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From: EmoryUniversity
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  • I love this video..i mean seriously, though...Lord of The Rings...and Chronicles of Naria....ALL have some form of a MAGIC in there....and whether they called it "witchcraft" or not, it's still all the same thing. And either way, eventually, only God will reveal the answer about all this. It does get a bit confusing. XD

  • Yeah. Totally agree. Remember after, when Christ was resurrected and got married and took a job as a desk jockey at the bureaucratic ministry of magic pushing papers? It was fucking sweet.

  • Wow I really enjoyed this video ! Yeah, I don't agree with everything, but it's a good point she's making, and it's interesting philosophy.

    I wrote a nice message explaining the magic of Harry Potter, and how this is an allegory for many constructs we have within our society today. If anyone wants to get a copy of this message, just send me a reply or personal message, and I will be sure to send it to you. Please do, because it's very interesting :P

  • out of curiousity why does voldermort want harry dead so bad?

  • @breasthound because he is the only wizard that is able to defeat him.

  • I think the anti-Harry Potter stuff comes from two sources: (1) a belief that every word in the Bible is literally true--and subsequently, every word written in other forms of literature is either true or inspired by demonic agents, and (2) a highly profitable "anti-bandwagon" mentality that tries to be "the official Christian response" to massively appealing cultural phenomena like Harry Potter, Star Wars, Twilight, etc.

  • @jdittes There are people who wear a label and people who are a label. To people who have had a true experience with Jesus and know He is the way and the light do not spend time judging others. Jesus gives me miracles everyday. I do not have a problem with Harry Potter. Any general story displaying good wins over evil is just confirming that Jesus already defeated the devil which He DID when He Died for us all when we were yet sinners. Don't let people unnerve you! Jesus is Lord !

  • It's not so much that it IS "Christian based" when in many ways I think not, just because it's good vs evil, and just because Harry is resurrected-- does not mean it should be labeled as "Christian". (It doesn't really HINT this in the video, she's more so just saying Christians should not put it down, but a lot of comments are taking offense as if it is) it's exactly that (what I put in parentheses). Also, I agree I never understood the glorifying of the Narnia tales, but the shunning of Potter

  • -more- I actually had a friend in 7th grade who told me that Harry Potter was satanic, but promoted the Narnia books like they were the bible. From then on I started disliking her.

  • i think linking harry potter to christ and making a biblical connection is totally wrong. The series is a great set of novels, JK is a great author, i dont believe its sacreligious or against christianity in any way, but to say Harry is a Christ figure? No, he's a good character that represents such a good, that is all.

  • Its God overcoming Evil...why be against lol? That is God's war. Stop getting so technical brothers and ssiters.

  • fought against his friends... typo, sorry!

  • The magical stuff isnt a problem... the point is: Aslam is Jesus, quite obvious. But Harry fought with his friends, he needed Help the of the Sword, of friends, etc... Her mothers sacrificed herself... so??? The Holy Mother didnt...

    Hes much too weak to be Chirst... he didnt die; a part of Voldemort's souls was destroyed, if he didnt die, he didnt ressurect. Its coincidence, or a bad idea from the Author...

  • A great argument, however, I wish people knew how to pronounce J.K. Rowling's name.

  • @insertclevernesshere agreed it irritates me so :/

  • In the Bible it says that Witchcraft is a sign of the devil. Personally, its all bullshit in my opion, believe in god and you are about as mental as a somebody who believes in god, which is very mental. My version of the bible; The Harry Potter Trilogy.

  • @Denarpsaurus It's not a trilogy though o.0 It's a series...

  • @xImmortalDarknessx Oh I was close enough!

  • Also, I can't believe that a simple childrens' book, only meant to entertain, could be mistaken for something so awful! It really bothers me when extremely religious people think that they can tell people that they are evil and judge others. That is God's job, ladies and gentlemen, so stop thinking that it is yours.

  • Although, I do understand that Harry seems to be playing the "Christ" role in the story, but you could technically say that for almost any major hero.

  • Oh please! I'm so sick of hearing that Harry Potter is "satanic" or "demonic" or anything of the sort! First of all, it's supposed to be FICTION. As in, the people should understand that magic isn't real. It's just a story! So should every storyteller that talks about fantasy be condemned to hell? *sarcasm* Second, Harry Potter shows the reader the power of friendship, love, and the difference between right and wrong. It preaches good values and loyalty for Heavens sake! People need to calm down

  • AHHH Im spoiled !!

  • For goodness sake! These characters are using magik. So exactly who do you think they are portraying. Satan himself can be seen as an angel of light. Because this film shows a fight between good and evil doesnt make right. Get a grip Harry Potter is a demonic film, filled with demonic characters doing demonic curses. God tells us we are not to associate ourselves with such things.

  • @shazynysmon demonic? in what sense? we are told as christians yes to abstain from things of a satanic nature but what is satanic? most of the symbols you hold today as satanic were simply pagan which the church adamantly refused to understand and therein ban. harry potter promotes good values in humanity and instead of appreciating it we approach again with ignorance due to the fact magic is involved. J.K. Rowling THOUGHT this up. it is fiction. it has no bearing whatsoever on my faith....

  • why not just read the Bible?

  • @velvetkitsune90 i kan spell

  • See this woman is missing the fact that magic is witchcraft and it's forbidden for those of the christian faith to engage in it and movies such as Harry Potter expose people to it. Which tempts people to perhaps want to explore the world of magic. Just because it has philosophy and all that means nothing but an illusion to think its ok to watch it and draw you in to your downfall.

  • @MrKochise804 Magic is most certainly NOT witchcraft. As a Bible believing Christian I understand the fact that witchcraft, (in the Bible's own definition,) is the casting of spells, sorcery, THROUGH THE AID OF DEMONS OR THE DEVIL. In the Harry Potter series of movies and books, there is absolutely NONE of the such or even close. According to your own definition of witchcraft, (not the Bible's,) Mickey Mouse is a Satanic monster....now how ridiculous did that sound, huh?

  • omg herry potter is magic and whichcraft and sorseri and dat is very wrong ok

  • I think the idea of God as a literal, tangible being is a dying. Don't misunderstand me, I'm a Christian. I consider myself a Christ follower and I think Christianity is a good thing for society, but I think that realistically, the bible should be taken a great piece of literature that is almost wholly metaphorical. Like Harry Potter, the bible uses metaphors to be a message across.

  • @emilyevolution ummm, yea...learn to spell please

  • People need to get a life ans grow up. Harry potter is not evil and idiots take it too far and try to make it sound as if its anti bible. The point of harry potter is to read and enjoy the fun and mysterious books. Not to take away from the lord.

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  • The fact that Harry Potter has similarities to Jesus is exactly why Christians should reject it. He is a counterfeit for Christ, an antichrist.

    The big difference between The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter is that in Narnia wizardry is bad, just like the Bible says. In HP, it is both good and bad, and it attracts young people to the occult.

  • HP ROOLZ

  • lol christians suk

  • lol if harry potter was a religion i would totally join ^^

  • Okay, I am a Christian, not an idiot, fellow Christians, this is a work of FICTION! A very good one and very popular one. I am a Potter fan, my wife loves it, my kids enjoy it, it has a good moral message, Good vs. Evil, what is the problem? @tedet87 What about the sorcerers/astrologers that named Jesus king? (The Magi) Sabians, Zoroasters, and Kabbalists work "magic" by harnssing the power of creation from God. They follow the same God as Christians and Jews.

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  • @FallofDarkness55 Ugh no edit function: grown into, not com up, lol, from not rom. LOL! I am also a very scientific minded person. I realize that there is no scientist that has any clue how life came to be. You mentioned the big bang theory. Who is to say that the bang, was not of God's hand? Who is to say 'evolution" was not his method of creation? If no one was there, and none seen it, who is to say how it happened? Who would know but the God that was present?

  • @UltimateFaithWarrior Yes I've thought about this some more. I would have to call myself a deist now. It's really bizarre how jellyfish can emerge from the big bang. there's obviously something really weird going on beyond our comprehension.

  • And The Tales of Beedle the Bard, I'm almost positive, represents the Christian Bible.

  • My parents are devoted to the Catholic faith. I love Harry Potter and all the life lessons it has taught me, especially Hermione's story. My parents being as conservative as they are like Harry Potter as well, especially my dad. They've never stopped me from reading anything, even Dan Brown's books that made every other Christian cringe at the sight of the cover. I even have conversations, not arguments, about it. I guess what I'm trying to say is that not all Christians are ignorant.

  • Lotta nutters on here..

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  • @teddet87 I'm not the one wanking about religious undertones in entertainment films. Get a grip you cunt.

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  • @EndeavourLaunch What is that?

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  • it's because they are like children. They can't tell the difference between reality and fantasy. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The chronicles of Narnia, The Wizard of Oz, Greek Mythology, The Quran, and The Bible are all fictitious works. I don't even have to explain how the bible is fictitious. Read Genesis!!! That actually does disprove god's existence. Cherry picking out of the bible shows how moronic a christian can be. Either the bible is a book of facts or a book of fiction!!

  • @FallofDarkness55 I've read Genesis, but I really don't see how it could disprove the existence of God. I'm pretty sure it can't be scientifically disproved.

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  • @FallofDarkness55 Genesis is a book, not a scientific test. Anyway you look at it, it's impossible to put a god's existence to the test.

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  • @FallofDarkness55 Unfortunately, there's no scientific reasoning that supports the emotionally appealing notion of being free. Yes, I'm being argumentative, but I just mean to say that science is much more limited than many of us are willing to admit because the amount of hypotheses that are fairly testable are limited. All I'm trying to say is that people view what science can't prove in various ways and it can't always be proven who's right or wrong.

  • @mowingthefrontlawn I see where you are going with this! "Science can explain the how and not the why"<-This is correct as of right now however theoretical physicists are working out a reasonable answer to the "why" question. And of course this "answer" must be tested. The only unified theory as of right now is M-theory however it's still not a proper theory. It's more of a hypothesis than a theory because it has not been tested.

  • Letme make it simple. People who don't like Harry Potter do it for one reason. Witches. Not wizards, Witches. People are terryfied of Witches. It doesn't matter how godly a witch is to most Christians. There is an enormous predjudice towards witches and pagans in general that has lasted centuries. The fear and hatred projected towards witches is largely derived from a fear or women. So yeah it's pretty messed up. Notice it's ok for Gadalf and Aslan to do magic but not for witches.

  • Beautiful! Loved the analysis. I saw the first part before I saw the movie -- I stopped it when the spoiler alert came. (PS -- Pierced might have noticed that and turned it off like I did.) The experience was amazing; I realized that HP was a metaphor for Jesus and was amazed by the movie.

  • thank you

  • I love Harry Potter AND I'm an athiest. And I'm damn PROUD!

  • WHATever :P absolute bollocks

  • What a bunch of academic bullshit. I bet you've never worked a day in your life.

  • Im sorry but this lady is talking a whole load of nonsence. Typical over-analysis with directed credit to the author. I bet Rowling had no idea what she was writing half the time. To me, its clear as day in her books. This lady reminds me of a high school english teacher probing the unessecary depths of every line of Hamlet.

  • @moltar22 The Christ figure is not only in Harry Potter but in many other works such as Transformers and Lion King. It is actually a known method that writers use. I know that Wikipedia is not very reliable, but if you search "Christ figure," it actually makes a good point. I also used to think that many English professor over-analyze, but if you read books like How to Read Like a Professor or read up on Christ figure on Wiki, it makes much sense.

  • This is exactly what I've been telling my conservative friends and fam for ages

  • Very interesting point. I never understood why people and religions wouldn't allow their children to watch or read Harry Potter. Unfortunately it's over, but there is nothing wrong with this saga. As you explained, "It's a battle of good and evil." Very much like every-day life.

    Even though some may disagree with this statement but, there is no such thing as magic. It's all fictional.

  • My mom wouldn't let me watch it because it has Which craft in it :P

    but maybe if i showed her this she'd give it a chance

  • Any one could create a fictitious hero, but not everyone could convince others to read, as such as Harry Potter. If we treat such novels as fiction, then I think what is important is understand the genre and moral of the story, and how the characters are portrayed by the author, and why and how it has created the resonance with the readers. If I were to study the philosophical perspectives of Harry Potter, I think only the author could respond to my questions, not any one else. Only she knows.

  • As a Catholic and Christian, I don't think I would use "like" or "dislike" on a fictitious person, as that doesn't make sense. I would think the portrait of the character of Harry to save the world, based on his power of the wizard might overshadow the reality, leading to a myth that someone could use their good witch craft to overcome another evil witch craft, which aimed to destroyed the world. Spirit of crashing evils using non-violence is good, but how are we going to educate our children?

  • Harry Potter is a fictitious hero with characters and witch craft rendered possible by JK Rowling. It is a fantasy story with a genre based on suspense, witch crafts, where the good fought against the bad. Though the stories are appealing to young ones, teens and even adults, the morality promoted is based on a sense of teens' strong sense to overcome some of the "evils" imposed on Harry and his friends. As a story, I don't see issues, but when the message of spirituality is mixed, then problem

  • The difference between Harry Potter and Jesus is that Harry Potter doesn't threaten those around him with eternal pain and suffering if they don't believe in him. Therefore Harry Potter is more moral than Jesus christ ever was. Good thing that both are myths!

  • seriously !? then Batman could be one too!! LOL

  • @48alfaone Maybe two of those books are fiction but in my heart I refuse to believe Harry Potter is! x)

  • What does Harry Potter, the Bible & the Curan all have in common? Answer: There all "Fiction"! (All of these books are just Human invented stories full of fantasy & wild tales, nothing more). "Facts are facts", the Human mind is an amazing thing!

  • @ftwfucktheworld1 LOL I totally agree

  • 2 words; Thank You

  • Harry Potter is just a book, just like the bible

  • a fair arguement, but everyone know optimus prime is jesus, not harry potter lol

    as for all this religous arguement over the potter series i think that any following that would cause so much ruccus over and hatred towards something as simple as a series of books should not be taken seriously

  • HAHA there is BIG difference!! While both CSL and Tolkien were truly deep Christians and were inspired by Bible - JKR is NOT and basically is just copying all the concepts and principals ... and for the record it is very clearly stated in Bible that ANY witchcraft is evil and doesn't celebrate the glory of Christ....

  • @prahasct: JRT has wizards and witchcraft in his books and movies.

  • This Lady is confused Witchcraft Paganism is wrong THATS WHY WE DONT WATCH IT

  • Very good video :)

  • Great! Now what about looking into Evangelion and Christianity...

  • well we all know who wins this Battle***!!!:)Christ Rocks***!!!

  • Just a message to all from a devout Christian:

    Do not take some Christians and make them the examples of the religion. Some call the,selves that but are not.

  • @Davidwilson1212 Great tip Dave but if you're saying we should not believe that those who call themselves Christians are necessarily Christians, how do we know that you are the 'real' type of Christian that is to be believed?

    Is it because you call yourself a devout Christian? I hope so because that's a pretty cool code which I will now look out for.

  • @OffYouCuss Well, not necessarily. I was just saying that I am very devoted to Jesus. But, for example, if Hitler went off saying he was Christian, does that mean the whole religion should be condemned because he has been associated with Christianity? Thats basically what I mean. You can't always know, but it is true that when asked some people say they are Christian just because they were born into it but have never acted on it in any way.

  • @Davidwilson1212 Hmm.. maybe I played down the ironic tone of my message too much. I meant that all we ever hear is Christians claiming to be the 'real' ones & to not judge them by the 'other' ones. All religions do this.

    But your reply touched on something important because the implication of what you are saying, if you follow it to its logical conclusion, is that being a morally upright person has nothing to do with the religion you profess to.

    Very true and a good argument for atheism.

  • @DeadEyeJack Atheism simply does not make sense. I do not have enough faith in me to trust that all of this just happened. The complexity of our bodies, nature, and how our minds work, among other things. I trust, instead, in a holy book. Not just a book, but a book from a man whose importance split time from B.C. into A.D.

    Believe in him or not, he changed the world. I cannot show Atheists proof of the Holy Spirit on paper, but I have felt undeniable proof within myself like many others.

  • @Davidwilson1212 These things did not 'just happen.' If you bothered to learn how natural selection works you would know this.

    The fact that jesus is used to split the Christian calenders dates means nothing. There are countless other calenders out there, that don't include jesus. It just happens that the gregorian calender was the one accepted by the country which would go on to have a huge empire (Britain).

    And I bet that Hindus have proof of Vishnu inside them. You don't listen to them..

  • @XtremeGoose If you are basing your arguments on phrases like "I bet", and crediting natural selection for creating us, then I think I am done here.

  • @Davidwilson1212 So you focus entirely on two words as opposed to the rest of the logical argument? Sounds like someone who simply cannot back up their claims.

    You think that my arguments, which by the way are supported by every single piece of evidence ever found, are not credible? Whereas yours, based on 'I just know,' must be right?

    Of course Natural Selection is how we came to be. (Mainly) Genetics, Fossils, Speciation, Biochemistry, Artificial Selection all point to that truth.

  • @Davidwilson1212 You seriously need to do some research regarding your supposed savior. In addition, this proof of some holy spirit. how do you know it's not a placebo affect which can be very powerful? Do you have some proof? Finally, even if there was such a thing as a holy spirit, where does this spirit reside in christians? in their heart which is a muscle that pumps blood? In their conscience? If the latter how do you know any difference between this spirit and you?

  • Just for the record, Lewis's Narnia has been banned numerous times from schools and public libraries. It has been subjected to a lot of criticism from Christians as has Tolkien's the Lord of the Rings. Most of the just want to be careful about what their children fill their minds with. Similarly, they are anxious about these magical ideas Rowling brings out in her books. While I am a Christian, I'm a reader too and as a reader, you have to understand that at the heart of it, it's just a story.

  • There goes the ending of Harry Potter... :'(

  • @fullmetalsaiyan When have they stopped?

  • The reason Christian groups reject Harry Potter is because they decide before they even read/watch it that's evil... they don't even look at everything involved, they just point fingers, and there are Christian elements in the series, so it's not Satanic, but more to the point, Harry Potter in the long run is just a very big fairy tale :P

    So if all magic is bad, then I may as well forget my childhood of cinderella and Peter Pan....

  • It's great to see an Oxford professor on the Emory feed, and the analysis was enjoyable.

  • That was Brilliant.. Well Said!

  • So, themes like resurrection and the chosen one's victory of good over evil through love is their story and they don't like other people using it.

    I think the reason Lewis got away with it was because he was an outspoken Christian so they knew he was on their side.

    Also his magic was of a less specific, fantasy variety whereas Rowlings's is all spells, cauldrons and broomsticks. Very pagan, which Christians have a reactionary allergy to.

  • I think this video misses the point. The speaker is surprised that Christians don't enjoy the themes and values in Harry Potter when they are so similar to Christian ones.

    That is precisely why they don't like them. Having their values portrayed by a fictional character in a children's book that has a distinctly pagan magical air about it, is deeply disturbing to a group of people who cannot separate the message of their religion from the story of it.

  • Harry never died. He knew he wouldn't because he knew part of his soul was one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. I'm all for what you're trying to do, but don't call Harry a Christ figure. He is a flawed being, every character in Harry Potter is flawed and Jesus has no flaws whatsoever. Also, Mariokartracing is correct.

  • @SilentMagician7 Harry Potter didn't know that until AFTER he died. But, thanks for agreeing with me. I agree with you, too; Harry should not be seen as a Christ figure. I mean, I can see how one might think that, since he did sacrifice himself and he did come back. Also, the whole idea of serpents being "evil" is seen in the Bible, but Rowling, I don't think, did not do that in an attempt to relate her story to Christianity like C.S. Lewis did. She's all about philosophy, but not religion.

  • Hasn't Rowling said specifically, though, that she did NOT write these books for that purpose?

  • Y'all might want to put "Spoiler" in the title for those who haven't seen/read the last movie/book.

  • @piercedj316 That's your fault for not reading the book/seeing the movie. The book has been out since what, 2007? And the movie has been out since the middle of July. Just saying...

  • @timmay270 I have read the book. My comment was in consideration for the many people who don't read the books but watch the movies. It's common courtesy to warn of any spoilers in an article or video that's posted on the internet. Until just a couple weeks ago, this video had no spoiler alert.

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