I have heard that one religious organization on tv that Harry Potter is not good for kids cause they teach witchcraft and give them a basic lesson on it. This was when the first Harry Potter was shown on the cinemas. being a regular viewer of that show, i believe mostly what he teach on that program. but on that time, i felt on my own discretion, that the movie may not have that impact on children for them to consider getting into witchcraft and i felt this movie just used the witchcraft stories to give an exciting plot and story which the movie did in all its sequel also.
But this morning, i have watched here in the philippines, two kids now 18, a movie fan of Harry Potter since the first part of the movie. So i guess they were just about 12 or younger by then when it was first shown the harry potter movie down here. And as they were growing up they realize that what they saw in movies can be applied in real life and that got them interested to learn it and they get to discover that witchcraft books are very much available in our local bookstores and they were able to developed their skills in witchcraft. and now they are self professed witches and they can do those things they have read from the books about witchcraft.
At first i didn't believe that it will gonna have any effect on children at all. maybe not too all kids but it does still raise some interest and curiosity to some kids on how to bei a real witch . and so i think that we have to discourage children now to watch this movies. and we don't know how it will affect them .
I have watch these harry potter movies but i was an adult already when i have watched it and with firm belief already i was not persuaded a bit to learn witchcraft. but for kids i think it will still be safe.
[question posted by hotsummer]
responses and comments:
I think that Harry Potter movies just open the imagination to a whole different world of fantasy and magic. I can see where kids may try to dabble in witchcraft after watching the movies and especially after finding out that witchcraft really does exist in the world. I imagine that for most that decide to look into it, it will only be a phase in life. I know of many peopl who dabbled in witchcraft and them decided later on in life that it wasn't for them after all. I don't think that blaming a movie series on a person's decisions is right though. That woudl be like saying that a person watched a slasher movie and that is the reason that the person became a serial killer. All people make their own choices. If kids decided to try out the world of witchcraft after watching Harry Potter movies, chances are it was something that they would have done reguardless. [lynnemg]
it is the devil thing that the religious group are trying to save this kids from. it is hard to prove anything if that exists. but i think that people just act out of their beliefs and they just like to protect and warn people. though we may feel they are very vocal but still they respect the right of people. only for them they feel it is responsibility to warn people but they don't hinder the showing of the movie and so i think that they still have not crossed any boundaries or hurt the right of people. and so i think i appreciate those religious groups for that. so i think they still leave the decisions to the people theirs are only reminders. [hotsummer]
If you don't mind my saying it...what a bunch of hogwash...LOL. Number one, I do happen to be a Harry Potter fan..and I'm by no means a kid, but 53 years old, yet I enjoy reading stories like Harry Potter, in fact, despite my age, I love children's and young adult books in general. Yes, I've heard of religious fanatics condemning the Harry Potter books due to the "witchcraft" element in it, but like most fanatics, if they think the Harry Potter books are promoting children to study "witchcraft" they're wrong..kids aren't stupid and realize that the stories are merely that...stories. Also, these people don't have a clue about "real" witchcraft. I say this as I'm a follower of Pagan/Wiccan beliefs myself..so therefore yes I'm a witch. If those kids are claiming to be able to do anything even remotely similar to what is done in the Harry Potter type books or any witchcraft type fictional story then they are liars. Ask ANYONE who is a real witch and they will tell you that we can't fly on brooms--we're ordinary people who walk, take trains or buses or drive cars..if we fly its in a plane. We can't magically appear out of thin air or with the mutterings of a spell make our homes self-clean..we have to clean the old fashioned way like everyone else. Yes, we do spells, which in my mind is another way of saying a prayer...one of the features in most churches is to light a votive candle to say a prayer...well we use candles too, for our prayers (spells)--mainly for healing, prosperity or success...but never against anyone for harm as that is against our principles. Its unfortunate that people have so many misconceptions of what true witchcraft is....if they took the time to really read Pagan/Wicca principles they would realize the lies that have been told and propagated by the media and of course the Christian church itself...and like I said...if those kids are claiming they can do witchcraft a la Harry Potter style then they are full of it...that is liars. Sorry if I sound ranty..just gets to me when people don't know the facts like the religious organizations that condemn Harry Potter and claim it promotes witchcraftangry [pyewacket]
Yes hotsummer, those of us on the Pagan/Wiccan path do have "spells" but more the equivalent of a prayer. One can do a spell/prayer for healing, success, prosperity...and usually directed toward oneself and NEVER directed at another person as that is considered a no-no. The only time we can do a "spell" for/directed at another person is if the person actually asks...like one time a friend of mine asked me to do a healing spell for her As for saying spells three times...nope, but often we write our spells in rhyme as it's easier to remember One of the "laws" of Wicca though is whatever one does is the principle of threefold...that is whatever one does can come back to one three times...so in other words that is one of the reason we don't do harmful spells as it can turn against a person three times--sort of a law of karma kind of thing [pyewacket]
I don't think Harry Potter movies promote witchfraft at all, no way! It's all in fun and not seriously portrayed at all. I think kids would be more caught up in the story and how it compares to the books they've loved reading rather than suddenly getting a desire to go off and find an eye of toad or head of newt or any of that crap. lol Even if a child DID get curious about witchcraft through these movies, a good Parent will explain it all to them properly. What could a child possibly do with what's shown in these movies anyway apart from pretend to wave a wand and utter some words etc? [James72]
the church is not saying if we don't do what they say that we are committing a sin as grave as witchcraft. though it is in the bible that disobedience is as just like committing witchcraft. but disobedience not towards the church but towards God. and about killing those witchcrafts. maybe it was different or totally different back then than what it is now.. maybe during those times witch craft were not as what we know or see them today. maybe those witchcraft during bible times were as dark and as bad as we see in fiction films and that was why it was such a big crime. and now we don't do that killings of witches cause it is against the teachings of the bible. and yes, sometimes we can interpret the bible out of context. that is why when i read the bible, i just read and i don't give my interpretation specially if it is too hard to understand. [hotsummer]
It sure is promoting witchcraft. If the author existed hundred years ago and she wrote all those books, chances are, she will be burned in the stakes. It may seem safe to children but they have effects on their lives. It promotes fear and the belief that these being are greater than what God can do. [JAYMAR777]
The books are FANTASY - and if you can't tell the difference between REALITY and FANTASY - perhaps you ought to check yourself into a hospital... If J K had lived hundreds of years ago, she'd've been too busy to write books - fool - and she'd've probably had been writing about saints or pious people if she had - people are creations of their cultures - don't think for a MINUTE that any one falls for that CR*P about what would've happened to someone living hundreds of years ago. I have read the books - YES THE BOOKS - I have some very pious friends who read the books - I have even had clergy in my church give me fantasy books. Harry Potter is a story of good against evil. Just because a person had a gift - that that's what the magic is - or you wouldn't have Hermione Granger who was from a non-magical family having the gifts. If JK had chosen to call them something besides wizards and witches - lots of people would be less upset - but its too late to change it now. They obviously have Christmas not Winter Solstice. So, sure they have Halloween - but she isn't really promoting religion in her books, she's promoting good vs. evil. And you do see that, in the end, the good guys win. [ElicBxn]
I think witch craft and that stuff egsist werewolfs toooooooo... [penevyavor]
do you mean you believe in the existence of werewolfs. i guess if there is a fiction story about it then it can or maybe based on some people experiences before. we don't know about it for sure but it maybe true. [hotsummer]
Hello hotsummer, you are right! When an unevolved human sees something or hears something it gets renderd and formated into his/hers brain. After words the brain begins to scan the information and if decided keeps it and evolves it (this could happen under certain stress, like in horror movies). That's how interests are created. Now if the renderd information is somehow defective it could be fatal for the certain child causing horrible phcycological mutations and such. That is why parents (well at least according to me) should be very careful as to what there children see on TV and anywhere else for that matter. The children's mind is like a sponge. It will absorb anything it comes across. [thokius]
ha ha. i love the way you put it. more full of medical terminologies. and yes what you said it is true. but put in a more complicated words or not simple english words. thanks for your response. [hotsummer]
Hi Hotsummer. This is a very tricky subject. There is two power good and evil. We always teach the children there should be good which is the most important thing; however there need to know that there is evel outthere that trys to remove the good. We just need to teach them how to deal with evil when it trys to attack the good in them. I am an adult and I watch some of the Harry potter movies and I enjoyed them because I know the difference with good and evil. I don't believe there should be a school about how to learn witchcraft good or bad. But its just a movie and unfortunatly it whats sells. what I try to do is have my children read more mystery books where they can learn to solve problems and I educate them on the dark evils outthere. The answer here is educate educate. [gossipzz]
indeed there is good and evil . and i believe the good will triumph over evil. [hotsummer]
When I had a glimpse of one of the earlier versions of harry potter, I immediately realized that it is a movie promoting witchcraft. I didn't promote it to my kids and we have not watched any of the new versions. Many people are talking about it but for me and my house, we would rather spend our time reading our bible and praying than to waste time in a harry the witch potter movie.happy [learn2earn]
in a way we can see that they use the wand a lot of times in the movies and also the words like spell though does not seem a real spell sometimes can in a way promote practice of it. just my one cent. as i want to emphasize my opinion may not reflect reality or truth just my belief. thanks for the response. [hotsummer]
I think it all has to be taken with a grain of salt. To say that Harry Potter promotes witchcraft is like saying Frankenstein promotes graverobbing. Just b/c it's talked about in a movie doesn't make it true. I think the biggest thing about these movies is that parents need to make sure that the kids understand that it is just acting...nothing more. I remember years ago my Nephew was hung up on Freddy Krueger. So much so that he was worried about going to sleep b/c Freddy might come after him in his dreams. I finally sat him down and had him watch the special features on the Freddy movie I had. It showed the actor, how his make-up was done, how some of the scenes were set up and done and so on. After that he wasn't scared anymore. He understood that it was just make believe. The same holds true for any movie. There may be some simularities in real life and the movie but that doesn't mean that it's all real. ~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~ **STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS** [twoey68]
yeah the first movie is way better than the following movies. it has good story and not much in special effects and those fightings. i find the fighting and the too much action disconcerting. like they lost the story because of those actions and fighting. they should have focus more on harry as a student and his struggles but should not go into detail of fighting and creepy scenes. i like the part where they were taught to do magic. kinda entertaining to watch. [hotsummer]
Some kids get too involved with TV and movies. Its the parents who need to make them understand that the movie are just fiction. Some kids have more common sense and don't follow the movies. There are always kids who imitate their superheroes. Its just the way humans are. [VANILLAREY]
yeah. kids naturally have wild imagination. we should closely watch the things they watch and see. [hotsummer]
Hi Hotsummer, I remember all too well what some of your responders are saying about Harry Potter and Witchcraft. I was one of those ignorant people myself at one time in my life. I was TAUGHT by my church (at the time)that Witchcraft was an evil force, and not a religion. Yep.. sure did. I believed it too. I also believed what the preacher said about Harry Potter movies. I was just in the dark as some of these responders are about Harry Potter. I'm reading like some of your responders really BELIEVE that Harry Potter can do magic, fly on a broom, and fight evil wizards with magic! I understand where they might believe that kids watching Harry Potter movies might 'open their minds to evil forces'... they are taught that. If you read the bible, you will see that many people accused Jesus of being an agent of the devil. That's what people did in those days. Anything they didn't understand was to be feared as of the devil. It's still that way today.. preachers start it by giving their opinions in their preaching, and they don't preach fact.. they preach belief. They don't know if what they are teaching is true or just based on the fears of people 2000 or more years ago. Preachers have an end though.. they hope to control the masses. They tell their congregation they have to give 10 percent of their income, plus they need to give an offering on top of that or they are being rebellious and committing witchcraft... so if anyone doesn't do what their preacher/pastor/minister says and give their 10 percent and their offering they are committing WITCHCRAFT, according to what is being preached in church. People believe it too... people that can't afford to live are giving money to TV ministries... they are also giving money to their church to the point where they cannot even support themselves.The poor people are told all kinds of stories that if they give they will be blessed and be given more than they gave. The thing is.. it is the generosity of other people that supports these poor ones who believes they are doing God's work. It is really surprising how people are still dictated to by fear. Christianity isn't the only religion, people! Having other religions is what makes our country great... we DON'T get burned at the stake anymore for having other RELIGIOUS beliefs. [OreoCookie3]
i think that many believes in herbal medicines now. it is just accepted now even in medicine that herbs are effective medicines and there are many medicines now derived from herbs. i do like herbal medicines like those chinese herbal medicines, and even our local herbal medicines in my country. they are great. and sometimes even better than medicines. they are good prevention and cure also to some extent but of course there is limit on what these herbal medicines can do. i know when to use medicines and when to still try to use the herbal medicines. about healing. it is our personal belief already. i don't want to give opinion cause it is hard to prove it to others why i believe what i believe in. i don't want to compare my beliefs about that healing. and about others who act just to say they were healed. i don't have a say about it. never saw one faking it. not many are into doing that in my country. [hotsummer]
Hi hotsummer, I hate to get into this debate about witchcraft, really its wisecrft which comes from people who are wise. What I am trying to say here is that this is 2009 and people(christain) are still condeming witchcraft, I am also a witch but oh!! if I can only do magic, my house will be clen top to bottom with a wave of my wand and all my cooking will done in seconds, no more slaving over a hot stove, I don't know where you people are coming from. I think pyewacket has explained it all but in my opinion, forget Hatty Potter, its all good fun but what about these violent movies and video games? no one has mentioned them, please don't tell me it is hown after the water shed as we all know most kids do watch them, these violent movies are the cause of most vilence that goes on inm this world, kids think nothing bashing or stabbing someone, so why don't these so called christains do something about it instead of bashing Harry Potter? no because these so called 'good christains' turns a blind eye and maybe its their own kids are going on the rampage doing evil things. Tamara [tamarafireheart]
LOL--tamara I sure would love to wave a wand and instantly my apartment was cleaned and my dinner cookedlolrolleyes [pyewacket]
Whatever tv show you are watching should be taken off the air for comitting and promoting the sin of ignorance! Witchcraft as the 'world' perceives it is built on the belief that witches are in league with the Devil. SHOW ME WHERE THE DEVIL SHOWED UP IN HARRY POTTER! These books are fantasy stories that incorporate the use of magic, which at one time was alive and real in the world, because people were so ignorant (!) anything that happened that the peasants didn't understand, was considered magic but because of the influence of Christianity and the Church was then called evil and people were branded witches. Wicca is the practice of witchcraft...........the using of energy, herbs and NATURAL elements to the greater good. The Devil has NO place in real witchcraft! There are always going to be those among us who will twist and warp something good into something evil and ugly. Fear is a great motivator to destroy, and stupidity is an even greater motivator to perpetuate prejudice and fear and ignorance. You should be ashamed of yourself and your countrymen for jumping on the band wagon of ignorance just because some narrow minded, sensationalist evangalist said so! [sparkofinsanity]
i guess different countries have different meaning of witch craft. as witch craft as more into dark side and doing harm and casting spells to make some one to fall in love with you. if you will ask people around here and ask them what is witch craft to them. this is what you will generally hear from them. but i am glad that witch craft in that place will mean just ordinary people or just your friend or neighbor who just took interest to read about Wicca books and believe in their teachings and nothing more. cause witch craft to us involve disappearing in the thin air. LOL. and every thing dark and scary about it. but those new generations here who are more idealism of witch craft stem from harry potter may have kind of witch craft as you guys over there in your country. but the older generation it is always still on the dark side that destroys and harms any one who comes in their way. [hotsummer]
i dont think wichcraft exists so i guess it does nothing to support it.... [grundmang]
i think it exists though i have not personally witnessed it or seen any one i know personally of into it. [hotsummer]
i think in my own opinion it does really promotes witchcraft. But it is just purely and widely imagination of a writer that really has lots of magical things in her mind. But it really depends upon the minds of the people whether they will follow such or not. [gilann]
yes i believe also it does promote witchcraft. but i also believe that the producer may had not intend to do that but in any case the movie still does that. they may only want to produce a beautiful movie with interesting plots and stories but we can't still say that it does not give or promote attention to witchcraft. [hotsummer]
Witchcraft from the word itself is very creative and if really real have a great appeals to me. Many people associated it to the evil side, which might be true..in my own beliefs..their is heaven and hell..bad and good and so is in the field of witch crafts some who have knowledge of it may use it to hurt or harm people that is why their is really a school dedicated to the dark arts similar to the movies of Harry Potter..you do need need to belong to the wizards as even muggles or ordinary people have grown interest on it as evidence in the past centuries and up to the present. Their are groups who form an association and some underground groups who advocate witchcraft...Witchcraft is good if the person who have knowledge use it to battle the evil and save men from a curse..I even visit a websites which taught witch crafts like potion and other rituals..they are quite interesting but plan to read it as to arouse my curiosity, not really with the intention of harming other people...If they are really true..I like to meet a good one.. [neelianoscet]
Haha, funny discussion It can have some sort of influence but so can any other movie. If kid watches Rambo he may want to become a soldier, if he watches Batman he may want to become superhero (or villain:) Will you be afraid to let your kid watch Star Wars cause it may lead him to the dark side? [Bionicman]
I feel like more and more people want to blame the media for things that are happening in our world, and more specifically our children's world. As a parent it is your responsibility to instill in your children a sense of real and fantasy, right and wrong. The reason for so much attention being paid to the Harry Potter series is simply their popularity. These are not the first well-known stories about wizardry, and definitely not the first set in a fantasy setting. Does the series 'promote' witchcraft? No. In order to promote something there has to be a message of "hey, look at this, you should all try this", which these books do not do. Can it possibly prompt people to learn about witchcraft in the real world? Maybe, but I'd imagine they will be sorely disappointed when they realize they cannot levitate objects or unlock doors via a magic wand. [Fennelfoot]
Hi hotsummer, It was a good discussion you have started. I'm a fan of Harry potter Movies and I use to see the movies often with my DVD. And I use to Imitate the spells when I was alone...! Seems wicked right but its truth... I do like that because I love Harry Potter very much. But I do just for fun...! May be children at young age also try to do the same thing...! So explaining them will be the real solution. I guess..! [mynameiscindere]
yeah i think that if we can't stop kids from watching then let them understand that on movies should stay on movies and should not be practiced in real lives. thanks for the reply. [hotsummer]
Ok Harry Potter series may have taken the path to show witchcraft and magic but the final lesson that this story gives is that in the end it is truth and good that wins. So I think there is nothing wrong in taking such a concept to make a movie. When I saw those movies what I learnt best was that it does not matter even if you are a kid. If you have determination and truth on your side you can win. I think when the kids see this movie they may get bit interested by all that magic but along with that they learn about the good virtues that the main characters in the movie (Harry, Ron, Hermionee, Dumbledore, Hagrid) depict. [g_vickie84]
i had fun watching the movie specially made in school setting. brings back a lot of memories. [hotsummer]
Although the Harry Potter movies are set in the thematic background of witchcraft and wizardry, I think that the practice requires a whole lot different knowledge than the classic Halloween type activity that is shown in the movies. Just because you wave a stick at a feather and say, "wingardium leviosa" doesn't necessarily mean that you are doing something that will really result in making objects float. I wouldn't worry about it, they are never emphasizing and promoting the witchcraft aspect of the stories. [monkey_butt_licker]
you have a point there. those words are far from real spell and will not make any things float no matter how much kids or any one try to repeat them by themselves . so it is a safe in that regards. but the impact of the show on the level of interest on the kids on learning the real is what worries the religious sector and not what really being shown on the movie itself. it was like giving a sublimal message to the kids that witch craft are good to apply in our daily lives and something for kids also. [hotsummer]
Yes and no, to me, Harry Potter does premote witchcraft and doesn't. On one side harry is all awesome and powerful, showing off what skills he has and what not. He runs around facing enemies and foes through out the whole movie. And at the end of every movie he triumphs over his nemsis. Projecting to lames everywhere that knowing how to cast an spell, and waving a little twig around in the air, will make you awesome. On the other hand it will also project to people watching the film, that it is just actors running around on screen, pretending to cast spells and what not, that it's just entertainment to those interested in the subject. Life is what you choose to make of it. [oldmanhorrorfan]
life is what you choose to make of it. very well said. i believe only though that the movie give us idea on what kind of life we can have or choose which is not a good thing also. but just my belief. [hotsummer]
You do know real magic and witchcraft is nothing like those movies right? And so what if its promoting witchcraft? Witchcraft is nothing at all like you and others think it is and been taught in church and brainwashed by the preachers. I would go on and say more but well pyewacket pretty much covered a lot of what I was going to say. Pagan and Proud [darkjedi1]
Did someone mention my name?whistle [pyewacket]
No because real witchcraft is nothing like what is seen in Harry Potter. Harry Potter is more wizardry, not witchcraft. Witches do not do the kinds of things the students at Hogwarts do. My friends and I have all seen Harry Potter and have all read the novels, and none of us wants to be witches. If anything we just love the world of it. How it kind of plays off of reality, but it is not reality. That is another thing, PARENTS TEACH YOUR CHILDREN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REALITY AND FANTASY! The characters in Harry Potter are WIZARDS, NOT WITCHES! Know the difference! I don't know how many times I have to explain to children and parents that Harry Potter has nothing to do with witchcraft. They are Wizards. For the record, I know people who are called Witches practice Wicca, and they are not really Witches, they are Wiccans, and it is nothing like you see in Harry Potter. Wicca is more like a religion, similar to Native American Spirituality and Paganism. If you use Wicca for good, then it is good and no harm will come of it, if you use it for evil, then shame on you. Wicca is like any other belief, faith, or religion, it can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. [rogue13xmen13]
Great wizards, by the way, but we all know that they are mythical. They are not real. Gandalf and Merlin never existed. Harry Potter does not exist. Hogwarts is not real. The world of Harry Potter is just a myth. You can try all of the spells in Harry Potter and none of them will work because they are not real spells. I know that in the film and in the novels the school is called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but I have seen no real use of witchcraft in the book or on film and thus could never understand why J.K. Rowling decided to call it the a school for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yes, wizards and witches use spells, but they are not the same thing. There is a difference. [rogue13xmen13]
I wonder if you ever felt the urge to explore the witchcraft world. In past times women were burned at the stake because they were accused of witchcraft, when in fact they were women that had leaned to work with nature rather than trying to get nature to work for them. Remember it was a man's world and any infringement into their domain was not tolerated, and those healers that killed countless thousands with their stupidity and beliefs didn't want women that understood what was natural making them look bad. Read a bit of history, the male history is steeped in ruling with an iron fist and no questions asked, where as woman are the gentle workers that understood compassion and peace. [RobinJ]
yeah i do read of course, when i feel like it. but anyways, since i am not going to apply it on my own life why bother read. i just read on something i intend to follow or do. i don't want to learn and just let it stay on mind and don't follow what i have learned. but i know when i do like to read about i intend to do it. [hotsummer]
never seen harry potter, not a believer in all that garb. [tattylashes]
yeah of course i have, but it just doesn't interest me....i find movies like that painfully boring. [tattylashes]
Hi hotsummer...I don't believe that such movies promote things. I think that movie magic belongs in the movies and parents have a responsibility to say that there is such a thing as fantasy and that's what the movie portrays. I think that there are lots of things that happen in the movies that are just that - fantasy and we need to distinguish between the magic of Hollywood and the reality of life. [deejean06]
people are freakin dummies.....if people think that watching harry potter movies is teaching are children to do witchcraft well then sign me up for hogwarts and give my wand because i was always taught that the stuff you see in movie isnt REAL. lol if there going to ever try an do away with harry potter because of that bull then might as well do away with disiney world because they say thats where the magic happens.............i think people need to get a grip and realize that every thing that they see on tv isnt alwys true. [joshua19]
Purely the movie is only for entertainment. It's up for the parents on how they advice there youngsters in regards to the movies. And for the grown ups, I guess we are mature enough to realize what's right and what's wrong. Witchcraft is not bad, it depends on how you use it. [saphaige]