From "Jesus Camp" 2006
MARKETING THE OCCULT
By Berit Kjos
As the movie begins, Harry Potter is dreaming. A large serpent slithers out of the darkness, and Harry hears the cold, hissing voice of the murderous Voldemort. This evil wizard -- whose body had been decimated during a futile attempt to kill Harry thirteen years earlier -- is instructing his groveling servant Wormtail. Their deadly plot would require Harry's life. "I will not disappoint you, my Lord," Wormtail promises.
This nightmare introduces a major theme of the story: Voldemort is planning his return to a physical body through a blood sacrifice involving the 14-year-old student wizard.Compared to Voldemort's wicked plans and heartless brutality, Harry's magical training seems downright good. So when the dark scene above is replaced with Ron Weasley's fun-loving home (where Harry and Hermione are finishing up their summer break), all seems well. Who cares if these friendly folks are all witches and wizards? Here paganism seems normal! Never mind that the supernatural forces they manipulate correspond to those of Satan rather than God. In this enticing setting, the occult realm feels good to the unthinking audience. .
CONT
5 comments:
Whether packaged for our youth as D&D, yoga or Hogwarts School for Witchcraft or Wizardry, they desensitize their captive fans to the dangers of occult forces. And all too often they become irresistible to the enthusiastic victim.
This woman is a complete crackpot. She includes yoga in the same list of corrupting forces as witchcraft. Complete loon. I can't believe you are quoting this nut bag.
Insurgent,
Quoting someone does not mean wholesale endorsement. I'm seeking diversity of discourse and I look everywhere. Even to those with whom I disagree.
The operative point of her commentary was not the evils of "yoga" but the occult theme of a series of books and movies marketed to hundreds of millions of children each year.
Do you think Harry Potter is as innocent and healthy for our kids as was Herbie The Love Bug?
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I do actually. It is a very charming story that is, frankly, no different than the ghosts and goblins that are blabbered about in Sunday school. Parents let their kids dress up for Halloween and then have a fit about Harry Potter. Come on.
Actually I stopped that Halloween shit a couple of years ago. Dressing up like vampires and murder victims aint a good look. The kids haven't looked back.
Anytime corporate media rallies around a mythology like "Harry Potter" and injects it into the collective veins of children all around the world like some giant hypodermic needle - summin'up.
Like D says - NMK.
It ain't that deep with Harry Potter. It is a product that had unlikely appeal, so the studio is milking it for every penny they can squeeze out of it. Hence, the aggressive marketing.
I normally agree with you on these issues, but there are far more destructive things our kids are exposed to, like immoral war and pathological consumerism.
A little imagination and dreaming is healthy for children and the message of Harry Potter, of standing up for what's right, fighting against evil, etc. is a good message. The likelihood of a kid ending up dabbling in the occult as a result of watching the movie is, in my estimation, highly unlikely.
Most people I know who are phenomenal writers are those who grew up reading novels with great imagery. Shoot, my dad read to me as a kid from the Arabian nights and those stories have far crazier stuff.
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