There’s no denying that Harry Potter has taken the world by storm and continues to. It’s also quite clear that the Bible speaks out against sorcery and witchcraft. However, the vast majority of Bible believers have tried to find ways to defuse whatever the Bible says about sorcery by claiming that it has nothing to do with Harry Potter.
In Galatians 5:20, sorcery is listed as part of the “deeds of the flesh” along with things like idolatry, drunkenness, and fornication. “Sorcerers” are named in a similar list in Revelation 21:8. In Acts 19:19, those that practice magic brought their books and burned them when they turned to the Lord. In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 18:10-14 WARNS the nation of Israel about the things they will face in their new land – like idolatry, child sacrifices, and witchcraft. 2 Chronicles 33:6 says that King Manasseh “practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger”. Clearly, in both the Old and New Testaments God was and still is against sorcery, witchcraft, and divination
So, how does that NOT apply to Harry Potter? The first claim is that the words mean something different than the kind of magic practiced in Harry Potter. Let’s look at the words. The Greek word (roughly transliterated) is pharmakeia. Yes, that’s where our word “pharmacy” comes from. Typically that leads people to say that this word is talking about drug abuse, thus it does not apply to HP. While I can see why they make that claim, those that translated practically every English version of the Bible seem to think that it had to do with more than drug abuse. Bauer's lexicon, a definitive lexicon on New Testament Greek, defines it as “sorcery, magic” and “magic arts” (Bauer 1049). Clearly it implies more than just simple drug use. However, even if it did, would Harry Potter’s use of potions pass this test?
What about “witchcraft”? This one is a little tougher since it isn’t used in the New Testament. The Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon defines it as one who practices “soothsaying or spiritism or magic or augury” (Strong #6049). So, witchcraft is a much broader term than sorcery. It includes magic, but it basically is about fortune telling and divining the future. These (sorcery and witchcraft) terms have everything to do with the kind of magic practiced in Harry Potter.
The next claim is that Harry Potter is just fiction and this kind of magic isn’t real, so there’s nothing wrong with HP. First, just because it is fictional doesn’t get us off the hook. Remember, sorcery was listed as a deed of the flesh along with idolatry and sexual immorality. I don’t know of any Christian that would make a case for watching movies where fornicators and homosexuals are the heroes. I have a hard time seeing how just saying “it’s fictional” makes it acceptable. Second, this magic may not exist as much today (although there are still practicing witches, warlocks, magicians, psychics, vampires and vampiresses, etc.), but it clearly isn’t a completely foreign idea. In Exodus 7, Pharaoh had sorcerers that would come out and try to match the miracles of God. This is why God felt it necessary to warn His people about these men in Deuteronomy 18. King Nebuchadnezzar also kept a staff of magicians, sorcerers, and conjurers in Daniel 2:2. While some may claim that people can’t work these acts today, it hasn’t stopped the wiccan “religion” from staying alive and well. It hasn’t disappeared completely, so saying that it is fiction or such a far-fetched idea that we need not worry about it, doesn’t work either. Let's not forget that Ephesians chapter 6 warns that the Christian battles against SPIRITUAL wickedness.
Game of Thrones is another popular show among Christians. Entertainment is not a neutral exercise. In every instance, it’s going to be a net positive or a net negative for the mental and spiritual welfare and inviting these messages, images, and ideas into the mind is detrimental. We are doing something that is active and purposeful, and it will either help or hurt in the end.
Music, movies, TV, games — we spend so much of our lives wrapped up in all this stuff because it affects us. There’s a reason why Americans still commit an inordinate amount of their income to cable bills, Netflix accounts, movie tickets, and video games. It’s important to us. Too important, clearly. But even in proper proportion, this is art, and art is a powerful thing. Art says something to us and about us. It drives us and transforms us. Art moves the heart and the mind in a particular direction. It can pull us closer to God or push us further away from our Creator, but whatever it does, it does something.
So anytime we sit in front of the tube, we should ask: Am I progressing or regressing? Is this drawing me to God or away from Him? What am I getting out of this?
The opposing argument, however, says that entertainment is never a moral concern. A thing is pleasurable because it is, and it is because it is. Why worry about it? Why analyze it? Just sit back and let it sweep you away into its world. Be so utterly passive and lethargic that you don’t even stop to think about what you’re thinking about. Become like a vacant shell, filled in and emptied again according to the whims of these glowing screens. If the entertainment industry says, “here, stuff this in your brain, it’ll feel good,” just do it and take whatever they give you. Take it and go with the flow.
Game of Thrones has certainly benefited from this careless attitude immensely, although sometimes they can take it too far, even by their audience’s permissive standards. Occasionally, the debauchery on the show runs a bit ahead of Hollywood’s campaign of desensitization, and viewers are confronted with material that they aren’t quite numb enough to accept (yet).
No, it wasn’t real, it was a fantasy, but that’s the point. A choice was made to include this material into an entertainment show about dragons and guys with swords. So what was the point? Why did it need to be shown? What purpose did it serve? What value did it have? And from the viewer’s perspective, is there ever a good reason to watch a rape happen, even if it’s just pretend?
Answers:
What was the point? Shock and spectacle.
Why did it need to be shown? It didn’t.
What purpose did it serve? Promotional tool.
What value did it have? None. Also, entertainment.
Is there ever a good reason to watch a rape?
Of course not.
The arguments in defense of christians watching these show can be summarized as follows: The shows reveals the complexity of human nature and illustrates the ugliness of sin, therefore viewers can learn from it.
Seemingly clever rationalizations, but flimsy. Flimsy particularly because this could apply to literally everything that’s ever been filmed. By this line of reasoning, Christians should watch the bloodiest and most graphic imagery just to fully understand the realities of our imperfect existence.
Of course, the only thing worse than the “it shows what sin looks like” excuse is the “Christians shouldn’t hide from the culture” bit. And they’re correct. We shouldn’t hide. But we shouldn’t go along with it or follow its dictates or conform to it, either. (Romans 12:1-2) In this culture, lots of sins are considered fun, harmless, and entertaining. Do I need to actually commit them all, or watch someone commit them while I sit on my couch and cheer along, in order to not be guilty of “hiding”?
I mean, does anyone believe that the producers of the show choose to pepper it with non-stop nudity and sex in order to sharpen our moral sensibilities or to teach us something? Does anyone buy that? Is HBO filling the airwaves with graphic sex in order to show that man is fallen? They are indeed demonstrating that fact by putting this on TV, but is that their intent? Doubtful. Whatever their intent, should we participate in it? Should we indulge in it? Is it cool to sit down once a week to watch something that we know will involve graphic sex and stylized violence? If you wouldn’t want your spouse watching that garbage on the internet, is it alright as long as there’s a more intricate story and better acting surrounding it?
I’m not saying that Christians should only watch children’s cartoons. I’m not saying Christians should insulate themselves from the culture entirely, or relegate all of their viewing habits to Charlie Brown specials or veggietales. The Bible tells us to protect our purity of heart and mind, and if those exhortations don’t apply to shows like Game of Thrones and Harry Potter when and where do they apply?
A simple illustration.
Perhaps we should treat our brains and souls with the same respect we give a kitchen sponge. You wouldn’t put your sponge in the toilet and then use it to clean your dinner plate. Why, then, do we let our brains absorb hours of filth every day and then think we can turn around and use those same minds to be decent, virtuous and Godly people in real life?
A lot of Christians (me included) are willing to write off bad language, sex scenes, or practices contrary to the Bible that we're commanded to avoid, in movies and books because we like the story. Let us never become desensitized. Daily, we have to go back to Philippians 4:8 and guard our ear gates and eyegates with the Word of God.
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