Adie Potter

Who does not know Harry Potter?
The new Harry Potter and the Half Blooded Prince movie will be shown in November 21, 2008.
I remember when my son Seandy was just around 2 years old; he really loved to watch Harry Potter (second to Barney). He would say, "Potter-potter"; and then point to the television, which means we have to stop watching whatever we are watching and put Potter on screen.
Everybody knows the story - Hogwarts, witchcraft and wizardry. I myself enjoyed the movie and I have already finished the book "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" years ago. Well, I did not buy the book but someone just gave me a copy of it.
I know people, especially Christians, have different views about this. Some are really opposed to the story; while some would say that it's basically good versus evil. I have read this one article about Harry Potter
"What's a Christian to Do with Harry Potter?
While most kids will see the Harry Potter story as clearly make-believe (flying motorcycles, dragon eggs incubating in the fireplace, phoenix feathers in every wand, etc.); you need to make sure you communicate that you are not endorsing real-world occult practices.
Therefore, go over the following with your children, so they know that some of the things they see used on both sides -- good and evil -- at Hogwarts, are not to be toyed with in our world.
The easiest way to explain this to a child who already knows the Harry Potter story is to say, "In our world, the Bible says that all witchcraft would equal the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Getting involved in any form of witchcraft or other practices the Bible forbids would be like opening yourself up to Voldemort." Make sure your kids know what the Bible forbids in our world.
Below is a basic checklist against occult practices from Deuteronomy 18:9-14. If you need help explaining these to your children, you will find help in "What's a Christian to Do with Harry Potter?"
Chapter Seven, Protecting Kids from Real-World Occult Practices, is written in kid speak, to be read aloud by a parent to a child No human sacrifice -- hopefully not an issue! No practicing divination (any attempt to get guidance or foretell the future from any supernatural source other than God). This includes astrology and horoscopes. No sorcery (using magic powers). No interpreting omens (trying to discover hidden knowledge through signs or superstition like reading tea leaves, or -- in Bible times -- the liver or entrails of animals. No casting spells No consulting or being a medium or spiritist (those who contact spirits and allow the spirits to communicate through them) No trying to consult the dead No engaging in witchcraft (appealing to occult powers -- any supernatural power or spirit other than God, the Holy Spirit) Witchcraft is also associated with the use of drugs, incantations, spells, potions, charms, amulets and so on, to experience something supernatural or to ward off evil spirits. Known today as Wicca, modern-day witchcraft is a pagan religion in which nature and goddesses are worshiped.
They even come up with an acrony:
P - erspective
O - ver come evil w/ good
T - actful treatment of others
T - raining in Righteousness
E - ffectiveness
R - elationship to God and Culture
Now my son, Seandy does not watch it anymore. But he is still interested with it. He even told me recently that he wants us to call him “Kuya Adie Potter”. I asked him why he wants to be called that name, he just said “Because I am a boy”. (My son is now at the stage where he is trying to figure out the difference between a boy and a girl. That is why he also ask me now questions like: ”Mommy are you a girl?”, or he would say, “I am a boy, partner ko girl. Mommy partner mo ba boy?”)
I may not allow my son to watch Harry Potter movies anymore but I know he should still be educated about these things. I always tell Seandy that he should trust God even at an early age. Whenever he would like to have something, I would ask him to ask God to give it to him. It is very important for us parents to know and to have a firm foundation on how we should raise our kids.
Parenting is not easy, which is why we need to ask the one who knows everything about being our Father. Let us continue to ask God for wisdom to help our kids be the person that God wants them to be.