Harry Potter...

[BigBrothaCon]

Jimmy and andwhat,

Stop blaming christians for the things that are said by me.  If you notice, the things that I have said are out of the Bible.  If you want to blame somebody then blame God.  All I am doing is passing His Word on to you.  Don't get mad at me.  I am only a man!

[John]

Jimmy,

I'm not missing the point.....I believe you may be. #This movie is trivial. It's not even important "why" they don't like it or won't take their kids to it. Being a parent requires you to make choices on what can be a positive or negative influence on your children. If it contradicts what they believe and teach their offspring in even the least they have every right to eliminate it from influencing their children. i.e. "Well that's what I feel, so tough!"

It's not defeat. It's conviction! Something lefties seem to have little of.

As for me "looking for Christian bashing..."
There are so many instances of it from the three of you that it would look like an Al Gore speech if I copied them all.
And I didn't need to look hard.

When you, andwhat and Daniel insisted you need a more elaborate answer than their explanation, you were being intolerant.

You attempt to belittle their belief by insisting it isn't enough, that their religion doesn't have a place in what they watch or how they percieve it.

I don't look for bashing of religion....But I recognize it when I see it.

[BigBrothaCon]

Andwhat,

Don't try and tell me what I know about Harry Potter because I have done my own research on it and it is clear to me that I don't want to watch the movie or read the books.  I will not sacrifice my beliefs just because you think it is ok to watch the movie.

[andwhat]

John,
I totally agree with you on this one. Its supposed to eb a forum on reviews. you say, I loved it, i hated it. Then poeple say this is why I didn't like it blah, blah, blah. It'd be great if thats what this would turn into. But Hessien started by saying this movie is wrong and evil and dangerous without even seeing it. So in my best little kid voice "he started it."
BBC, I haven't once tried to disprove God or convince you that he doesn't exist. I know that I couldn't convince of such a thing, regardless of it was true or not. I simply came onto this forum to try and get people to ahve an openmind and experience something before they judge it. I was a christian most of my life, I decided it wasn't for me, I'm not now. Thats it, end of that one I've moved on. But at least I tried first before I said that christianity was wrong and evil and dangerous. In truth if we look throughout history, the misuse of religion ahs indeed been the most dangerous of all human justifications, i.e. the crusades, the holocaust, the stalin purges, the persecution of the christians etc. It si b/c these things were misunderstood that they were labelled bad and so I'm just trying to make sure that people at least know what they are talking about before they judge. those who do not learn their history, are bound to repeat it.As for Hessien trying to kill all the "fags" as he put it. That was in one of the politics forums when he went off about the bill that passed granted gays and lesbians equal protection under the law not to be discriminated against.

[John]

AndWhat,

If he's seen at least one damn commercial he's gonna know what the subject matter of the film is...It doesn't take clarivoyance or watching the silly thing.

[BigBrothaCon]

Hessian is wrong if he said he wanted to kill anybody, so I don't agree with that.  But don't label me with him.  He has a different outlook on things than I do.

Back to Harry Potter,

I did my research on Harry Potter and even read a few things from the books.  I determined for myself based on my strong beliefs in Christianity that I will not see this movie.  I am very open-minded about alot of things and I even considered going to see the movie myself to understand it, but I was led to do the research by the internet and reading.  

If anyone wants to see this movie then they can go right ahead and do that.  I am not going to judge you because of it, but I will let you know what the Word of God says and if you disagree with that then go right ahead.  Just don't attempt to make me feel like I need to abandon my beliefs because you changed yours.  I have a college education and vast amounts of experiences that God blessed me with, but I never let man confuse me so much to allow my beliefs to be sabatoged.  I always go to my source in heaven who has never left me nor forsaken me.  When my friends gave up on me or used me, God was still there to bring me along the way.  I have to trust in him.  Man has failed me so many times, that is why I don't want to see Harry Potter or any other movie like it, because God told me not to.

[andwhat]

Ok so he gets the general idea, I guess I'm throwing too many people together on this one. Its one thing to say that the movie is about magic and wizardry, whihc it most plainly is. Its another thing entirely when Hessien starts saying its dangerous and promotes satanism.
BBC, if you don't want to watch the movie b/c it goes against your personal beliefs, then groovy, more power to you. If you're happy with that choice, then so am I. But to start calling the movie dangerous and evil and wrong and telling everyone they shouldn't see it is what I personally have a problem with. I'm glad that you don't feel like seeing it if seeing it would compromise your beliefs. But when hessien tells everyone else not to see it or they are going to hell thats a problem. What we just went through with you BBC is the same as TT, we went all round about just till you said I don't want to see it. thats all this forum ever had to be was you come one, you say you don't like it, don't want to see it, this is why and someone else says i liked it this is why. But it got twisted b/c some people started making moral decisions about the movie without seeing it, reading the books whatever. Our backlash was not about his christianity, it was about his closemindedness and the fact that he kept falling back on his christianity inferred that christianity promotes close mindedness which I'm sure many people would like to argue. So I'm sorry you're not going to miss the movie, its alot of fun but to each their own.

[Christy]

I always find it interesting pontificating that goes on when one feels they are the "real Christian".  You can't possibly be a Christian if you don't interpret the Bible exactly how you do.  As someone who "claims to be Christian", but obviously is not Christian enough to understand the concept of "set apart", let me just add more unelightened commentary on my bastardized perception of the Bible (as it can't possibly be as accurate or enlightened as yours Hessian, as only you, BBC and PT really know the meanings behind the scriptures).

It's been a little less than a week since my kids have been exposed to the Harry Potter movie and they've yet to..

* practice witchcraft
* be a soothsayer or a sorcerer
* interpret omens
* conjure spells
* look into a career as a medium or a spiritist
* call up the dead

Now this isn't to say this movie hasn't planted "an evil seed" in which they will someday lose all common sense and move to Salem to become a Witch or Wizard and cast spells and curses upon the good Christians such as yourself.  Only time and the devil will tell.

I suppose I should be a much more responsible Christian parent.  I think I shall go home, tell my kids there is no Santa Claus and even though he isn't real he is evil (after all he is pure fantasy and my children may conjure up spells in their wicked little minds to fly up the chimney).  No more Barney because he's obviously magically transformed from a mere inanimate stuffed animal to a great big singing dancing Alive thing.  That would fall under "calling up the dead".  Mr. Rogers has got to go, he talks to puppets who live in a magical "Land of Make Believe" (besides, the puppet who lived in the carousel was obviously a drunkard, with that big red nose it is obvious).  Nope, nothing but reality and the Bible for my kids now.  I realize now G-d would never condone children having an imagination.  Too wicked.  I am fortunate to have Hessian and BBC around to enlighten me in the error of my ways.  When I go home tonight and purge my home of everything except for the Bible, can I maybe join your club and be promoted from someone who merely "claims to be Christian" to full fledged real life Christian?  That actuallly "gets it"?  I too want my license to judge and preach to those other misguided folks who merely "claim to be Christian".  I want to quote scripture so I look brilliantly enlightened.  I don't really care to sit down and think about the meaning of it in context with the Bible as a whole.  Heck no, if I did that, I'd have to accept that it isn't very Christianlike to pontificate.  After all, I want to be the judge of who is Christian who isn't.  Please please please?  Can I? Can I? Can I?

And I am not yelling in this post, just sighing heavily.  It's just so unchristian to be throwing crap out insinuating that if you are a "real Christian" you wouldn't allow your child to see Harry Potter.  Maybe I'm not a "real Christian".  If feeding fear into my kids about Harry Potter and his "Satanic Message" makes me not a good Christian then so be it.  I'm not going to fill my kids head full of garbage about Satan, demons, and burning in Hell.  I choose to love them, let their imaginations flow, and let them be a child.  I see so many poor little kids out there who's "real Christian" parent's are screaming at their kids whenever they see anything Harry Potter, mention anything Harry Potter etc... I'm not making this up to get across my point.  I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been in Wal Mart and had parents smacking their kids hands and yelling at them about how evil Harry Potter is and it's Devil worship.  What kid needs that crap?  You going to tell me the kid is going to grow up healthy and happy with a "Church Lady" mother running around screaming "Satans here, Satans there, Satan Satan everywhere!"  It's funny to watch as an outsider, but you gotta really feel bad for the kid who is being raised to obey and worship G-d through fear.  I teach my kids that G-d loves them and if they remember that nothing evil can ever touch them.  I trust in G-d and I trust in my parenting skills enough not to have to put blinders on my kids or scare the daylights out of them with the "fire and brimstone" concept of Christianity.

I must wrap this up, gotta go pull my kids snicker bars out of the toilet bowl.  It made such a lovely candy dish too.  I was hoping Martha Stewart was going to feature my toilet candy idea in next month's issue of "Living".  The "is it a Snicker or is it a turd?" game makes for great family fun over the holidays.  I was counting on this to make me millions from the infomercial circuit!  Not a chance now.  Thanks Hessian!

[vraiblonde]

Hey, I have another idea!  Let's make a law that says you can't discriminate against movies, no matter how repugnant you find them!  Harry Potter should really have protection under the law so as not to be defamed by the closed-minded masses.  Next thing you know he'll have a tough time getting a table in a restaurant...

I know!  Let's make a law that says you can't condemn something that you haven't tried!  Where can I get some heroin and a classmate to kill?  As closed-minded as I am, I've never tried either of those things so couldn't possibly have an opinion as to whether they're bad or not.  Right?

I'm feeling left out because apparently Hessian is emailing andwhat, Jimmy and Daniel privately that he wants to kill gay people.  I haven't seen anything like that from him in these forums so it must be a private communication.  Or maybe telepathy - that Harry Potter thing again.

[BigBrothaCon]

CHRISTY,

FOR THE LAST TIME.  NO ONE IS JUDGING YOU ESPECIALLY ME! I HAVE MY BELIEFS AND YOU HAVE YOURS.  IF YOU HAVE DETERMINED THAT YOU WANT YOUR KIDS OR YOURSELF TO SEE THE MOVIE THAT IS FINE.  DON'T GET MAD AT ME IF GOD SAID OTHERWISE.  IF YOU FEEL THAT I HAVE JUDGED YOU THEN MAYBE YOU NEED TO REEVALUATE YOUR POSITION AND ASK GOD WHY HE SAID IN HIS WORD THOSE THINGS.