Dobson officially Denounces Harry Potter
Dobson Officially Denounces Harry Potter
I just read an article where Dr. James Dobson is telling everyone how evil Harry Potter is. This is exactly what Christians do not need. Someone telling you what you can and can't do. Let the Holy Spirit direct you, not Mr. Dobson. It reminded me of a post Pastor Ben did a couple of years ago that I took the liberty of looking up and I actually found it. Ben, I hope you don't mind that I am using it because I thought it was very well written.
So here is another viewpoint on Harry Potter. Enjoy!
Ben's Version
of Finding God
in Harry Potter
Dementors - Creatures who suck the happiness out of your life and keep people prisoner. Ultimately servants of the Dark Lord. (AKA - Demons)
The Dark Lord - Head evil guy who controls Dementors and death eaters - and ultimately wants to rule but he can not because he has one fault - he can not access the greatest power of all which is love. Loves to work behind the scenes so that he is not seen. (AKA - Satan)
House Elves - Servants in our houses who aren't seen but are nonetheless always serving us humans. They want no other than to do their job, and do it faithfully (AKA - Angels)
Death Eaters - Humans in service and bondage to the Dark Lord - who move around in secrecy. They hate anyone who is not a pure-blood and serve only to bind people to thier ideology, and eliminate through death any who do not believe as they do.(AKA - Fundamentalists, Terrorists, religious zealouts as in Jesus's time.)
The Veil - A place beyond life, not so far from here, where we will one day be. (AKA - the place between life and death)
Magic - Spiritual Gifts and Miracles (AKA - Words of knowledge, prophesy, telportation- as in St Paul in the New Testament, healing, teaching, discernment, for entertainment - as in Jesus turned water into wine.)
wizards - People especially gifted with insight into the spiritual realm - and the battle in the heavenly realm.
Hogwart School -A discipleship program especially intended to train people in the Kingdom of God - the rule and reign of his kingdom in this present darkness.
The Mark - Harry POtter is marked from birth with a lighting bolt that came from the Dark Lord (AKA - Sin)
The Wand - A tool used in conjunction with the hand, the emotions (heart) and spoken words that is used as a weapon or defensive tool. (AKA - The Word of God, the sword of the spirit)
Remembral - A tool used to help people remember things (AKA - a PDA - a personal digital assistant)
Broomstick - A tool used for transportation (AKA - a bike or car)
Witches - Any person who uses spiritual truths to inact change. Good witches (AKA - Born again)use spiritual truth to act only in love to give spiritual knowledge or blessings. Bad witches (AKA people with knowledge of the Holy Spirit but still reject him) use spiritual manipulation for their own gain.
Muggles - Any one who does not believe in the spiritual realm (AKA - Secular humanists)
Giants - Large people who most of the world considers ignorant or uninformed - savage, unworthy of our time, trust or relationships (AKA - third world tribes)
Goblins - People in the business of money who give their life to that cause (AKA - money lovers)
Dumbledore - Head (God) of the school (AKA - Church), who preaches disipline, love, mercy, truth and who has no fear, only compassion for those who are hurting.
Harry Potter (Or Neville - for we have yet to know) - Young Man who must give up his life in order to overcome the Dark Lord. He is called the half blood prince (AKA - Jesus)
Sirius Black - Close friend of Harry Potter who dies - causing Harry great anguish (Lazarus)
Spiritual Truth 1 - Mercy Triumphs over judgement
Dumbledore has many instances in which he can kill his enemies - but instead he always chooses to resist the evil of killing someone. When Harry shows mercy where others want to kill, Dumbledore praises his restraint - suggestion that mercy now may one day cause that person to be indebted to you.
Spiritual Truth 2 - Even as young men and women we should begin training each other up in all spiritual knowledge and insight. When darkness has begun to grow and the good teachers have been eliminated, it is incumbant upon Harry to begin teaching his fellow students Defense Against the Dark Arts. He knows that spiritual battle will come and that they need to be taught how to stand firm.
Spiritual Truth 3 - Good & Evil are real
Many modern texts will try to persuade us that there is no such thing as good and evil only people will different truths. In these books, it is clear that evil is evil and that good is good, nothing less than a sharp divide. However, many times we see evil masquerading as good, characters who resemble good but are really imposters as in the "Fake Moody," or the rat, "Scabbers," or the servant "Kreacher."
Spiritual Truth 4 - We sow what we reap.
Harry's Dad teases and bullies his classmate Snape. Snape ends up being Harry's teacher and gives him lots of trouble. The sins of the earthly father are visited upon the son. (Interestingly enough Harry does not do those same things). Also, Sirius is cruel to his house servant and the house servant ends up bretaying him, ultimately leading to his death. Good wizards should have paid attention and cared for the giants - because since they did not, ultimately the enemy got to them to use them for his evil purposes.
praying mantis - Friend - John 15:15 - Call me Amadeo
posted by Keith at 10:46 AM
6 Comments:
Oh great, another Pharisee gone public with his doctrines huh Keith?
Well I love the post, that's pretty awesome. Ben, you really have a way with these things.
hey Keith, Thanks for the vouching at my place. So you know, you win, we don't need a site or a major credit card.
On another subject, what sort of denomination, or non-demomination, is Amadeo? Your faith doesn't seem to fit with any of the strictures that I'm aware of.
Dave,
Thanks for asking. Amadeo is a Vineyard church. Not too sure if Vineyard is really a denomination more than it is a movement.
They believe the Bible and one of their slogans is "Do the Stuff". Meaning to go out and do what Jesus did.
I can email you a more detailed explanation if you would like. Or you can just google it and read all about it. On my sidebar you can go to Amadeo's page and blog.
I came to the Vineyard after we were hurt in a very legalistic denomination that we were a part of for 10 years. What I found at the Vineyard was acceptance where I was at.
Maybe I can send you an email about my whole story, or I may post about it in the very near future as my 7 year sobriety date is fast approaching, and I like to write a lot around that time. That date is Sept 28th.
Be well my friend. Any luck on getting help on that site you're working on?
Last first, I go in fits and starts as it is just something that I think will be worthwhile, but not much in the way of making a living. I should spend more time on it at night and on the weekends, but at that point, I'm tired of thinking for a living.
First last, I'll Google Vineyard and see what I find. Another question that strikes me, if it's a doing faith, what makes it different than any philosophy that teaches doing unto others? The basis aside, "doing" is humanistic to use a sometimes perjorative word.
I think the difference is the faith in and belief in Christ. The Gospel message. I believe that message. Others may not. I would not treat a person any differently if their belief is different than mine. Can people "do the stuff" without it? Yes they can.
I believe in the Bible and have faith in Jesus Christ. Yet I am still no better than any other person. I am just accepting of the grace and forgiveness that Christ offers me.
You are a very smart guy, it comes out in your posts. You also are a very sincere honest person. Just from what I've read on your blog you have a knowledge of the Bible.
I went through some serious garbage in an Assemblies of God church that hurt me and my family deeply. I found a group of believers at the Vineyard who were genuine, honest with each other and me, didn't judge me, prayed for me, and I know that any of them would be there for me.
If you would have asked me even 3 years ago if I would have ever considered going on a church plant, I would have told you that you were crazy man! But after working with the Youth Pastor at the Vineyard in Gilbert (Pastor Ben) I saw the passion he had for loving and helping people and when he went to start this new Vineyard church called Amadeo, we went with him.
I would like to recommend a book to you called Blue Like Jazz written by Donald Miller. You are a thinking man, and questions are good. You may not even believe in God, I don't know. I'll even buy you a copy and send it to you. It is about God, not Religion, not the Pastor.
Enough said my friend. I don't want to get preachy or anything. But I like the dialogue.
Be well.
Here are some other interesting comments from Credenda Agenda, a great Christian Literary Journal to which I subscribe. I generally think they get it pretty correct:
http://www.credenda.org/issues/14-2exlibris.php?type=print
http://www.credenda.org/issues/14-2stauron.php?type=print
http://www.credenda.org/issues/14-2recipio.php
http://www.credenda.org/issues/14-2thema.php
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