I AM writing in response to Fr Leonard’s review of the Harry Potter movie and comments Fr Leonard made in that review (CL 9/12/01).
Fr Leonard stated: “If fictional stories of wizards and magic turned their childhood readers and hearers into adult occult worshippers, then most of us would have ended up in such groups …”
I don’t dispute this as I am someone who came into the Church from a non-religious background and did read stories of magic and wizards, etc, and I am not in an occult group, and never was.
But if we promote this kind of material as okay, then what do we say is okay after that, a dabble on the ouija board, a one-off tarot reading, checking your daily horoscope for a laugh? What
do these things open the door to?
While there are many people out there in the Church who don’t believe in demonic spirits and the devil for our day and age because as they say, “oh that’s for the dark ages”, well the Scriptures don’t say that.
The Scriptures say, “beware your enemy the devil prowls around … seeking whom he may devour”. Also Scriptures tell us to stay away from the magic arts.
Are parents going to allow their children to role play Harry Potter and cast a few spells, and perhaps one day they’ll read a few spells that are written in magazines, for “finding love”, “bringing success”, “making money”, “good luck charms”, etc?
If I sound a bit over the top, well that’s freedom of speech for you.
What about family times in the home where there is a reading from the Bible? It’s the book of life, or doesn’t anyone have time anymore?
If you have time for a movie or TV or your computer then you have more than enough time for God’s word. Encourage your children to read the Bible daily. Don’t let it sit on the bookshelf or in a drawer.
If we want our world to be a better place to live in, then encourage the younger ones to read the word of God.
It is wisdom, truth, life and a light in the darkness to help show us the way, and I think we’ve seen enough of people who don’t know the way.
DAVID LAYTON Ballina, NSW
