Path: typhoon.sonic.net!not-for-mail Newsgroups: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.satanism,alt.religion.wicca,alt.witchcraft,alt.pagan,alt.fan.harry-potter Subject: Re: Is Witchcraft Satanic (&Potter Books Therefore Demonic!)? References: <404be9a7$1_1@news.tm.net.my> <4Sc5c.8725$_3.112019@typhoon.sonic.net> From: elendraug Reply-To: spam@luckymojo.com User-Agent: nn/6.6.0 Lines: 62 Message-ID: Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2004 19:33:00 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 208.201.242.18 X-Complaints-To: abuse@sonic.net X-Trace: typhoon.sonic.net 1079379180 208.201.242.18 (Mon, 15 Mar 2004 11:33:00 PST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2004 11:33:00 PST Xref: typhoon.sonic.net alt.magick.tyagi:46314 alt.satanism:241314 alt.religion.wicca:829117 alt.witchcraft:69668 alt.pagan:389591 alt.fan.harry-potter:221694 50040315 vii peace be with you, my kin! : # I can not belive some one would write something like this. believe it! # Witchcraft is not Satanic. in certain time periods and religious perspectives it is indeed. some who write for witches and that witches recommend even talk about the satanicness of witchery (e.g. "The Satanic Witch" and the Paul Huson book I mentioned!). I'd further point out that just because witchcraft *is* Satanic in a sense, this doesn't mean that it is bad. the net effect of Satanism is the undermining of these simple, dualistic assessments of objects and people. arguably that witchcraft is Satanic is a *virtue* of its character, in that it doesn't kowtow to religious authorities and submit to the arrogant boot of the "infallible" ecclesiastics. # Yes, in Harry Potter, there are "good and bad". But, Harry # Potter is deffinately good. My kids love Harry Potter. this line of argument isn't taking into account the "Slippery Slope" criticism of some religious conservatives. the argument goes that once someone attributes the powers of these wizards to the wizards themselves, then they neglect to understand that *all* power comes from the divine. seeking protection or guidance, distracting alternatives are then given credence over and above the scripture and religion preferred by the speaker (cf. that Time article I quoted, in which the quoted Christians are instructing their children that "only God can do miracles"). arguably, the Potter series gives children the impression they can function as autonomous miniature adults. in the Potter stories, children routinely deceive adult authorities, conceal information, and steal items for their preferred uses. what's worse, the teachers at the school are constantly on the watch to see whether Harry Potter is going to "turn corrupt", as there is sufficient commonality betwixt the protagonist and antagonist in the series that we can't tell whether Potter is going to turn traitor and undermine the good completely. this type of 'morality' (where kids assume the mantle of adults who "will not believe them") is a standard in children's stories, and in the Potter stories this is justified by the fact that its general *end* is good (i.e. the ends justify the means). such loose interpretations of morality and authority are of questionable quality, especially to those who wish to restrain children the role of chattel and within a stratified family structure with father at the top of an authority-pyramid. peace be with you, elendraug SPEW! SPEW! SPEW! --------- Dobby did it and you can too! yronwode.com@nagasiva