Occasionally an email comes along that we feel others could benefit from. Here, our friend and co-worker, Eric Barger of Take A Stand! Ministries responded to an email from a young lady who disagreed with Eric's position on Harry Potter. (Read more by Eric on Harry Potter on our site by clicking here.) ED

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@aol.com [mailto:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 3:49 PM
To: ed@saintsalive.com
Subject: About your website

Hello.

I would like to start this email off by saying I am a christian, and read your website with an attempted open mind, but found it surely closed as soon as I read some of your outrageous statments against Harry Potter and Halloween. Although I dissagree with your opinion on Halloween, that is for another email another day. This email is based directly towards your opinions towards Harry Potter.

You said, and I quote, "The debate about whether Harry Potter books should be allowed in a school classroom setting ought to be a no-brainer for the Christian—and the legal profession as well. Harry Potter is a clear endorsement of a recognized religion. When teachers read, teach from or use the Harry Potter series in the public classroom setting, what we have is an obvious bias favoring and even encouraging witchcraft. Would they dare give the Bible equal time?" First off, I have gone to Catholic school since kindegarten. Reading the bible is in the daily lesson, as well as getting our first holy communion and our confirmation. In fourth grade, when the first Harry Potter book came out, our teacher read the book to us every day. The way you talk about not giving Harry Potter and the bible equal time is horrendous. Although I did go to a Catholic School that read the bible, just because I went to a catholic school does not mean we would be blind against FICTION NOVELS. Harry Potter is just that - a fiction novel. To think that an idea a brilliant author got while on a train ride would be considered "devil's worship" is simply sad. Harry Potter depicts the beloved story of good versus evil - and if you were to speak against Harry Potter, you might as well speak against Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, and others which all show a hero or heroine versus the evil 'bad guy.' I give you Harry Potter as the hero, "Voldemort" as the bad guy. I am still not seeing what is so bad about this book series.

I would also like to quote something else off of your website. "We were working on preparing this book the week that Goblet of Fire was released. Before the release, the Barnes and Noble booksellers web site was akin to a monument for Harry Potter. A contest link on their web site advertised, "Can you divine the future?" and asked readers to click and then leave their ideas as to what the story line of the new book might be." I would like to begin by asking, WHAT IS SO WRONG ABOUT WONDERING WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN A BOOK? I would be amazed if any of you who have written this have never been anxiously awaiting a novel, be it about anything, and never sat down and wondered, 'Hmm... what is going to happen? Maybe ....' and then started thinking of ideas. If you haven't, I'm shocked. If you have, then you understand what the anxious CHILDREN WHO READ HARRY POTTER were thinking about when they were asked to 'divine the future.' Again, not understanding what's so bad about wondering or being curious. Or would you rather have children be blind to the future and just take everything day by day, without wondering what's going to happen?

"If you are thinking that the Harry Potter phenomenon is going to subside, we can assure that it is not. In fact, it has doubtlessly inspired many other books of its kind (still to be published) to quench the thirst of young budding occultists lured by the Potter intrigue." This is a completley closed statement. So, just because I read Harry Potter i am a "young budding occultist"? You might want to tell the principle of my catholic high school that, maybe it can get me out of my favorite class, Religion class, and I can study some devil's worship instead.

"Among the terrifying images in books two and three were: a disembodied voice repeatedly hissing "kill"; monstrous, flesh-eating spiders; children being attacked and paralyzed; and an apparently dead cat hung upside down by its tail" Since you continue bringing up the bible, don't you realize all the gory things that occur in the bible? Much worse then anything J.K. Rowling can think up. Crucifixtion, betrayal, threesomes (yes, we read the entire bible in 9th grade, I know what I am talking about), killing young children, the plague, the entire concept of Passover  - all of these ten times worse then anything J.K. Rowling could even possibly think up.

"While we are aware that much of the world praises Rowling’s stories due to the supposed life lessons and ethical content taught in them, we more than question how a biblical Christian could rationalize around the occult and increasingly more disturbing content in the Harry Potter series. Scripture demands that we have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). This is not the story of good vs. evil. Once again, it is the story of white magic (or magick, as it is spelled in the occult) opposed to black." This is completely false. The story is about good and evil - about the boy who lived in a world full of darkness, how because of one baby who survived, there was hope spread across the world. This is not a story about darkness - rather, a story about light in a world of dark. About how although there was pain and suffering, there may be something good from it.

I would like to close this email just by saying I am a catholic - I go to mass, I read the bible, and to think that because a story depicts some fake, made-up spells (It's true, you will not find any 'occultists' picking up sticks and screaming "CRUCIO!" at one another) should be considered wrong is highly alarming. If you're going to ban Harry Potter, ban original fairy tales as well.

Elizabeth
Age 14

Eric Responds:

Elizabeth,

Thank you for taking the time to write such an intricate letter.

This is Eric Barger (www.ericbarger.com) writing. I work with Ed Decker and serve on the Saints Alive Ministry board of directors.

I wrote the article on Harry Potter that you saw at www.saintsalive.com.

I have been writing and speaking at conferences and churches on the occult for 22 years. Before making the decision to surrender my heart and life to Christ I was also a practicing occultist back in the days when I was a record producer and musician.

I have gotten many such letters about Harry Potter from teens, kids and adults that start out by saying "I'm a Christian but..." Rather than go through your letter point by point I want to ask you to understand a couple of things and then I will direct you to articles on my website which speak directly to your comments.

First, I believe the Bible is the supreme and only place where we can find God's plan for our lives. While Potter may be fantasy, God's word makes no distinction about such things. As you will see from the articles I have suggested that you go and read at our site, God's strongest condemnation concerning ANY issue is reserved for His complete condemnation of the world of the occult. To put it simply, Harry Potter is a sorcerer. Sorcery and its practitioners end up in the Lake of Fire (see Revelation 21). Why would any bible-believing Christian who is trusting God and seeking to serve Him want to be entertained by stuff that ends up in the Lake of Fire?

Second, the morality of the Potter heroes is not based on absolute truth but rather on moral relativism (standardless, changing morality which is not based on biblical values). So while you think that Harry and the gang are a type of "good" they could not actually be so for they use sorcery to accomplish their goodness. The fact is, there is NO SUCH THING as "white" or good magic. It's source is always 100% of Satan.

Third, are you aware that both Pope John Paul II and his successor Pope Benedict II have both denounced Harry Potter?

Please see http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/jul/05071301.html and notice the letter from the new Pope (then Cardinal Ratzinger) who notes that Harry Potter is responsible for "subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly." (He is referring to in the lives of young people in this statement.)

Forth, the reason that the occult has become "normal" in our day is precisely what you mention in the closing zinger of your letter. Elizabeth, you incorrectly accuse me of supporting book banning which I have never in any way said or implied (this is popular to say about anyone who is standing against a trend or a subject). You are right that I believe the general acceptance of occultism in our world has been greatly aided by fairy tales, Snow White, etc. Because these fairy tales have forwarded the idea that witchcraft can be indeed used for good which is never the case. Those who practice the sin of witchcraft and who do not repent of it spend eternity in HELL. Is there any other more crucial reason the Christians who are supposed to love the truth ought to wake up and see what is happening in our world today?

Now, please read the following:

Harry Potter and Christians

How Wrong Has Become Right - The Culture of Relativism

"I'm a Christian But..." a revealing look at attitudes about Harry Potter

Eric

Visit Eric Barger and Take A Stand! Ministries at:
www.ericbarger.com - Now in our 22nd year of "TAKING A STAND!"

We are now scheduling seminars and conferences for 2005-2006. For information on bringing Eric Barger to your city see www.ericbarger.com/scheduling.htm !!!