Harry
Potter and the Bible: The Menace Behind the Magick,
by Richard Abanes
Book
Review
by Mary Branch
Harry Potter and the Bible:
The Menace Behind the Magick, by Richard Abanes
Can a book be judged
by its cover? Considering the Harry Potter series Book
One, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling,
it seemed like a "no-brainer" to me. Sorcery,
witchcraft, wizardry, are all clearly condemned in Scripture
(Deut. 18:10-12; Lev. 19:26, 31; Is. 47:9-10; Acts 19:18-19).
Why was there even a controversy among Christians? Being
a lover of children's literature, I decided to delve into
the books and find out for myself.
As I read the first
three books in the series there were things I enjoyed about
the books
and things that were very
disturbing. I appreciated the creativity Rowling displayed
as well as her humor. She cleverly plays with words and names,
and develops characters who stereotypically represent aspects
of us all. I was uncomfortable, though, as I read about Harry,
the so-called "good" character who lives a life
of moral relativism with few consequences for lying or rule-breaking.
Also, the books definitely whetted my appetite to know more
about witchcraft, sorcery, and spell-casting (and I know
better!).
After reading the books, I still was torn when asked to
write a review. I enjoyed the books, but knew that recommending
them without warning was not something I could do. I needed
more information and background knowledge to write a review
with a clear conscience.
What a relief it was to discover Harry Potter and the Bible
by Richard Abanes. He has expertise in the occult and presents
his information in an easy to read and research format. His
book is a very helpful aid for evaluating the Harry Potter
series.
One argument that several
Christians and others have raised is that the Potter books
are a great
read for children because
Harry is a positive role-model. Harry endures much affliction
from his relatives, the Dursleys, and several times endangers
himself to protect a friend. However, most of Harry's traits
are not what I want my children to imitate. It was alarming
to read of Harry breaking the Hogwart's school rules, sometimes
being caught, but never suffering the consequences of the
infractions. Abanes points out that at one point in The Sorcerer's
Stone Harry had disobeyed the school codes seven times without
consequence. Instead Rowling calls one of his rule-breaking
capers "an excellent adventure" (Sorcerer's Stone,
p. 163). "Rowling's message is simple: If someone is
good and he has good intentions, or if he is particularly
clever, or exceptionally bright, or somehow more special
than others, then he can break rules, lie and steal" (p.
101).
Oddly, the only characters
who seem to care about obeying the rules are the "evil characters" such as the
Dursleys or some "mean" professors. Hermione, one
of Harry's friends, is ridiculed early on in the series for
her truthfulness and obedience, but becomes more "likable" as
she joins in with the deceptions.
Abanes notes that Rowling
elevates "two virtuous characteristics
above all others: bravery and courage." What she "seemingly
fails to recognize, however, is that even in her own books
'evil' characters are brave and courageous, too." While
Harry is a likable fellow and has many experiences and feelings
to which readers relate, to call him a good role-model is
a blurring of the biblical distinction between good and evil.
Another controversy
which has surfaced is the use of witchcraft and magic(k)
in the series.
Is it "harmless fantasy" as
used in some of the great classics of children's literature,
or is it a dangerous tool leading young readers into occultism?
My greatest concern has risen from the praise of J.K. Rowling's
work by those who practice witchcraft. From a website for
Witchcraft and Wicca, Abanes quotes, "It is good to
see that the best selling series of books in the Western
world is such a positive tale about witches and wizards." A
witch-magickian praised the books because of their accurate
and "positive portrayal of magick." Rowling blends "innocent-looking
fantasy with real world occult principles." Many of
the characters' names are historically accurate, and the
Hogwart's textbook lists directly ties in to actual publications
about witchcraft and the occult, making it easier for curious
readers to delve into the study of actual occult practices.
Children wish that Hogwarts was a real place and may be pleased
to find actual parallel resources for the School of Wizardry
in the real world. "Rowling herself has admitted that
approximately one-third of what she has written is based
on actual occultism." Abanes' conclusion is that the
books "do not teach the precise doctrines of witchcraft,
nor do they explicitly instruct children to purchase a step-by-step
guide to Wicca. But the allusions could easily stir a child's
curiosity about occultism." (p. 24).
One of the major responses
by some Christians to the Harry Potter critics is that
Rowling's
use of magick and fantasy
is likened to the writings of respected Christian authors
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Abanes dedicates a chapter
to contrasting the fantasy works these authors with the works
of Rowling. Tolkien's and Lewis' tales "take place in
worlds disassociated from the real world in which we live;" whereas
the Harry Potter series is about realistic people in today's
world. Tolkien's characters are consistently either distinctively
good or evil. Good characters do not do "bad things
in order to accomplish a good task." His Elves "are
simply exercising their God-given abilities when they do
'magic'…In J.K. Rowling's world, however, wizards are
human and their magickal powers are tapped/increased through
occultism."
Factoring in to the
concern of the depiction of witchcraft in the Potter books
is the
culture of today. Doug Groothuis,
in the book’s foreward, writes, "Spiritual discernment
in America may be at an all-time low, in both the Church
and in the world…[Spirituality]---now all the rage
in our postmodern times---is deemed a subjective, relative,
pragmatic pursuit of personal enjoyment apart from considerations
of truth, rationality or objective reality" (p. ix).
Resources exposing especially the younger generations to
witchcraft and occultism abound through television, movies,
books, and the internet. The Pagan Federation in London has
reported "a flood of inquiries following the success
of Harry Potter books." Abanes charts some amazing statistics
about the change in beliefs of Americans from 1976 to 1997.
In 1976, 12% of Americans believed in communication with
the dead compared to 52% in 1997. Similar increases were
noted in the areas of astrology, reincarnation, and fortune-telling.
With the changes in our culture, the distinction between
reality and fantasy is harder to discern.
Some critics of Harry
Potter critics "compare today's
conservative Christians to perpetrators of the murderous
witch hunts" of earlier centuries. Yet Abanes maintains
balance in Harry Potter and the Bible as he points out the
benefits of children reading the series. The books can provide
Christian parents an opportunity to teach spiritual discernment
as they compare and contrast the lessons learned form Harry
to the Biblical perspective. But I must add that it would
require a knowledgeable and mature Christian parent to be
able to do this properly!
Another positive side effect of the popularity of the Potter
books is the increased excitement for reading. Book sales
for children's literature have been higher, including the
godly fantasy books written by C.S. Lewis. Finally, Connie
Neal, author of What's A Christian To Do With Harry Potter?,
has used the books as an evangelistic tool. She has taken
the popularity of the series and the spiritual aspects of
the stories and developed Bible study lessons for the children
in her neighborhood.
With three more books scheduled for publication in the next
few years and a movie to be released in the near future,
the Harry Potter controversy is sure to continue. Richard
Abanes' Harry Potter and the Bible is a helpful resource
for discerning the contents of the book behind the cover.
Reviewed by Mary Branch
- Graduate of the University of Alabama (M.A. in Education), Wife and mother of three
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