyed, we should feel some guilt about it because it's not really their fault they are the way they are.

Bah.  It's all relativistic nonsense and reflects a societal cowardice that we won't call a spade a spade.

 

 

Now, this doesn't necessarily apply to Harry Potter, as there are other issues with that.  The point is, though, that evil is often called good and vice versa in popular culture.  Anyone who can't recognize that is not paying attention I'm afraid and dismissing legit concerns as fanaticism that sees Satan around every corner is less than helpful.

[Dr. Bombay]

Do you engage in watching or reading anything for entertainment?  The face of the matter is, there's going to be sin involved somewhere.  Drama is conflict, and the more passionate the conflict, the more engrossing the drama.

 

I am attempting to cut back on my media intake since I discovered the mesmerizing effect moving images have on the human brain, whether intentional or not.  It puts you into a semi-hypnotic state and makes you much more susceptible to suggestion.

 

 

Now, having said that I'm not advocating living in a cave and eating dirt.  It's quite possible to be in the world without being of the world, which is what I believe Christians are called to be.  However, evil does not have to be graphically portrayed in order for the point to be made.  The problem with modern media is that it is too often and too graphically portrayed.  Implying that the deed was done is just as effective as actually showing the deed being done, if you know what I mean.

 

 

Let me give you an example using the horror genre, and this is something I wrote sometime ago on another forum.

 

Modern horror is for the most part just that...horrible.  When the original Dracula movie came out in the 30s, it was something else.  The vampire was portrayed as evil, with no redeeming qualities.  He could be repelled by a crucifix.  Most importantly, good triumphed in the end.

Today's horror genre, as a whole, takes a perverse pleasure in turning such conventions on their head.  In the case of the vampire in particular, nowadays he ignores or even laughs at the crucifix.  Your medieval superstitions are no match for the sleek, modern vampire.   Feeding on human blood isn't portrayed as depraved, rather it's sexy.  He walks in the sun.  He's no longer the embodiment of pure evil, he's a conflicted soul.  Sure, he kills human beings, but he's really torn up about it.  He's not an ugly centuries old monster, he's a cute boy next door.  And so forth.

Similarly, other movie monsters can no longer be portrayed in terms of pure evil.  The werewolf, the space alien, the serial killer, the ghost or demon.  These characters are all multilevel and deeply nuanced.  It is a reflection of our perverse society and how far we've fallen that it is rare for even the most horrific characters to be dismissed as pure evil who simply need to be destroyed.  And in the end if they do need to be destroyed, we should feel some guilt about it because it's not really their fault they are the way they are.

Bah.  It's all relativistic nonsense and reflects a societal cowardice that we won't call a spade a spade.

 

 

Now, this doesn't necessarily apply to Harry Potter, as there are other issues with that.  The point is, though, that evil is often called good and vice versa in popular culture.  Anyone who can't recognize that is not paying attention I'm afraid and dismissing legit concerns as fanaticism that sees Satan around every corner is less than helpful.

[Dr. Bombay]

And before anyone mentions it, I realize the 1930s Dracula portrayed the Count as a sort of mysterious, exotic character, but that was merely a mask for his pure evil.  The silent film Nosferatu much more effectively portrayed the vampire as both spiritually and physically repugnant. 

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

Everyone from Father Robert Baron to Michael Voris praises The Lord of the Rings. J.R.R. Tolkien was an incredible Catholic. Do not judge him because you choose not to understand magic and its harmlessness in fiction.

 

 

I haven't judged anyone, just giving my honest opinion. What is the opinion of the Pope and the Magesterium of the church as a whole and not individuals. Magic is not a toy, it is in serious opposition of the truth. Magicians are mentioned a couple of times in the new testament and both times where opposed to the gospel of the Lord,one even with the same name as Jesus i think it was something like Ba-Jesus. And in the old.testament,. i think it is leviticus, we are warned against such divinations, including magic. This is not a joke about fun, this is about faith,hope,love and peace, and such things are opposed to faith,hope,love and peace.

 

Onward Chrisitan souls.

JESUS iz LORD.

[Nihil Obstat]

I do not think it is necessarily objectionable to portray villains as being nuanced. One can be entirely evil without being a caricature of evil. After all, this is how real people are, more often than not.
I feel like your critique objects more to morally questionable antiheroes than to true villains, so I sort of think you are comparing apples and oranges.

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

This song is closer to the truth than fantasy. There is no fruit in phantoms of the big screen. We need to feed ourselves fruits of Holyness.

 

http://youtu.be/7ulua6XhCsM

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

Hollywood or Holy Wood (the cross). It's your choice.

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

hollywood may very well be a modern representation of Ba-Jesus. It sounds almost Holy. Holly, Holy.

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

With televisions you even have a wand that magically changes the channel. Seriously. It sounds like i'm joking but i'm not.