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AUGUST 17, 2003 at 2:55 PM
Posted by GRAE
Source: New Haven Register via Moreover
As Rabbi Eisenberg notes in his article for the New Haven Register, certain critics have accused JK Rowling of using her Harry Potter books to glorify and legitimize the occult, and that by making Harry's magic so real and tangible, Rowling is somehow putting her stamp of approval upon the satanic realm. But in the Rabbi's view, nothing could be further from the truth
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These volumes, like so many other books of fantasy, stimulate us to look beyond life as we know it. They remind us that the things we perceive with our senses are not all there is. We should approach the mystery of the universe with awe and reverence, accepting the likelihood of a higher existence beyond what is familiar to us. To the person of faith, that existence is linked to God and spirituality.
Finally, the Harry Potter series extols many of the values and virtues held dear by western religion: the belief in the triumph of good over evil, the values of loyalty, honesty, self-sacrifice, moral courage and the willingness to stand up for what is right, the defense of the weak and downtrodden.
As a fictional character, Harry Potter can serve as a positive example to young readers. As a rule, they are not going to try out Harry’s magical exploits at home, but they might be inspired by his bravery, strength, truthfulness and intense loyalty to his friends. I can think of many more harmful role models for children, just as I can imagine many books far more detrimental than the Harry Potter series. They should be read not only for fun and pleasure but for the positive spiritual lessons they teach.
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Professional Beater
Points: 20891
feltonluver says:
I love this Rabbi's view and it's totally right. It's just a fun fictional story, and personally I don't even think it even near satanical!
Posted Feb 20, 2004 at 7:44 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1445
PotionMaster says:
That is well said. As a Christian I really appreciate reading views like this. It is true too. I don't understand the whole Harry is Evil thing. It's kind of an uncomfortable subject for me. I see nothing wrong with Harry but some of my fellow Christians do. Oh well.
Posted Mar 9, 2004 at 8:56 AM EST
Magical Sanitary Supplier
Points: 2518
5225 says:
Actually it's up to the people to judge, which one is good and which one is bad. If you feel that you should not read HP, then don't. That's my opinion anyway. But great article.
Posted May 3, 2004 at 2:32 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2303
padfoot5312 says:
The Rabbi's has good points in this article. Harry Potter books are not evil. They do tell the readers that there is loyalty with ones friends. Harry does stand up for what he believes; he has loyalties to his friends, he has courage, etc. This is what makes a good book for young and old.
Posted Jun 15, 2004 at 9:13 PM EST
Witch
Points: 696
quidditch_seeker says:
The Harry Potter books are definitely not evil. Doesn't Harry fight against evil in every book? I don't understand why people cannot tolerate things like this and believe that they have to control everything.
Posted Jun 19, 2004 at 11:24 PM EST
Student
Points: 282
Clever Miss Granger says:
I really like and agree with this article! It is very close to my views on the subject.
Posted Jul 3, 2004 at 10:07 PM EST
Magical Music Professor
Points: 5129
MagicalMusicDreamer says:
Good article by Rabbi Eisenberg. I think he is right. People are always fighting about religion. Even Christians think their church is right, and the Christian church down the street is wrong. There is magic in the Bible: walking on water, and so on. It is labeled as something else.
Posted Jul 16, 2004 at 1:36 PM EST
Witch
Points: 617
S.Black13 says:
I liek the religious debates. I think that JK doesn;t want anybody to think that magic is real, I think even she knows that its not.
Posted Aug 1, 2004 at 9:02 PM EST
Student
Points: 236
Tonks! says:
I agree with what the rabbi has said. People have a tendency to associate magic and wizardry with everything evil and against religion. Though this may have been the case with some cults, but it isn't the case with Harry Potter. Harry Potter does not incite one to try out spells at home (unless if you try that then thats just weird) or to leave religion or stop going to church, the temple, the mosque, the synagogue (or other religious sanctuaries that my little mind cannot recall)
He gives exactly what I take about Harry Potter. I'd like to add that Harry Potter also is an answer to those times in which you think everyone's set out to get you, those angsty moments, sort of shows us how people deal with that type of stuff.
JK Rowling was very keen and clever at making the Harry Potter series, and some may take that her renditions of the 'veil' and 'beyond' is just like how some religions take on 'Life after death' sort of stuff.
Props to Mr. Rabbi to being religious and saying this.
Posted Aug 25, 2004 at 1:10 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2465
undisputed760 says:
This guy pits it perfect, we shouldnt be confined to what is ordinary.
Posted Jan 7, 2005 at 11:04 AM EST
Witch
Points: 809
~Hermione <3's Ron~ says:
I totally agree with this Rabbi. I dont think JKR wrote Harry Potter to put out her views on things, i think she wrote the book just because it was something she was thinking about. She just made up a world of magic, just to entertain us. And it has entertained us very much!
mwa!
Posted Feb 15, 2005 at 10:06 PM EST
The Gryffindor Guy
Points: 2727
z Jamie Potter z says:
That was a terrific article. I totally agree with the writer. These books have given me a place to go when life seems to hard on me. They also have great lessons to learn and values to follow.
Posted Mar 19, 2005 at 8:22 AM EST
Witch
Points: 885
Rachyracho says:
When I was younger I read the Narnia series, because Harry didn't exist yet. I loved going into that other world and feeling like I could escape into books. I still do it now with so many other books I read, and Harry happens to be one of them. If the books weren't so well written and likable, there would be no controversy over what has been said in them. If these books allow us a place to escape and perhaps lead us to question larger moral issues, isn't that a good thing? This article reenforced so many of the books good points, I think it may be one of the best I've read so far.
Posted May 10, 2005 at 11:12 AM EST
Witch
Points: 778
stillDUMBLEDORESgirl says:
This is a great article. It shows exactly what some people don't get about Harry Potter. I do agree that this is exactly what JKR exactly wants to demonstrate. What can't the other people think that this is true. This is a great article. Wow. It is great.
Posted May 29, 2005 at 12:05 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 338
Grandson of Dumbledore says:
Yeah, if people would just realise that magic DOESN'T exist in the real world in the form that it takes in Harry Potter - then they'd realise that JKR isn't trying to promote the occult in anyway!
It's called "fiction" for a reason, people!
Posted Jun 14, 2005 at 6:10 AM EST
Dragon Rider
Points: 4437
~MalfoyPotter~ says:
TRhis is so correct. And this is so true! I'm glad that at least someone knows the true side about Harry Potter. YAY!
~MP~
Posted Jun 19, 2005 at 3:48 AM EST
Witch
Points: 699
Toph Rox!!! says:
I agree almost totally with this view. Besides it's really not christian to not be accepting of everybody. That's what I think
Posted Jun 21, 2005 at 8:18 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1688
Dumbledore's_Ghost says:
Harry Potter is not satanism or cultism. Harry Potter is a tale of a boy through which we can live the trials, tribulations and hardships of being adolescent. As a reader, we grow with Harry and his friends, feel the emotions so well depicted and want for the good to win - always! I cannot think of a better vehicle in our times for teaching morals and values. Friendship. Loyalty. Honesty. Compassion. Imagination. All the things our 'real world' lacks. Exactly the kind of thing that we all need to read about and take to heart.
Posted Jun 26, 2005 at 2:08 PM EST
Heiress of Gryffindor
Points: 3537
Nienna Narmolanya says:
Wow...
That was an excellent article. I totally agree with everything it mentioned. It's just another fantasy book, like Cinderella. People automatically assume that if a kid reads Harry Potter, he/she will grab a broom and jump out of the window. What about Peter Pan? Why isn't that criticized so much? A child couldread that, think happy thoughts, then jump out of the window. It's JUST fantasy...It introduces us to a ficticious world in which we can escape our everyday life. That's why I love it.
Posted Jun 29, 2005 at 6:42 PM EST
Squib
Points: 124
kbowen4456 says:
I am so happy to see this article!! I was discouraged to tears looking at other articles online, all accusing the Harry Potter Series to be the work of the devil. I agree with this article whole heartedly! I'll never forget the day I brought The Sorcerer's Stone to school in the sixth grade, it as well as the next two books were a christmas gift from my cousin, though jokingly at the time, my best friend acussed me of withcraft. I then remember when the film of The Socerer's Stone came out, and I learned that her little brother was crushed because he was told he could not go see the movie because they're church spoke against it and of course of witchcraft! A friend and myself conspired to take him, but it never happened.
This church that I speek of is more of a cult in my small community. Many of us agree, and it has most of its followers convinced that if you don't go to that very church, then you will go to hell, and you had better start going so soon because the end of the world is coming very soon. I had to go to a funeral at this church once, and the pastor began to not even speak of the loved one, but layed a guilt-trip on us, stating that if we don't start going to that church the next Sunday, we were going to go to hell, not in those exact words, of course.
I am so sorry for going on and on, but this is a subject that I have been waiting to discuss. I count down the days until The Goblet of Fire movie release only because it will give my next escape from reallity, which I feel everyone needs from time to time. I believe in God very much so, but all of this rubbish about Harry Potter being the work of satan is just rediculous!!
Posted Oct 8, 2005 at 4:03 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1483
DragonTattoo says:
Is Harry Potter becoming a Religion? AWESOME
Posted Oct 9, 2005 at 10:19 PM EST
Witch
Points: 508
Trianna says:
If I could post one word posts it would be this: HOLLAR! Geez, that's why my mother loves these books so much. If only I could get my arachic father to try them (he won't try anything that isn't historical).
Posted Oct 11, 2005 at 10:07 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 427
Draco Malfoy_Lover says:
That was great. I think that more people should look at it that way and not that it is just some dumb book that should be banned.( which I son't think that it should) But people should stop saying that it is evil and that young people should not read it. Its a great book and JK Rowling is one of the best auther's of all time and people should not say that she should stop writing and start saying that she should write more and that her books are the best to read.
The HP books are everything that you would want your life to be like( but not with all the evil in them and the taking over of the world thing that LV has going on.) And people should know that its not just a dumb book but a good one that tells you that good is always going to beat evil and that friends and family are the most important thing in the world.
They should just stop and say Harry Potter is just like peoples lives, but they have magic and we don't thats the only thing that is different from the real world and the book.
*~Draco Malfoy is so hot!~*
Posted Oct 22, 2005 at 6:48 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 33
Saffron Snape says:
Great article! I have to say that rabbis have the right idea. I am glad that other people of my faith, especially clergyman, share my same views on my favorite book series.
Posted Dec 8, 2005 at 4:34 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 466
Claire Bear luvs Potter says:
Thats a smart man right there.
Posted Feb 7, 2006 at 4:03 PM EST
Hades Baby Girl
Points: 5705
Pinkcess of the Abyss says:
I love JK, people just like to bring poeple down when they are at her peek. The books are written to inspire children and adults to do the right thing. Fanstasy is not a bad thing, not being able to distinguish between the two at a young age isnt that important. How many children to we tell about Father Christmas not being real?
Posted Feb 8, 2006 at 7:47 PM EST
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