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| Author: Posted: Nov. 17, 2002 | This Page Viewed: 3,839,514 |
Question of the Week: 68 - 11/25/2001 Are You Wild About Harry? Have you seen the movie? What did you think of it? Do you think that the movie will bring more people into Paganism or to the study of real magic(k)? Do you think that this is a good thing or not? Do you think that the witchcraft and magic and spells as depicted in the movie accurately (though exaggerated) reflect the basic premises of Witchcraft and magick and spellwork as we know it? What do think a good response would be to both those who want to 'do it like Harry' and to those who believe that Pottermania is anti-Christian or enticing children into the 'world of the occult'? |
| Reponses: There are 80 responses posted to this question. | Reverse Sort |
| I Will Stand Up And Say It, I Love Harry Potter! But... | Nov 19th. at 12:34:54 pm EST |
| Sorror Annyarthra (Lakewood, Colorado US) | Age: 38 - Email |
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I will stand up and say it, I love Harry Potter! But not so much for the magic and what it might do for paganism but for the wonderful stories themselves. As with all great fantasy, like Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia and Alexander's Prydain Chronicles, the best part of these stories is the characters themselves and what they learn about each other and themselves when faced with huge, seemingly unsurmountable tasks. Yes, the magic is great, the movie was wonderful, but when my daughter asked for a broom like Harry's I had to explain that magic doesn't work like that. Magic is about creating and transforming things yes, but those things are generally internal, because the macrocosm reflects the microcosm. I think that what is important in these stories is the courage, love and dedication to what's right shown by the characters, not the magic tricks. And to those christians that say these books will draw children to the occult I say, Jesus preformed feats of magic, as did many others in the Bible, the only difference is that you call them miracles. |
| I Loved The Movie And Hope That This Will Allow Children To... | Nov 19th. at 11:13:37 am EST |
| Jason (Minneapolis, Minnesota US) | Age: 25 - Email |
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I loved the movie and hope that this will allow children to dream larger and push off the cold rationality that is forced on them by our society at such a young age. Will it draw people to the craft, it will probibly make some people very curious and therefore more open... As for those that fear we are enticing the children into the occult... I find that sad. Our religion is one where there is balance and equality between male and female. Where our God and Goddess love all their children even the narrow minded muggles that attack and burn their children. The christ of these fanatics loved the outcast, the downtrodden and those not accepted by the mainstream religion of the Jewish people. Christ loved all the people if these people listened to their own savior they might learn what our gods and goddesses have said all along. Love one another, life is a gift, the world is but an expression of the devine. Learn love and grow. Do what ye will and harm ye none. |
| I've Read The Books (all Of Them Except For Goblet Of Fire... | Nov 19th. at 11:04:09 am EST |
| Aelfen Pandora (Chicago, Illinois US) | Age: 16 - Email |
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I've read the books (all of them except for Goblet of Fire) and saw the movie yesterday, and I LOVE them! It may or may not bring one into magick, it all depends on how open-minded and interested one may be. Magick is exaggerated in the series, though, but it does show how wonderful it can be. If you think Harry is bad or something, don't see it. If you think that being a Potter fan will diminish you, then let the fans bring themselves down. Just don't be a Durseley and shut those who like the series in a cupboard under the stairs. "Pottermania" (? am I guessing that this is Beatlemania book-wise?) is non-religious, and if you fear that children will join the "occult", you should liven up the "non-occult" for them. |
| I've Seen The Movie, And Thought It Was Fantastic. It Was Obviously... | Nov 19th. at 10:54:53 am EST |
| Marea (Niagara Falls, Ontario CA) | Age: 30 - Email |
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I've seen the movie, and thought it was fantastic. It was obviously a labor of love which captures the scope and imagination of the book in spades. Is it a reflection of paganism? No, not really. It lack the spiritual and religious element and portrays magic in that typically Hollywoodized form we are so used to seeing. Want to fix your glasses? Wave your wand! I rather doubt that this book series or film will recruit more and more people into paganism and/or the study of magic as we know it. The film is pure fantasy and children who are of an age to truly get swept away in the fantasy are unlikely to seek the kind of discipline and thoughtful pursuit that our breed of magic entails. That being said, I think we're likely to have this conversation all over again in December when the Lord of the Rings is released. What I see in that piece of literature and the snippets of film thus far are much closer to our hearts and minds than Harry. Not surprising considering the author based much of his work on Celtic and Scandinavian myth and legend. As a raving lunatic of a fan, I anticipate December 19th with so much excitement I can barely contain myself! See you all at the theatre! |
| No, I Haven't Seen The Movie, But I'll Rent It When It... | Nov 19th. at 9:09:48 am EST |
| Ciarrai (Somewhere In Middlesex County, New Jersey US) | Age: 34 - Email |
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No, I haven't seen the movie, but I'll rent it when it comes out on video (or DVD if I can afford one during these "holiday" sales!) All I ever heard from the parents of many of the elite children of the executives that I work with (as a mere "secretary" or whatever the right term is nowadays) is that they are extremely well written books and that they capture the minds of their kids, which I think is just great. Enough of the anti-Christian-ism. I was raised Roman Catholic, and I was given the Naria series by C.S. Lewis by a born-again evangelical relative as a child, and I loved those books, and I still have them. To me they were fantasy novels just like I presume the Potter books are. But I would like to read the books, and as Peg Aloi has done, perhaps I will get the British print version myself. She has a good point there. Yesterday I had to laugh -- there's an issue with Harry Potter and the other children drinking too much Coca Cola, eh? I thought to myself, well, if this will get the Christians to back off of the Pagans, then maybe they can complain about this! Christians try to convert everyone. Paganism comes to you if you want it. No one is trying to entice anyone. Just entertain. Peace! |
| My Opionion Is That It Will Be A Good Influnce On Some... | Nov 19th. at 8:53:26 am EST |
| Silb (Souderton, Pennsylvania US) | Age: 16 - Email |
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My opionion is that it will be a good influnce on some who were dabbling in the arts, as long as they don't look to the black magic in it. I saw the movie, and thought that it was good, except it left big gaping scenes out from the book, and I wonder how long the fourth book will be as a movie, if this one was over 2 hours? Potions is faily accurate, charms depend on which one, and flying and transfiguration can happen, but only in the mind, but it was fairly accurate. It is so unlike real Paganism the those who say it is non-christian are right, but those who say it is Paganism need a good dictionary. |
| I Loved The Movie!!! And I'm Going To See It For The... | Nov 19th. at 8:12:42 am EST |
| DaraLuz (Maiden, North Carolina US) | Age: 44 - Email |
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I LOVED the movie!!! and I'm going to see it for the 3rd time tomorrow with Tempest Haven PN.. my local Church of All Worlds group. Yes..I think that more people will start exploring witchcraft because of the movie.. BUT... When they start to find out about what wasn't in the movie... Goddesses and Gods, meditation, 8 seasonal Sabbats, moon circles..etc the whole ENTIRE spirituality that is linked to the fantasy magickal witchcraft depicted in the movie... That most pagan/wiccan folk DREAM of having the instantaneous reality changing capability... That the true magick for many of us is walking this mysterious path of life in love and ecstatic beingness... Many will turn away cuz it wasn't in fact Hogwart's School.. Cuz for most of us magick doesn't work like in the movie.. As for me.. I look forward to those newcomers who stay with our community.. Cuz they have begun to hear and feel the Goddess and God within... Cuz they have come home... Brightest Blessings! DaraLuz |
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