Dumbledore is Gay

http://hogwartsprofessor.com/?p=196#more-196

J.K. Rowling has officially announced that her Harry Potter books are based on a Christian worldview. However, I also ran into the following article:

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071020/ap_en_ot/books_harry_potter
That's right, Dubledore is gay. At first it kind of ruined my good opinion of the books, but then I started to think about it. Rowling says it was love that broke Dumbledore's heart, so I like to think that he realized his mistake and turned from it. Rowling also said that she was trying to promote tolerance of gay people. I like to think that she meant that gay people should not be discriminated against, but it's still a sin to be gay. I'm not against gay people. I'm against their actions, but I won't let that keep me from treating them like human beings. I don't know. I'm tending to think that Rowling is one of those, it's not a sin to be gay, people who think gay people have their rightful place in the church without repentence.

Interesting Articles on Harry Potter and Christianity

http://lists.christianitytoday.com/t/7821452/5972044/135030/0/
This article talks about how strange it is that people get so caught up in Harry Potter, but not in God. The author suggests that if we spent the time to read the Bible and watch the characters develop as if we were waiting for the next book to come out, Christianity might have it's own fad going. It's an interesting read that really makes you think about the modern church and modern ministry. Plus it's a great Christian article about Harry Potter.

http://lists.christianitytoday.com/t/7821452/5972044/135029/0/
This article talks about the similarities between Harry Potter and Matthew 6. The author points to various characters in the books who try to serve two masters or try to use earthly means for good. These characteristics line up with the Sermon on the Mount. The author bases his thesis on the fact that Dumbledore quotes the Bible twice. I never thought about the parallels this article brings up, so it was a refreshing and thought-provoking read. The author also ends the article with a short bit on Rowling's faith and what Christian critics say about it.

The Great Potter Debate Updated

If it interests anyone, I have updated my conversation with Lincoln about Harry Potter at http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/great-potter-debate.html

Links to Articles on Harry Potter

Here are several links to articles on Christianity and Harry Potter. I have not had time to read all of them, but the first of them is a great post on a recent interview with Rowling and what she says about her struggling faith.

http://hogwartsprofessor.com/?p=144

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/DN-weiss_28edi.ART.State.Edition1.2758dd6.html - a great article on the presence and absence of Christianity in HP

http://www.pres-outlook.com/tabid/1676/Article/5310/Default.aspx - this one is from a Presbyterian point of view

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/LaShawnBarber/2007/07/30/harry_potter_and_the_inevitable_end?page=full&comments=true
http://justindburton.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/a-really-really-ridiculously-insightful-dont-forget-long-harry-potter-post/ - discusses several HP themes

The Great Potter Debate

I don't know why I get so worked up about debating whether Harry Potter has Christian symbolism or not and whether the series is evil or not. I do not think that your opinion on such a thing will decide whether or not you go to heaven. In many cases we'll end up having to agree to disagree. I don't want to become obsessed over the series, or anything for that matter. God matters. The Bible matters. Christ matters; He is our Savior. It is only by faith through Him that we are saved. Still, I can't help but defend poor Harry, so here's another conversation I am in the process of having at the following site: http://www.habitationofjustice.com/2007/07/23/christianity-gone-bonkos/i-hate-harry-potter-and-the-christian-morons-who-adore-him/

My reply to the post at the above link:
I’ve never been for obsessing over worldly items or things. In fact, the last book on the Potter series warns against allowing your weakness of wanting, taking, and using wrongly to control your life.

I do strongly believe that there is Christian symbolism in all of the books, especially the last one (I have posted serveral posts on the topic on my blog). Rowling, herself, claims to be a Christian. She refused to give details away of her faith because she knew it would spoil the ending.

I’ll never put the Potter books over the Bible, but I do not think that we should shun the books because some idiots go too crazy over them. The books were merely a series well written and highly enjoyed until I started looking at the Christian symbolism in them. I’ve found that they’ve given great menaing to my faith and pushed me forward. That is, my faith has made the books mean something to me. I do see the harm in making the books into a fad and joining that fad as you described, but I see no harm at all in discussing the books and learning from them.

The site you provided actually seems a good one to me. Besides, why should you hate Harry Potter? It’s a good series. Don’t hate it just because the world loves it and tries to turn it into something evil. Just because an interpretation is evil does not mean the books are evil. By the way, I forgot to mention that I was one of those who went to get the last book at midnnight (although I never did it for any other books). However, I made a promise to God that while I would be rushing through the final book to find out what happens, I would still take equally as much time out to read my Bible and spend time with the Lord as I did with the Potter book, and I did that. So, I think that the series is good and is full of Christian themes. I think that a love of the series can be tastefully measured. That we can still enjoy the series and get a lot out of them, but get even more out of the Bible and our relationship with Christ. If you are interested, the following link will take you to a post by someone other than me that has a similar opinion to yours (I commented in reply to that post as well). http://www.sicarii.net/2007/07.....s-hogwash/

Lincoln's reply to my reply:
@Harmony: There seems to be a trend today where Christians attempt to inject Christian symbolism into just about every secular genre there is, whether in literature or in films. Not even Star Wars survives unscathed, which is apparently so rife with Christian symbolism that one one guy actually wrote a book about it.

Are you suggesting that God is only worth 50 percent of your time, while Harry Potter takes up the other 50 percent? Do you really believe that God would be well pleased with how you’re setting your priorities here?

Regarding Rowling, she stated that she was a member of the church of Scotland. That’s like saying I’m a member of the human race. What does it mean really? In addition, you write that she did not want to disclose her Christian heritage so that the series ending for Harry Potter wouldn’t be spoiled. Remember that Jesus said whosoever would deny Him before men, him would He also deny before His Father in Heaven. It strikes me as odd that Rowling would refuse to proclaim Christ as her Savior just so a book’s ending wouldn’t be spoiled. Well THAT’s certainly a healthy perspective to have in light of all of eternity.

She also started a One Parents Group that seems to devalue marriage and the need for children to have two parents, and prescribes to leftist ideology that would seem antithetical to Christian faith (unless you’re one of them liberal type Christians who take umbrage at this remark of course). On the other hand she donates 1 percent of her billion dollar estate to charity. That’s nice of her.
I wonder about the naivete of Christians today. The Bible used very strong language in condemning witchcraft, equating it with rebellion against God. You would think those who become saved and “put on the new man” would tend to shy away from all appearances of evil. Why make an exception for Harry Potter? Because it’s pure fantasy?

Truthfully, I don’t understand how a work ensconced in wizardry and witchcraft, written by a woman whose Christian beliefs could be described as nominal at best, could lead any person into a deeper understanding and relationship with Christ. Isn’t that what the Bible is for? Why this endless need to supplant Scripture for what is sure to be an inferior alternative?

If you want to read Harry Potter purely for the entertainment value, that’s one thing, and I won’t begrudge anyone having a little bit of fun. But the degree of obsession that I’ve witnessed regarding the Harry Potter phenomenon leads me to believe that there is a much more deeper spiritual issue here than meets the eye. I only wish more Christians would see that.

My reply to Lincoln's reply to my reply to Lincoln's post:
I try not to put other things above God, but it’s human nature to do so. I don’t think God expects us to read our Bibles and pray 24/7. I know he expects us to live Godly lives and confess our sins, etc. I know he expects us to spend daily time with Him and to put Him above other things, to not let the world go to our heads, to live in the world but not of the world. And I don’t think spending time reading books that aren’t the Bible will offend God. I certainly do not believe that God is worth only 50% of my time. But to spend 100% with Him would be to read your Bible in your sleep. I still try to live 100% for Him, but I believe there is a difference between living 100% for Him and spending 100% of my time with Him one on one (although He is always there, He’s everywhere).

Regarding Rowling, even if she faults in that she does not proclaim her faith before everyone (don’t we all have faults. I’ve been scared out of witnessing more than once), and I’ll give you that (I agree that she should proclaim Christ despite spoilers), but just because she refuses to proclaim Christ does not mean we cannot proclaim Christ. And I think that one of the wonderful and amazing facts about God is that He places Himself and the greatest story of all time in so many places. Nature declares His glory. Christ’s story appears in literature. It appears that we cannot get away from Him, so why not use it to proclaim His glory. I’ll not put the Potter series over the Bible, but use it as a tool to introduce children and nonbelievers to the ultimate truth.

By the way, I am not a liberal. I confess I don’t know much about politics, and I wish I did, but it’s not my forte. However, I do consider myself a republican and conservative. I do believe that children should have two parents: one father and one mother. Some people, however, get themselves in a pickle and do divorce or their spouses die, should that mean they should not have support as single parents? I do not know much about the group you listed, so I won’t go any further on that. But it’s beside the point. To attack Rowling is to attack the person instead of the books. I used her in my argument and you have shown me another side of that and some of my views on Rowling have changed as a result, but that does not stop me from enjoying the books and learning from them. Separate the books from the author and you still have a great series full of Christian symbolism. Maybe some of that symbolism was intentional, maybe some it was not, but the fact remains that it is there, available to be used to promote the one true faith in Jesus Christ.

The Potter series is inferior to the Bible, I admit I believe that much, but that does not mean it cannot be used. There are children and nonbelievers out there who would never come to Christ if we focused on just the Bible and made everything else in the world evil. Do you hate the Wizard of Oz? Do you hate the Chronicles of Narnia or The Lord of the Rings? You say that the Bible tells us to stay away from witch craft and wizardry. It does say that. You then say you can still get a little fun out of reading the series if you want. If you define the series as containing real wizardry and such and say that the Bible thus tells us to stay away from it, then you should not be reading the series at all, not even for fun. Even in reading what others belive to get an understanding of nonbelievers so we can witness better to them is warned against in the Bible. The Bible does not say not to do this, but it does caution that it should not be taken lightly and that it is easy to get involved in those things if you are not careful. I won’t get involved in witch craft because I choose to see the Christian themes in the Potter series.

And the wizardry in the books is not real witch craft. I’ve not heard of anyone going into real witchcraft because of it. I know real witch craft members try to promote their ways using the series, but that does not make the series evil, that makes the interpretation evil. Wby not fight back against that evil interpretation? It really is a fantasy series. It is not meant to be taken as real life events. I doubt that those who started reading the books at a young age still believe there’s a real Hogwarts. Will you begrudge a child for pretending there’s a real Santa Clause or Easter Bunny? You seem to not mind reading the books for fun. I certainly don’t approve of the high obsession of the books. You’re not going to die if you don’t get the next book right when it comes out. I see the same kind of obsession for movie stars and video games. I don’t approve of that. But that does not mean there cannot be a tasteful way to handle things and to read these series and get something out it.

The way you put it it seems like reading the Bible is the only way to learn morals, etc. I don’t take Harry Potter books as truth. I see the allegories within them and they add meaning to the books for me. But I’d never put the books up against the Bible. The Bible is the only source I draw truth from. However, I can take the Potter books and look at the evident themes and symbols and compare them to the Bible, put them against the Bible and say this is fact and this is fiction. The Harry Potter series implies this, but the Bible says this, and I follow what the Bible says. Sometimes people need something to get them excited about the Bible. It’s human nature. The Potter series does that for me. Once I look at the parallels, I go to the Bible and dig deep into God’s word.

Lincoln's Reply:
@Harmony: I wouldn’t expect anyone to live up to impossible standards, my point was to consider whether Christians give things like Harry Potter more time than it deserves.

I think Rowling’s actions are more of a devious nature rather than simply shortcomings in character, but that’s just me. If her charity group for single parents were simply to support single parents struggling with poverty, that’s one thing, but I get the distinct impression that it’s more about promoting single parenthood over that of the two parent family.

Truth be told, there’s Christian symbolism in even the world’s most anti-Christian religions, but that doesn’t mean we should be promoting these religions or use them as a tool to bring others to Christ. God specifically tells us to come out and be separate from the world’s many cultures, and touch not what is unclean. We have to apply that in our own lives, and if we continue to color our Christianity with secular fads and worldly cultures, the true meaning of the gospel would be polluted and even made of none effect if we’re not careful.

The fact is, if you find Christian symbolism in Potter, and you believe that’s a personal witness to you, fine then, but not in a million years would I support using things like Harry Potter as a witnessing tool to bring others to Christ.
BTW, I understand those involved in real witchcraft have confirmed that some elements of Rowling’s references to the craft were quite accurate. Make of that what you will.

Also, I don’t say that the Bible is the only way to learn important truths, rather that it’s the superior way. This is about getting our priorities right, not shunning alternative sources that could being us into a deeper understanding of God’s Word. But it’s my belief that the Harry Potter series should not be one of them.

My Reply:
I think I have to agree with a lot of what you’ve said, Lincoln. There are a lot of books out there that are better for witnessing than Harry Potter. If I had children I’d certainly rather they read the Bible or children’s books with Biblical stories and specifically referenced themes in them than Harry Potter. As they’d get older, though, they’d probably become more interested in more adult or young adult oriented reading, which there isn’t much of out there for Christian teens.

I liken the Potter books to Chonicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings in that they all have Christian themes, but were not specifically written to be Christian. They are all classics and well known books. They all have had movies made of them. I would not mind my children reading books such as these as they grew older, but I would still take the time to discuss the books. I think there are many Christian children we won’t be able to keep from reading these books and as long as they are reading them we should remind them of the true story of Jesus and other elements of the Bible that inspire certain parts of these books.

I, myself, did not like the Harry Potter books at all at first. Not because of my Christian beliefs but because I thought them confusing. But as I grew older I started to read them again and gain appreciation for the literary talent Rowling has. It was not until I read John Granger’s book that I started to appreciate the Christian symbolism within them. Such books can be read for enjoyment, as you’ve said, and can add meaning to a person’s faith. Actually, it was my faith that added meaning to the books. I wouldn’t be very interested in rereading the books if it weren’t for that.

I don’t suggest we go around preaching at nonbelievers that the Potter books are Christian and that readers should repent and turn to Christ because of it. You’ve convinced me on that much. After all, the Bible does say that certain things may be harmless to a believer (in the Bible it was things such as sacrificial meat) but if they are a hindrance to new believers or nonbelievers we should avoid them around those people.

Still, I do think it’s ok and a good thing to talk about the Christian themes in varous sources among believers and on the internet, etc. If a nonbeliever comes upon it, so be it. Maybe they will come to Christ from it or a seed will be planted. After all, I’m sure there are many nonbelievers who think Christians are close minded because they refuse to give any approval to books such as Harry Potter.

I do agree with you that we as Christians should stand out among all other religions because we have the one true religion. We should live in the world but not of the world. However, if we are to disassociate ourselves with all things we’ll end up being in our own little corner hidden away. I believe we need to stand up for what is right and stand up against what is wrong. You’re right. There are elements of Christianity in anti-Christian religions and in worldly things. I don’t believe in promoting these things and using them as witnessing tools, but I do believe in comparing them, learning about them, and knowing what they believe so you can show them to those around you and say, “see, this is what the world would have you believe, but I have the one real truth that is in Jesus Christ and let me tell you why.” It is also good to have a background in other religions so you can understand and relate to others you wish to witness to who are unbelievers.

I know you must be careful in this, though, because the Devil can easily snare you into a trap when you explore such things. I would never want to color my Christianity with secular fads or worldly cultures. Yes, the Bible is the superior truth. It should be our number one priority in everything: in life and in witnessing. I think the Potter series still has something to offer, though. I won’t go around using it as a witnessing tool. As you say, there are far better books and sources that can bring us to a deeper understanding of God. But if someone I know who is not a Christian starts talking about the Potter series, I won’t negelect sharing the reason why I enjoy the series so much. I won’t start right off with the Christian symbolism in the books. The conversation would most likely be mainly about the plot elements of the book and Rowling’s writing style. The first thing I wrote about the last book on my blog was a plain book review. But I’ll still bring up my faith in the conversation. I’ll still talk about it on my blog a little. No one really reads my blog anyway.

I know there are real witchcraft elements in the Potter books. I have read a little about that and addressed it in my comments to another post at: http://www.sicarii.net/2007/07…..s-hogwash/

As far as Rowling as a person goes, I agree with all the comments you’ve made about her and the groups she supports. I do not think the person defines the books, however. One of my favorite authors is George Macdonald, whose stories are full of Christian symbolism. But I disagree with most of the doctrine he preached. So I think that on much of this we’ll have to agree to disagree, but we have already found much that we do agree on.

Hogwart’s Hogwash

Hogwart’s Hogwash

Note to reader: this article (no spoilers) is shorter than my previous article (spoilers) on Christianity and Harry Potter, but it is not broken up into paragraphs and is more of a rebuttal to the post at the following link than an actual full length article on Christian themes in Harry Potter.

http://www.sicarii.net/2007/07/12/hogwarts-hogwash/

I'd first like to point out that Rowling herself is a Christian (I believe a Presbyterian) and claims that her faith defined much of what she wrote, specifically the ending. Second, I do believe that one can enjoy the series without knowing that it points to Christianity, but for me the series only adds to how much my faith means to me. I see the series as no worse than The Chronicles of Narnia or The Lord of the Rings. I also see it no worse than letting your kids pretend there is a Santa Clause or Easter Bunny at a young age. I think that allegories are great ways to bring the true story to light for younger children who are not old enough to keep the attention span needed to read or take the Bible seriously or to even understand the Bible's story completely. Even if the series were evil, we should still explore it for the sake of knowing what the other half believes. And who's to say God can't use something bad to bring something good. Why ignore the Christian parallels when professing them could bring more to Christ? I know there is wizardry in the series, but that's where discernment comes in. We as Christians should have the Holy Spirit in us and should pray for the ability to discern fact from fiction. We should be able to discuss the parallels between the Potter series and the Bible, and we should be able to discuss the differences as well. Rowling takes much of her writing from the influence of the writings of Plato and other classics. She also bases the development of the story on the process of alchemy. The spells used in the series are not real; they are made up words that come from Latin roots. I do not think any of the wizardry in the series is real world witch craft and if real world witches choose to take it that way we should rebut them and show them its not. I do not know about you, but I have not heard about any children or teens going into witchcraft because of the books. Even if there are, that does not make the books evil, it makes the interpretation evil. People could interpret the Bible wrongly and use it to promote their own agendas such as the Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses, but that does not make them right or righteous and it certainly does not make the Bible evil. I doubt that the many adults today who started out reading the series when they were 10 years old still believe in the truth of these novels the way they did when they were younger. But they do still believe in the magic literature can create in your heart. Not casting spells magic, but the magic that is a special feeling inside of you. The magic that makes you remember how the series encouraged you, got you to start reading, or other things. I know of several books that have done that for me and I certainly don't think that kind of magic is evil. I doubt you do either. Now, I certainly do not approve of shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and many of the dark movies that show up today on the big screen and on television, but I think these shows and movies are much closer to real world witch craft than Harry Potter ever will be. There is a strong difference between them. Most of these dark films are meant to entertain and nothing else. They have no morals and no positive elements, even with happy endings. They are just there and they suck you in. These are the films that are not appropriate for your children. But not Harry Potter. While the series does get darker as it goes it never reaches the level of evil, dark, just plain wrong content that other films have. I do not recommend the later books or movies to children. I did not start reading the books until the movies came out. I too thought they were evil until I sat down and realized how much I can learn from them. Even the dark elements, such as the end of the 5th movie, make me cry because I realize how similar my life really is to Harry's and how I too need to make a choice, among other things. The series means more and more to me because it helps make my faith more real. I know I don't need the series to make my faith real. It already is real and I trust in the Bible at the only ultimate truth and absolute truth. Still, that does not mean I cannot enjoy the Potter series and get something out of it. So maybe there are parts of the books that also parallel real witchcraft as you say. You point out that the hand of glory is used. But it is used by those who are evil. Perhaps you could look at it as the good wizard (Christians) versus the bad wizards (those who practice witch craft). That's a real deal in the real world. It's a truth and it's in the books. What's so bad about that? Looking at it that way, Christianity is the only true religion and witch craft is evil and under Satan. We should fight against the evil that presents itself to society. Putting it this way, it seems to be a parallel that we should take to heart. The drinking of blood in the series is also still presented as evil. It is Voldemort who drinks the blood of the unicorn and he is eternally cursed for it. If we view Voldemort as Satan, it seems obvious to me that both are evil and both are afraid of defeat. Both refuse to accept the fact that Christ (or Harry/Dumbledore's side) has already won or is winning. It's only a matter of time before his ultimate doom arrives and until them he scours the earth looking for people to possess and people to make stumble in their faith. Voldemort continually looks for ways to stay alive by feeding on those around him. He makes his followers do his bidding and he often makes his enemies stumble (for example, he uses Harry's weakness to draw him the Ministry of Magic to get the prophecy for him). Besides this, did you ever consider that the fact that Rowling uses binding and possessing curses could be a reference to such things in the Bible? I refuse to believe that these books are evil and that Rowling meant them to draw children to witch craft. I'll listen to further arguments with an open mind, but I do not see why we can't use the series to fight against others who would use them to promote evil ways. Despite all the parallels you draw between the series and real witch craft, I would draw your attention to all the Biblical parallels. The wizards even go to church in the 7th book and Rowling quotes scriptures on the gravestones in the church graveyard. I know that Rowling draws from countless other influences beyond the Bible, but I know that the Bible is one of those influences and there are many parallels to be found and discussed. Parents would not have to worry about their children thinking of the books as real witch craft and going into real witch craft if they would sit down and discuss what is fact and what is fiction, and what we can learn from the series, with their children. I do not think the series teaches children "the fallacy that they can solve their problems and become successful in life by invoking spells and spirits," but rather it truly does "teach the values in life that are important for personal growth and a good grounding in moral values."

Discussing Christian Themes in Harry Potter

This is a very long post, so be warned. I did break it up into sections with headers to you can skip read or pick and choose, but I think it's worth reading and discussing. Most of the parallels presented I thought of on my own, although a few I got off of this site and put them in my own words: http://hogwartsprofessor.com/?p=134#comment-11951

Before I get started, I want to know what you think of the Harry Potter series and other classic books such as “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “The Lord of the Rings.” Do you think they are similar? Do they contain Christian themes? Can a book with occult themes have Christian parallels?

If you have read any of my previous posts on Harry Potter (linked at the end of this post), you know I believe that the series imagined and written by J.K. Rowling is full of Christian symbolism. I do not claim that Rowling inserted Christian meanings in her books on purpose; I only want to bring out the Christian meanings I personally found within the books, specifically “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” I find it wonderful how you do not have to look very far to come across the great story of the Bible showing itself, even in secular media. I do warn that the following review contains major spoilers in the plot. If you have not yet read the seventh book in the series and do not wish to know what happens before you read it yourself, do not read more than the next paragraph.

Introduction
Harry Potter became an instant hit the moment it was published. Ironically, the character of Harry Potter never wants to become famous. Content with becoming an average wizard, greatness is thrust upon him. I’m sure J.K. Rowling never expected a similar greatness to thrust itself upon her name. I wonder if a single person exists in America or Britain who does not know who Harry Potter is. What about this young wizard boy intrigues so many? Perhaps we find comfort in reading about a hero we can relate to. On the other hand, Harry’s popularity may simply come from the wonderful stories that abound in these books. Maybe we enjoy reading about a nobody becoming a somebody. The list goes on and on. I would like to suggest that one reason exists above all others: the stories and characters found in the Harry Potter series echo the greatest true story of them all, the story of Jesus Christ.

You may burst out laughing or completely disagree, but I think Christian themes and morals have a way of making it into literature without anyone realizing it. Everything seems to exist and to have come into being that way. No matter how hard you try to get away from the truth, it will still keep popping up. God created things so that they would point back to His glory. We can even find parallels between the Bible and Harry Potter.

Some Small Pieces
Although Rowling may not have intended the Harry Potter series to be "Christian," it nevertheless contains strong Christian themes. From the many sacrifice characters must make to keep friends safe to small characters such as the snake, Nangini, that follows evil Lord Voldemort around, Christian elements are everywhere in these books. George, trying to protect Harry, loses an ear to a spell cast by Snape, who actually cast it in an effort to protect Harry, but missed. This incident harkens us back to when Peter cut a guard’s ear off to try to defend Jesus. After Dobby the house-elf dies to save Harry and friends, Harry buries him outside Shell Cottage, which belongs to one of Ron’s brothers. Harry watches as Luna Lovegood, one of those saved by the elf, arranges “sea lavender” on Dobby’s grave three days after burial. Although a simple scene, the number of days since burial and the arranging of sea lavender points to an important point in the Gospels: When the women came to Jesus’ grave three days after burial to anoint Him with spices. During Christmas time, Harry and friends visit Godric’s Hallow. People are gathered at the local church and outside the church the graveyard where Harry’s parents are buried lays. On their gravestones are quotes from the Bible. When Harry walks to his death willingly towards the end of the book, spirits of those dead walk with him, including a James (Harry’s father), a Peter (Sirius), and a John (Lupin). Harry pretends to be dead until the right time to fight arrives. As the fight breaks out, he uses the invisibility cloak to disappear. Everyone wonders where his body has gone, a reference to the empty tomb of Jesus. These are just small Christian pieces in “Deathly Hallows,” there are much larger themes yet to explore.

The Theme of Good Versus Evil
When you think of themes in Harry Potter, one of the first topics to hit your mind will most likely be good versus evil. Lord Voldemort wants to rule the wizarding and non-wizarding world. Fate drops the job of destroying Voldemort on the shoulders of Harry Potter. As Harry grows from boyhood to manhood, he must solve the mystery of how to destroy Voldemort’s evil. This battle of good versus evil resembles the battle between God and Satan. Christians realize that God has already won, but Satan will never give up until God does Him in permanently. Satan continues to do his best to keep us from bringing others to Christ and to keep others from coming to Christ. Similarly, Voldemort refuses to accept his probable defeat and does his best to bring as many pure-bloods to his side as possible. He does not understand the meaning of love. In early books, he finds that he cannot harm Harry because Harry’s mother sacrificed herself to save Harry’s life. Satan does not understand the importance of the sacrifice Christ made to save us from the consequence of our sins. Once we accept Christ, he can only harass us; he cannot possess our souls.

Purebloods and Mudbloods - Jews and Gentiles
Voldemort’s agenda in the wizarding world also resembles the way many Jews treated Christians as Christianity began to spread. Some Jews were too proud to admit they were wrong. Others did not want to believe that Gentiles could have equal salvation with the Jews. The Jews were God’s chosen people, but many did not understand that God chose them to act as a light to the nations. Salvation was not just for the Jews. Even James and Peter had trouble understanding this, but God corrected them. Likewise, many of the pure-blood wizards in Harry Potter believe that only they should have magical abilities and the right to rule. They do not want mudbloods (wizards with non-magical parents) and half-bloods (wizards with only one magical parent) to have equal status with them.

In but not of the World - Snape's Example
The character Severus Snape originally pledges his loyalty to the dark lord; but once he experiences love (in this case, he loves Harry’s mother, Lily), he changes sides and risks all for Harry’s sake. We find more than one lesson in Snape’s story. Snape’s work as a reformed death eater parallels the way we as Christians must be in the world, but not of the world. He lives with the death eaters, but works with and for Dumbledore.

In another chain of events, at Dumbledore’s order, Snape kills Dumbledore. Some may think of this as another Judas betrayal, but I prefer to see it as another sacrifice. Voldemort has ordered Draco Malfoy to kill Dumbledore, who sees the damage his murder would cause to Malfoy’s soul. Dumbledore accepts his death willingly, forcing Snape into an unpleasant but necessary role reminiscent of the Old Testament priesthood. The Old Testament priesthood, in turn, should remind us of how God the Father sacrificed his only begotten son, the righteous for the unrighteous.

Dumbledore: God-like figure or Human?
In the first few books, Dumbledore shines as a God-like, father-like figure to Harry. I believe that this impression still exists, even if his character takes on a completely different meaning in the final book. First, in “Deathly Hallows,” rumors circulate about Dumbledore’s past. Is he as wonderful as he seems? Or does he have a dark past that changes everything? As it turns out, Dumbledore is not perfect. He has his faults. Still, not all of the rumors are true. In a similar way, Satan will circulate rumors in our world and put thoughts into our mind that make us question the truth of the Bible.

Second, Harry wonders why Dumbledore never told him the complete truth during their times together and finds that he cannot have a complete understanding of the mysteries until the very end. We can’t expect to understand everything in the Bible, but we can ask God for the ability to discern what we read in the Bible. As Harry learns, we must have patience. There would be little point to the mystery if it were unveiled to us all at once. Sometimes we must discover the truth for ourselves. When we’re ready, we’ll learn what we want to know and will be able to use that knowledge wisely.

Third, because Dumbledore has faults, we see that no one is perfect. The fact that Dumbledore has faults agrees with what the Bible tells us about human nature. All sin and fall short of the glory of God. No one is perfect.

It is worth mentioning that although Dumbledore does not resurrect in the final book, he does return a few times in two forms. His brother, Aberforth, becomes essential to Harry’s survival. Also, Harry meets Dumbledore’s spirit in a place called “King’s Cross.” Only here does Harry learn the complete details of Dumbledore’s past and how to defeat Voldemort permanently. Similarly, only in heaven will we learn the complete details of the mysteries of our roles in God’s grand scheme.

King's Cross and the End of the Story - The Afterlife
There are six (the anti-Christ’s number) main horcruxes, but Harry learns from Snape that he, himself, is a seventh horcrux. Horcruxes are pieces of Voldemort’s soul stored in random items. In order to defeat Voldemort, Harry must willingly allow Voldemort to place the killing curse on him. He faces death bravely, knowing that death is inevitable, and sacrifices his own life for the lives of his friends, reflecting the character and actions of Christ. When Harry dies, he wakes up at King’s Cross railway station, an otherworldly realm where he meets Dumbledore. Dumbledore explains an error by Voldemort that enables Harry to return to life. His sacrifice, however, defeated the piece of soul that attached itself to Harry, leaving him with a clean soul of his own. God attached our sins to Christ as the King of Kings died on the cross --Part of Voldemort’s soul was attached to Harry as he made his journey through death to King’s Cross. This sacrifice parallels the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us when he died on the cross (pun intended). Harry died so his friend could live, but also rose again to defeat Voldemort once and for all.

For a short period, Voldemort really does believe he’s killed Harry Potter. Satan probably thought he had defeated Christ when Jesus died, but instead, the resurrection defeated Satan. We find another example in this part of the book. At King’s Cross, Dumbledore tells Harry, “Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.” This has a two part meaning. First, Dumbledore makes the statement in reply to Harry’s reaction to a crying baby nearby. He tells Harry there’s nothing they can do for the child. The baby represents the soul of the unsaved at death. Those who die unsaved cannot find comfort because they are separated from God forever. Second, we must not let the deaths of those we love keep us from shining as a light for Christ in this dark world. We are needed in the world. Harry must choose whether to heed that call and return to save his friends, or to run away. He chooses to stay. We will always have the comfort of Christ by our side while we go through trials, as Harry has Dumbledore to comfort him at King’s Cross. Second, with Harry as a Christ figure, as Harry comes back for those he loves his sacrifice places protection on his friends. Voldemort can no longer permanently bond any of those Harry died for.

Death and the Theme of Sacrifice
One of the main themes of the seventh book is death. Harry must die to himself in order to live. We must pick up our crosses, dieing to ourselves, and follow Christ. Without Christ, our sins pronounce our death sentence; but with Christ, we no longer need fear death.

The theme of sacrifice recurs throughout the entire Harry Potter series. Lily, Harry’s mother, sacrifices herself to save Harry from Voldemort. This leaves a mark on Harry and keeps him safe from harm for many years. Dumbledore sacrifices himself for the soul of Draco. In the fifth book, “Order of the Phoenix,” Harry saves his cousin Dudley from the Dementors. In the seventh book, Dudley finally pays Harry back for the service. Dudley pronounces he does not think Harry is a waste of space and leaves tea by Harry’s door as a present. At the beginning of “Deathly Hallows,” several of Harry’s friends risk their own lives to keep Harry safe and one of them, Mad Eye Moody, dies. When Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Luna are captured and imprisoned in the Malfoy mansion, Dobby the house-elf rescues them, but dies in the process. Countless others die throughout the book, mainly in the battle for Hogwarts.

The Battle - Community
The battle for Hogwarts reflects a theme that came out full force in the fifth book: community. In most of the book, Harry, Hermione, and Ron are on a secret mission. The three rely on each other; without any one, the other two cannot do well. Harry’s friends provide support and loving care to him, encouraging him in his fight against evil – not to mention his fights against his own hormones. Also, by the end of the book, they find that they still need the help of others to accomplish their goals. Members of the Order of the Phoenix and other good wizards join together to fight the death eaters, giving Harry time to find and destroy the last horcruxes without interference. Likewise, we as Christians have many battles to face. We find support in community. We pray for each other and treat each other as we wish to be treated. We find that we all have a part to play in the building up of the church, and no individual God-given gift can accomplish anything on its own.

The Decision is Yours - The Deathly Hallows
In the end, however, we cannot make decisions for one another. We cannot save another person by praying the salvation prayer for them. The individual must make the choice to accept Christ into their heart on their own, and Harry alone can conquer his own arch enemy. He must decide to run and stay safe or to confront death and sacrifice himself for all his friends.

The choice of the individual becomes important in more than one way. The name of the book is “Deathly Hallows,” but what are deathly hallows? The deathly hallows are three items that, when united, make the possessor a master of death. The items include a resurrection stone, a wand called the Elder Wand that always wins a duel, and an invisibility cloak. Dumbledore attempted to find the three items at a young age, but found that he could not trust himself with such power. The items are tempting and in the wrong hands can create chaos. From Dumbledore’s experience, we learn that gaining items we desire will never fill our empty spots. We cannot find fulfillment in earthly power or possessions. Only Christ can fill the holes in our lives.

The three deathly hallows carry individual significance, as well. Harry finds use for the invisibility cloak throughout all seven books. It serves as a shield that keeps him from the eyes of others. Faith serves as a shield for us. God always protects us, even when it does not seem like it. Harry must choose to put on his invisibility cloak. When he uses it, it protects him. Without it, his presence is discovered and he loses his shield. He must discern when to use it and when not to use it. Similarly, we must choose to act by faith, but we must do so with wisdom, not blindly.

The resurrection stone brings allows people to talk those they have lost, but users find that those they bring back often do not want to come back. We learn to let go of those we’ve lost. Also, there is always hope. As Harry finds in his short time at King’s Cross, we will one day join those we have lost. Dumbledore hides the resurrection stone from Harry in a snitch that he leaves Harry in his will. Only at death does Harry realize how to take the stone out of the snitch. He whispers, “I am about to die,” and the snitch opens. Now, Harry has become mature enough to use the item properly. He conjures up the spirits of those he has lost to encourage him and walk with him as he faces death.

On a side note, Dumbledore leaves a book that tells the story of the deathly hallows behind for Hermione and a deluminator, a device that controls light, to Ron. The story book resembles the Bible in that it contains the truth and the path to ultimate deliverance. Ron finds that his gift has more significance than he thought. At one point in the book, Ron does not expect the heroic voyage to take so much time and effort, and tires of waiting for the destruction of Voldemort. Realizing things aren’t going to be as easy as he hoped, he decides to leave Harry and Hermione. When he recognizes his error, a light from the deluminator enters his body and leads him back to Harry and Hermione. Similarly, Christians often expect that once they accept Christ, all will go perfectly well for them. They forget that many will persecute them for their faith and that the Bible will not always make sense to them. This misunderstanding often leads us to turn away from God, but God will plant lights and seeds in our lives that will lead us back to Christ. Ron’s journey also resembles Peter’s denial of Christ before returning to Christ and becoming an even stronger witness and missionary for Christ than ever before.

The final deathly hallows item, the Elder wand, has a long and dark past, but finds its ultimate significance in the final battle between Harry and Voldemort. The Dark Lord possesses the wand and believes he has gained its allegiance. As it turns out, the wand really belongs to Harry and will not kill its own master. When Voldemort casts the death spell on Harry, it backfires and kills Voldemort instead. Similarly, according to scripture, Satan attempted to use God’s Word against Christ, but Jesus used scripture to rebut and defeat Satan.

Conclusion
“Deathly Hallows” contains much of the great story found in the Gospels. We have more than enough reason to read and enjoy the Harry Potter books. Many may balk at my statement or laugh at me when I say I am both a Christian and a Harry Potter fan, but I say that this statement is not a contradiction. You may think that many are led astray by these books, but I say Harry Potter is no worse than the Easter Bunny or Santa Clause. We can teach our children what is fact and fiction in these books and discuss the evident themes found within them. By discussing them with an open mind, we can learn from the series. Harry’s story is full of Christian themes and is a great way to introduce others to the greatest story of them all: the story of Christ.

Previous Harry Potter Posts
Click here to read a short on a TIME Magazine article that claims Harry Potter has no God-like character: http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/who-dies-in-harry-potter-not-god.html

Click here to read my book review on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows": http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/bookmobile-wednesday-harry-potter-and.html

Click here to read my joyous exclamation at getting the 7th book: http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/finally.html

Click here to read a short on the leaked endings to the 7th book: http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/ending-to-harry-potter-7-leaked.html

Click here to read my review of the movie "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix": http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/movie-review-harry-potter-and-order-of.html

Click here to read some random thoughts on Harry Potter and to watch a clip from the movie "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix": http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/harry-potter-week.html

Harry Potter Arrived and On its Way

A new Harry Potter article on its way! I'll post a Christian review of "Deathly Hallows" and its Christian themes within the next couple of days. Look for it! For now, content yourself with the following shorts I've written about the series:

Click here to read a short on a TIME Magazine article that claims Harry Potter has no God-like character: http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/who-dies-in-harry-potter-not-god.html

Click here to read my book review on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows": http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/bookmobile-wednesday-harry-potter-and.html

Click here to read my joyous exclamation at getting the 7th book: http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/finally.html

Click here to read a short on the leaked endings to the 7th book: http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/ending-to-harry-potter-7-leaked.html

Click here to read my review of the movie "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix": http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/movie-review-harry-potter-and-order-of.html

Click here to read some random thoughts on Harry Potter and to watch a clip from the movie "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix": http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/2007/07/harry-potter-week.html

Who Dies in Harry Potter? Not God!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1642885,00.html

According the article, "Who Dies in Harry Potter? God," (link posted above) written by Lev Grossman and published in TIME Magazine, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series aligns more with modern secular and atheist ideas and books than classic Christian based ideas and books (such as C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia" series and J.R.R. Tolkein's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy). I disagree.

If anyone wants any evidence of the presence of Christian themes in Harry Potter they should read the book "Looking for God in Harry Potter" by John Granger. Apparently Rowling is a professed Presbyterian. Separate from that, her books are chalk full of Christian themes. Even if she did not insert them on purpose, they came out. That's something that I find just amazing. The Bible tells us that even nature declares God's glory. I'm finding more and more that the great story found in the Bible also declare's God's glory in numerous secular accounts/stories that don't even try to bring up Christian parallels. It's just like how we find that Christian morals are often universal morals.

It seems to me that Lev Grossman has a habit of making things out to be anti-Christian or against the existence of God. I believe he has a right to state what he believes, but I also must state that I disagree with what he has asserted. In his article, "Harry Potter's Last Adcenture" he says that finding out that Dumbledore has faults cancels out any image we may have of a God in the series. Actually, the fact that Dumbledore has faults parallels what the Bible tells us about human nature. The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. While in earlier books Dumbledore seemed a fatherly figure, finding out that he has faults as a human wizard goes along with this teaching we find in the Bible. No one is perfect.

Bookmobile Wednesday: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"

I spent two days reading this book. It only took me one day to read the sixth book, so I was surprised at how long it took me to read this last installment. I went to the midnight party at my local Borders. I had not pre-ordered the book, but I got lucky. I ran into a friend who had accidentally ordered two books instead of one, so I got her second order. We waited in line until 1:30 AM to buy our copy. It was worth the wait. See my review below. Don't worry, there are no spoilers. This is just a simple, quick review. I'll post a spoiler post later on Christian themes found in "Deathly Hallows."

Rating: four out of five stars

Plot: We discovered in the sixth Harry Potter book that the only way to get rid of Voldemort for good is to destroy the 6 horcruxes Voldemort created. Horcruxes are items containing pieces of a Wizard’s soul. As we enter the seventh book, we find that Voldemort has taken over Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic. Harry must go into hiding to stay safe. Hermione and Ron join him. Before Dumbledore died, he left the three of them the mission of destroying the horcruxes, but how ill they do that if they must stay in hiding? A new mystery complicates things even more. Dumbledore left each of them an item in his will, but not even Hermione can figure out the meaning of these items. On top of this unfolding mystery, Harry deals with unearthed facts about Dumbledore’s past. He struggle with discerning truth from fiction and begins to doubt everything he ever believed about Dumbledore. What’s the truth about Dumbledore? Is Snape evil? Will Harry and friends ever defeat Voldemort? You’ll have to read the 7th book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” to find out (Or you can find spoilers on the Internet).

Analysis: As the series grew closer and closer to its end, you knew it had to get more complicated and darker. From the fifth book on Harry Potter became less of a child and more of an adult. While the fourth book was the first to truly have a darker element to it, it did contain its own plot. The demise of Voldemort was merely a subplot. However, once Voldemort rises again in the fourth book things aren’t so easy for Harry. Individual plots within the books disappear and the main story becomes the story of how “the boy who lived” defeats Lord Voldemort. In the last three books we see Harry developing as a character. We focus in on the connection between Harry and Voldemort. These three books are about the larger story, the ultimate story. Because of this, it takes a lot longer to get hooked on these three books. If you keep reading, however, you find it worth the time and effort. I’ll always be a Harry Potter fan, but just to be truthful for a moment I must criticize “Deathly Hallows” a little bit. The first thing that bothered me about the final installment was the way Rowling had Ron use the word “effin” several times. She uses other foul words in the book, but not very often and she never actually uses the F word. Style and language faults pop up often in the seventh book. “And then this happened” appears continually throughout the book. Also, more than once I found I needed to go back and reread passages several times to make sense of them. However, although Rowling’s grammar and style have worsened, making it harder to read, she is still a master story teller. In this area the seventh book does not fail. So much happens, I have no idea how they’ll choose what to keep and take out in the movie version. In fact, there are already events in the seventh book connected to pieces of the other books in the series that were taken out of their movie counterparts. It’s a long read, but worth the effort.

Finally

After hours of waiting, I have the 7th book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"!!!!!

Ending to Harry Potter 7 Leaked

So, the latest in news is that some guy who agrees with the Pope that the Harry Potter novels are evil has decided to steal the seventh novel and leak the ending. I've read the letter this guy sent out, and I'm hoping it's a hoax for the said goal. The guy claims that Hermione and Hagrid die. I can see both these deaths happening. Hermione because her death, according to the source, is a sacrificial death (some sort of sacrifice occurs in every book) and Hagrid because he is a minor character. Still, I'd hate to see both of them go. The guy who wrote the letter has terrible English skill, so, for now, I won't give him much credit. Plus, I don 't agree with his assessment of the books at all. I think Christian themes and morals can easily be found in the books. Besides, releasing the ending is just going to make people want to read to confirm whether it's true or not, so the goal of this guy is up in smoke. On another note, people will still read the last book if they are already fans, after all this is the last book in the series. Anyone new to the series will have to start with the first book. I already knew the ending of the first book, from the movie, when I read it, and I still enjoyed it.

Edited (7-23-07): The leaks put out by the guy claiming Hermione and Hagrid die in the 7th book are false. However, other leaks that are photos of the first and last chapter of the book are accurate.

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Anyone who loves Harry Potter will have seen the fifth movie by now, but I figured I'd go ahead and write something about it. Only, that something turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would be. So, enjoy.

I only just got to see it last Sunday on IMAX. "The Order of the Phoenix" does not contain very many special sets or scenes that make it worth watching on IMAX, but it's still a great experience. What I did not understand was why the 3-D part of the film lasted for a mere 20 minutes. If the entire film had been in 3-D it would have been more spectacular. I'm glad they did decide to use it at least a little bit, and for the best part of the entire movie: the Ministry of Magic scene where the battle between good and evil hits its peak. Using visions of a tortured Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, Voldemort lures Harry to the Hall of Prophecies at the Ministry of Magic because He desires to possess a prophecy only Harry can take out of its holding place. Harry brings his closest friends with him, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and new to the series Luna Lovegood. Voldemort and Dumbledore have an ultimate dual during this scene and (spoiler alert) Bellatrix Lestrange kills Sirius. Sirius falls back into an archway in the middle of the room and disappears from site. Harry still hears voices coming from the archway, however. This climactic scene is the only real plot point in the entire film. The rest of the film leads up to this moment where Harry must choose good over evil in order to prevent Voldemort from taking over him.

The film has less of a plot to it and very little mystery. The book builds more on Harry's visions that lead him to go to the Hall of Prophecies, but the movie, with very little time, must choose what is most important to the film. I am happy with what writers and directors chose to keep. In this film you see very little of Harry's friends and professors and lots of Harry. You will find that the development of Harry's character in this film will become very important in the sixth movie. While the fifth installment lacks mystery, it lays the foundation for future installments. Harry deals with his dark side and must choose whether to give in or stand up to evil.

Part of Harry learning to stand up for himself comes from his experience with Dolores Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic. Too proud to admit Voldemart has returned, the Ministry turns to lies and deception to keep up their reputation. They take over Hogwarts in the form of Professor Dolores Umbridge, who tidies things up by enforcing harsh rules, firing some questionable professors, and preventing the students from practicing spells. In response, students form their own secret society where Harry teaches them how to defend themselves against the Death Eaters, or Voldemort's followers. Harry grows as he teaches them, but still struggles with teenage hormones. He gains his first kiss with Cho Chang. On top of this, he still does not know what to do about his violent emotions. He says he's angry all the time and isolates himself from his friends. Luna Lovegood reminds him of the importance of community in fending off our foes. By the end of the film, Harry has a better idea of who he is as a person and of what his purpose is in life. Although it has been mentioned in past films, (spoiler alert) he finally understands that he has something Voldemort will never have: love and friendship. He chooses the good and pushes Voldemort out of his mind. Voldemort leans over Harry and whispers, "You will lose." The Ministry walks in and there's no denying the truth any longer.

David Yates directs the film for his first Harry Potter flick and I have to say I really enjoyed it. While the third film was my favorite, I did not like the direction of "The Prisoner of Azkaban." I would not mind the original director of the Potter films returning, but I also dislike the director of the fourth film. The sixth film should be interesting. I did not like the fifth book much, but loved the movie. I love the fourth book, but hated the fourth movie. I wonder what my impression will be of the sixth movie. The sixth movie is the beginning of the end of the series and cleans off looses ends from the fifth film. It will be important that it is done well and that parts of the book left out are tastefully chosen. One thing's for sure, I hope they bring back Nicholas Hooper as the composer. "Order" has the most beautiful and fulfilling soundtrack out of all the films. It builds off the original soundtrack in small amounts, but contains mostly new material that really connects with characters and events in the film. I highly recommend it. The acting in the film is also worth mentioning. Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson have grown so much in their abilities; it's hard not to like them. Newbie’s also do not disappoint. Imelda Staunton is ironically wicked as the cat loving, pink wearing Dolores Umbridge and Evanna Lynch's calm, strangely pitched voice adds character to the role of Luna Lovegood. It really is the best Potter film yet. Helena Bonham Carter also joins the cast as Bellatrix Lestrange. Considering how few lines she has she portrays a lot about her character just by body language and costume.

I found extra meaning in this film because I recently read a book called "Looking for God in Harry Potter" by John Granger. Reading this book and thinking more about the plot lines I found three main Christian elements in the story of this film:

1. Community. Harry tries to go it on his own, but finds he can't. Luna Lovegood reminds him that his friends provide support and loving care to him, encouraging him in his fight against evil, not to mention his fights against his own hormones. In the end, it is the memory of this love and friendship that enables Harry to say no to Voldemort. Likewise, we as Christians have many battles to face. We find support in community. We pray for each other and treat each other as we wish to be treated. We find that we all have a part to play in the building up of the church and no individual God-given gift can accomplish anything on its own. We also find community in the Order of the Phoenix, which bands together to fight Voldemort, as well as in Dumbledore's Army, the group of students Harry secretly teaches when Umbridge forbids the practice of magic. Interestingly enough, throughout history the phoenix has been a symbol used for Christ. Dumbledore also stands as a God-like father figure.

2. Life after death. Harry hears voices coming from the archway that Sirius disappears into at death. From this we gather that there is life after death and we always have something to hope for. Luna Lovegood tells Harry at the end of the film that things have a way of coming back to us in unexpected ways.

3. Good vs. Evil. Like many today, the Ministry of Magic is too proud to admit to its statesments are false and fight evil. Instead, they let evil take over and become evil themselves. Throughout the film, Harry struggles with the possibility that he could become just like Voldemort. A dark side in Harry begins to rise. He questions Sirius, asking why he feels so angry and what exactly the implications of his anger are. Both Sirius and Dumbledore indicate to Harry that everyone has both good and evil in them, it is which side they choose to act upon that matters. As Christians, we find the same thing true with our hearts. We all have a sinful nature that came with the fall. We can't get rid of our fleshly tendencies, but we can choose to say no to the temptation when it comes. It won't stop coming, we can still say no. Satan will try to attack our minds telling us that we, too, will "lose" (and I certainly am prepared to lose everything for God because I know God will provide and that there are more important things than the things of this world and that I have a better life to look forward to in Heaven), but with God's help we can do anything. Once you decide to accept Christ, you belong to Him and Satan cannot take your soul. All he can do is try his best to keep you from bringing others to Christ. We all have the potential to do evil, but it is our choices that matter because God gave us free will.

So, I am a huge Harry Potter fan and I am a Christian. No that is not redundant or contradictory. Harry Potter is a great story that we all can learn from. You'll find that the fifth Harry Potter film will fill you up with a lot to digest. Not just the great special effects (I especially like the transitions, dueling scene, and newspaper headlines) and great acting, but the morals and the continuation of a great story worth watching over and over again.

Harry Potter Week

http://www.cinematical.com/2007/07/06/new-clip-from-harry-potter-5-turns-up/

In honor of Harry Potter week, I thought I would post something about the upcoming movie and book. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. I'm also a Christian. No, that's not redundant. If you'd like a good read, check out the book "Looking for God in Harry Potter" by John Granger. I give it five stars! Actually, I've only been a fan since the first movie came out. Recently, my uncle told me it was blasphemous, so I went out and bought Granger's book and am now totally convinced that there is nothing wrong with Harry Potter.To tell the truth, the fifth book was my least favorite book. Then again, the fourth book was my favorite book, but the fourth movie was my least favorite movie. I have a feeling that the fifth movie is going to be really good. So far, my favorite movie is the third one. I'm hoping to see this next installment on IMAX. It should be good. I'll post a review once it comes out.I'm also anxious for the last book to come out. Any predictions? By the way, the link at the top of this post takes you to a short article on the upcoming movie that is accompanied by an extra movie clip.

P.S. On a personal note, I really wanted to go to the midnight opening. I did a 3 AM showing for Spiderman 3 on IMAX and it was so much fun, even if the movie was not so amazing. I have a good feeling about the fifth Harry Potter movie, though. Unfortunately, I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning, so I can't have the excitement of going tonight. Since my mom can't take me till Friday, I have to wait. But once I see it I'll be sure to post a review.