Harry Potter And Witchcraft

My children were not allowed to read these books or see the movies. I know witchcraft is sin and I didn't want any part of it.

Ken and I were walking the other day and I asked him his thoughts about the Harry Potter books and movies. He didn't really have a strong opinion either way. He pointed out that we watched The Wizard Of Oz growing up, along with a lot of Disney movies that had witchcraft in them.

The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe has witchcraft in it. Most of these movies do portray a struggle between good and evil where good triumphs.

My question: Just because we watch a movie with some witchcraft in it, does that mean we are participating in it?

I used to love the television series called Monk. Every show started out with a murder. Was I participating in that murder, because I was watching it? I think not. The Bible has a lot of stories with murder and evil in them. So where do we draw the line?

I asked my 29 year old son what he thought since he read them last year and this is what he replied: "Yes, I will allow my kids to read them when age appropriate, probably middle school age. I've read them and found them to be very well written and entertaining. I don't think they're too different from Lord of the Rings since good triumphs over evil." He did tell me that the later books are darker so he wouldn't let his children read them until they were a bit older.

I think this is just another gray area where everyone has to be convicted in their own mind and seek God's wisdom. I am very convicted about not watching movies with immodesty, sex, and a lot of foul language. We are commanded to dwell on the lovely, good, and pure.  But I am sure I can watch a good murder mystery or fantasy movie and not sin.

This is why we have to be so careful in judging others. God doesn't spell everything out in black and white. He sent His Holy Spirit to live inside of us to convict and encourage us. We must listen to him and know God's Word. We need to be sensitive to live our lives for the Lord, which means earnestly loving others and doing good.

I am sure there are godly children out there who have seen Harry Potter movies and are not involved in witchcraft. I just didn't feel comfortable with them, especially as society around us gets darker and darker. I want my light to shine brightly...not by judging others in issues that are not clearly spelled out in Scripture, however, but living my life pleasing to Him.

The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 

Romans 14:22

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