My mother doesn't allow my younger brother read books like Harry Potter. She thinks that books like that are ungodly and is a gateway for demons.

So what are your opinions of this? Would you let your child read them?

In my opinion I think that she is overreacting. She thinks that he'll end up being like me or something, but the books aren't where I got my religious views from.

There was a person on deviantART (he uses deviantART as a blog for some reason) who did a journal entry on this that I thought was quite enlightening: Where Aslan is King

He also brought up certain facts that make it fairly clear that not all stories about witchcraft and fantasy are "t3h ev1l!!!" just because they have some magical elements or have demons in them or whatever.

The Christian community--and realize I'm saying this as a Christian myself--has attacked a lot of the literary world for "certain content" which includes sex, violence, and whatnot. Most relevant to the Harry Potter issue is witchcraft. What they don't seem to get is that there's nothing inherently wrong about these things, only about glorifying them. For instance, a book that basically says murder is "cool" and that having sex with prostitutes is totally acceptable is, from a morally Christian point of view, wrong.

In the same way, fantasy, including elements of magic, is not an inherently "wrong" thing from a Christian point of view. The jist of the Harry Potter issue is that Harry Potter as a series encourages witchcraft, and not all of it is "good magic." A good amount of it is actual witchcraft, meaning dark or "evil" magic. It even sugarcoats the word "witch."

Personally, I think it depends on the person reading it. If you think that person is mature, go right ahead, but I wouldn't let a preteen read it.

I encourage you to read the dA journal about it: [link], this person is better at explaining it than me.

Personally, I don't think that a book can make anybody to change his/her mind about something, which is so deeply routed in his/her mind, such as religion.
So, I don't think that there is a reason to disallow him of reading it, because usually prohibitions like this, have opposite outcomes, than we wish.

I agree that the books shouldn't be read by pre-teens unless they're reading it with an adult who can explain things or that they show a level of understanding that it is a story. except for maybe the first and second ones. I read the journal entry. I didn't really care for it. He gave examples of stuff that made me think that he really didn't read thoroughly or understand the stories of Harry Potter.

As for there being good and bad magic, this is just the way the world is. There will always be a good and bad side to everything and everyone.

the funny thing about censoring what your kids see and do is that they will find a way to do it no matter how hard you try and stop them.

So, instead of blindly saying no to something instead there are certain things which aren't "dangerous" which you can read with your child openly and allow them to ask questions about.

Harry Potter = fiction. Nothing in that book is real. Therefore I would have no problem as a parent allowing my children to read them.

I would be opposed to my children reading a book on how to perform an exorcism or how to have a sayance (I know I spelled that wrong ) because I don't think they have the maturity to handle the information. I would answer their questions about those things though. I wouldn't want to hold back all the information from them just because the topic is over their head at the time. No information is worse than a little bit.

If she forced the child into reading the bible and into a religion she already opened a gateway to hell for the child cause she forced it upon him. My suggestion is to hold a cross up to a harry potter book, if it bursts into flames don't read it otherwise your safe.

Deception is a tool of evil, telling the child harry potter is evil and will open the gates of hell is a lie. I think she is creating imaginary portals to hell in order to feel safe. If a parent says dont eat the cookies out of this cookie jar and they leave the house for a bit, you think the child will obey ? Now if you told the child if you eat a cookie you will be sent to hell and your flesh will burn off your skin and there will be no way to escape... if your not religious you already know that wont happen so you will eat the cookie but if you are religious you will be too afraid to eat it. Its better to know a lie then to live one

I am against reading harry potter books. As a christian, it is fully against biblical teachings. Sorcery is purely demonic and as the bible puts it, an abomination.

Hoochman : I was waiting for someone to say this Now why do you think this, or rather why do you think the bible says this?

Zamiel : I said why. Sorcery is demonic. Meaning, it comes straight from the devil.

Hoochman : Yeah, but WHY do you think it's demonic?

Zamiel : You meant to say why is it demonic? I do not know Satan's motives. I just know of his actions.

Hoochman : No, I want to know yours and the bibles reason for saying that it's demonic.

I think its demonic because the bible say's it is demonic and because every time I have seen this stuff used, it invites darkness from out of the bowls of hell. The bible say's its demonic because it comes straight from Satan.

Hoochman : I really need an eye rolling smilie. Why is it that the bible says it comes straight from the devil though? I'm curious as to what you have seen used.

Harry Potter is from hell?!?

Explains the accent and the lightning bolt I guess...

Yea... people can believe in the whole witchcraft bologni opening the gates of hell maybe she should be more worried about books like the anarchist cookbook instead

Sorcery is something far too lightly taken. It say's it comes from Satan because it comes from Satan. I have seen it open doors to Satan a lot.

Hoochman : Oh so you know real wizards then?

That's the weakest reason I've ever heard of. "It comes from Satan because it come from Satan"

Ham sanmmiches also come from hell. I read it in a book before

Its nothing but pure fiction...

These books have no dark/evil intentions. It would be silly to fret over such things...

Zamiel : That is not a weak reason. Sorcery comes from the devil. I don't know why he uses it. Neither do you apparently. Get over it. You can't expect to break everything down to an understandable formula.