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Christians hate the Harry Potter books. It's undeniable. Just look at the media reports about how Christian parents around the country are trying to get the book banned from libraries and schools. "It's a good thing when children enjoy books, isn't it? Most of us think so," wrote children's book author Judy Blume in a New York Times opinion piece. "[But] in Minnesota, Michigan, New York, California, and South Carolina, parents who feel the books promote interest in the occult have called for their removal from classrooms and school libraries. I knew this was coming. The only surprise is that it took so long. ... If children are excited about a book, it must be suspect.

"Likewise, Los Angeles Times writer Steve Chawkins wrote of the controversy, "I enjoy these periodic battles about book-banning. ... Hostility is often high. If you disagree with those who are so eager to protect your children, you are not merely wrong; you are twisted, negligent, evil, a dupe of dark forces, and, as in my case, a bad parent.

"But here's the problem with painting with such a broad brush: It's just not true. In fact, as far as I can tell, while no major Christian leader has come out to condemn J.K. Rowling's series, many have given it the thumbs-up. If our readers know of any major Christian leader who has actually told Christians not to read the books, I'd be happy to know about it; but in my research, even those Christians known for criticizing all that is popular culture have been pretty positive about Potter.

One of the most quoted supporters of the Potter books is Christianity Today columnist Charles Colson, who, in his November 2 Breakpoint radio broadcast, noted that Harry and his friends "develop courage, loyalty, and a willingness to sacrifice for one another—even at the risk of their lives. Not bad lessons in a self-centered world." Colson dismisses the magic and sorcery in the books as "purely mechanical, as opposed to occultic. That is, Harry and his friends cast spells, read crystal balls, and turn themselves into animals—but they don't make contact with a supernatural world. ... [It's not] the kind of real-life witchcraft the Bible condemns." (If you don't have the RealAudio player, you can get the transcript of Colson's broadcast at www.breakpoint.org)

Focus on the Family's review is one of the most recent—and most critical—of the Christian reviews, but the strongest that Focus's critic, Lindy Beam, can muster is "Apart from the benefit of wise adult guidance in reading these books, it is best to leave Harry Potter on the shelf." Still the review is mixed, rather than negative: "Harry Potter contains valuable lessons about love, courage, and the ultimate victory of good over evil," Beam writes. "The spiritual fault of Harry Potter is not so much that Rowling is playing to dark supernatural powers, but that she doesn't acknowledge any supernatural powers at all. These stories are not fueled by witchcraft, but by secularism." (One wonders if such an argument also faults Winnie the Pooh and The Wizard of Oz.)

The Focus on the Family Web site's "Parent to Parent" area offers mixed—not to say moderate—reviews. Two parents claim "I cannot say I sensed anything 'evil' about the book. It was pure fantasy," and "I [do not believe Potter's books] lead us to believe that the people who take themselves seriously as witches are 'ok' or safe." Two others are outraged. "The book becomes very satanic," writes one. "This series is simply Satan's way of infecting the minds of our children," writes another.

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December 6 1999, Vol. 43, No. 14