Popularity always comes with a price. Being one of many, or a mediocrity, may not be extremely exciting, but it does not breed stress. When something - be it a person, idea, or story - becomes popular and is thrust into the limelight, it is immediately opened up to criticism, scrutiny, jealousy and hatred. Even though it is the majority that favor this entity and generated its popularity in the first place, there will always be an individual or group destined to find flaws and expose them. Such is the plight of the Harry Potter novels; trying to defend themselves against conservative Christians who would rather burn the books than read them. These Christians do not understand that the Harry Potter books are meant to entertain, open up the imagination and encourage literacy; not to encourage individuals to join religions or give instructions on how to do so.

Just how popular is Harry Potter? It truly is a phenomenon like nothing that has come before. As of this date, six Harry Potter novels have been released as well as four Harry Potter films. Three of those four films are in the top ten highest grossing films of all time. The one film that did not reach the top ten is not far behind at number sixteen (“Worldwide Grosses”). Each new book continues to outdo its predecessor in book sales, but all six of them have set records: “[E]ach title has been #1 on The New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. The sixth title, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, set a new world record for a first printing, with 10.8 million copies hitting stores on July 16, 2005” (“About the Books”). Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince also set the record for being “the fastest-selling book in history” when 8.9 million copies of the book were sold within the first twenty-four hours of its release in the United States and Britain (“Sixth Potter Book,” 2005).

This popularity is not limited to children, whom it was first thought these books were intended for. The story of Harry Potter has captured the hearts of young and old alike. It is not merely the child who would love to live in a world full of magic, where you can hex a classmate that is picking on you and turn invisible under a cloak. Adults can also appreciate cars that fly, dishes that wash themselves and the ability to disappear and reappear hundreds of miles away. Apart from the fantasy aspects of the story, all age groups are drawn to the character of Harry: an orphan child who has been abused and neglected his entire life, just now discovering who he is and what his mission in life should be.

What then, could be so horrible about these novels, that several Christian groups have advised steering clear of them? There are several arguments; the first being that the books are too violent for children and may scare them. That then begs the question: Should children read the Harry Potter books? This question has no right or wrong answer. Looking to professionals, such as librarians or bookstore owners, only adds to the confusion; the Harry Potter novels can be found in the children section, the young adult section, and the adult section. In Britain, two versions are printed. The content of the books is the same, but the cover of one version is geared toward children while the cover of the other is geared toward adults. The novels have won awards in both children and young adult categories (“Most Honored”). So how does one know? Books are not given a rating, as movies are, which plainly tell concerned parents whether or not a movie is appropriate for a particular age group. A six year old could just as easily walk into a bookstore and purchase War and Peace as they could Clifford the Big Red Dog.

According to the American Library Association, young adults are “individuals between 12 and 18 years of age” (“Young Adult”). At the beginning of the first Harry Potter novel, the character Harry is just turning eleven years old; so that lends to the conclusion that children below the ages of eleven or twelve most likely should not be reading these books. Ultimately, it is up to the child’s parent to be in tune with their child’s developmental rate and decide whether or not their particular child is ready for them or not; just as a child can be admitted into a PG-13 or R rated film if they have an adult accompanying them. Ken James of ChristianAnswers.net agrees when he states, “Parents, whether Christian or not, must take an active role in what their children are being exposed to and determine what is appropriate” (2001).

Now that small children have been discussed, what threats do Harry Potter novels pose to preteens, teens and adults? First, a bit of clarification is needed. Not all Christians have come united against the Potterverse. “Chuck Colson of Breakpoint, the editors of World Magazine, and Connie Neal (author of What’s a Christian To Do With Harry Potter?)” see no problems with the series (James, 2001). Those Christians who do have a problem argue that the novels have the potential of pulling impressionable individuals towards the occult. Their claim is that the magic in Harry Potter is so alike real occult magic, that it could be used as a stepping-stone into the real thing.

In Ken James’ article, he quotes Caryl Matrisciana as saying, “J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, has gone through an awful lot of research. She is very accurate […]. This is a true representation of witchcraft, and the black arts, and black magic” (2001). First of all, one would hope that an author does his or her research before writing a novel. Would it be prudent to read a novel on gardening that was written by someone who had not researched the topic? Anyone who read this gardening novel and had an ounce of knowledge about the subject would be very upset. In that vein, no fault should be found with J.K. Rowling for researching the topic of Witchcraft that is so prevalent in her series. She did not research it in order to lure individuals into real Witchcraft. She did so in order to make a clever and interesting story. Her research guided her into naming a wizard who can turn into a dog, Sirius, after the dog-shaped constellation, Sirius. Did she choose this to lure children into studying astronomy? Of course not. It’s witty and clever. Most readers appreciate those qualities in fiction writing.

Is the witchcraft in Harry Potter really as accurate as Caryl proclaims though? Kimberly Beaupre, the “New Hampshire state director of Witches Against Discrimination” and a practicing Wiccan reports, “The general consensus (among Wiccans) is it is fiction and in no way represents our true beliefs” (Roy, 2000). Peter Mather, a Wiccan priest, echoes her sentiment, “I’ve read these books, […] and I must say that these books no more promote witchcraft than ‘Anne of Green Gables’ promotes moving to Nova Scotia” (Roy, 2000). A female, thirty-nine year old Wiccan even goes as far as saying that Harry Potter could be hurting their religion as opposed to helping it:

Wicca’s credibility is undermined by its association with youth subculture: it is considered a trend and the practice of magic and everything that sounds exotic is highlighted. I would consider the public representations of Wicca quite flimsy: TV series like Charmed and films like Harry Potter create the image of a powerful occult counter-culture, not the image of religion. There is hardly any objective information on the Wiccans’ Goddess or worldview. (Hjelm, 2006)

Simply speaking, if a teen were to become fascinated with Harry Potter magic and join a group of Wiccans expecting to experience the same type of magic, they would be sorely disappointed. Would they continue their Wiccan walk when asked to worship a Goddess who is never mentioned in Harry Potter? Would they be content with using their energies only for good along with the Wiccan creed of “harm none?” Would they get just as excited over a potion that removes warts as the felix felicis potion in Harry Potter that gives the drinker good luck? Chances are, the answers would be no.

            Wicca is a religion based on a deep love and respect for nature and all living things. Followers of Wicca worship a Goddess and God and ask for their guidance. The spells Wiccans perform do not use wands or produce flashes of light. The “potions” they brew do not give you the ability to transform into another person or make someone fall in love with you. Herne of Wicca.com explains, “The spells that we do involve healing, love, harmony, wisdom and creativity. The potions that we stir might be a headache remedy, a cold tonic, or an herbal flea bath for our pets” (“What is Wicca”).

            There are other practitioners of witchcraft who are not Wiccan, but they are much more difficult to find or summarize. Wicca is a newer, widespread religion, open to all who show an interest. Witchcraft itself is an old religion that predates Christianity. It is very difficult to learn, understand, and practice Witchcraft by ones self. Instead, those interested in the Craft would need to find and join a coven; a small group of witches. It is hardly arguable that real world magic exists. This religion would not have stood the test of time if it yielded no results. The decision comes when the practitioner decides to use this magic for good, therefore becoming a witch; or for evil, therefore becoming a Satanist (Abel, 1996).

            This distinction matters little to Christians though, if at all. According to the Christian Bible, all witchcraft is an abomination to God, whether it is used for purposes of love and harmony or evil and sacrilege. In the Old Testament, practitioners of witchcraft were driven out from the Lord’s nation on His orders. Therefore, Christians should have nothing to do with Witchcraft, Wicca or Satanism. They are to be commended for sticking to the rules, but, in this case, they have taken it too far.

At least three book burnings have occurred in which the Harry Potter novels were used as fuel. The first, held in New Mexico, focused solely on the Potter series (“Church group”). The other two, taking place in Pennsylvania and Michigan, burnt any material that could pull a follower of Christ astray and included Harry Potter as a contributor (Lee, Zander). A pastor in Maine wanted to hold a burning ceremony for the series, but could not obtain a permit, so instead chose to maim the books with scissors (Schwartz, 2002). Also, apart from destroying and defaming the novels, they are being challenged on a continual basis in hopes of having them removed from libraries. According to the American Library Association, J.K. Rowling was the fourth most challenged author between the years of 1990 and 2004 (“Top Ten”).

If a family who owns the books decides that the books are not right for them due to moral reasons, getting rid of them is definitely their best option; but burning or destroying them serves no purpose. This is not a time where books are hand-written and burning one destroys all of the ideas it contains. This is a time where millions of copies are being printed during a book’s first run alone and one destroyed copy makes no difference. The only statements being made by burning them are of selfishness and attention craving. In the spirit of Christian giving, those books could be donated to a charity and given to young adults who do not have moral issues against them. Instead, they play games like the Pharisees of the New Testament, who Jesus rebuked for doing things in God’s name, which were really just for show.

            There are other problems with these Christian groups focusing so sharply on the Harry Potter novels. The Harry Potter story is not the first to incorporate “good” witches, wizards and magic. Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings novels is a good wizard. The Jedi in Star Wars use a type of magic called The Force. In the world of cartoons, there are many characters who fit this profile: the Sorceress in He-Man, Papa Smurf of the Smurfs and Zummi of Disney’s Gummi Bears. The Good Witch of the North, Glenda, of Wizard of Oz fame, cannot be dismissed either. Jennifer Baker makes a good point by asking:

Where does it all stop? When will we get a declaration on the immorality of Goldilocks – a robber guilty of breaking and entering and yet regarded as a heroine by children around the globe? Or Snow White, who left home at an early age because of abuse by her stepmother and avoided homelessness by living with seven miners and becoming their slave? (2005)

Why then are these immoral books, movies, shows, and stories not being reduced to ashes? They simply aren’t as popular as Harry Potter.

            The third and final main argument made by conservative Christians against Harry Potter is that it does not promote Christianity or Christian ethics. The initial response to this argument by most non-Christians is something along the lines of “well, duh!” While the author is a church-goer, she is a secular fiction writer, not a Christian writer; so expecting her to include religion in her books is silly. Religion is not essential to the story. If these Christians looked a little deeper though, they may be surprised at the Christian references that are made in the novels. Both the Christmas and Easter holidays are observed at Hogwarts (the school which Harry attends). Rowling could easily have called them “winter break” or “spring break” if she so desired, but did not. At Christmas time, one of the suits of armor in Hogwarts castle was found singing “O Come, All Ye Faithful” which is not a secular Christmas song, but a Christian one. One of the ghosts who inhabit the school is even a Friar (Linsenmayer, 2001). These examples seem to prove that witches and wizards in the world that J.K. Rowling has created do recognize and may even practice the Christian religion.

            Apart from the Christian faith being referenced in the books, Christian morals can be found within as well. According to the Bible, “love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:8). Love is the main theme of the Harry Potter novels. Harry’s mother died in an attempt to save Harry. Her love inadvertently cast a spell of protection onto Harry, which ended up saving his life. The love in Harry’s heart for his deceased parents and his friends was so strong that Harry’s evil enemy, Lord Voldemort, could not physically touch him. Voldemort’s incapability to love is seen as a weakness that could eventually be his undoing.

            Another strong Christian theme is that of sacrifice. Harry’s mother has already been mentioned, but there are more examples. In the first novel, Harry’s friend Ron was willing to sacrifice himself in order for Harry to keep the villain from gaining back his power. Dumbledore’s pet phoenix sacrificed himself to save Dumbledore from a killing curse. Then in the latest novel, Dumbledore sacrificed himself to help Harry gain knowledge that will assist him in defeating the villainous Voldemort. Are these not acts that the Christian faith would applaud?

            This is not to say that Harry and his friends are perfect. No children (or adults for that matter) are. They do occasionally break rules, lie and cheat; but they are also punished for these actions, just like in the real world. When caught, professors give detention to children who decide to disobey. Even when their offences are not caught, there are consequences for their actions. In the fifth Harry Potter novel, Harry makes a rash decision that leads he and his friends into a trap, eventually resulting in the death of his godfather. J.K. Rowling paints a very clear picture that immoral behavior will lead to trouble.

            Even with all of these positive points, Potter’s phenomenal book and movie sales have erupted fear in the hearts of Christians. If something is more popular than God, it must be of the devil, mustn’t it? What the Christians fail to realize is that Harry Potter is not more popular than God, is not more popular than religion and never will be. The Bible is, and will continue to hold the title of, the best selling book of all time (“All-time Bestselling”). There are no churches or schools dedicated to the study of Harry Potter. There are no missionaries traveling the world attempting to convince people to read Harry Potter.  To call it a fad would be a fallacy. Fads do not last this long or create such exponential sales; but in the grand scheme of things, Harry Potter will have no impact on Christianity or its followers. Fifty years from now, it will most likely still be popular, just as Tolkien’s books are still popular today; but it will no longer be the phenomenon it is now, in its birth years. These concerned Christians would do better to realize this and ride out the remainder of the phenom without turning off too many more non-believers by so vocally displaying their fear.

References

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http://www.cesnur.org/recens/potter_069.htm.

'Satanic' Harry Potter Books Burnt. (2001). Retrieved Feb. 16, 2006, from BBC News Web site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/1735623.stm.

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Zander, C. (2005). Christians Unite to Burn Harry Potter Books. Retrieved from Send2Press Web site: http://www.send2press.com/newswire/2005-08-0803-003.shtml