Harry Potter: Sinfully Good Reading

A good friend of mine is reading the Harry Potter series for the first time. Her religion tells her that the books are evil because they portray witchcraft in a favorable light and because the "good guy" uses "magic". The debate over the morality of the Harry Potter books has been raging since their initial publication and rise to fame in the late nineties and while I understand that some religions claim that the books go against traditional Christian values because the stories are told in a magical context, I cannot agree with the damnation that certain religious sects have placed on a series whose core message is one of love and tolerance over hatred and bigotry. To claim that the Harry Potter novels are evil simply because magic wands, invisibility cloaks and dragons exist within the plot is not only a gross misjudgment of seven brilliantly written stories but a genuine disservice to the individuals forbidden to read them.

Religious leaders and advocates for the banning of the Harry Potter books from libraries claim that they entice children to practice and perform witchcraft, therefore denouncing God. This claim, aside from being ludicrous and unfounded, is demeaning to our generation. Doesn't placing the novels in the fiction section of the library do enough to discredit their supernatural accuracy? Instead, many claim that we are too ignorant to distinguish between fantasy and reality. A fan of the books myself, I can say without a modicum of doubt that I haven't had the slightest desire to becoming a practicing wizard, much less denounce God. In fact, the Harry Potter series has brought me closer to God by allowing me to better know myself and by instilling in me the power of love and friendship. How can that be a sin?

The primary reason for the damnation of the Harry Potter books lies in the presence of magic in the series. The stories take place in a world where the "good guys", the "bad guys" and those in between use magic. If this alone warrants forbidding your youth to read the stories, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone, Pinocchio, Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz should all go by the wayside as well. After all, "the good guys" do magic in those stories too. In fact, all Disney movies should be disallowed because today's youth might get bad ideas. If you make a decision that sentences one brilliant story to burn, it should apply across the genre; shouldn't it? Do away with fiction altogether. Today's youth are far too susceptible to satanic influence for imagination; aren't they? We should also do away with the phrase "fairytale wedding". Fairies use magic and magic is evil; right? Or maybe the phrase should only apply to evil, homosexual weddings.

I applaud those like my friend who have decided to disregard the taboo placed on the Harry Potter books by those more "holy" than the rest of us. I'm certain they will find the series to be just what I did, an inspiring tale of morals, friendship, trust, honesty, courage, selflessness and most of all, love. And to the pious few who still fear the Harry Potter books are dragging this generation to the flaming mouth of hell I have this to say: The Holy Bible still holds the top spot on the international list of best-sellers. Chill.