Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The Vatican and Harry Potter

The Vatican daily L’Osservatore Romano was positive about the message of the Harry Potter film Deathly Hallows, the last in the series of movies based on the seven-volume Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.

“The finale is epic, with a battle worthy of this saga of unequaled planetary success,” wrote the paper. “The decisive meeting between the forces of good and evil is truly the final one, played out in an atmosphere that is almost too dark… Death… is a protagonist. [The] violence may not be welcomed or suitable for everyone…”

The paper argued that “evil is never presented as fascinating or attractive in the saga, but the values of friendship and of sacrifice are highlighted. In a unique and long story of formation, through painful passages of dealing with death and loss, the hero and his companions mature from the lightheartedness of infancy to the complex reality of adulthood.”

The idea behind the Harry Potter series is the glorification of spiritualism, which deceptively portrays it as good. Harry and his friends are in school (Hogwarts), learning in a process of spiritualistic formation with each successive book and movie.

“The lure by which spiritualism attracts the multitudes is its pretended power to draw aside the veil from the future and reveal to men what God has hidden. God has in His word opened before us the great events of the future—all that it is essential for us to know—and He has given us a safe guide for our feet amid all its perils; but it is Satan’s purpose to destroy men’s confidence in God, to make them dissatisfied with their condition in life, and to lead them to seek a knowledge of what God has wisely veiled from them, and to despise what He has revealed in His Holy Word.” Patriarchs and Prophets, pg. 686 – 687

“Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world… Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time. Says the prophet: “I saw three unclean spirits like frogs… they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Revelation 16:13, 14 Except those who are kept by the power of God, through faith in His word, the whole world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion. The people are fast being lulled to a fatal security, to be awakened only by the outpouring of the wrath of God. Great Controversy, pg. 561 – 562

Perhaps Rome approves of the Harry Potter series of books and movies. After all, Rome is deeply into spiritualist formation as well.

“Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of Spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of Spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience.” The Great Controversy, pg. 588

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