harry potter | ADHD Information
It's all make-believe. HP doesn't teach kids how to actually weild magic - it's a story! Magic in that sense doesn't exist. Besides, there are plenty of very real lessons to be learned from them anyway - the importance of friendship, loyalty, bravery, right and wrong, morality, responsibility, and plenty of other things. Never mind the fact that the heros of the story use magic for good, not evil. The theme is one of ultimate good vs. evil.Are your kids not allowed to watch any cartoons with unicorns or fairies or elves or anything else "magical" either? I guess you don't watch any Disney movies either - lots of magic in those.
I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound rude, but the whole "Harry Potter = evil and bad" issue just doesn't make any sense to me. Kids need a little imagination and humour in their lives.
[QUOTE=daniel's mom]Not allowed in our home cause teaching about Witch craft. We are Bible believers here which tells us saty away from evil. [/QUOTE]
Thats one of the crazest things ive ever read, a fictional story. FICTIONAL. Ya know Some people claim the bible is a fictional story as well. (can of worms)
Anyway, I havent read the book, i only watch the movies. LOL
kdiddy
I so agree with you! One of my friends won't allow it in her house, her kids read the books behind her back. If you believe in god and the bible, watching the movie or reading the book is not going to change your faith. Yes there are witches (as we found out) but that is the path they choose.
99% of all fairy tales The Wizard of Oz The Chronicles of Narnia The Lord of the Rings
The Velveteen Rabbit Most Disney stories and many, many more.... Hang on, most religions (including Christianity) vehemently believe that animals don't have souls. There goes any story which gives personification and/or cognitive thought to an animal:
Black Beauty White Fang Watership Down Care Bears (double whammy - they have magic too) Winnie the Pooh The Land Before Time Sesame Street The Muppets Again, most Disney stories and many, many more
And certainly the Bible would strongly disagree with any mere man having superpowers:
Spiderman Superman Batman and obviously any other superhero The Bible makes no reference to aliens or ghosts, so say goodbye to Casper, ET, Star Wars, etc.
And who said we could make up our own animals, ones that God Himself did not put on the earth? Unicorns, dragons, imps, elves, leprechauns, all fit this blasphemous bill.
And it goes without saying that Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and Halloween must all go too.
Where, exactly, do you draw the line?
My BF, however, was raised quite differently. His mother didn't let him watch any horror movies, read comic books other than "Archie", or even see a movie or tv show with cussing as mild as "damn", even into his teen years. "It's just wrong", she told him. So what did he do? He watched movies and read comics at his friend's house, cursed like a sailor behind his mother's back, just cuz he could, and worse, he learned to resent his mother for not believing he had enough sense to not turn into some raving derelect simply because he saw a few monsters or heard a few bad words.
Moral - if kids want to do something, they eventually will whether you think they should or not. I would simply prefer for them to do it under my nose rather than sneak out and do it. In the case of something like Harry Potter, I would tell them that it is just make-believe, that nobody can actually cast spells for real, and enjoy the story.
Well said Barb. I can never understand why people cannot disagree without namecalling....and using the term 'ridiculous' is name calling when referring to another person's beliefs.
I'm no fan of Harry Potter. I've never read it; the subject matter does not interest me.
I think it's a wonderful idea to allow our children to experience life (including watching movies or reading books recommended at school) and then discuss them with our children. Too often what's presented at school is the only point of view our children see. Discussions such as you described help kids learn critical thinking skills and an ability to see both sides of an issue...and decide for themselves. We cannot protect them forever, and the sooner we teach them that they don't have to accept everything at face value, the sooner they will learn to make good choices and stick by them.
Daniel's mom...it is wonderful that you support your husband's views. However, based on your response, that you are 'just honoring his wishes', makes me wonder how you feel, and whether you agree or disagree with him on this, or other issues. If I was a child, I would wonder how you, as my mother, felt about this....if you disagreed with my father and just didn't want to say so....or if mothers should do what fathers say, whether they agree with them or not.
I'm not trying to start a debate D's Mom, just offering a different perspective. There may be a rule in your house that Fathers wishes are always honored. I know that some families are like that. Sometimes it confuses kids when mom and dad have different views, and sometimes it allows them to see that mom and dad love and respect each other, even if they have different views. Either way, mom and dad DO need to hang together on certain things so that kids can get a clear message. I guess it's a question about what message you...and your husband....want to send.
I know this isn't ADD related, but my medicated mind went in that direction. Hope that's okay...
I don't mean to sound critical, but I guess that's pretty difficult to do when you just don't understand someone's point of view. And Joyous, I don't believe I resorted to any name-calling (my defensive side is showing itself here - forgive me if you weren't refering to me).Barb, you are of course entitled to your beliefs. I have to vehemently disagree with your statement though that J.K. Rowling wrote these books to "promote witchcraft and introduce children into it". That's blatently untrue.
SPOILER IN CASE ANYONE IS READING THE LATEST BOOK
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The last book even focused more on Harry's MOST human abillities - love, friendship, and using your head. The classroom aspect of learning new spells and such was faded dramatically into the background this time. The entire moral of the story, and indeed the foundation for the final showdown between Harry and "the bad guy" in the next and final book, is that magic won't solve his problems. The very first book even mentioned that very early on - that magic is never to be used to solve problems. Rowling wanted her readers to understand that nothing short of your own brain will get you out of a problem or hopeless situation. What could be more truthful than that?
bcgirl197838581.4199652778
bcgirl, sometimes people just have to agree to disagree, whether you understand the other person's point of view or not.
I am sure that JK Rowlings does love her daughter and wants her to understand and support her values. Unfortunately (IMHO), one of those values is witchcraft. I heard her state in an interview that she wrote the book to introduce her daughter to witchcraft.
This is just one of those areas where I have to agree to disagree with those who support the books. I can't take the chance that my son will be influenced by something I don't believe in and am opposed to. If you like them and want your kids to read them, that is your right, just as I have the right to do what I believe is best for my son.
BTW, I know a practicing Wiccan and I like her as a person. I just don't discuss her beliefs with her. I don't refuse to allow my son to have anything to do with her. She doesn't try to influence him, so I don't worry about it. He knows about it and that I don't like it, but that I do like her as a person. If she were trying to convert him, it would be different.
I remember growing up and a friend of mine wasn't allowed to watch the Smurfs because there was a 'wizard' in the cartoon. But she could watch horror movies that would terrorize me!
My mom a few years ago knew that I read the Harry Potter books - she asked me if I thought they were evil as some Christian groups proclaim - I told her that the stories are really sweet, have great morals and above all they point out that you must take responsibility for your actions. (A prime lesson that I personally think is missing from most of this new generation growing up now) I told her to read the first book and make up her own mind as to whether she think it's evil or not. Not to take someone else's word on it. If she felt that it was evil - fine, then it's her making that decision.
She loved the stories and she had a great laugh that anyone could think that they could point to something and say a word (after reading the book) and 'learn witchcraft'. LOL
I also had a co-worker ask me the same thing because his daughter's school was starting to read the stories to the kids and his wife was contemplating having their daughter excluded. I gave him the first book and told him to make up his own mind. He felt that the stories were harmless and even bought the books for his daughter.
I have nothing against someone not liking something or believing a certain way as long as they do it from their own knowledge and not basing their decision on what someone else has told them. I can go out right now and find NUMEROUS Christian websites that are supportive of the Harry Potter stories. I read one recently that was offering it's support and perspective on the last book.
Autumnstar
<<If the Bible could be untrue then how did we all get here.>>Well, I won't touch that with a 10-foot pole.
I believe in God, but I also believe in the fact that God gave us the gift of imagination. One might argue that He gave us the ability to kill, but using your imagination doesn't harm anyone, whereas killing obviously does. Without starting some huge philosophical rant, I will simply state that I believe God put us on this earth to use our gifts and take full advantage of everything this world has to offer us, as long as we don't harm others in the process.
Yes, you could argue that everything is evil. A rock on the ground could be considered evil because you might trip on it and break your neck. I'm just saying that if you (or your husband, or anyone else) believe that Harry Potter teaches evil, then reason states that all of those other stories and characters I mentioned must be considered evil too. A horse of a different colour is still a horse. You can't pick and choose what you consider evil.
daniel's mom,
I am the same way. I have seen interviews by the author. HP was written by a witch to promote witch craft and to introduce children into it. Libraries were inundated with children looking up info on witch craft and spell making and such after the book came out. Its no coincidence. Children feel powerless so often that they are looking for ways to feel like they have control. I feel that is especially true for kids with learning and behavior issues.
I don't allow it in my home and I don't allow my son to read it or to watch the movies at his friend's homes. It really upset me when my son came home from school and told me they were watching the movie at school. Instead of making an issue of it, I let him watch it there, then we discussed it at home. He knows why I don't like it and he wasn't all that impressed by it.
I do let my son watch Disney, and am not a reactionist. For everyone there has to be a place to draw the line in regards to what we allow and don't allow. I want my kids to grow up with my values. If I didn't, they wouldn't be values.
To those who have criticized daniel's mom: I don't force anyone to agree with me and I don't criticize anyone for disagreeing with me. I would appreciate people not mocking our beliefs. You don't see us telling you that you are ridiculous for allowing your kids to read it. Please be mature enough to allow us our right to state our opinions just as we allow you to state yours.
Take it up with my husband . I understand that christianity doesn't premote these kinds of books. The ones I know any how. Here halloween isn't even part of our school. 1 week before that holiday they do a Fall Festival.Sorry if you disagree. The only thing is anyone can make anything evil if you want. I am just honoring my husbands whiches. If the Bible could be untrue then how did we all get here.
Tv here has been stopped cause our kids won't tend to their responsabilities. They care little about anything. They will sleep to replace what they can't have.
There are witches in the world, yes. They are people who choose to follow the Wiccan or Pagan religion, or whatever, but they can't actually weild magic or cast spells. They are also generally very good people, who care about the Earth and harmony and all that stuff. For the most part, they aren't evil. When it comes to anything even remotely in the same ballpark, the ones you have to look out for are satanists.Harry Potter has nothing to do with satanism, or even paganism. There are no festivals or sacrifices to gods or anything of the sort; they even celebrate Christmas and Easter. Religious, or non-religious, references and implications go no further than that.
SORRY ALL HERE I GOT CARRIED AWAY. NO HARD FEELINGS! [QUOTE=floofthegoof]
I hope I didn't sound like I was bashing Christianity, I wasn't. It would be arrogant to bash anyone's religion.
I just think that Morality = Courage. I don't think that morality comes from the environment you are presented with, I think it comes from the challenges you face and how you deal with them. Moral strength is like a muscle, you have to excersize it if you don't want it to fail you at a critical moment.
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Lol, I'm just not satisfied with the way I'm making my point. What I mean is...
I think it is a wise course of action for one to avoid situations that may cause temptation, but not a wise course to keep someone else in ignorance of those temptations. Make sense?
Lol floof. You know what? Sometimes it is more right to leap into situations that may cause temptation, reap benefits and suffer consequences TO THE FULLEST.Enjoy life for all its got to offer! To deny someone Harry Potter -a symbol- is to deny something potentially beautiful, to truncate someone's life experience.
But then, when confronted with people who feel differently, who live their lives in ways agreeable to them, and may be happier than you for it, for example, daniel's mom, don't approach with hostility. Bite your tongue and step aside. Realize that life is various, dan's mom has a point in her world, and find that beautiful too.
Wait..this is not about Harry Potter anymore.
[QUOTE=GarbagePailKid]Lol floof. You know what? Sometimes it is more right to leap into situations that may cause temptation, reap benefits and suffer consequences TO THE FULLEST.
Enjoy life for all its got to offer! To deny someone Harry Potter -a symbol- is to deny something potentially beautiful, to truncate someone's life experience.
But then, when confronted with people who feel differently, who live their lives in ways agreeable to them, and may be happier than you for it, for example, daniel's mom, don't approach with hostility. Bite your tongue and step aside. Realize that life is various, dan's mom has a point in her world, and find that beautiful too.
Wait..this is not about Harry Potter anymore. [/QUOTE]
Yes i think that protecting (hiding, censoring) things from your kids is a good thing, but to an extent. Teaching kids right from wrong, good from bad, has everything to do with showing them and explaining to them why its bad. If you were to censor everything from a child as they grow up, what are they to do in real life when they experience things, sometimes in difficult situations?