I find it really weird as to how Rowling managed to hit it off overnight waving spells with a fantasy filled stories which has craeted such a huge stir worldwide.
I have kids and I have also been literally dragged to the nearest book store in the wee hours of the morning so that they can have their own copies of the latest Harry Potter.
Seriously, I am glad the series is over and there is an end to all this madness.
Christians swear that the Harry Potter series seem to promote wizardry and witchcraft.
Whatever be the case, the author has made her millions ( or should I say billions? ) and she is sitting someplace cozy and tasting luxury for churning out stories while our kids are going around possessed by this young wizard and his magical journeys.....

So what do you all think about this?

I read the whole series....loved it.

I say more power to Rowland and exposing a lot of people to reading books that maybe never would.
She's also a very good writer and definitely knows how to spin an epic from start to finish.

As far as a few nut-job fundamentalists kooks thinking it is somehow "evil," who cares? I'd rather they
publically rant and rave about it so it makes it easier to identify who is mentally unstable. It sure doesn't
hurt book sales, either.

NUK

i agree with nuk. the real nutcases out there always find some book, movie, whatever to blame anyway.

It is bad for kids and for adults as well.

Righteousness and evil comprise all of our lives. Which category does this fall into?

This isn't my opinion, but simply a fact.

The only thing that really exists is the Truth, may we all surrender to Him now

Mark8 ><>

There is so much of evil happening around us in various forms that people no longer identify it. Instead most of us opt the easy way out - ignorance.
If you can't beat them, join them.

The truth will have the last laugh....and what a mighty laugh that is going to be!

I sort of figured this thread was started to bring out the people who have the Taliban mindset of "righteousness" and what's good/bad for adults and kids. Sheesh. Maybe you can invite Fred Phelps to join MMG too.

When you see statements like the below in a discussion:

"This isn't my opinion, but simply a fact."

...you're wasting your time having a discussion. Mind. Closed. Brainwashed. If that isn't bad enough, a person who is too ignorant know the difference between a fact and an opinion is probably not who you want to even bother having a discussion with in the first place.

NUK

Parents should just be glad their kids are reading at all!

As far as wizardry and witchcraft, I don't remember anyone attacking Walt Disney for movies like Pinocchio, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, etc.. which all seem to promote magic.

Jerry

I understand that the truth isn't easily acceptable to all people. Most will go to their
last breath still not confessing it.

The beauty of it is that it's there for all to accept/embrace freely. It's founded upon
one thing: "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". We're all born
broken and seperate from Him. If we're honest, we see that, we confess that to Him.

Salvation is free, but true Christinity costs. I've received His mercy because I've admitted
to Him that I'm not worthy of it. He doesn't want what I can do for Him. He wants me. I'm
not the Author of it but there is only the truth. He wants you too, but you need to go
to Him and confess. Truth is simple/obvious if you love it/want it

note:I'm just presenting the truth
you're accepting or rejecting it.

Mark8 ><>

I totally reject your version of any truth that somehow the belief in "Him" or "Whoever" and enjoying a book of fiction have to be mutually exclusive of each other.

NUK

what's the truth to one person may not be the truth for everyone. people have different beliefs, always will be that way. doesn't mean one is right and the others are wrong.



i like your post, totally agree with all of it...
besides, i don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying a good imagination..then again i like Halloween so what do i know..

You guys, I'm not trying to offend anyone or cause any trouble. I responded to
the openning query Is Harry Potter Good Or Bad For The Kids? with the
answer. The truth is what matters most, not my opinion. That has no power.
What I do know though is that there is no my truth, your truth, his truth, her
truth, only THE truth:

The apostle Paul to the church at Thessalonica:

2 Thess 2: 2---12

2.----the day of Christ is at hand.
3. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition;
4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God,
-
-
-
-
8. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming.
9. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and
signs and lying wonders,
10.And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11.And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie.
12.That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure
in unrighteousness.

I didn't write that. Opinions are debateable pretty much, but truth isn't. We don't get to
choose what is or isn't true but we are free not to accept it/Him/reality.

My words may seem harsh and I regret that, but the hour us late and it's time that men
be men and the truth be spoken without apology.

Bless the Lord
Mark8 ><>




Hey, I recognise that my style of delivery could use a little more tact
and a bit more of the human element so please disregard me, but not
the Word.
Mark8 ><>

In response to the original question, I think the series is fantastic for kids (and adults). Any series that encourages kids to read and allows them to get lost in their imagination is ok in my book

Sure, if you look hard enough you can find some "evil" themes, but clearly fictional witchcraft/wizardry is, in my opinion, the least of our societies concerns. Addittionally, I think those very few "evil" themes are more that offset by positive themes about courage, intelligence, family, etc.

When I started this thread, I was generally interested in finding out how others would feel about this particular author's books and not book reading in general for kids. I certainly am glad when I see my kids take up a book ( other than their school textbooks ) and loose themselves in a captivating story. However, there are far too many childrens' books out there in the stores and libraries to choose from. I am sure that there are books which come across as ' clean ' when compared to wizardry and witchcraft. I bet Rowling is not the best children's story writer. Her publisher's marketing and promotional efforts have worked wonders for her.
At the end of the day, it is up to the parents to help their children to understand which is good or bad in what they read. Merely being glad that it is ok as long as they read something is an easy way out.
A child sees the world through the eyes of his or her parents. I do not object fantasy and magic as long as our children know where imagination ends and reality begins.
Morals taught through stories are an excellent mode of communication which has to be appreciated
and there are numerous authors who swear by it.
Yes, there is so much 'evil' all over the place to worry about but we must do our best to make sure that the future generation knows what to choose.

mark would be right assuming:
- There is a "god"
- he/she is a christian
- he/she is a fundamentalist

But in my opinion I think it's a great series, it really captured my imagination; so much so it's a bit of a let-down when you come back to the real world and I hope there's another book/series out there that can capture my imagination just as much.

I'm not sure what you mean by "there are far too many children's books."?

Anyway, the Harry Potter series is way beyond anything resembling "children's books" as it captivated adults right away and especially the 15-25 segment that really drives markets.

As far as Scholastic's marketing, if you consider sending some posters and cardboard cut-outs to retail book chains "marketing," I guess they do. They have spent very little money since the first book in any form of advertising simply because they didn't need to. The demand for the books is so great that the retailers do all the marketing for them.

Rowland is one of the better authors of any genre out there. I read about 10 books a month and a few are generally from the bestseller lists. Her writing puts a lot of the generic junk out there to shame, which is why Harry Potter has appeal to all ages and not just one segment of the market. Most authors cannot reach an audience that is so huge because they lack the writing chops to cross generational gaps.



Since adults are reading Harry Potter and probably making their kids wait until they finish it for themselves , that's not a problem here. Yeah, I think about everyone would agree that parents need to know what their kids are reading, what they are watching on TV, who they hang out with....you know, being a PARENT.



I like to think that as a parent that kids are raised with a solid enough foundation to reach adulthood and make informed, reasoned decisions, even ones that parents might not agree with. I'd hope they would also know the difference between stories based on fantasy or unproven mythology/superstitions and reality.

NUK

I never said Rowland lacked creativity. In fact, that is what the whole series is about. I am a post graduate in Literature and I have always been an avid reader since childhood. To say that Rowland's communicative and writing skills are far better than other authors is definetly overestimating her potentials. This is again, not what I have been referring to all this while. This is, I believe, an open discussion on Harry Potter and its affect on young minds. It is all about the content.
However, it is a known fact that there have been hundreds of reports from all over the world of children getting too engrossed in fantasy and imaginative tales/movies/games so much so that they attempt to imitate the so called superheroes,etc. and end up hurting themselves. There have been too many fatal accidents as well.
Unless guided and monitored by adults/parents, children will not realise what is right from wrong. To think that unless they learn from their mistakes, they will never be independent does not apply here, does it?
In the case of adults reading Harry Potter, I am sure that no sane person would think that leaping out of a window with a broomstick on tow would send us gliding across the skies!

This may not be the case for an innocent child.

harry potter books made children stare away from the tv and computer screen and look at books again. thats good.

i agree with nuk. the real nutcases out there always find some book, movie, whatever to blame anyway.

Yeah, if book could keep my children to stay away from blue monitor - i'll give em a book .

It even got some adults reading again. Thats good