now I get it! (the Christian opposition to Harry Potter)

Well of course, the basis of pretty much all religion is believing in magic. Is it any more surprising that certain people who have it pounded into their head from when they're young would believe in witches than it is that they would believe in a dude on a flying horse, or one who can part an entire sea by flicking his wrist, or a guy who can walk on water and rise from the dead? It's all magic. It's stupid to be against a book for having it in there, though. If they want to follow along logically with being against Harry Potter, then they should also be against any movie/book where someone gets murdered, doesn't respect their parents, covets something, etc. And that would, of course, include the Bible, which is one of the worst offenders as far as sex, violence, blasphemy, etc. go. Silly, silly people.

OK, so how do they explain transubstantiation performed by a priest? Or, if they explain that away as God working through the priest, how do they know that God isn't working through witches and wizards as well? Oh, and presumably God doesn't like thieves and murderers, either (I think ther're actually commandments to that effect). Do they also campaign against the depiction of stealing and murder in literature and popular culture?

how do they know that God isn't working through witches and wizards as well?

Because the Bible says God thinks witches are icky!

If you call it magic, it's BAD. If you call it a miracle, it's GOOD. If God tells you to sacrifice your own child in a ritual, or if He does it himself, it's GOOD, but if the instructions come from anywhere else, it's BAD. It's all clear as mud. ;-)

I could have sworn you posted something like this before, MaryAnn. Funny how you keep learning the same things over and over again. ;-)

Funny how the world keeps being so damn idiotic...

Yes that makes sense. And I think we would be foolish to simply assume our view of the world is correct and to laugh at or insult those who believe something different. Maybe magic is real, and maybe it is wrong to practice it FOR REAL, but that said, I don't believe God said anything in the bible about it being wrong to make believe. ;)

Ah, MaryAnn. I am a Christian. I am totally against the Harry Potter books, and voice my opinions at the local campus I attend. And you're cooked meat. Witchcraft IS REAL. It was practiced back in the 1800s, and people went to court for casting spells to demons, and were even hanged; they were making "magic" so to speak through divine powers which cannot be seen nor heard. So why do Christians like me think that Harry Potter is wrong to read: I mean, it is just a book, isn't it? Ah, but that's where people get thrown off. Witchcraft is a sin, as stated in the Bible. By reading J.K. Rowling's books, Christians know that they are committing a sin in their hearts. They are promoting her ideas by giving them their time, in an act of merely reading her books. And "magic", "witchcraft", whatever you want to call it, still goes on today in cults. It's merely hidden from everyday society. Bottom line: We KNOW that magic is real, through powers and principalities of different realms. We DON'T want to give these spirits any glory, so we don't read the books which make their works seem like something that should be tampered with or completely fine to tamper with. It would utterly be sinning against God. And NO, you had no understanding of why we even hated these books up till now.

How do you function in the real world, Lubby?

I don't know how Lubby functions, but I hope he (or she?) walks around saying "you're cooked meat," and "I know this to be true, through powers and principalities of different realms" to random strangers, preferrably while waving his fingers ominously and muttering incantations. Isn't it kind of funny that someone who thinks that belief in magic is a sin tends to write like he was homeschooled by Gandalf? "We don't want to give these spirits any glory????" It's straight out of a cheesy fantasy novel. I'd laugh if I didn't know he was actually serious. Lubby, you're covered. You're going to heaven and we're not (you wouldn't want us up there pitying you for eternity anyway). Don't waste any more time with us sinners. Harry Potter is a fad. In ten years it'll be a Jeopardy answer; in twenty years no one younger than thirty will even remember these sinful, blasphemous books. Your work is done. You and Ms. Lubbs have certainly earned a nice, long vacation. Go forth and start enjoying your earthly existence. You can even be fruitful if the mood strikes you, although to be honest I'm not quite sure you're ready for the multiplying part. (you seem to be a lot better at dividing, to be honest).

One thing's for sure: he really spices up your blogs, MaryAnn! (I heaved a tremendous "chortle" at your quips, amanohyo. Keep up the good work!)