Harry Potter Mania by Tony Pearce

Harry Potter Mania.

The seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’, was released on Friday July 20th 2007, and the following day around a million people in Britain alone were racing through the book to find out what happens to Harry at the end. A global publishing sensation, it appeared simultaneously in English in over 90 countries, earning its author around £1 million on the first day of publication alone.

Such a worldwide influence is reminiscent of Beatle mania in the 1960s. Just as in the 1960s there were those who said the Beatles music was harmless fun so today there are those who say the Harry Potter books are just children’s entertainment and nothing to get worked up about. On the other hand those with discernment recognised in the Beatles’ music an expression of a new spirituality opening people up to New Age mysticism and Hinduism through Transcendental Meditation and yoga, that has born fruit in the massive increase in those influences worldwide. So also the Harry Potter books are opening up people, especially children, to the occult and witchcraft.

This of course is strongly denied by JK Rowling herself and also by many in the church. The Church of England is publishing a guide advising youth workers how to use Harry Potter to spread the Christian message. Youth leaders are being told they could use the popularity of the Potter books and films as a ‘launch pad’ for exploring Christian themes. The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt. Rev John Pritchard, described the Harry Potter author, JK Rowling as a ‘great storyteller.’ He went on to say, ‘There’s nothing better than a good story to make people think, and there’s plenty in the Harry Potter books to make young people think about the choices they make in their everyday lives and their place in the world.’

Joanne Rowling insists that she is a believer. She has kept the details of her faith a secret, explaining that such information would disclose the mysterious ending of her popular series. So when asked if she was a Christian, she gave this answer: ‘Yes, I am which seems to offend the religious right far worse than if I said I thought there was no God. Every time I’ve been asked if I believe in God, I’ve said yes, because I do, but no one ever really has gone any more deeply into it than that, and I have to say that does suit me, because if I talk too freely about that, I think the intelligent reader, whether 10 or 60, will be able to guess what’s coming in the books.’

So if J.K. Rowling says that she is a Christian and this fact would give away the end of the book, what would you expect the ending to be? A death and resurrection scene! Exactly what happens at the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In the story Harry (the good wizard) is battling with the evil wizard Voldemort. Voldemort has hidden part of his soul in Harry’s soul as a result of which Harry has a soul link to Voldemort which causes him to have dark and evil thoughts.

In order to free himself from this, Harry willingly gives his life. Responding to a message he magically received from Hogwarts’ former Headmaster Dumbledore (who died in the previous book) through Professor Snape’s memories, the young wizard walks unarmed up to the evil wizard Voldemort, who points his wand at him and projects a killing curse. Harry falls down, apparently dead. He awakens in a large hall. Noticing his own nakedness, he wishes to be clothed -- and some fitting clothes magically appear. Then Dumbledore arrives and praises Harry for his courageous sacrifice. Dumbledore tells Harry, ‘You were the seventh Horcrux.... What you must understand, Harry, is that you and Lord Voldemort have journeyed together into realms of magic hitherto unknown and untested.’ (pages 707-709.)

A Horcrux? What is it? Why is it important? Fearing death, Voldemort had hidden pieces of his soul in seven Horcruxes (containers). By now, Harry and his friends had found and destroyed five of these magical receptacles. Two were left when Harry’s near-death experience began. One was Harry himself. So if Harry had simply killed his arch-enemy, a piece of Voldemort’s murderous soul would still be hidden inside Harry. For some time, this soul-link between the supposedly ‘good’ wizard and the ‘evil’ wizard had given Harry a painful access to Voldemort’s thoughts and emotions. Only by giving his life could Harry be freed from this bondage.

Now, the only remaining Horcrux is Nagini, Voldemort’s huge pet snake. Knowing the challenges ahead, Harry continues his conversation with Dumbledore:

‘I’ve got to go back, haven’t I?’

‘That is up to you.’

‘Tell me one last thing,’ said Harry. ‘Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?’

‘Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?’ (721-722)

Harry chooses to return to his lifeless body at Voldemort’s feet. After some torturous tests to verify the absence of life, Voldemort declares that Harry is dead. He will soon realize his error, for the two rivals have yet another battle to fight. Harry must rise as the ultimate victor over evil - bringing peace to a divided realm.

So what we have at the climax of the Harry Potter series is a counterfeit death and resurrection scene that in today’s biblically illiterate church can be presented as a type of Christ’s sacrifice. But of course it is nothing like it. Harry dies to rid himself of his contact with evil. Christ who knew no sin became sin on the cross in order to redeem others from the power of sin. Harry does not complete the task through his sacrifice but has to be resurrected to fight another battle. Jesus completes the task of redemption at the cross. Harry uses witchcraft and spell casting which are forbidden in the Bible. Christ is completely submissive to the Father’s will.

In fact far from being a source of inspiration for Christians the Harry Potter series must become surely a source of temptation to become involved in the occult. In an article on this subject, ‘Harry’s Last Battles and Rowling’s Beliefs,’ Berit Kjos quotes Peter, a former temple-master in an occult order as saying: ‘The story of Harry Potter is an allegory. It is written and packaged to look like fantasy when, in truth, it is a carefully written true description of the training and work of an initiate in an occult order. Everything Harry does is an extension of his belief system. His foundation is in magic through will. The concept that magic is an extension of the will is a foundational occult truth and is diametrically opposed to the Christian concept of the will where every born again believer’s individual will is brought into submission under Christ.’

In another article ‘Pottermania in Beatle-esque style!’ Caryl Matrisciana writes, ‘Potter books are replete with serious theological topics written within an eastern mindset in the context of a pagan worldview. The lessons Harry and friends are being taught are how to conjure powers through occult disciplines, rituals and potions in order to overcome forces of darkness and evil. These tutorials are taught within Harry’s world of spirit beings: a wicked serpent who seeks to possess human bodies and create mayhem with his selfish, brutally ugly devotees. Some beings are said to be ghosts, some are mythical half creatures, some so-called returning dead appear as animals, some lust for eternal life, and all are able to be communicated with for their so-called wisdoms and powers. Children are being opened to a hellish abyss of wickedness and neutralized by it because Potter’s world is presented as ‘fantasy’. Yet in the Bible these beings are called Satan’s fallen angels: ‘Principalities, powers, ruler of darkness of this age and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.’ Eph. 5. 12.

Only by standing firm on God’s Truth can we resist such tantalizing deceptions. Yet churches around the world are choosing to ignore politically incorrect Scriptures such as these: ‘There shall not be found among you anyone who... practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead [necromancy]. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out...’ Deut 18. 10-12.

‘And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.’ Leviticus 20:26

As people around the world are being indoctrinated with occult ideas and read about a counterfeit resurrection, the way is being prepared for the Man of Sin who will dazzle the world with lying signs and wonders as declared in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 9, and will himself experience a counterfeit resurrection: ‘And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marvelled and followed the beast.’ Rev. 13. 3.

(A tape/CD of Tony Pearce speaking on this subject is available on request).