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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | On Harry Potter? | Bible general Archive 1 | Hank | 21435 | ||
Tim, from last week's activity on the forum I have two cents left, so I choose to toss this two cents' worth of "infinite wisdom" to you and EdB in pain of having my check bounced back at me :-) It strikes me as being at least worthy of some consideration to measure the content of any book, including the Bible itself, not by the subjects it deals with but by the stand it takes on those subjects. The Bible does, as you have pointed out, deal with the subjects of murder, witchcraft, adultery, etc., and it clearly condemns them. But it doesn't stop there. It offers a better way..... Now the salient difference, it seems to me, is that some other books, in dealing with the same subjects, may condemn them, condone them, or even endorse them...... So should not the criterion, in assessing the fitness of a book (especially for the very young) be measured not necessarily by whether, for example, witchcraft and magic are subjects treated of in the book but by whether these subjects are condemned, condoned, or endorsed? Taking the Harry Potter series as a test case: Do they condemn, condone, or endorse magic and witchcraft? And, in any case, do they offer a better way? --Hank | ||||||
2 | On Harry Potter? | Bible general Archive 1 | Morant61 | 21453 | ||
Greetings Hank! I like this approach a little better! My concern was that simply mentioning a "forbiden" topic should not be enough to disqualify a work of literature. Your approach is definitely more balanced. However, there is still one drawback. Wouldn't this approach automatically exclude any secluar literature from a Christian's reading list? Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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3 | On Harry Potter? | Bible general Archive 1 | Hank | 21468 | ||
No, Tim, I don't. I don't think it excludes any and all secular literature from a Christian's reading list. I think that approach is much too strained and narrow. One's reading list should, I'd think, take a number of factors into consideration, including but not necessariy limited to questions such as these: How mature is the Christian, as a person and as a Christian? For what purpose is the book to be examined? I think there are perfectly legitimate reasons for mature, well-grounded Christians to read the works of Darwin, for example, or the Koran, in order to be able to understand more about these points of view that are clearly antithetical to the teachings of the Bible. It is both unrealistic and undesirable for Christians to attempt to sequester themselves in a spiritual and intellectual cave. That hardly permits them to go into all the world and preach the gospel of Christ. Yet we are under the command of Scripture to be in the world and not of the world. This can be a tight-wire journey in our complex world, but it can be done with help from above. I believe, Tim, that usually the Christian knows when he is crossing the line and spending too much time and effort in reading things that do him no real good and may in fact be harming him. As a case in point, some years ago someone gave me a copy of one of Stephen King's books. I was at the time quite unfamiliar with this writer. After reading some 50 pages of the book (Tommyknockers I think the name was) I decided it was trash and wanted no more of it, so I tossed it among other items of its genre -- in the trash can where it belonged. --Hank | ||||||
4 | On Harry Potter? | Bible general Archive 1 | Morant61 | 21473 | ||
Greetings Hank! Hey, I like Stephen King! :-) I agree with what you have said. I have been trying to make the same basic case, I just haven't said it as well. I'm not comfortable with cookie cutter rules. I think that there are many factors which must be considered, prayerfully. Then a decision can be made. For myself, I enjoy fictional books just for entertainment. Works like Stephen King's may ever be considered great literature, though I think he is underrated as an author simply because he is popular, but they are fun to read. However, I try to vary my reading list. I'll mix in science, classics, history, poetry, ect.... - not to mention my Biblical studies. I'm just blessed that I am a very fast reader, so I can broaded my list quite a bit and time is not really a factor. A few years ago, I went to a county fair. I took a new novel with me and finished the whole thing while I was waiting in lines for rides! :-) Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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