Harry Potter, Part One

Well, we did it. We read Harry Potter.

Some of you are wondering what in the world took so long. Others of you are frowning in disapproval. Yes, I know you are. I know exactly what you're thinking. And it's okay. I wonder if it would appease you just a bit if I assured you that only some of us actually took the plunge and read the series. Others are still not allowed, and won't be for some time yet.

But why would we even break the "No Harry Potter" barrier and bring it into the house at all? Have we started down a slippery slope of compromise? Actually, Aimee and I have just been discussing how we generally have never banned most things outright in our family. Of course, there are obvious rules, and things we wouldn't go anywhere near, but I hope you understand that I'm not talking about those things - more about things that would fall into the "gray" areas. In those areas, we have always adopted the "everything is permissible, but not every everything is beneficial" attitude. In this case, the actual practice of witchcraft is, of course, specifically forbidden, but reading a book series in which witchcraft takes place is a less certain practice. After all, unless Christians restrict themselves to purely Christian books with carefully sanitized stories, they will encounter stories and characters who aren't Christian and who practice things which Christians don't do. There's much that could be said, and which has been said, on that topic, so I don't really need to delve into all that. Suffice it say that we all understand that we consider a number of factors in deciding what we can read, watch, and enjoy, without compromising our values. And we find that there are stories we can appreciate and enjoy, if we are able to pass everything through a mature biblical worldview.

I hardly need to emphasize that Harry Potter, however, has been a particularly controversial book series among Christians, and many have determined that it most certainly crosses a line of appropriate reading for believers. It is, after all, about witches and wizards. "Ah", said others, "but you read the Chronicles and Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, don't you? What's the difference? Ha! Got you there!" And then the first crowd posted blogs and articles about how Harry Potter glorifies witchcraft, and among children at that, and how the wizards or other practitioners in the other series serve a different purpose in those stories, and that any magic displayed is downplayed rather than glorified.

And while we chose to steer clear of Harry Potter (until now), we tried (I hope) to reserve final judgement either way, as we hadn't read it, so couldn't really compare. But of course every time Aimee(in particular asked a friend or librarian for a new fantasy series to read, she heard, "What about Harry Potter?", and she found it exasperating that it seemed to be the only option. As I've mentioned, we've never had a blanket ban on the series, but we've steered clear in general, and the kids have never really expressed a desire to read it. She just wasn't interested in getting into something she knew we had reasons for avoiding. But recently she's heard more about it, and so she asked politely about the possibility of reading the first book. I pondered her request, but didn't have to think too long on it, because she's always had a strong moral compass, and, at thirteen, is gaining more maturity and logical thinking to bolster that compass. I know I can trust her to spot things that oppose a biblical worldview, and to follow the Spirit's leading in how to approach, process, or, if necessary, put aside those things. And she has done just that before, as she's explained that she just didn't feel comfortable watching or reading particular things. And others, she has discussed with me freely. So I trust her judgement in a number of areas already, and I knew that if I gave her permission to read it, but requested that she stop if she just felt it was too much, she would do just that.

So she got it and read it. And then I read it, to see how our thoughts and opinions lined up. We're actually working on the series. We haven't been struck by lightning or tempted to abandon convictions. We haven't felt a book burning has been in order, but neither have we jumped with both feet on the Harry Potter train. For what we have discovered....see Part Two, coming your way shortly. :-)