Poll: Harry Potter

[temporal1]

Please choose, no limit on choices. You may change your choices.
Your thoughts are most welcome.

[cmbl]

I grew up Evangelical, and was in the Harry Potter age bracket when it was becoming a big thing. My mother asked advice of one of her friends in a similar church, and their conclusion was - you're not missing much by not reading it. It's dark - the end justifies the means. So we children did not read them.

I'm sure there was a time or two when I wished I could have read them, to understand what the other children in school were talking about, but overall I think I was pretty much OK with it. I don't remember any strife about it.

Same way with American Idol.

[Valerie]

I can't imagine any Christian allowing it in their home. Sorcery? Really? I understand they get progressively 'darker'. I was shocked that Laura Bush. did a Harry Potter Christmas tree while in white house.

[Neto]

We did not "allow it", but older children will read it if they are determined to, or sometimes at school, as assigned reading. (I was assigned to read "1984" when I was in HS (possibly my Sophomore year, 1971-72), but finally went to the teacher and told her that I could not continue to read it. (This was my own decision - most parents were not as aware of what all was in the public school class programs back in those days.) The teacher DID allow me to choose a different book, but I was not given any time extension.

[steve-in-kville]

As with a lot of things, the simple fact it has a cult following is ride for concern. Same with Star Wars. I have co-workers who completely "geek out" over this stuff. Lately its been Game of Thrones. People loose their minds over this, and its responsible adults.

[temporal1]

Tennessee Catholic School:

“Harry Potter books removed from St. Edward Catholic School due to 'curses and spells' “
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/r ... 168489001/

An earlier thread on magic:

“Magic in writing”
http://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php ... rry#p18205

[temporal1]

As with a lot of things, the simple fact it has a cult following is ride for concern. Same with Star Wars.

I have co-workers who completely "geek out" over this stuff.
Lately its been Game of Thrones.

People loose their minds over this, and its responsible adults.

Cult followings are unhealthy, i’m not fond of “marketing gold,” either.
We avoid all things disney, in decades past, we enjoyed disney entertainment.

Last evening, i visited a Barnes&Noble bookstore with my grdaughter, H Potter merchandise EVERYWHERE.

We were not looking for HP, but the young clerk was enthusiastic about pushing not just HP, but various titles of books with similar themes! There is an “in crowd” aspect to it.

Removing Christianity from public schools, while allowing Halloween to take primary position in its place, over Christmas and Easter, et al., comes at a high price.

The importance, and formality, Halloween has gained in public schools, and the public arena, since i was a child is beyond measure. Today, many well-educated adults commit a lot of themselves to celebrating Halloween.

When i was young, Halloween was A DAY, or evening, when children would dress up after school, older children would often play tricks of some kind, then it was over. No weeks or months of planning and preparation, important parties, etc.

Christmas and Easter, Thanksgiving, were the primary days for planning and preparation in public schools.

To clarify -
i’m not saying i believe Christianity should be taught in public schools.
it should not be specially banned.

however, i believe many many folks FAILED to grasp the importance of replacing the removal of Christianity in schools (both at home and in churches). i see this as a major failure.
today, lots of children have no exposure to the spiritual world outside Halloween and other solely pagan fantasies.

[AnthonyMartin]

I don't encourage them to read it or keep it on the shelf. If they inquire I say yes with age restrictions. I am a fan of engaging literature, both modern and old, and engaging the ideas. I did the same thing with Rick Riordan, JRR Tolkein and JK Rowlig. Riordan and Rowling are nowhere near the quality of literature of Tolkein and Lewis. When they inquired about them I read them along with the children reading and then we discussed concepts like mythology, the value of happy endings and why current literature tends to avoid happy endings. Also how lines of good and evil are currently being blurred by current thought.

From my perspective a 13 year old can process that thought.

[Szdfan]

I don't encourage them to read it or keep it on the shelf. If they inquire I say yes with age restrictions. I am a fan of engaging literature, both modern and old, and engaging the ideas. I did the same thing with Rick Riordan, JRR Tolkein and JK Rowlig. Riordan and Rowling are nowhere near the quality of literature of Tolkein and Lewis. When they inquired about them I read them along with the children reading and then we discussed concepts like mythology, the value of happy endings and why current literature tends to avoid happy endings. Also how lines of good and evil are currently being blurred by current thought.

From my perspective a 13 year old can process that thought.

I think this is a pretty healthy way to engage something that the kids want to read, but the parent finds problematic.

[temporal1]

I don't encourage them to read it or keep it on the shelf. If they inquire I say yes with age restrictions. I am a fan of engaging literature, both modern and old, and engaging the ideas. I did the same thing with Rick Riordan, JRR Tolkein and JK Rowlig. Riordan and Rowling are nowhere near the quality of literature of Tolkein and Lewis. When they inquired about them I read them along with the children reading and then we discussed concepts like mythology, the value of happy endings and why current literature tends to avoid happy endings. Also how lines of good and evil are currently being blurred by current thought.

From my perspective a 13 year old can process that thought.

The books have no age restrictions, parents can do what they can, and should.

Children share what they know.
They do not think of ages or abilities of other children, they share all they know.

Because there seems to be public “horror” at the TN school decision, (i think) the Catholic school has every reason and right to not allow certain books; home schools, private schools can do that.

If private schools are not allowed to be different from gov schools, what’s the point?

i’m pretty much where you are in response (to everything children bring home).

This was a key error parents made when Christianity was removed from public schools.

On this forum, possibly the majority saw this early on, or before it happened (??) -
but, in the world, there was unlimited trust and respect for government education, most did not foresee what was to come. Families worked hard and sacrificed to get it.

If parents AND churches had done as you are describing, i.e., teaching to analyze+question, teaching to be alert to demand balanced facts, teaching in Christian perspective, the DOE would likely be in a far healthier position today.

That did not happen, many children and adults are now wandering without direction.
Children adore Harry Potter, Star Wars, Disney, not knowing Jesus Christ’s name.

The DOE has become a tool for lib politics, no children too young to escape indoctrination.

It’s never too late for Truth.
Parents, families, churches continue to have the obligation to lead and teach.

Today, it’s widely recognized how important this is, those who are able reject public schools.
i have mixed feelings on this. home schools and private schools are great!

however, it makes me wonder how much better public schools might be, if all these children, with their conscientious families and churches, were present and counted? without them, we see gov schools become evermore secular and politically based+biased. from youngest ages.

public schools have been hijacked for lib politics.
this is abuse of the Public Treasury.

in the past, parents, like it or not, expected their college students to be exposed to “academic liberalism.”

today, this is the norm from preschool.
young children don’t stand much of a chance in such environments. they get it, spoon-fed, presented to them literally with rainbows+unicorns!

this is what i see IRL in public schools. and public libraries. and “everywhere.”
to be sadly honest, many churches are right there with them, going with the flow.

today, it’s newsworthy when faith-based schools attempt to set Christian standards.
to repeat, without, what is the point?

parents and churches have their work cut out for them.
too many trusted too much for too long.