WARNING!  THIS POST MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS FOR HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS! 

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Ben at Orthodox Deviation has posted a critical review of the Harry Potter series, and specifically of Deathly Hallows.  It is not a review of his own, he has admittedly not read the series, but it is a review he found interesting.  As a fan of the series, I want to respond to some of the complaints in the review, responses not directed at Ben but the author.  So, the review’s author states:

Rowling had the opportunity to make the Harry Potter series a work of serious fiction with this last book. Sadly, she opted to turn the Harry Potter series into nothing more than a child’s fairytale. “Deathly Hallows” is filled with plot holes and inconsistencies, which Rowling shamelessly employs Deus ex Machina to remedy multiple times. Indeed, the principles of wand ownership, rules governing elf and goblin magic, and the Deathly Hallows themselves are just some of the examples of this.  These examples were never foreshadowed in any previous book and their constructions were arbitrary relative to the framework of magic already setup by Rowling. They were added for the sole purpose of fixing plot holes that could have otherwise been avoided through better writing.

This is patently false.  It may be that some readers may not remember such things from book to book because of the amount of time that passed between them.  Having read all seven books back-to-back within the span of four weeks, I may have made connections others have missed.  While Rowling never directly stated that elf/goblin magic was different than wizard magic, there were examples of it that the reader should have wondered about well before Deathly Hallows.  For example, Dobby the house-elf is apparating around Hogwarts (which is impossible for wizards) as early as the second book.  Rowling never comes out and says that their magic differs, but the careful reader should have wondered why Dobby could do what others could not.  

In addtion to this, almost every character undergoes a deconstruction and becomes marginalized to scarcely more than idiotic stereotypes. The most prominent examples are Dumbledore and Voldemort. Dumbledore’s character is assassinated in this book; and never actually redeemed. In the end, you are left with the impression that Albus was a cunning manipulator and are never given any real proof that he viewed Harry as anything more than a tool to complete a task.

This is nothing more than an opinion that can be dismissed.  As I read through the books, I saw Dumbledore as a God the Father type character.  Throughout the series, he always showed a tendency to know things that others did not and prepared Harry Potter to face those tasks.  I was constantly reminded of Joseph’s reply to his brothers, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.”  There were things that Harry and others meant for their own purposes that Dumbledore used for good–one specific example would be Harry’s use of the Mirror of Erised in book one.  The deconstruction of Dumbledore was similar to the deconstruction of God by unbelievers that Christians face every day.  Harry persevered through that and was able to come to see how Dumbledore worked all things together for good to those who are “Dumbledore’s man.”

Voldemort’s character also was a grave disappointment. I was hoping that Rowling would give this character some more depth in this book; but instead, she reduces him to a comic book villain who essentially dies via his own stupidity and a technicality of wand ownership. Make no mistake, in this book, Voldemort is reduced to a power-hungry idiot who only has a mastery of incompetence and cruelty.

While I can’t disagree with someone being disappointed in how a character turned out or was developed, it doesn’t mean that the author failed to develop him properly or without enough depth.  The fact that Voldemort dies of his own stupidity and a technicality of wand ownership, the fact that he is revealed to be a power-hungry idiot who has mastered only incompetence and cruelty, does not make Rowling’s development of him poor writing.  If anything, it reveals how like she is to the master storyteller, YHWH.  It is God Himself who develops the wicked in such a way in His telling of Esther’s story.  Haman dies of his own stupidity, a power-hungry idiot who is master only of incompetence and cruelty.

The key point that degrades this series to the point of being nothing more than a children’s fairytale is how Rowling decided to deal with consequences in “Deathly Hallows”… The idea that Dumbledore can communicate with Harry in a dream and with Serverus through a painting marginalizes the power of death as it is no longer permanent (you can’t talk with the dead) nor unknown. The fact that Harry can use a deathly Hallows to talk to his parents AGAIN, further marginalizes the power and literary value of death. Also, the fact that every single death in the HP series is directly do to a deatheater and not a result of ANY decisions made by Harry or his friends further kills off the literary value of death as a consequence of a hard decision one may have to make.

This may be the one argument I might see as valid.  Death is something that should not be marginalized, as it makes the story so much more powerful, it stirs the emotions of the reader like no other event can.   However, the deaths in this story aren’t necessarily marginalized in the way that the author believes them to be.  First, many of the characters that died did die final deaths.  Only a few returned to speak to Harry, and these few had literary value to their return.  First Dumbledore, again he plays a God the Father like character, thus, his character requires a continued presence in the story–it was necessary to see how God works all things together for good in history.  Additionally, an appearance by important characters (like Harry’s parents using the Deathly Hallows) plays an essential role in the story as it validated what Harry was doing.  This is similar to the appearance of Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration.  They appeared there to validate to Peter, James, and John who Jesus of Nazareth was–the Christ.  Using the Deathly Hallows, people important to Harry re-appeared and comforted and encouraged him in his upcoming mission.  Additionally, it supports the finality of death more than marginalizing it because Rowling emphasized that they were not truly alive–they were caught somewhere between being whole/bodily and mere apparitions.

In all, I think Rowling did a superb job throughout the whole series, especially in the concluding volume, Deathly Hallows.  Whether the review’s author likes it or not, Harry Potter will stand alongside the likes of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings in the years to come.

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mattb

From John Barach:

Harry Potter and the Penny Dreadfuls

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mattb

I am far from being a reliable source on all things Harry Potter.  In fact, to date, I’ve only read the first two books.  But let me explain why I am so far behind.

I was long a part of the Christian tradition that would have gladly participated in a good ol’ fashioned Harry Potter book-burning.  After all, Harry Potter used magic and magic is evil, therefore, Harry Potter is evil.  For more on this, read here and here, oh yeah, and here.  And I must admit, the latter is quite convincing.

But alas, as you can see, I have strayed from the old landmarks and have begun turning the pages of the Harry Potter books.  So you may ask, why?  Well, it began with my reading this and this and this (and “this” number 3’s part two).  Nonetheless, I still had to face the charges that J.K. Rowling was twisting the ugliness of sin into something good, trying to make it wholesome (that kids would pick up on and want to participate in), and this is just plain wrong–this is the charge levied by “here” number 3, above.

The verse most often cited to validate such a charge is 1Sa 15:23, which is usually re-phrased to say that witchcraft is the sin of rebellion (against God).  This is then taken to mean that any and all magic (which is lumped into witchcraft) is rebellion against God, including the “good” magic of Harry Potter. 

First, one must ask these fine folks if they make the same charges against C.S. Lewis’ brand of magic in the Narnia series, and if not, why not?  And then, again, do they make the same claims against J.R.R. Tolkien’s magic in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy (and The Hobbit).  Many are inconsistent and do not, but this argument will only work against those.  For those who are consistent, we must press further.

And so next, we have to consider what the differences are (if any) between the witchcraft of the Bible and the magic of Narnia, Middle Earth, and Hogwarts?  Amazingly, we find no positive uses of magic in the Bible.  Every single Biblical example of anything referred to as witchcraft is actually being used to rebel against God.  Consider Saul’s visiting a witch (necromancer, in this case) to get advice from Samuel, something he needed to do because God had left him.  Further, the pagan nations use of witchcraft was again tied directly to their rebellion against God (see also Pharaoh’s magicians mimicking Moses).  It was the manifestation of their rebellion.  It is easy to see why God would compare the two, rebellion and witchcraft.  However, when we see “magical” things being done that are not in rebellion against God, they are not referred to as acts of witchcraft, but rather miracles.  The Bible may not necessarily use the language of “magic” but that is exactly what it would look like to us and them.  Imagine, for example, floating axeheads (2Ki 6:5-6), leprosy being cleansed (2Ki 5:10-14), walking on water (Ma 14:29), shadows that heal (Act 5:15), etc. 

I believe the real differece, using Biblical language, is that witchcraft is used as an act of rebellion, whereas miracles are those things done for good (justice, mercy, compassion, etc.)  And I believe that the same can be seen in Narnia, Middle Earth, and Hogwarts.  The Dark Arts, black magic, etc. is that magic (witchcraft) used in rebellion against God, against goodness, justice, mercy, and compassion.  And the good magic, the deep magic of Aslan, is that magic (akin to miracles) done according to what God desires (goodness, justice, mercy, and compassion).

So then, as we approach these books, and allow our children to, we must keep these things in mind and instruct our children in them.  They must understand these things.  And they must understand that the worldviews of these authors are not perfectly Christian, either (although some are better than others).  Harry Potter does seem to be a somewhat rebellious child, and his disobedience is sometimes honored rathered than chastened, but this doesn’t make the whole series evil.  These are things that we can use to instruct and teach our children to be discerning as they read (or watch, or hear!)

So there we have it.  My justification for promoting the Harry Potter series (thus far) and the Chronicles of Narnia and The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.  Put down your can of gasoline and pack of matches (use them for lighting your next cigar!) and pick up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and enjoy a good, entertaining read.  You’ll be surprised, there are some excellent Christian themes contained therein!

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mattb

Buddy Hanson of the Grace and Law Christian Policy Network has published a new book, The Christian Prince.  The book contrasts Machiavelli’s political views in his book, The Prince, with the Christian view of law and politics.

In it he asks (and answers) some very good questions:

Is It Machiavellian or Christian

• To Create Emergencies?
• To Buy Votes Through Social Programs, Roads, Schools & Healthcare?
• To Govern According to Smoke & Mirrors?Is It Machiavellian or Christian Introducing a “New Order” of Things
• To Conform Legislative Policies to “The World?”
• To Legislate According to Public Opinion Polls?
• To “Flip Flop” on Policy Issues?
• To Be Pragmatic?

You can order this book, here, read a review of it here, or listen to an interview with Buddy Hanson here.

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mattb

I was recently given a parenting book by a genuinely concerned relative.  Seeing that I haven’t posted a blog in quite some time and that this book is such an interesting one, I’ve decided to do my first book review.  Here goes…

The Indigo Children; The New Kids Have Arrived
By: Lee Carroll and Jan Tober

Really more of a compilation of articles, stories and interviews, it’s noble twofold goal is to explain why so many children are being diagnosed with ADHD/ADD and why drugging them is not the answer.*  The authors’ conclusion is that the “Indigo Children” are actually the next step in human evolution and are so far advanced that we are unable to understand their actions.

Even before dedicating the book to Jean Flores, a United Nations worker “who made her transition during the writing of this book”, a poem by Kahlil Gibran from “The Prophet” is quoted.  It is warm and generally appealing to the side of us that wants to love and understand our sometimes difficult children and even makes an illusion to the biblical reference of a man’s children being like arrows in his quiver, although the obvious implication that children are a man’s primary long range offensive weapon of dominion is completely missed.  Including this poem is an obvious attempt to put Christians at ease about reading this book, although it is terribly heretical.  Nothing more should be said about this poem since my own wife failed to find fault with it after two reading.**
It is incredibly difficult to wrap this book up into a brief summary because it dives right into that sacred, yet often uneasy, place where theology, spirituality, philosophy and parenting come together.  The primary message that I got from this book is that there are children being born today that are the next evolutionary step for the most “advanced” life form on the planet we call earth and the three things one learns are: 

I.                    These children are known as indigo children because that is the color clairvoyants and psychics report seeing when viewing their life energy or auras.  This is a new form of energy that has entered earth under contract to help us advance to the next step of being.  If you are parenting an indigo child, and nearly 90% of children born in the past ten years are indigos, you too (before you entered the dimension you know as this life) made a contract with the source of the indigo energy to be its parent as it enters earth to prepare mankind to reach the purest form of energy.

II.                  Since indigo children are a 100% new form of energy on our planet during this evolutionary cycle, they require a completely different approach to parenting than we are familiar with. These children are easily identified by; their inability to sit still unless they are doing something of their choosing that interests them at that time, their refusal to submit to authority that did not first consult them, their insistence on learning and doing things their way, and the inability to cope with criticism.

III.               Because indigo children are an evolutionary advance and their spirits are an energy force here to help our entire race, we should not impede them.  We should not force them to learn that which they perceive they do not need to know.  We should not force our standards of morality or religion upon them since they already know what they need to know in order to guide us forward.  Basically, we should step back and learn from our children and not the other way around.

This book really disturbs me.  Besides the obvious fact that the entire indigo child theory is based upon the evolutionary process, this type of neo-pagan/new age philosophy is prevalent in our society and is no different than “ye witch oke”*** outside of Shechem in the ninth chapter of Judges.  

I am a 27 year old man with two children ages two and four.  It is my generation that is supposedly raising the indigo children.  Interestingly enough our grandparents are the generation that began putting into practice the philosophy of Dr. Freud and our parents added to that a more than healthy dose of Dr. Spock.  Since my generation was brought up under the philosophies of Freud and Spock we were given the space to develop our own morbid sense of morality and justice and we added that to the parental philosophy stew.  Now our children are suffering for their fathers’ sins.

My generation (collectively) was taught that we’re all winners and you never fail as long as you give it your all.  We really believe that load of malarkey but we have a problem.  It’s obvious that we have failed at raising our children.  They can’t even pay attention to something for more than 2 minutes unless it completely changes scenes every thirty seconds and has an upbeat tune to accompany its presentation.  Our children are boldly disobedient, disrespectful and rebellious but instead of admitting that the permissive, instant gratification method of parenting doesn’t work, we either drug them or excuse their ungodly behavior as more advanced than our own.  We have become parents that refuse to parent.

Instead of excusing ungodly and therefore unsuccessful parenting we need to return to the Christian culture of family.  The Christian culture destroyed the last man made empire on earth.  When the Christian culture went through its great reformation the entire continent of Europe was brought out of the dark age and the whole world was forever changed.  Children who were born into families embracing the Christian culture of family grew up to found the United States of America which again changed the world.  I am convinced that it is children raised under the Christian ideals of family that will again change the world to usher in an age far greater than the god of indigo energy ever imagined.

Look on the bright side, the ungodly parents may be making it easier for our children to overcome their own generation.  Ah, the silver lining…

*Please note that neither of my children have been diagnosed with ADHD/ADD, nor have we sought such a diagnosis.

**If you are familiar with this poem, before you contact my pastor to have me excommunicated please consider the fact that I am working overtime to correct this situation. 

***1536 Miles Coverdale Bible