From: Traditional Values Coalition Reply-To: Traditional Values Coalition Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 08:10:46 -0500
Subject: Is Harry Potter A Harmless Fantasy Or Wicca Training Program?
Traditional Values Coalition Opinion Editorial For publication on or after Wednesday, August 15, 2001
Is Harry Potter A Harmless Fantasy Or Wicca Training Program?
Rev. Louis P. Sheldon Chairman, Traditional Values Coalition Washington, DC - The popular "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling has sold 100 million copies worldwide and this November, Warner Brothers is releasing "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."
With a lot less fanfare and a significantly smaller budget, California-based Jeremiah Films (jeremiahfilms.com) has just released a documentary on Harry Potter: "Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged." The video, narrated by author Robert S. McGee, and occult researcher Caryl Matrisciana, takes the viewer on grim journey into the world of witchcraft, goddess worship, and occult symbolism-all messages conveyed in the Harry Potter books.
Christians are rightly concerned about the spiritual messages being conveyed through the Harry Potter books. Wicca or witchcraft is clearly condemned in both the Old and New Testaments as an abomination to God. Practitioners of Wicca worship mythical goddesses, including the goddess "Gaia" (the earth), and incorporate radical feminism and homosexuality into their practices.
According to feminists Monica Sjoo and Barbara Mor, in "The Great Cosmic Mother," "The original witch was undoubtedly black, bisexual, a warrior."
Daniel Spencer, a professor of philosophy and religion is author of "Gay and Gaia: Ethics, Ecology, and the Erotic." Spencer argues that homosexuality and earth worship must be synthesized to create a new eco-homoerotic moral ethic to rule the world. He also condemns Christianity as an oppressive religious system and a threat to this new world religion. As theologian Dr. Peter Jones has written in his book, "Spirit Wars: Pagan Revival in Christian America" (spirit-wars.com): "While not all homosexuals are overtly anti-Christian-indeed some claim to be Christian-one may not underestimate the role of homosexual theory in the normalization of paganism in the Christian West."
In addition to worshipping the earth and advocating homosexuality, witches also believe in abortion as a sacred act. "The Sacrament of Abortion," by Ginette Paris applauds the goddess Artemis for justifying the taking of human life.
While the themes in Harry Potter's books do not expressly advocate homosexuality or abortion, these are philosophical beliefs deeply embedded in Wicca. The child who is seduced into a Wicca through Harry Potter's books will eventually be introduced to these other concepts.
Regrettably, corporate America has now joined the Harry Potter juggernaut. Companies like Sears and Coca Cola are providing the Harry Potter movie and marketing empire with millions in advertising revenue and spin off products. Christian customers should make their displeasure known to these companies.
Both Christian and non-Christian parents would be well-advised to take a long, hard look at the Harry Potter series before allowing their children to read them. Two good starting points would be: "Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged," and Dr. Jones' "Spirit Wars." Parents and pastors should be deeply concerned about Harry Potter's influence over children by introducing them to a pagan religious system that promotes abortion, homosexuality, and earth worship.
Churchgoers should encourage their pastors to show "Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged" to their congregations. And if a pastor discounts the danger of Harry Potter to his flock and refuses to show the video, attendees may want to prayerfully consider finding a church that is more serious about spiritual warfare.
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Traditional Values Coalition is an inter-denominational public policy organization comprising over 43,000 member churches. For more information call Steve Aiken at (202) 547-8570. TVC, 139 C Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003. Web address: www.traditionalvalues.org.
-------------------- 'Your spirit will always be the light that guides me... that guides me forever...' - Whispers
posted August 16, 2001 03:39 AM
"Practitioners of Wicca worship mythical goddesses, including the goddess "Gaia" (the earth), and incorporate radical feminism and homosexuality into their practices."
Oh yeah? Every one of them? Huh. Not...*cough* generalizing, are we?
A guy I know is freechurch and has two children that IIRC read Harry Potter. My entire grasp of reality is crumbling as we speak. Oh yes, indeed.
-------------------- "I'm nigh-invulnerable when I'm blasting!" Mel Gibson, X-Men
posted August 16, 2001 05:35 PM
I believe very strongly that using the Bible as a source material for beliefs is a very slippery slope. There needs to be at least an iota of intelligence and reasoning when reading these ancient books. I fear that many of the members of the Traditional Values Coalition lack that iota. They should be searching for that iota and placing it back into their brains.
Registered: Sep 1999
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quote:While the themes in Harry Potter's books do not expressly advocate homosexuality or abortion, these are philosophical beliefs deeply embedded in Wicca. The child who is seduced into a Wicca through Harry Potter's books will eventually be introduced to these other concepts.
I'll see your "idiots," Firsty, and raise you a "what the fuck?" 8)
posted August 16, 2001 11:31 PM
And what they're REALLY saying here, whether they know it or not, to all their members is:
"You and your children are very very stupid and gullible. You are all so stupid that you will take any work of fiction and apply it as fact. You are so stupid that you cannot tell fantasy from reality. You are so stupid that you are incapable of using reason to tell a bad idea from a good idea. You are easily led, and will follow blindly anything that anybody tells you. Therefore, we must protect you from your own stupidity for your own good, and tell you what you are allowed to read and know and think."
(Which, when it comes to the followers of this particular organization, may not be all THAT far from the truth.)
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
posted August 17, 2001 02:28 AM
It could be worse...the group could be screaming and yelling about the way Star Trek fans are and the message the franchise is sending to young and old alike.
-------------------- "It speaks to some basic human needs: that there is a tomorrow, it's not all going to be over with a big splash and a bomb, that the human race is improving, that we have things to be proud of as humans." -Gene Roddenberry about Star Trek
Registered: May 1999
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Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted August 17, 2001 02:37 AM
Yes, about how Star Trek teaches the forbidden science of Evolution.
Sorry, Omega, but this HAS to be said.
-------------------- "And slowly, you come to realize, it's all as it should be, you can only do so much. If you're game enough, you could place your trust in me. For the love of life, there's a tradeoff, we could lose it all but we'll go down fighting...." - David Sylvian FreeSpace 2, the greatest space sim of all time, now remastered!
posted August 17, 2001 05:26 AM
Star Trek contains a LOT of things that would be seen as evil to these people... if any of them watched it, which I doubt.
Evolution. Racial equality. Tolerance. Other religions/spirituality. Artificial life. Extraterrestrial life. Sexual tolerance (the Jnaii episode, especially). The idea that Gods might be simply aliens. The Idea that Gods might be unnecessary.
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
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