Harry Potter, lol ?!?!

[nitejule]

i was just wantin to know if there was anyone here that has read harry potter?? alot of my friends have read it and i was like no thats really stupid, but now i started reading the books and they are really good. very interesting and a really good read. i was just wanting to know it there were any people her that have read them??

[EricaElf]

I haven't read the books but my friend has and she likes them. i did see the movie and I thought it was really boring. I am a huge j.r.r. tolkien fan and i automattacally compare it to his works, so they dont have a chance really.

[nitejule]

lol
well i am a big tolkien fan too. its really not right to compare tolkien to rowling. thats kinda like comparing a cabbage to a potatoe. lol
they are 2 different types of writers. but good ones. i love tolkien alot. he is just wonderful. he has written so many great books and no matter how many times you read them they still seem to suprise you.
i thought that the hp movie was good, but nothing compared to lotr. lotr was just total amazement!! jackson is a wonderful director and he went the right way with the movie.
but i thought that the hp books are fairly interesting. its hard to put them down, as well as tolkien. i am currently readin hp and re-readin tolkien. but thats kewl you like tolkien!!
and you an i have something in common. we both love elves!!! WOO HOO

[VintageMorning]

I am a big Tolkein and Harry Potter fan, but you're right, you really can't compare the two! The Harry Potter movie was also an absolutely horrendous representation of the book (in my opinion). What's so appealing about both of them though is their power to really transport you to a complete other world, full of detail and history. Has anyone ever read Tolkein's The Silmarillion? I just finished that. It's a little hard to get through, but it's worth it. It totally brings alive the story of Middle Earth and makes everything in Lord of the Rings clearer.

--Kelsea

[VintageMorning]

I am a big Tolkein and Harry Potter fan, but you're right, you really can't compare the two! The Harry Potter movie was also an absolutely horrendous representation of the book (in my opinion). What's so appealing about both of them though is their power to really transport you to a complete other world, full of detail and history. Has anyone ever read Tolkein's The Silmarillion? I just finished that. It's a little hard to get through, but it's worth it. It totally brings alive the story of Middle Earth and makes everything in Lord of the Rings clearer.

--Kelsea

[nitejule]

i agree tolkien os wonderful!! and i am reading tolkien and rowling right now. i love them both, their books are really good reads. they really take you there while you are reading them.

[NCFan4Ever]

well im with you guys...I've only read one Harry Potter book, but it was awesome!

and LOTR ROCKS!!!!!! I love Sam! He's the cutest thing! Unfortunately, I swore that I would read the books before I saw the movie, and I got done with the books like, 2 days after the movie went out of theaters! Anyone know when it comes out on video/DVD? Anyway, at least I can still catch the next 2 in theaters!

[nitejule]

yeah i'm a big lotr dork!! i joined their fanclub :D but i like it!! the movie comes out tues the 6th so be ready to get it :) i have it preordered!!! i preorder everything :p

[NCFan4Ever]

yay! are they releasing it on video or just DVD?

[nitejule]

video and dvd i do believe!

[NCFan4Ever]

yay! i cant wait to get it!

[nitejule]

yeah go buy buy buy!!! lol its gonna have over 30 mins of footage in the movie itself instead of deleted scenes so i can't wait for that!!

[VintageMorning]

Oh, I can't wait for the extra footage! (hopefully more Legolas scenes:D ). But I don't think that edition is coming out until November 12th [sob] . I saw the preview for the Two Towers on Friday. It looks so good!

--Kelsea

[nitejule]

yeah!! way to go another elf fan, lol!!! Legolas is the man...well...errr.....elf :p

i am gettin both versions, lol like i said before i am a complete lotr nerd!! i can't help it i am a dork for tolkien!!

[NCFan4Ever]

Yeah I saw the preview for the two towers too, it does look awesome!

[VintageMorning]

I completely understand Tolkein dorky-ness. I saw Fellowship of the Ring six times in the theaters! I still can't believe I did that [shock] . But what can I say, I loved it! It was one of the rare instances when the movie actually helped me appreciate the book more.

What's the fan club like?

-- Kelsea

[nitejule]

yeah the fanclub is fun :) i saw the movie 5 times in the theater and have all tolkiens books that go with middle earth, and i have had the movie on my computer since opening weekend!!! plus i watch the preview for ttt like everyday on my computer!! lol i can't help it i totally love it!! i have an elf thing i love legolas/orlando bloom

[NCFan4Ever]

I havent seen the movie but I think that the guy who plays Aragorn/Strider (I think that's his name, there were so many characters in the books that sometimes I get confused) is hot!

[nitejule]

yeah thats viggo mortensen!! he is such an awesome actor. he really did justice to aragorn/strider character

[brandolin]

I thought Viggo Mortensen was perfectly cast. And I can't wait until...tomorrow, when LOTR comes out on DVD. OK, that's all.

[EricaElf]

i really need to come back more often to the places i post at and see what other ppl say....my dad (bless his wonderful heart, i lov him so) rented fotr for 5 days yesterday and i watched it 2 times then and i finished all the special features today. im going to watch it at least five times since he wont let me rent it again. im going to buy the Nov. 12th one, which has 4 hours i believe of special features, 40 mins. of deleted scenes put back into the movie, and the aragonath bookends. :) it seems that theres alot of tolkien geeks out there. has anyone read the History of Middle-earth books or Unfinsihed Tales? i looove the silm soo much. :D

[bandmembrwanabe]

I liked HP a whole lot. But I think you have to be a certain age to be allowed to read them. If kids read them when they are too young it could set a bad example. Like when Harry lies all the time, that's not good for vulnerable kids to read, and the whole witchcraft thing, young kids could take that the wrong way and think its real and then go mess with witchcraft...STUPID thing to do!! There is a big upset about HP, many people don't agree with the witchcraft. I think it's ok if you can understand that it's all fake fiction and that you can't go throwing spells on people thinking that you're a witch or wizard. Also, it's not good to lie. If you just look past all that, i think the books are entertaining and exciting.

[nitejule]

yeah i know there is alot goin on with that and all i can really say without getting too defensive about the books is that its just kid/teen/some adult fantast story, depending on what age group you fall into, but its just fantasy just as much as superman, spiderman, or batman. people can just as easily misunderstand those stories as much as HP. but i love them reagardless!!

[brandolin]

My parents think Harry Potter's the devil and they won't let me read the books. But I saw the movie and I liked it. And I don't even want to become a witch or a compulsive liar or anything. I thought their reasoning was that the movie features magic. But so does LOTR, and they let me *obsess* about it. They won't give me a straight answer about why I can't read HP, so I think their argument is weak. And my Latin teacher told me to read them, because Rowling uses a lot of Latin in the spells and names and such, but once again, my parents are depriving me of proper education. Sigh.

[NCFan4Ever]

I just bought the LOTR movie...it was really good! They picked the people to play the people really well! But I still like the books better!

[nitejule]

yup i got the movie too!!! i have watched it a bagillion times and know the whole movie by heart almost!!

thats sad about you not being able to read hp!! you should go to the library and get it!! lol and sneak it into the house and read it, lol

[bandmembrwanabe]

A lot of parents aren't letting their kids read HP, in a way I can see why. If I had kids under the age of 10 or 11 I wouldn't let them read HP. And even at 10 0r 11 I think the books need alot of explaining....The kids need someone to sit and read with them and tell them that Harry is being bad by lying. and that magic isn't real. I just think the books are a little risky. I hope none of you guys out there are into magic and witchcraft because that stuff can really mess people up.

~*Peace and love to all*~

[nitejule]

i understand where you are coming from on the witchcraft and the lying. but the books are very entertaing and are FANTASY!! i think it should be ok for younger kids to read them as long as the parents do say, magic isn't real its FANTASY, so nothin gcan come of it, and the lying can get you into alot of trouble. i just think they are fun books to read and really appeal to everyone!! i think the whole hoop-la about it is kinda stupid myself. i mean look at star wars and ever lord of the rings, they use the same kind of things and no one says anything or remotely turns their head. but those are just my opinions. i just personally see nothing wrong with reading it and enjoying it. its nice to be able to escape a little!! especially with all that is happening in the world today!

[matt the fiddler]

i have read all the books- and am anticipating the next movie, [goblet of fire was one of the few books that i have stayed up all night to read] yet have a lot of friends who think of harry as a should be banned by the church book- yet they are similiar to cs lewis and tolkien who also use magic [and are authors that are strong christians].

one thing that i thought that was very balanced on both sides of this issue from the prospective of the church .......was this article called what shall we do with Harry? by lindy beam - originally appeared on the focus on the family website- i couldn't find it there today [it was taken down because it is old or something] but it is here..

http://woohaa.safeshopper.com/405/cat405.htm?8

cheers- let me know what you guys think of that


matt

[bandmembrwanabe]

Everyone keeps saying that magic isn't so bad b/c it is used not only in HP. It's used in Tolkein and C.S. Lewis...but these are different kinds of magic. The HP magic is conducted by the kids...they have the power...in Lewis and Tolkien...the magic comes from somewhere else. I think that's what the big issue is. Do you get me?

[nitejule]

i understand what you are saying, but the parents should tell their kids that it is not real, that it is just fantasy!!! its just a fantasy book and does not relate to the present day occult!! things that are used in the books are complete make believe and i just think that its stupid that people see harry potter as the devil or a door to the occult!

plus no matter who the magic is used by magic is magic!

[dorm cripple]

I'm not a Christian, so I may not have any place in this argument, but I'm going to comment anyway :p

I understand that any form of witchcraft could be considered evil, even if it is fictional and used for good. So let us assume for the moment that hp is evil. Does the church as well as the Christian parents of children denied the permission to read hp honestly believe that the book has the power to turn God-fearing children into Satanists? A foundation of faith that is laid early in life and nourished through childhood is one of the hardest things to break in this world. I know these parents want to protect their children, just as mine still strive to protect me from the evil and pain in the world. But unless these parents plan to live locked in their houses, making no contact with the outside world, their children are likely to be exposed to some evil and are even more likely to be exposed to harry potter. If these parents do not believe they or their church have guided their children to a strong enough faith to resist the evil temptation presented in a book of fiction, perhaps they need to examine their own faith in God.

I do have a few friends that became Wicca during high school after a Christian upbringing. Personally I believe it was because they felt they had no control over their lives, and were defiantly the type to do drastic things for attention. They were not strong Christians to begin with, and neither were their parents. It may have been that they needed a stronger religion, and when they did not get it through Christianity they turned to find it elsewhere. But no book, or person, or any single influence could have turned them. They did not simply show up one day and proclaim themselves witches.

Could Harry Potter turn Christian children to seek an occult religion? Possibly. I have yet to hear of a case in which this occurs. But any faith that can be destroyed by one book is not much of a faith in the first place.

Jessi
PS. Harry Potter rocks

[nitejule]

JESSI YOU ARE A SMART PERSON!!!!!!!!!

i agree with you......but i just think that we should calm down this thread too. i know alot of us are gettin defensive and the last thing we wanna do is to offend someone, especially when it comes to religion.

i am a christian and i love harry potter!! i see nothing wrong with the books. if anyone wants to chat about this topic please IM me at NiteJule247

i don't want this to cause drama on the boards. its a happy place :p ok well i gotta go i will chat with you guys later or come back to this thred.

[brandolin]

I know I'm a little late here, but did anyone read the article that Matt provided? I think it answers a lot of very important questions that we should all ask about HP. Thanks, Matt!

[dorm cripple]

yeah i read matt's article, i thought it was good. And yes I agree this should be a happy thread :-)
After rereading my thread though, I realized it may come off that I think Christianity is bad - it couldnt be further from the truth, I think on the whole its a great religion and I follow most of the ideas it presents :-)
So when does everybody think the next hp book will come out?
-Jessi

[matt the fiddler]

isn't there some messed up law suit going on over royalties and $?

my guess is in reality it will come out shortly after the movie comes out- but- i look forward to reading it- goblet of fire left a lot fo stuff hanging.. [not to ruin it for anyone who hasn't read that far.....]

[NCFan4Ever]

Well I think that Harry Potter is a good thing.....it's one of the few series that kids actually get excited to read. And they aren't really elementary books either...so if HP gets kids to love reading and to read 400 page books then its a good thing.

[nitejule]

yeah goblet left alot of stuff hanging. and there is soooo much stuff goin on the hp. their is a lawsuit but i don't know any real details about that!! and i know the next book will come out next year. they are releasing a book per year.

the chamber of secrets movies is out this year. and prisoner will not be out til 2004 :( its gonna be a long wait!!!

oh another happy note they are more than likely gonna make every book into a movie!! so there will be 7 movies to go with the 7yrs of hp!! YAY!!

[VintageMorning]

I just started rereading the Goblet of Fire tonight, and needless to say I can't wait for book five. You all might be a little tired of the topic, but I thought I'd bring up the point that the Harry Potter books can actually be faith-strengthening. The kids do lie at times, but they also teach tremendous values like courage, self-sacrifice and love, and the importance of being able to stand up to evil. There are so many books and movies out that are shallow, but Harry Potter stands out as actually being a great role model. Because it's has magic and is about witches it's branded as evil, but the main messages are being missed. And as for the lying-- it's natural. That's one reason why the books are so appealing. J.K. Rowling does a superb job at getting inside the minds and lives of kids, and she writes them realistically. Lying isn't right, and she's not trying to say that it is (in the books it has its natural consequences), but it's exactly what these kids would do in this situation.
Anyway, that's just my opinion.

I am looking forward to the second movie, especially seeing Kenneth Branagh playing Professor Lockhart:p

--Kelsea