Harry Potter vs. The Fairy God-Mother

Good questions, Tiffany. My kids watch Disney. Not all Disney but quite a bit. Some of this stuff I just considered a whole other world made out of someone's imagination. Most of it I didn't find harmful. Only when my mother raised the Cinderella question did I even put evil and fairy tales in the same catorgory. Which is why I said that if accepting one means I accept both I sooner just give both up. I am finding myself a bit more confused on the lines we draw. LOL...flawed woman here! lol.

Now..doing good IMO has little to do with if something is evil or not. LOL..that made little sense. lol. For instance...if you are wrong but try to do good while disillustioned to how wrong you are...you are still wrong. OH MY...I have to go...I hope someone can answer this better...my head is spinning. LOL.

I think somethings are neutral. LIke music (another hot topic), I see think High School Muscial and Hannah Montana are neutral. Yet, I think some music is ungodly and some godly. I think but am NOT SURE...flawed woman speaking...the same may apply to what we watch.

 

LOL you make sense to me!

 

I have absolutely nothing to add to this topic. I just wanted to say that this is THE MOST CIVILIZED conversation on this topic I have EVER seen or heard. I applaud all of you for being able to stay so civilized while discussing a topic that is this controversial.

 

that is what I like about this place we all love each other and respect each other opinon we all know we are different and we are still here for each other when need. I love you all...it's a great bunch of ladies.. when I win my first million we are all getting together.. I don't know when LOL

 

That was exactly the point of this thread. Err, not to convince people to stop watching all fantasy/magic, but to find out why/how people can make such distinctions when magic is magic is magic.

 

Amie... I don't really know what the different is, it's if you practice it that is what makes the different in my book.. but that is me.. so if you don't practice it it's just a book or movie to me..

Please no rotten tomatoes this way....

 

That is exactly how I view it too Kris.:angel:

 

Yes- the magic made by the fairies in Sleeping Beauty is bad- it's witchery- disguised in goodness. Take all the psychics helping police- supposedly. That's the devil pure and simple, but dressed up as helpful assistance to find someone or solve a crime. There are so many shows on now that are about psychics helping the police, and I just roll my eyes. These poor families want to find their loved one or get help solving a crime against them, but these so called helpers are doing nothing but promoting the dark side.

 

Con't to say- Prairie kind of hit on this in her last post. Check it out- what's supposed to be cute about Halloween is the dressing up, getting free candy, and all that. Harmless, right? Aren't those very things, those cute things, rooted in evil from long ago? See? Dolling up the bad stuff makes it more palatable, and seemingly harmless..

 

I think symbols are important.

Consider a fable I was once told of a young man who invited his friend over to celebrate an important occasion in his friend's life. The host had artfully and beautifully decorated the room with a colorful red and white and black decor and had a feast prepared. His heart was right--full of love and respect for his friend. And the decor was merely a colorful symbol.

Something is wrong with the picture, though. His friend was a Jew, and the decor was the swastika!

 

There is a third consideration: If the "portrayal" of witchcraft is actually witchcraft "in practice" being used upon us to influence our perspective to confused us on what is right and wrong from God's perspective.

 

Well, I have to say that I think even after many good points from both sides...my heart is still in my original camp. lol. I have to say that I agree with Becky about evil being portrayed as innocent and with seekingmyLord. Do we sometimes forget who we are or could possibly be offending? I mean I am not willing to offend a Holy God. I know that I do...I am not perfect in any way. However, if something offends my God than I should also be offended. Right? Not that my opinion amounts more than a hill of beans but I think that witchcraft diguised in any form is ungodly. I don't even let my kids watch That's So Raven because of her seeking the future. I have seen That's So Raven a few times also. It is entertaining. It always strives for a positive outcome. Yet, that element of seeing the future cannot be missed. No one can argue that the bible would support that. As the bible says a little leaven ruins the whole loaf.

I have instructed my kids that if evil promoted itself in it's true form no one would follow. If that huge scarlet dragon (the picture of Satan in the Bible) came breathing fire you would not open your door and invite him in. That is not the evil that we need to be most frieghtened of. That is bold, clearn and undeniable. We need to fear the pink dragons that breath out warm rays of sunshine.

 

I'm curious then as to whether you celebrate Christmas with a Christmas tree/decorations. [not to be read in a snarky tone but in a sincere tone--- I know a number of Christians on other boards who do not observe Christmas] Most of the Christmas traditions we observe are grounded in pagan traditions and weren't practiced by the New Testament church.

 

Good question! I hadn't thought of that before. I too know of some Christians who do not celebrate Christmas.

 

*Laughs out loud at the word, "snarky!"* Oh, I like that! I like it!

Shelley, good question, first of all! Wow! You gals are making me lay it all out in the open, aren't you? (Well, not all of it, but a bit more.) And my time on the computer is about to run out for the day.

Let me start by saying that I used to ride the magic carpet as high as anyone. 'Loved fantasy. 'Looked into (but not for long) some of the occult. ('Had people fervently praying for me!) 'Probably misused some of the latent power of the soul, which the Lord gives us.

Bit-by-bit, like peeling off the layers of an onion, I became aware of, and then convicted of, and then repented of not only the use but also the attraction to certain things. You know what? In my determination to please the Lord I found myself craving holiness like a dying man in a desert craves water with a parched tongue, swollen, cracked lips, with nothing on his mind but the cry for water! I craved holiness! I wanted to get rid of everything which would hinder that quest.

I may have then jumped into the opposite ditch, which is so easy to do in our human state--got rid of anything that smacked, hinted, or smelled (figuratively-speaking, of course) of magic, occult, reincarnation (including talking animals, which those who believe in reincarnation take all too seriously--like animals can think, if not talk, like we do, because they have "Aunt Emma's" soul in them). Of course, the problem I discovered is that I am wicked through and through. It seems that everything I do is contaminated in some way down to pronouncing a pagan diety's name when I say the days of the week!!!

I was not satisfied in my quest for holiness by getting rid of things; though my willingness to do, I believe, pleased the Lord. Holiness, on one level at least, found me through a painful experience when I realized I had offended someone unintentionally, which led to me forgiving those who unintentionally have offended me. It's an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in my life--forgiving and being forgiven.

I do agree with those in this thread who maintain that on some level, the intent of the heart is what counts the most. Perhaps how we regard "magic" is way down the list on important things in God's sight, I'm not sure. I no longer see holiness as merely the avoidance of evil. I see it as a work which the Lord does in me as I become willing to allow Him to do that. A process.

And I've so much appreciated every one who has shared in this and other threads, because it shows the direction we hope to be going. Can you tell I'm procrastinating answering your Christmas tree question? Sun-god day... Thor's day.... 'Can't get away from those. We can do away with the tree, though. Dd (16) has been convicted about that, and Ds (16) says it has no meaning for him. I think it'll be next to go. Not that I think that makes me any "holier" than anyone else. Just because I think it would please the Lord. Maybe we'll do Hannaka! We know Jesus celebrated the Festival of Lights!

 

There is at least one family in my church who celebrates a number of traditionally Jewish holidays because Christ celebrated them. Your family might really enjoy that!

 

I have to say that I love it here at homeschool spot! I do not agree with everything everyone says! In fact some things I read sometimes make me scratch my head and wonder how different people are then myself. But I respect everyone just the same and I would hope that I would get the same respect for all of you.

I must say that if I felt at all, even a little tiny bit that what I was doing is wrong in God's eyes I would stop immediately! I love the Lord with all my heart and I am constatly in prayer. I even pray for you guys every night. Just thanking HIM for allowing me to be a part of this group and praying for his will in all of your lives. I just don't feel convicted to stop watching Disney or my detective shows I love or to go and tell my children Santa isn't real or tell them that this year they can't trick or treat. If I did feel convicted I would immediatley handle these things in my life and my family would adjust. They would have to.

I guess what I am trying to say (as an incredibley flawed woman!) is that our hearts do play a huge part in it all. When we pray we aren' getting the same answers and we can't play teh "i"m a better Christian then you" game. It is an individual thing.

I think I made no sense there but it made more sense in my head! LOL! Anyway I love you all and I'm glad we can discuss theses things.

 

Tiffany, you made sense to me...and I am sure to many others.