Who knew a make-believe story of wizards and witches could be so controversial? One call to Catholic radio and I found out. As I was listening to the host and his guest, a priest, discuss the Harry Potter series, I was intrigued as to why the controversy and thought it would be interesting to hear them dissect the series. Instead, I was horrified at what they were saying. And I quote…
“The Harry Potter series is an invitation to sin.”
“After reading Harry Potter, droves of young people are delving into the Occult, researching real witchcraft and wizadry and turning to Wicca.”
“Parents would be ill-advised and irresponsible to let their children not just read the series, but watch the movies.”
One listener, after agreeing with the priest that the series was evil was told he was a good father. So, because I read the series and watched the movies does that make me a bad mother, less Catholic even? His comment really bothered me. The mere fact that a parent’s Catholic stock could be questioned based on her openness to the series was, quite honestly, disgusting and very offensive. To be called a “sheep in wolves clothing” for recommending the series did not set well with me. I figured why not? I dialed and after hearing my counter-argument, they patched me right through. I’m guessing I was 1) good for ratings, 2) a poor soul they could beat up on, or 3) both.
“So, Kathryn from Austin, tell us your thoughts on the Harry Potter series.”
And I did, hopefully eloquently. I mentioned that the series uses magic as a conduit, but that the real issue at hand is the point of the book: good vs. evil and love vs. hate. End of story. How my husband and I have seen it as an invitation to talk with our son about evil in the world and how to confront it, battle it and ultimately be a disciple of Christ. And, how we look forward to reading the books and watching the movies with our four other children.
That’s when the priest started throwing out things like, “to encourage our children to read the series is sinful” and it’s quite likely that five years down the road my children would be on a path to Occult.
For the love of my soul. I wanted to respond, but they cut me off.
Let’s shoot straight, shall we? Our job as parents is to provide experiences for our children to learn. To catch them when they make bad choices (and they will) and lead them to make good choices. We should show them how to constantly ask themselves, “Is what I’m doing glorifying God or glorifying the Devil.” For every parent, that is a constant struggle. No one choice is the right choice for every family, for every child, for every situation.
We believe strongly in “casting the fishing line,” so to speak, and reeling our children back in when they venture too far. Eventually, though, we have to cast the line again. Sheltering our children and letting them live in the bubble is not healthy, for either one of us. Now, I certainly don’t think we should be carting them down to the local bar or buying them a subscription to Playboy magazine. Let’s be rational. This is a children’s book series. It is fantasy. It. Is. Not. Real. It’s highly entertaining reading and beautifully written literature. Interestingly, many of our friends (wonderful Christians themselves), neighbors, priests and seminarians in our diocese are all big fans of the Harry Potter series. Shoot, even the Vatican’s newspaper gave the last movie a thumbs up.
My biggest beef is hearing counter-arguments about how evil Harry Potter is…from people who have never read the series or watched the movies. Their opinions are formed by what they’ve heard on the radio, Googled, or perceived the series to be.
That sure sounds a lot like what non-Christians say about Christianity.
If you’ve read the series you’ve seen the beauty in Harry’s final sacrifice. You’ve learned to fall in love with his friendship – true and pure – with Ron and Hermoine. You’ve seen how Voldemort’s way (complete with his pesky SERPENT) rarely works no matter how hard he tries. You read about the magic, but it is the relationships that keep you hooked. It is the love that makes you believe good can win. I say, don’t be so quick to judge until you’ve read it for yourself.
We set firm boundaries for our children and set our standards high – really high. How blessed is our family that we get to have these discussions with our children while they’re still living in our house. We get to help form the conscience, shape the character. In just a few years, those lessons will be cemented. Our day-to-day job as parents will have ceased. What kind of a young adult will we have created? One who shies away from everything that doesn’t conform to his thinking? Or, one who meets people where they are and shines as a Christ-like example? I hope the latter. I’m praying for it.
Kathryn and her husband have five children, 10 and under. When she’s not calling Catholic radio stations, Kathryn blogs at Team Whitaker, cooks, exercises, reads, shuttles kids to activities and drinks lots of Dr Pepper. She’s still working on a spell to clean her house with the wave of a wand. So far, no luck.
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Kathryn, it’s really a shame that you got cut off before responding to the accusations that were made against you. It sounds like the radio discussion was very one-sided, and that’s a shame.
Kathryn,
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
I agree 100%! I think your view is spot on! I loved this post so much…I am thinking I am going to print it! I am a devout Catholic Mom that allowed my children to read the books and watch the movies.
Can I just cheer from the sidelines?
Having read the books many times, and every time discovering some new deep theological insight as well as something that makes me despair of ever being a good fiction writer, I can’t express how puzzling I find it that anyone could read the books and come away with the idea that Harry Potter is evil.
I did a plotting workshop a while back, and the teacher told us that every story needs a “vehicle” to drive the plot forward. She thought HP’s vehicle was the school year, which I sort of agree with, but I think the learning of magic was also part of it. The thing about these books is that they’re enjoyable as a fantasy (magic=fantasy, people–just like Cinderella) on the first read-through, which makes you want to come back to them. And with every read, the themes get stronger and stronger: friendship, how we look at death (healthy or unhealthy) and how that shapes the way we handle life, life beyond death, love, and so on. Family is glorified, teen relationships are chaste, and it’s done so smoothly that you don’t even notice until some numbskull movie reviewer talks about how sexually repressed Harry is.
Uh-oh, I’m rambling. Anyway, just wanted to say: THANK YOU!
You make a very good point when you say
“My biggest beef is hearing counter-arguments about how evil Harry Potter is…from people who have never read the series or watched the movies. Their opinions are formed by what they’ve heard on the radio, Googled, or perceived the series to be.”
I love my priest but he had made comments about the Twilight series that were utterly wrong, fact wise. He was trying to get the kids to not read/watch it, but by showing his complete ignorance on the subject they were definitely not going to listen to him. In fact I was watching several of the girls faces and they had a very incredulous look on their face about how wrong he had it! (He truly knew nothing of the series… I was embarrassed for him! I seriously wanted to hide under a pew!) This concerned me because he has a VERY true to the Church teaching of the theology of the Church, but if they knew he is so flat out wrong about something as pointless as a book series, did he undermine their ability to believe him in Church teachings?
I personally don’t have a problem with either of these series. I agree Harry Potter is good vs evil and incredible selfless love of friend and family. Twilight I would argue goes even further and speaks well to tweens and teens. I would argue its prolife, anti-premarital-sex and pro-God. They discuss God and souls in a positive way. The love between the main characters is unselfish Especially on the part of the boy, which is NOT encouraged in our society! Had he/others read it they might recognize the possible positive influences “Edward” may have on insecure teenage girls. Or at least be able to argue his point better!!!! =)
Kathryn, thanks for this. I remember hearing Patrick Madrid speak, and someone asked him his opinion of Harry Potter. He was a denouncer, but from his comments, it was obvious he had not read the series either. I think it is good for us to hold those who present themselves as Catholic apologists to a higher standard. They should be held accountable to make INFORMED comments about such things.
Secondly, there is a book entitled, “Finding God in Harry Potter”, in which the author (last name Granger, I kid you not) explores the subtle and sometimes not so subtle Christian allegory in the series. For example, at the end of Book 1, is it a coincidence that after Harry’s battle with Voldemort in an underground vault, he sleeps for 3 days? The mascot of Harry’s house, the gryffin, is an ancient symbol of Christ. Part eagle (king of the skies) and part Lion (king of the earthly beasts), it is one being with 2 natures and lord of both the heavens and earth. The mascot of Voldemort’s house is a serpent. The book was written prior to the series being complete, and so does not include the explicit Christian analogy of HP’s death in Book 7.
Good words! Keep up the good fight!
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AMEN!!!
I seriously thought all the hoop-la around Harry Potter had died down, but I guess I was wrong.
But playing devil’s advocate here — where’s the hoopla surrounding Twilight, True Blood, and all those other “inappropriate” shows/movies? How about the ABC Family Channel airing a show about the “american teenager” that advocates premarital sex and teen pregnancy?
Personally, I LOVE the HP series and have read the 1st book with my oldest daughter. We’ve watched the first movie together. As far as I can remember, she’s never approached me saying that she now wants to practice Wicca.
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I am cheering for you here on the sidelines!
I get so disheartened when well-meaning people discourage others to have thoughtful, God-centered discussions about literature. ESPECIALLY when they haven’t read it. (In fact, my son just finished the 3rd HP book and said, “Wow. Good is REALLY winning, mom.”)
Should we know what is in the books that our children are reading? Absolutely. Should we discuss the themes with them? Absolutely. But to disregard an entire series because of fear? There is no way that our children will be able to cope with the worries of the world if we don’t start having conversations with them. And using a vehicle like the HP series along with the Bible is a perfect way to get them interested, involved, and yes, strengthen their heart and faith.
God Bless you.
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I am a cradle Catholic – as are my two children. We have loved all the Harry Potter books and movies. You are right on. It’s the friendships, the love, the good triumping over evil that is the central theme here. not wizards, spells, etc. My husband is General Baptist, and originally had a problem with the series, but after watching the movies, he’s enjoyed them all.
Amen!! I feel the same way. I posted about this topic back in 2007. Good for you for having the intestinal fortitude to publicly point out the ridiculousness behind the hysteria!!
)
Shelly M.
The Mom With Brownies
http://www.icantbelievemylife.com/2007/05/harry-potter-and-me.html
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I forgot to mention in my last comment that we have converted to the Catholic Church since my Harry Potter post was written. We were welcomed into The Church this past April.
Shelly M.
The Mom With Brownies
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My parish priest also condemned Harry Potter from the pulpit and went so far as to say it was sinful to read the series. At that point, we had already read the first 4 books….
I think that priests form their own opinions on popular culture and indeed they should have opinions. It is their job to protect the flock. However, I also am free to use my God given intellect and free will to form opinions. I respect his right to his own opinion and I respect that I have a right to my own opinions. The challenge is that as Catholics, sometimes we are unable to separate what is a priests’ personal opinion and what is a matter of faith and morals of the Church. I found that studying my catechism regularly, educated me on the differences of what is a matter of faith and morals (what I must believe and do in order to save my soul as a Catholic) and what is someones’ personal opinion. Priests are after all, only human and deserve our respect and consideration as an Alter Christus, but it is ok to separate their personal opinions from Catholic theology.
On the other hand, some actions can be used as tools by Satan to draw souls away from God. Hatha yoga being one example. Great exersize, I know, but used in its’ original form and intent, it is meant for the flow of spiritual energy devoted to pagan deities. I think Harry Potter can and will be used by Satan to lead souls to himself thru the occult. In Catholic homes, with prayer and guidance, Harry Potter can be a teaching tool and our children can benefit from the books. That is up to the discretion of parents. I also think that my parish priest acted out of concern for his parishoners and truly wanted to protect the children from possible taint of the occult. He has families in our parish who are divorced or struggle with various kinds of abuse and addictions and do not have the family structure to properly assess popular culture like Harry Potter so I understand his overreaction.
It just would have been more credible if he had read the series first and illustrated his concerns with examples from the books.
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I almost feel as though my mother (who only ‘hears’ what she wants and has never read any of the HP books) shames me for allowing our children to read HP books and watch the movies. “Mom, it’s purely entertainment.”
Oh, good grief! There is much more to be concerned about in this world than a book/movie series with witches and wizards! I get the extreme point of view, but come on! If your kids are reading (and you KNOW what they are reading about and there is discussion of it), then what is wrong with that? SO many kids these days are playing video games or watching tv rather than using their imagination or playing outside. I say read the books! And if someone wants to say I am a bad mother for that – well, that judgement is up to God, now isn’t it?
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Hey gals, thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I loved HP. It was the first series in a long time to capture and keep my attention. And, the time we spent sharing that experience with our oldest son was just awesome. My second child is starting book 1 this spring. Your words of encouragement were very uplifting and affirming. Thank you!!
When my associate pastor made similar comments about Harry Potter, I went right home and Googled the Vatican response to HP. According to their website, “Harry Potter should be read as children’s literature, not as theology.”
I still need to talk with my pastor about this (since vacation and illness). I feel it is hard enough to help keep the Catholic Church relavant in the lives of young people without priests speaking their own, uninformed opinions as gospel.
Kathryn,
I’m not sure I want my daughter reading the series, but you do tap into something that rings very true for me — we cannot shield our children from every possible influence that could hurt them, lest they be defenseless when we’re gone. What we can do, and you have done, is be there with them, putting what they see INTO THE CONTEXT of our faith, and providing warnings to help them avoid the pitfalls. In evaluating home school curricula, this was one reason I really liked one over the rest, because, rather than working Saints and Angels in the math books, it uses many of the same materials as in other private and public schools, but supplements them with the understanding and skills needed to evaluate all they see through the lens of a Catholic world view. How else will our children be able to defend their faith? If we shelter them from opposing viewpoints, they won’t learn to think critically or have a basis on which to begin an argument with others.
Thank you for your article! You were spot-on and I couldn’t have agreed more.
I haven’t read the Harry Potter books yet but after hearing your thoughts on them and the thumbs up from the Vatican I feel like running to the bookstore and get my first one!!!It is always disheartening when our priests get carried away and say the darnest things…but I’ve learned to accept that they are humans after all….
so thanks Kathryn for helping us see we can be wise and can discern between what is good and evil…btw I love the Twilight series…:)
I am very cautious because before there was H.P. growing up in the 80′s and early 90′s, I found myself being intrigued with the occult through “innocent, entertaining” childrens literature and a fun kids movie about a witch school. It started out with fun curiosity of “good spells”, etc.., and could have gone much further had someone not stopped me (an older student at the public school I attended.) I wish this post was more respectful towards priests and what they have to say to us. Sure they don’t know everything, but it is their job to caution us. He was doing his job. How much has the Church suffered because of priests who have not spoken up to tell us to do the right thing? Bravo to the priest for standing up and warning people. I wish my parents had been more informed when I was growing up.
It’s always hard to measure the tone of a conversation when it’s relayed second-hand. However, I assure you that I have a great respect for priests – I have four as Godfathers to my children. However, they are also human, and I was greatly offended at how this particular priest characterized parents who let their children read Harry Potter. I have no problem with a priest cautioning, but his went a little further to judging…and that was my issue. Thanks for sharing your insight, Susy.
Absolutely love this, thank you so much for writing it. Our family has been so enriched and blessed through this story, and the conversations that have blossomed from it about ultimate truths have been of eternal value.
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Thank you for your article on HP. I love the HP series and think the books have excellent discussion topics for our children. I appreciate your call into the radio. As Catholic mothers, we must be well-balanced and have well-thought out reasons. You have both. Thank you!
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I totally agree – My husband and I, too, are fans of Harry Potter AND we’re Catholics (shock! horror!). You are exactly right about it being an opportunity to talk to your children about what is real and what is fantasy, and what is right and what is wrong. Thank you so much for this post!
hi!
i enjoyed this article, but i did wish that there wouldn’t be any obvious, palpable enthusiasm for the series.
i’m a child (so it’s nearly automatic to love such well-crafted fantasy), and i have read every book. agreed, it’s a great story.
but, having read the story in my teens, when there is altogether a more critical disposition towards fantasy, i would still assert that is not a saga to be taken too lightly.
it’s fun, but it remains dangerous for certain individuals (a few years ago, i was one of the aforementioned).
i know you are fully aware of this fact.
merely remarking that there could have been a bit more caution towards the series expressed here.
thanks!