# Harry Potter is da debil!



## drippin' rock (Nov 30, 2010)

Years ago when Harry Potter first came out, my wife and I went to see it.  Thought it was good, looked foward to the next one.  So we go to see my parents one weekend, and mentioned we had just seen HP and liked it.  HOLY COW!  I thought my Dad's head was going to spin around and spit fire!  That is when I first learned of the position the Southern Baptist Convention took on HP.  Seems they didn't like it too much.

After I got him cooled down, we discussed the issue.  Of course, magic is of the devil.  HP was aimed toward kids, therefore it was teaching them magic.  I rebutted by saying I could buy a book of spells from Barnes And Noble and wittle a wand for my girls and they could run around saying abra ca dabra, but it wouldn't work because magic is make believe!  He responded by saying Magic, real or not, teaches people to look to themselves for answers, not God.  I thought that was a good answer and asked where this vehemence was when I watched Wizard of OZ as a kid, or Star Wars, because I'm pretty sure Luke Skywalker didn't get the Force from Jesus.  That's when we agreed to disagree and turned on the football game.

Now just to clear things up, I am not an atheist, I'd call it more of a struggler.  I have a hard time letting go and ignoring some of the contridictions that can be found.  I also have a hard time, knowing the nature and history of man, taking the Bible as the pure, unadulturated word of God.

One of the ideas I struggle with is this:  Why is it when HP waves his wand it is of the devil, but when Jesus turned water to wine or fed the masses with loaves and fish it is a miracle?

So, back to the SBC.  A short time later another movie came out, and it wasn't long before word got out that the SBC was happy about this one and encouraged Christians to go see it with the entire family.  That movie was the Chronicles of Narnia.

So we saw it, and my jaw hit the floor.   It was also a fun, entertaining movie, but I was baffled as to why the SBC santioned this one.  After some research I found that the author was a Christian( Oh, Ok) and the story of Narnia was loosely based on the life of Christ.  

But wait a minute... What about the magic? and the talking animals? and the figures out of Greek Mythology?  Heck, even jolly ole St. Nick was there!

But the Southern Baptist Convention said it was OK???


----------



## Miguel Cervantes (Nov 30, 2010)

They are both struggles of good against evil, right against wrong and for long as I can remember the SBC has inadvertantly been responsible for the tremendous success of movies, books and certain rock bands merely by their media blitz's of negative attention. Seems like they'd learn huh? but if it hadn't been for them I'd have never known of great bands like Ozzy, Led Zepplin, Rush and so on. So I guess I owe them a debt of gratitude for that huh?


----------



## mickbear (Nov 30, 2010)

i'v allways wondered why here in GA on a sunday i can rent a movie about people killing each other by ripping apart bodies,people getting raped murdered,car crashes Ect...,i can go deer hunting,rabbit hunting,quail hunting and kill all kinds of things,i can tow my boat to the lake an catch a mess of fish take them home and eat them but god forbid i stop by the local zippy mart and buy a 6 pack of beer and go home and have a cold one with my fresh fried bream.


----------



## ambush80 (Nov 30, 2010)

'Rock,

You've got a tough row to hoe if you try to make sense of that stuff.  You're better off continuing to be a "struggler".


----------



## Miguel Cervantes (Nov 30, 2010)

mickbear said:


> i'v allways wondered why here in GA on a sunday i can rent a movie about people killing each other by ripping apart bodies,people getting raped murdered,car crashes Ect...,i can go deer hunting,rabbit hunting,quail hunting and kill all kinds of things,i can tow my boat to the lake an catch a mess of fish take them home and eat them but god forbid i stop by the local zippy mart and buy a 6 pack of beer and go home and have a cold one with my fresh fried bream.


 
That is an easy one. From a Christian's perspective, sin is anything that draws your focus away from God. In their minds, alcohol is an uncontrollable substance that causes one to do all manner so evil and fall from grace. However fishin, huntin', etc. can all be done with an appreciation for God's creation without the danger of losing focus.

Nevermind that they will pack on 40 more glutonous pounds everytime they stop at MickeyD's or Wendy's on those trips, or lust after the nice Ranger Bass Boat that passes by them on the lake, and hock their home to the hilt in order to buy one.

It isn't really a double standard on their part, simply a misguided placement of priorities and a failure to acknowledge that man himself is in control of the use of these items and enjoyments, and it is up to him as to the outcome. Irresponsible behavior is just that, regardless of the vice.


----------



## stringmusic (Nov 30, 2010)

drippin' rock said:


> Years ago when Harry Potter first came out, my wife and I went to see it.  Thought it was good, looked foward to the next one.  So we go to see my parents one weekend, and mentioned we had just seen HP and liked it.  HOLY COW!  I thought my Dad's head was going to spin around and spit fire!  That is when I first learned of the position the Southern Baptist Convention took on HP.  Seems they didn't like it too much.
> 
> After I got him cooled down, we discussed the issue.  Of course, magic is of the devil.  HP was aimed toward kids, therefore it was teaching them magic.  I rebutted by saying I could buy a book of spells from Barnes And Noble and wittle a wand for my girls and they could run around saying abra ca dabra, but it wouldn't work because magic is make believe!  He responded by saying Magic, real or not, teaches people to look to themselves for answers, not God.  I thought that was a good answer and asked where this vehemence was when I watched Wizard of OZ as a kid, or Star Wars, because I'm pretty sure Luke Skywalker didn't get the Force from Jesus.  That's when we agreed to disagree and turned on the football game.
> 
> ...



Dont base your outlook on God and Christ by what the SBC thinks, this might be one BIG cause of your self proclaimed struggle.
Read the book Case for Christ by  Lee Strobel if you would like help with your sruggle.


----------



## stringmusic (Nov 30, 2010)

ambush80 said:


> 'Rock,
> 
> You've got a tough row to hoe if you try to make sense of that stuff.  You're better off continuing to be a "struggler".



Yea, being a "struggler" is where its at, cant get much better than that.


----------



## stringmusic (Nov 30, 2010)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> That is an easy one. From a Christian's perspective, sin is anything that draws your focus away from God. In their minds, alcohol is an uncontrollable substance that causes one to do all manner so evil and fall from grace. However fishin, huntin', etc. can all be done with an appreciation for God's creation without the danger of losing focus.
> 
> Nevermind that they will pack on 40 more glutonous pounds everytime they stop at MickeyD's or Wendy's on those trips, or lust after the nice Ranger Bass Boat that passes by them on the lake, and hock their home to the hilt in order to buy one.
> 
> It isn't really a double standard on their part, simply a misguided placement of priorities and a failure to acknowledge that man himself is in control of the use of these items and enjoyments, and it is up to him as to the outcome. Irresponsible behavior is just that, regardless of the vice.



Lump "us" all together why dont ya.


----------



## Miguel Cervantes (Nov 30, 2010)

stringmusic said:


> Lump "us" all together why dont ya.


 
I is one of da' "us"..
But if folks are going to understand an issue in a "we" vs. "them" mentality, it has to be presented that way.


----------



## stringmusic (Nov 30, 2010)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> I is one of da' "us"..
> But if folks are going to understand an issue in a "we" vs. "them" mentality, it has to be presented that way.



sorry, just the way I read it I guess, the use of Thier and them is what got me. I'll read it again.


----------



## Six million dollar ham (Nov 30, 2010)

drippin' rock said:


> But wait a minute... What about the magic? and the talking animals? and the figures out of Greek Mythology?  Heck, even jolly ole St. Nick was there!
> 
> But the Southern Baptist Convention said it was OK???



That's simple.  You have talking animals in the bible.


> Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"



Numbers 22:28


> 22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?



Remember, this really happened.


----------



## Bowyer29 (Nov 30, 2010)

Six million dollar ham said:


> That's simple.  You have talking animals in the bible.
> 
> 
> Numbers 22:28
> ...



Yes it did!


----------



## ambush80 (Nov 30, 2010)

Bowyer29 said:


> Yes it did!



My dog spoke to me one night.  In Spanish.


----------



## jason4445 (Dec 1, 2010)

The Southern Baptist Conference, ignores many parts of the Bible  but they ignore Proverbs 17:28 the worse.

"Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding."

or other words, stay silent and let everyone think you are a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

In the 80's when that Jesus movie came out showing Jesus married and having adult physical relations my in laws - pillars of the local First Baptist Church - said one Sunday night that the whole church signed a petition to keep the movie from being shown locally.  I told them that all they did was to make the movie so popular that those who would never go see a movie about Jesus will now flock to this one, and thus the only comprehension they will have of Jesus is the one you do not agree with.  If they could be quiet about it probably no one would go to se it anyway.


----------



## davidstaples (Dec 1, 2010)

ambush80 said:


> My dog spoke to me one night.  In Spanish.



You own the Taco Bell dog?  Sweet!


----------



## stringmusic (Dec 1, 2010)

Six million dollar ham said:


> That's simple.  You have talking animals in the bible.
> 
> 
> Numbers 22:28
> ...



pretend for a minute that God is real, Do you think that he could make an animal talk?
If your an athiest, why keep making fun and trying to disprove the Bible? It isnt real remember.


----------



## stringmusic (Dec 1, 2010)

ambush80 said:


> My dog spoke to me one night.  In Spanish.



Was there smoke all in the room when this happened?


----------



## drippin' rock (Dec 1, 2010)

stringmusic said:


> Dont base your outlook on God and Christ by what the SBC thinks, this might be one BIG cause of your self proclaimed struggle.
> Read the book Case for Christ by  Lee Strobel if you would like help with your sruggle.



For the record, I don't.  I was a member of FBC Thomaston when The Last Temptation of Christ came out. Like jason4445, I felt that the SBC was making the "temptation" greater by poo-pooing it so loudly.

Like some of the members that post here, that type of "fervor" does more harm than good in my mind.


----------



## jmharris23 (Dec 1, 2010)

Well brother, I wouldnt worry too much about the SBC and just continue to "struggle."

It is my hope and prayer that your struggle will lead you to the faith though and not away.


----------



## davidstaples (Dec 1, 2010)

stringmusic said:


> If your an athiest, why keep making fun and trying to disprove the Bible? It isnt real remember.



Atheists and agnostics alike continue to make fun of you guys because you continue to come in this subforum with the assumption that the Bible is true trying to convince us to agree with you.


----------



## stringmusic (Dec 1, 2010)

davidstaples said:


> Atheists and agnostics alike continue to make fun of you guys because you continue to come in this subforum with the assumption that the Bible is true trying to convince us to agree with you.



Here's a question, are your beliefs correct?


----------



## davidstaples (Dec 1, 2010)

stringmusic said:


> Here's a question, are your beliefs correct?



  As an agnostic, I believe that I don't know whether any gods really exist or not and neither do you.  So yes, my beliefs are correct, yours aren't.


----------



## stringmusic (Dec 1, 2010)

davidstaples said:


> As an agnostic, I believe that I don't know whether any gods really exist or not and neither do you.  So yes, my beliefs are correct, yours aren't.



Do you believe there is a such thing as truth and do you think that it is possible to find?


----------



## davidstaples (Dec 1, 2010)

stringmusic said:


> Do you believe there is a such thing as truth and do you think that it is possible to find?



Of course there is a such thing as truth.  2+2 = 4.  That's the truth.  It can be proved using multiple methods.  As to the truth of whether or not a deity actually exists?  I think it's possible that the deity could prove itself / himself / herself... will it / he / she?  I don't know and neither do you.


----------



## stringmusic (Dec 6, 2010)

davidstaples said:


> Of course there is a such thing as truth.  2+2 = 4.  That's the truth.  It can be proved using multiple methods.  As to the truth of whether or not a deity actually exists?  I think it's possible that the deity could prove itself / himself / herself... will it / he / she?  I don't know and neither do you.


Is there truth in theology?

God has not "proven" the reality of himself to you by your standards, who are you to set the standards of how much God has to "prove" anything to yourself/humanity?

.... and you dont have to add "I dont know and neither do you" to every post"


----------



## davidstaples (Dec 6, 2010)

stringmusic said:


> Is there truth in theology?
> 
> God has not "proven" the reality of himself to you by your standards, who are you to set the standards of how much God has to "prove" anything to yourself/humanity?
> 
> .... and you dont have to add "I dont know and neither do you" to every post"



I set the standards as to how much your god has to "prove" anything to myself.


----------



## ambush80 (Dec 6, 2010)

davidstaples said:


> I set the standards as to how much your god has to "prove" anything to myself.



What!?!  You don't take God at his word!?!  And by that I mean the compiled and edited by men, document known as the Bible.  Not to mention the credible and authoritative testimony of Stringmusic and Apoint?  Well, you just wouldn't know the truth if it knocked you on the head with a righteous finger.


----------



## pnome (Dec 6, 2010)

Am I the only one who finds Harry Potter to be kinda stupid?  I thought it was that I was just too old for it, but I've got grown up friends that are "dress up in Harry Potter costumes to attend the midnight premiere" level fans.  And they are otherwise normal people! 

I'm just not a fan I guess.


----------



## davidstaples (Dec 7, 2010)

I enjoy the movies, but I don't go to midnight screenings nor do I dress up to go see them.  I'm not an uber fan, but they're decent entertainment.


----------



## Madman (Dec 7, 2010)

ambush80 said:


> My dog spoke to me one night.  In Spanish.



What will you take for that dog?


----------



## Madman (Dec 7, 2010)

pnome said:


> I thought it was that I was just too old for it, but I've got grown up friends that are "dress up in Harry Potter costumes to attend the midnight premiere" level fans.  And they are otherwise normal people!



I'd find new friends.


----------



## Madman (Dec 7, 2010)

OP states:
Harry Potter is da debel.



No he is not.

“The Devil is a red scaly creature with a bifurcated tail and a hay fork.”


----------

