I wish our brothers and sisters of a more fundamentalist bent could understand how damaging this kind of needless culture war windmill-tilting can be to young and/or open-minded believers. I was not forbidden from reading HP when JK started releasing them when I was in high school. I was simply too cool for that kind of thing. But anti-HP was all around my church and broader believing community. When I started having kids several years later and my oldest wanted to read HP, I read them along with her. I was blown away by how fantastic they were and how incredibly wrong - and dishonest! - the Christian critiques of these books were. I've seen these kinds of things stack up and drive folks away from the faith. If Christians are willing to lie about this and that, or at least lack the charity and diligence to know what they're talking about, why should I believe them about anything else? And why would I want to become that kind of person?
I believe the command to love God with our whole mind requires intellectual honesty and integrity. But it SO tempting to take short cuts, create straw-men, repeat talking points without verifying, and fail to engage with ideas in a thorough and honest manner. As Christians we are called to a higher standard and need to ask for the Spirit’s wisdom and power to resist these temptations!
The moral imperative in HP is for wizards to protect muggles, which comports with the biblical, and Ben Parker, ethic: to whom much is given, much is required.
I recently re-watched the entire HP film series (okay, they aren't the books, but still pretty good). At the end it dawned on me that Harry never, ever succumbs to vengeance against his enemies. That despite having opportunities to do so while being strongly encouraged by others. How's that for moral clarity?
More than that, he defeats the enemy by literally *disarming him and making a public spectacle of him.* (Col. 2:15!) The “flaming arrow” rebounds upon the enemy. Just incredible stuff. As for films, I’m still waiting for somebody to make them. 😉🤣
I wish our brothers and sisters of a more fundamentalist bent could understand how damaging this kind of needless culture war windmill-tilting can be to young and/or open-minded believers. I was not forbidden from reading HP when JK started releasing them when I was in high school. I was simply too cool for that kind of thing. But anti-HP was all around my church and broader believing community. When I started having kids several years later and my oldest wanted to read HP, I read them along with her. I was blown away by how fantastic they were and how incredibly wrong - and dishonest! - the Christian critiques of these books were. I've seen these kinds of things stack up and drive folks away from the faith. If Christians are willing to lie about this and that, or at least lack the charity and diligence to know what they're talking about, why should I believe them about anything else? And why would I want to become that kind of person?
Well-put. Exactly why I am compelled to say it!
I believe the command to love God with our whole mind requires intellectual honesty and integrity. But it SO tempting to take short cuts, create straw-men, repeat talking points without verifying, and fail to engage with ideas in a thorough and honest manner. As Christians we are called to a higher standard and need to ask for the Spirit’s wisdom and power to resist these temptations!
Oh, and now I want to re-read Harry Potter. 😆
The moral imperative in HP is for wizards to protect muggles, which comports with the biblical, and Ben Parker, ethic: to whom much is given, much is required.
I recently re-watched the entire HP film series (okay, they aren't the books, but still pretty good). At the end it dawned on me that Harry never, ever succumbs to vengeance against his enemies. That despite having opportunities to do so while being strongly encouraged by others. How's that for moral clarity?
More than that, he defeats the enemy by literally *disarming him and making a public spectacle of him.* (Col. 2:15!) The “flaming arrow” rebounds upon the enemy. Just incredible stuff. As for films, I’m still waiting for somebody to make them. 😉🤣
Bwahaha, touche!