Fans are rushing to get tickets and feverishly shopping for Harry Potter toys and other merchandise as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone plays in movie theaters around the world. How-ever, a Christian group in Taiwan has described the best-selling Harry Potter novels as "evil" publications that teach children the language of witchcraft.
Not only have the group's members been banned from seeing the movie or reading the books, but its leaders have warned that "Satan always targets little children first." But this caution has had little impact on ticket and book sales in Taiwan.
Many Christians worry that others may insult or misunderstand what Jesus Christ stood for. As a result, descriptions that humanize Jesus are all taken as heresies. These believers try their best to fight against such descriptions and to ban "incorrect" words, publications and artistic works. They believe that they are doing this because of their faith and love and that they are upholding the holiness of Jesus Christ.
But they forget that when they fight against what they consider to be wrong, they offend many good people. These religious crusaders, though, have no regrets. They think that they are acting to "enforce justice on behalf of Heaven," as the old Chinese saying goes. But in fact they undermine rather than protect their own religion.
If we compare the Harry Potter stories to the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen, there is not much difference in their plots. The only difference is that the Harry Potter series actually contains a solid, science-fiction background. Both the plots and the backdrops are far more exquisite than those of the fairy tales of the past, not to mention the fact that the series is much richer in content.
Perhaps we should define the books as good science fiction novels for children which have managed to capture the hearts of readers of all ages. Both children and adults are so delighted with the stories that they can't put the books down.
To say the books are Satanic propaganda containing instructions for incantations and witchcraft is going to extremes and shows no understanding of literature. Especially in the age of science fiction movies and novels, isn't humanity's wild imagination an extraordinary gift from God?
The imaginary world allows those who live on this small planet to see the universe beyond the Earth -- so that they might stop fighting one another within this confined space. The Harry Potter books, at least, help our children to get to know an imaginary world where they can have some fun. Such imagination is limitless and brings new expressions and ideas to children.
If we are honest about it, the Bible itself contains many stories that are similar to science fiction and have defied interpretation to this day. The Books of Daniel and Ezekiel in the Old Testament and Revelation in the New Testament are difficult for the average reader to understand. Frankly, for a considerable number of readers, these scriptures are just like the Harry Potter books. Many Christians, however, never tire of reading the Bible and do so again and again, coming up with new interpretations every time.
In short, whether the Harry Potter books are evil and spread witchcraft to mislead people is not a matter for Christians to decide. Theological scholars specializing in children's literature will make their own judgements in time. Instead of worrying about negative influences on our children, we should concern ourselves with laying the foundations of a positive religious education for them.
Lu Chun-yi is a pastor at Taipei East Gate Presbyterian Church.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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