Pros and Cons

PRO


This controversy has two very diametrically opposed responses:


"Reading the Harry Potter books promotes investigation by children into the occult?"





"To in any way condone entertainment that glorifies that which is born in the pits of Hell is to court disaster."





It is amazing how these innocent fantasy books have shaken up the world. J.K. Rowling had no intention of causing such an outrage. In fact, these books should develop readers' literacy and thoughtful. So the question that has everyone bottled up is if Harry Potter contains source of withcraft and Satanism that will lure others to follow, or is it simply a book of literature that truly demonstrates good morals and meaningful life lessons. I say this because one of J.K. Rowling's most evident themes is the triumph over good versus evil:





"'Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leave its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.'" Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Chapter 17, pg. 216





This concept is evident in most of the Harry Potter series. This shows how J.K. Rowling has incorporated good morals behind all the magic. Through the magic, in fact, she demonstrates real life themes, primarily love and death. This is what the Harry Potter books are really about, not the craft of becoming a witch and conjuring up spells. However, some people believe it can be construed like that.





CON



Those people against reading Harry Potter believe that children are susceptible to converting to occultism. They believe, without Rowling's intention, she creates "little resistance to her seductive call". (source). They fear that those who are easily influenced can possibly find delight in witchcraft, and they will learn to crave more. According to an article in Christianity Today, there was a personal story of a person who became obsessed with supernatural thoughts over a course of ten years of her life. This woman recollects that the local Barnes & Nobles bookstore nearly sold out it's floor display of Teen Witch Kits. However, there is very little evidence of practices of witchcraft in America. For instance, police have caught crimes that seem related to witchcraft, however they find very little hard evidence. There is a very small percentage of organized groups that worship Satan.

The fear that Harry Potter will influence children, especially teenagers to the "dark side" is embedded within the general fear of teenagers involved with pop culture. For example, another popular fantasy-related fad, Dungeons and Dragons, is a game in which kids will role play into make believe characters and enroll under different imaginary adventures using dice. A mother claims that her seventeen- year old son shot himself after a Dungeons and Dragons curse was placed on him. Cult-seminars want to use this to ban role-playing games, paralleling to the thought of banning the Harry Potter books. For years, adolescents have been known to be rebellious; listening to loud music with sporting hairstyles, and clothing to match. The more perverse have defaced walls, toppled gravestones, broken into empty houses, and set fires.

Those suspicious of these elements, such as cops, therapists, and preachers believe pop culture can lead to potential corruption. Witchcraft and Satanism is said to be a great threat to American future. Role-playing games are leading teenagers to suicide and Satanism are redisposing them to crime. This is an example of the fear of change in society due to the breakdown of traditional society life.