Harry Potter...

[Hessian]

BigBrothaCon...
I seriously thought of taking that approach. To you and me and PT, that makes perfect sense(AND-you did it succinctly!.) The problem lies with these folks who call themselves Christians but don't seem to understand what the term "set apart" means. They are in the world and Lovin' it.
Take one of them for an example, ...after claiming to be a "christian," he claims to believe in something totally unbiblical, and then sees nothing wrong with HP...only "Rightwing extremists."
So, trying to point out the truth and the deception is wasted on them...you can see where it got me.

I have seen excerpts of the movie...sure enough...in one of the scenes, a pentagram and other occult symbols are very plain.
HP fans: Do you really want your kids to see children being rewarded for deviance and applying negative peer pressure to get others to cave in? I know, I know..its just innocent fun.

Hey Frank...regarding that issue of violating Netiquette and Bad taste. I don't recall spewing name-calling and branding a person a Nazi and using A$$ to describe my adversaries. Pointing out their over-reaching statements, exagerations, and correcting their numerous errors is slight compared to the vicious personal attacks and mockery they spew. They can't defend their positions with tact so they began the assault, I simply deflected and tried to bring the an intelligent discussion back to the topic.

Daniel...I wish I could find the article I read last year regarding a teen-age kid suing a School district because she was practicing wicca and placed a curse on a kid...and the symptoms began-she was expelled. The cover story was in an Educator's journal...not some right-wing fascist ultra Christian bulletin. However...you did give me an assignment, I'll see what I can do OK?

Christy...you are fortunate to have bright kids and I'm glad they have little interest in pursuing what they saw. What of those who don't have moral guidance at home? Its still a "good" movie right?
Think on this analogy; No one would think of handing their kid a Snicker's bar that fell in the toilet--oo/yuck!
But what if it missed and merely bounced off the rim and fell on the floor...it can't be all that bad right?...I mean it only hit on two sides..the rest of it was good.huh?

You as a parent wouldn't think this way, so why let your kids see/read trash with a "good" plot? If you walked away from the movie and said "That wasn't too bad." It means that you were willing to expose them to a degree of evil you found acceptable.... "Here kids, have a Snicker's bar.(It's not too bad)"

What do you call a teaspoon of Rat poison in a jar of Peanut butter?

Answer: Rat Poison.
My kid will not need her stomach pumped-we're not opening the lid!
Veritas.

[Jimmyrich]

Well I finally saw the movie this weekend...and let me just say; Hessian was RIGHT!!

After I got out of the theatre, a small child with wand in hand came up to me and cursed me! I think she said "flibbertygibbit" but I recognized the herecy in her tone and began to check for signs of cursed-infection. Sure enough, three days later, I have a HEAD COLD!!! Evil WITCH!! Satan strikes again!
Then, upon driving home, I was stuck in traffic that was TWO HOURS more than originally planned.  Well, obviously, God was punnishing me with the inevitable results of my blasphemous actions.  I think he made my Grandmother have cancer as well since she's touched the skin of a pig before and used to live on a farm where they grew two different crops next to eachother, which is an abomination in God's eyes of course.  
So, aside from some neat special effects, I'd say the movie was basically evil.  Children disobeying elders who were ignorant of their circumstances; how awful! Because we all know that children should never disobey or think for themselves...that wouldn't be being "set apart" now would it?
And Daniel, please learn how to spell correctly.  Now that I have seen the light and the error of my ways, I can no longer tolerate this flaw in you.  As I can no longer tolerate anyone who's views are different from mine. Now, if you all don't mind, I'm going to enroll in Hessian's school so that I can continue my path away from the Dark Side and towards the light that only blind, misinterpreted, outdated, Christian thinking, and a healthy dose of rampant bigotry, hatred, and prejudice can bring me...

[vraiblonde]

Oh, look.  We're playing a new game - it's called "Taunt the Christians".

Maybe the Montgomery council will enact a new law making Harry Potter required reading/viewing - with a $750 fine for those who refuse to comply.

[otter (Premo)]

Careful, Blonde, Montgomery county will be very tempted to do just that....

[andwhat]

I find it interesting that both Big Brotha and Hessien use the bible so freely as a justification of their cause and yet fail to address the letter which Jimmy so thoughtfully provided which most obviouslly points out all the flaws in the bible. I'm sorry but have you two not been around for the past 50 years when the Pope has admitted that much of the Bible is written as parables and stories and is not to be taken literally. The Bible is supposed to be open to interpratation you morons. The very foundation of the Catholic church says so. Hmm, you want to know something else, do either of you two ahev any idea when the first bible was written? How about 90 AD, roughly 60 or so years after Jesus's death. Thats interesting figuring that by then, all his apostles who were supoposed to ahev written the New Testament and witnessed first hand Jesus's teachings had been dead for oh say at least 50 years. How abotu the fact that Matthew and Luke ( the only two authors who actually mention Jesus's birth) both give very different accounts of it. Hmm, seems like another problem doesn't it. how can they both be right.
You knwo what really gets me is that you two bible buddies or so called Christians are so quick to condemn these innocent childrens books as evil and wrong, yet you seemt o be missing a major part of christian ideology, let he among you who is without sin cast the first stone. Yes I know that i paraphrased it, btu sorry to say I don't carry my bible with me always. Actually my Bible was eaten by a little purple goblin that I created using witchcraft after seeing Disney's Bedknobs and broomsticks. My bad. And I'm also sorry that I don't have a spare back up bible in case of emergencies, but I am too busy HAVING A LIFE. Instead I read the bible, then moved onto the Torrah, followed by the Koran, the Analects of Confuscius, the Baghitvadgita, the republic of plato and anythign else I could get my hands on, just so I wouldn't turn itno an ultra conservative, close minded, biggoted, racist a$$
like you.
Oh sh*t
, I just sneezed, God must be mad at me. I better go run and go to confession and then I'll be ok again. Thank God for christianity, its the ultimate loophole.
Oh and Danny, please learn to spell. I mean Hessien has a point, b/c you don't type well you are obviouslly going to burn in hell. unless of course you go to confession, then you're fine.

[Jimmyrich]

No, Vrai,

The name of the game we're playing is "point out how ridiculous the ideas of some people on this thread are, using sarcasm." At least that's the game I'm playing.  I'm not bashing Christians OR Christianity.  I'm arguing against what I see to be wrong-headded thinking. And never did I suggest that everyone NEEDS to see this movie; it's entertainment, not education (although you CAN learn a thing or two from it).  But the idea brought up by PT and Hessain is that this movie is DANGEROUS and WRONG; that's what I'm rallying against.  If you wanna misinterpret it into bashing Christianity, so be it. I think I've made it clear that I'm not a Christian and that I have a problem with Christian beliefs being applied to laws and other aspects of SECULAR society.  But this Harry Potter argument is merely my defense of what I know to be a harmless, enjoyable, entertaining, enterprise.  

[Jimmyrich]

Nice, andwhat, nice....
I tell you it's been a joy having you join me over here on the "Dark Side"...and once Daniel learns how to spell, our Eviltude-ity will be TRIPLED!!

[andwhat]

Eviltude-ity? Jimmy are you making fun of my boss again?
Look on the bright side, even if BBC and Hessien are right and we all are going to hell, we're going to have a sh*t
load more fun down there in a big old BBQ then they're going to have playing harps and sitting on clouds up there. Hell we could take over the place since we read Harry potter and don't believe homosexuality is a sin and all and occasionally get drunk and touch pigs and grow two crops in the same field and all we must eb the worst of the worst. The Devil has nothing on us, and Dan if he ever learns to spell.
Hey Hessien, here's a Bible question for you, where did witchcraft and evil come from? Don't look in your bible for that one, b/c you aren't going to find the answer.

[vraiblonde]

andwhat says:

just so I wouldn't turn itno an ultra conservative, close minded, biggoted, racist a$$ like you

Man, ya'll are so tolerant you're making me break out in hives.  Wish I could be that open-minded...

[Jimmyrich]

True, Vrai, we can be (both sides) a bit harsh here when emotions run high.  Difference between US and THEM, however, is that our distaste for fundamentalist Christian views does NOT translate into any sort of call to action against such ideas.  I didn't start a thread here lambasting Christianity and urging that children should NOT be sent to private, christian schools or watch the Ten Commandments because I think Christianity is dangerous.  I'm not on here questioning why we need laws to protect Jesus Freaks when I feel that they are living their lives incorrectly anyway and should feel the isolation from secular society that such a lifestyle will inevitably bring.  Those types of statements came from the "christian camp" only here.  I'm only responding. Now, emotions get the better of us and sometimes I can't help but read one of Hessian's posts and call him an @$$...Same with andwhat, I'd suspect.  But there is a huge difference between the calling of names and the type of "Harry Potter is Evil" and "Gays Shouldn't have Protection" decrees coming from the "other side" in these arguments.