tinytherese Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 I know this one article that discusses the issue of magic in the Harry Potter series from a Catholic perspective. [url="http://www.decentfilms.com/sections/articles/magic.html"]http://www.decentfilms.com/sections/articles/magic.html[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth09 Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 Well, magic is bad, but what type of magic is bad? Is the magic in Harry Potter bad or both type of magic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 In terms of real magic, there is no 'white' and 'black'. It all comes from Satan. If Harry Potter were real, it would be extremely evil and corrupting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resurrexi Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 [quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1895874' date='Jun 19 2009, 09:08 AM']In terms of real magic, there is no 'white' and 'black'. It all comes from Satan. If Harry Potter were real, it would be extremely evil and corrupting.[/quote] So would the the Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregorius Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 [quote name='Resurrexi' post='1895891' date='Jun 19 2009, 08:31 AM']So would the the Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia. [/quote] I would just remember that they are all fiction. Books (and now movies!)meant to entertain. The authors never meant for them to be anything more than that. As long as you remember they are not real and not to trust in such practices in reality, than I see no problem reading them. Though Harry Potter magic would indeed be corrupting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philothea Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 [quote name='Resurrexi' post='1895891' date='Jun 19 2009, 09:31 AM'][quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1895874' date='Jun 19 2009, 09:08 AM'] In terms of real magic, there is no 'white' and 'black'. It all comes from Satan. If Harry Potter were real, it would be extremely evil and corrupting.[/quote] So would the the Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia. [/quote] Maybe I'm over thinking it, but I do believe there's some difference in the potential corrupting factors. LotR and Narnia were set (primarily) in other worlds, whereas Harry Potter is set in modern-day England. In Narnia, other than the talking animals, magic is rare and largely bad -- same for LotR. The magic in Harry Potter is glamorized. Muggles are completely inferior. I could imagine people without a strong religious background subtly encouraged to try witchcraft and spells in search of their own magic. (Note: I'm sensitive to the issue because I write fantasy and science fiction... though I've largely switched to science fiction because of this concern!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sacredheartandbloodofjesus Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 I doubt St. Albert practiced astrology. Maybe you meant astronomy, which is perfectly permissable by the chuch.Its the study of the universe and stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sacredheartandbloodofjesus Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 St. Albert the Great (Doctor of the Church) took astrology and turned it into astronomy. He also took alchemy and turned it into chemistry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 [quote name='philothea' post='1896125' date='Jun 19 2009, 04:51 PM']So would the the Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia. Maybe I'm over thinking it, but I do believe there's some difference in the potential corrupting factors. LotR and Narnia were set (primarily) in other worlds, whereas Harry Potter is set in modern-day England. In Narnia, other than the talking animals, magic is rare and largely bad -- same for LotR. The magic in Harry Potter is glamorized. Muggles are completely inferior. I could imagine people without a strong religious background subtly encouraged to try witchcraft and spells in search of their own magic. (Note: I'm sensitive to the issue because I write fantasy and science fiction... though I've largely switched to science fiction because of this concern!) [/quote] That's a good point. I also tend to 'overlook' that aspect of fantasy/sci fi when it's very clear that it's a different world or alternate reality. Placing it in modern, mundane times and places is... somewhat different. For the record though, I read and very much enjoy Harry Potter... as a story. Nothing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picchick Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 I like using my magic wand to make all my wishes come true. I am still a good Catholic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resurrexi Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 [quote name='picchick' post='1896366' date='Jun 20 2009, 01:14 AM']I like using my magic wand to make all my wishes come true.[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 [quote name='picchick' post='1896366' date='Jun 20 2009, 12:14 AM']I like using my magic wand to make all my wishes come true. I am still a good Catholic.[/quote] Is the wand made out of marshmallow? The waving and abracadabra might be unnecessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picchick Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 [quote name='Resurrexi' post='1896369' date='Jun 20 2009, 01:16 AM'][/quote] You should speak, little man. [quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1896384' date='Jun 20 2009, 01:25 AM']Is the wand made out of marshmallow? The waving and abracadabra might be unnecessary.[/quote] No the wand is not made of marshmellow. But if I wish for it it will give me marshmellow. In all honesty, magic, the real kind, is scary and should not be delt with. However, it is still delt with in this world. I have no problem with fictional magic like Cinderella's transformation or witch's spells in fantasy books. It is when people try to make it in the real world that we start to get into troubled waters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don John of Austria Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) [quote name='philothea' post='1896125' date='Jun 19 2009, 05:51 PM']So would the the Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia. Maybe I'm over thinking it, but I do believe there's some difference in the potential corrupting factors. LotR and Narnia were set (primarily) in other worlds, whereas Harry Potter is set in modern-day England. In Narnia, other than the talking animals, magic is rare and largely bad -- same for LotR. The magic in Harry Potter is glamorized. Muggles are completely inferior. I could imagine people without a strong religious background subtly encouraged to try witchcraft and spells in search of their own magic. (Note: I'm sensitive to the issue because I write fantasy and science fiction... though I've largely switched to science fiction because of this concern!) [/quote] I agree. I am going to take Narnia out as it is quite obviously an alegory for the Christ story. I could get into the subtle symbolism of the choices in Narnia but that is a bit much I think. THe Lord of the Rings is not on Earth, magic is scary, even the good magic is awesome and frightening, it is not fun and personally empowering.The Wizards are obviously not normal humans. Perhaps not even human at all. The quest is to destroy the ultimate magical item which binds men to it's power. It is all about the temptation of power ,not the quest for it. It also directly deals with the struggle to maintian ones free will and not become a slave to sin. Hogwarts is a school for teaching one to gain direct and aabsolute control over well everything. Even others. The muggles are not only inferior but ussually mean and stupid. ( I realize there are exceptions in the books but the rule seems to hold). Of ocurse there is the purly literary issue. Tolkien and Lewis were much much better writers. Edited June 23, 2009 by Don John of Austria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don John of Austria Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 [quote name='Gregorius' post='1895923' date='Jun 19 2009, 10:24 AM']I would just remember that they are all fiction. Books (and now movies!)meant to entertain. The authors never meant for them to be anything more than that. As long as you remember they are not real and not to trust in such practices in reality, than I see no problem reading them. Though Harry Potter magic would indeed be corrupting! [/quote] Not true. Books have all kinds of purposes including to teach and to convince. For example, Narnia is a Christian Alegory there is a lot about it more than entertianment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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