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This section contains comments and views of our readers. The contents may have been edited for grammar and spelling but we try to preserve the entirety of the articles as best as we can. The views of our readers do not necessarily reflect that of the Editor or The Church of the Ascension.

Here is a reproduction of an email I received not long after I wrote the February editorial. It is a good illustration of what I wrote on. Ed

Whispers

The man whispered, "God, speak to me"
and a meadowlark sang.

But, the man did not hear.

So the man yelled, "God, speak to me"
and the thunder rolled across the sky.

But, the man did not listen.

The man looked around and said,
"God let me see you."
And a star shined brightly.

But the man did not see.

And, the man shouted,
"God show me a miracle."
And, a life was born.

But, the man did not notice.

So, the man cried out in despair,
"Touch me God, and let me know you are here."
Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man.
But, the man brushed the butterfly away ..............

And walked on.

I found this to be a great reminder that God is always
around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted ...
even in our electronic age. So I would like to add one more:

The man cried,
"God, I need your help!"
And an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement.

But, the man deleted it and continued crying
.............

Don't miss out on a blessing
because it isn't packaged the way that you expect.

Expect the unexpected...
Have A Happy Day!

Truly blessed by the articles on Ministry (Letters from Trinity, 15 Aug 03). Leonard seems to know and understand a lot about ministry even though he is not "Full Time" ...yet. Wait till he is! :-)

It's a relief to know that I'm not the only one feeling exactly the same way. I think that there is a case for simple language to be used. To be honest, it gets pretty boring when these clichés and jargons are used because as its term suggests.. its cliché. It's inevitable to have clichés and jargons in a group or in this case, the church but God made us more creative and different from each other than that. I doubt He'll want us to sound the same. The beauty is when we all can express characteristics unique from one another yet "un-foreign" to Him.

About relating to others, I feel that its as essential for simple language to be used. Christians are not a group of people that sound the same (at least they shouldn't be). On a good day, as you've mentioned, a newcomer to our small group gatherings may feel left out at his "inability" to engage in similar jargon. But on a bad day, a newcomer might think these people are weird! "What in the world are they talking about?".

Aloysius
28 June 2003

Response to What a Privilege (30 Apr 03)

Thank you for the meaningful reflection. Never thought of the 2 thieves as being privileged in that light. But they were and what a blessing for the thief on the right for recognizing the fullness in Jesus. May we too recognize our own emptiness and the pathetic state we are in and cry out to the Lord, so that He may fill us with Himself -full and overflowing. Once again I am touched by the depth of grace that Jesus displays towards sinners. No one is beyond redemption and no moment is too late with Him while we are alive. How privileged we are to worship such a God!

Julie

I couldn't catch up with the speed with which this was prayed and I felt Bishop Chew was trying to restrain us and keep a slower speed. I feel that speaking that fast is an indication that one is not aware that it is a person we are addressing.

We may call out for toilet paper in desperation at that speed but we surely do not ask for such weighty matters as establishing God's kingdom etc at that speed and certainly not to God. It is not merely a matter of respect but it does seem to me the awareness of speaking to God and his listening at the other end of our words is in question.

Ed: Any of you have the same feeling? Please let us know your opinion on this and whether anything should be done.

Are you referring to my "bermudas' (I must not assume either way)? I do have to say that these are the most practical decent wear for me as I take a brisk 10-15 minutes walk to church and ride astride a motorbike home! However I am open to comments.

Ed: No, I never do refer to anyone specifically in any of my editorials (unless permission is granted). I do agree with you that bermudas are most practical. How about other Ascensionaires - how do you feel about bermudas?

Yep, we should give our best in fact to God in everything we do. I tend to agree with you on this matter and perhaps smart casual is the minimum? This could be inserted as a reminder in the weekly bulletin?

My 2 cents
Warmest regards from
Teresa Khoo
19 Mar 02

I do agree that a certain standard in how we dress on Sunday should be reinforced to the church, but in a manner that strengthens, edifies and conveys the right message of why it has its place. People need to recognize the point that it is more out of respect/reverence to God, as well as a testimony to people, rather than just some rules the church is enforcing so that all 'looks good'.

I personally do think that a lot of people just wear what they feel like on Sunday without thinking much about it, so there's a place where they be reminded of some of the implications and significance of this in our image as Christians. the rest then is really up to a person's own
conviction and beliefs. Like 1 Cor 10:23 says " Everything is permissible but not everything is
beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive."

Maybe reminders can be made sensitively, and the important thing at the end of it all is never judge based on a person's appearance/dressing. Its a good point, hopefully our church can see it as building each other up, not putting each other down.

Thanks for being willing to share your views, no doubt a good reminder to be alert and not get too complacent about some things. (I speak for myself, hee!).

Yvonne
20 Mar 02

Interesting thoughts there in the editorial article on "saturation point". I would like to add my comments here:

A recent event in my life tells me how easily influenced our children are. I was helping my youngest daughter, age 5, in making paper aeroplanes when she wanted to show me "how the wicked people drove the aeroplane into a building", thinking that it would be great fun. I've to stop her and taught her some objective lessons there and then. I believe she must have been influenced by what she saw on TV.

Values are taught at the earliest and not at the later stage of a child's life. Most of us miss this crucial point that values are taught from year 0 to year 6 of a child's life. This period is perhaps the most crucial period in imparting values. I'm a very strong believer that during this vital period, at least one of the parents should be with the child, not in a passive sense, but actively involved in parenting. It may not be the whole day but at least a major portion of the day. We have to be there when the moment requires that decision making involving values. It is most
sad when the parenting job is left in the hands of maids or others whose values are not similar to the bible. If that is true, then we may have children greatly influenced by the values of others and when our children manifest those values contrary to our own, later in life, we can end up
being heart broken. My experience is that teaching a child values when they are in primary school is a very difficult task because their values are already ingrained in the person at home before they come to school.

Kia Wang

Editor: I fully agree with you! Sad thing is that many parents find that out far too late. Very often, the crucial years of a child are when the parents are young in their careers and place that before the needs of their children. So many young children are fostered out...and are with their parents only on weekends.

This might be of help in the discussion on the above. I find it helpful because it is well reasoned from Scripture. Source: Christian websites

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." Matthew 5:13

Corinthians II 4:3-6 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Do Not Be Deceived

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight." Isaiah 5:20,21.

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:" Ephesians 4:14-15

Corinthians II 11:14-15 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness;
whose end shall be according to their works.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (KJV)

We Are Called to Holiness & Separation "What part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God... Therefore come out from among them and be separate." 2 Corinthians 6:15-17

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you... If they persecuted Me they will persecute you... because they do not know Him who sent Me." John 15:19-21

Scripture on Witchcraft:

"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee." Deuteronomy 18:10

"Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19:31

"And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people." Leviticus 20:6

"A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them." Leviticus 20:27.

"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed." Exodus 22:18-20.

"FOR THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL, BUT MIGHTY THROUGH GOD TO THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONGHOLDS, CASTING DOWN IMAGINATIONS, AND EVERY HIGH THING THAT EXALTS ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND BRINGING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST" 2 CORINTHIANS 10:4-5

Introduction

One of the biggest things that has hit our popular culture in the last year that is an issue for anyone with children are the Harry Potter books. 4 books have been written and 3 more are set to hit the bookstores. A movie on Harry Potter is set for release next year by Warner Brothers.

The books, among the fastest selling in history, have received much international attention due to the fact they are very popular with children and have helped many kids learn to enjoy reading or read at a higher level.

The bestselling Harry Potter Books are in fact designed to be recruiting tools for Wicca/Witchcraft and the occult, especially in the case of impressionable young children.

What makes Harry Potter's world so attractive-even to some Christians?

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (in England the words Philospher's Stone were used), the first in the series, introduces Harry as an orphaned baby. Readers quickly learn that Harry has survived an attack by the series' evil wizard: Lord Voldemort. Although successfully destroying Harry's parents (a wizard and witch), Voldemort mysteriously fails in his attempts to kill Harry, leaving a lightning-bolt scar on the infant Harry's forehead. Furthermore, in the process, Voldemort loses most of his power, thus making Harry an instant legend in the world of witchcraft.

Rescued by the "good wizard forces," Harry is deposited on the London suburb doorstep of his Muggle Aunt and Uncle. (Muggles are everyday people who are oblivious to the workings of the witches' and wizards' world.) Forced to sleep in a basement cupboard, Harry is tormented by
his unloving relatives for the next 10 years-a Cinderella-like persecution that readily earns the reader's sympathy.

Upon his 11th birthday, which occurs early in the book, Harry's life takes a dramatic turn. He learns the true origin of both the lightning-bolt scar and his parents' cause of death, and is rescued from
his Muggle relatives. He's enrolled in Hogwarts-the premier boarding school for "Witchcraft and Wizardry."

With Hogwarts as the main setting, Harry displays loyalty to his new friends and school, and bravery when battling the evil Lord Voldemort."The good is always more attractive than the bad," said the father whose daughter cherishes the books. "Loyalty, honesty, charity are celebrated. Harry has friends he respects."

There is a lot to be said in favor of these books:

* They are very well-written fantasy, and to some are a pleasure to read. Even adults enjoy reading them to children and to themselves. (In England, there is an edition produced especially for adults who are embarrassed to be seen reading a children's book!)
* Because they are written for young boys, they captivate the imagination of almost all children.
* They tap into the poignancy of the powerlessness of children, which is a painful part of being young.
* They are full of real-life situations, ranging from the embarrassing to the hurtful to the scary to the satisfying, that real-life kids experience.
* They pit good against evil, with the good guys really being the good guys.

But there's one substantial difficulty with the Harry Potter series. They make sorcery and witchcraft enticing to the reader. And that is not consistent with a Christian worldview, where we are called to "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ"{1}. God gives us very strong and clear commands about witchcraft: it is a sin,{2} it is an abomination before God,{3} and the Old Testament penalty for sorcery or witchcraft was death.{4} The proscription against the practice of magic is continued in the New Testament. {5} {See scripture references at foot of document.}

Some Problems With the Harry Potter Books

# Witchcraft

The book's main characters engage in occultic and Wiccan-style exercises. Harry and his colleagues routinely practice sorcery, cast spells, fly on broomsticks and talk with spirits of the dead.

# Gruesome Imagery

Author J.K. Rowling incorporates graphic depictions, including a professor whose leg is mangled by a three-headed dog; a mysterious figure who is caught drinking blood from a unicorn carcass; Lord Voldemort's horrific appearance as a ghastly face on the back of a professor's head; and Nearly Headless Nick-a ghost whose head is barely attached.

# Disrespect

Harry frequently-and unapologetically-lies, breaks rules and disobeys authority figures, including the professors at Hogwarts. He specifically disregards a direct order from one of his teachers and takes off on a broom. Instead of being punished, Harry is honored for his riding skills.

# Vengeance

Harry resents his cruel relatives and-rather than extending forgiveness-is eager for retribution. Upon returning to family members at the end of the school year, Harry is pleased at the opportunity to torment them.

Much Deception/Lies and Myths in Harry Potter

We are told that the theme of the books is to help kids to discover truths about bravery, loyalty, choice and the power of love. While there may be some truths told about human nature, the vast majority of what is put forth in these books are lies and deceptive half-truths.

Examples

Quote #1: "You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. But you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no.. anything. There's no chance at all of recovery. You'll just-exist. As an empty shell." (The Prisoner of Azkaban, page 247)
Truth: We cannot exist without our soul. Since soul and spirit are one, if spirit leaves, the body dies. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8: "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Quote #2: "You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble?. You know, Harry, in a way, you did see your father last night.. You found him inside yourself." (The Prisoner of Azkaban, page 427-428)
Truth: The spirits of our dearly departed do not live within us (memories - yes. their spirit - no).
Note: Both of these concepts are witchcraft philosophy. One of the High Holy days to witches is Halloween. In the book Witchcraft for Tomorrow, Doreen Valiente writes, "The Sabbath of Halloween is particularly suitable for communication with the spirits of those who have passed on, as this is the ancient festival of the dead, and our loved ones who have gone on before us." J.K. Rowling has said in interviews that her "very favorite" time of the year is Halloween.

Quote #3: In the "Sorcerer's Stone", Harry is told that "there is no good and evil, there is only power.. and those too weak to seek it." This presents "good" (the weak) as losers. There is good and evil in the world. God and Satan are real and to suggest anything else will lead someone into a world of lies. The conflict between good and evil is nothing new for sure, but these books present a twisted view of this conflict. Harry is a bonafide wizard and is being taught divination (crystal ball, and tealeaf reading) and other occult practices. He is the hero and uses his powers of darkness to fight a greater power in the dark world (the evil Lord Voldemort) who murdered his mother (a witch) and his father (a wizard). This is saying that it's O.K. to use evil to fight evil if your intent is for self-gain. That is a cardinal doctrine of Satanism and will lead you to believe that you can control the use of evil. The truth is that Satan (in the real world) loves to deceive people into thinking this so he can pull them deeper into his world to ultimately destroy them.

Quote #4: One of the most blatant statements of witchcraft doctrine comes when a professor tells Harry, "after all, to the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." (The Sorcerer's Stone, pg. 302) This is Wicca Witchcraft doctrine pure and simple. Starhawk (a noted witch) states in the book "Spiral Dance", "Death is not an end, it is a stage in the cycle that leads on to rebirth. After death, the human soul is said to rest in "Summerland," the Land of Eternal Youth, where it is
refreshed, grows young and is made ready to be born again." The Bible says "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" Hebrews 9:27.

Quote #5: "Evil" Lord Voldemort - "so feared that he is referred to only as 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named'" This is a mockery of God. The Jews believed that God's name, Yahweh = "I AM THAT I AM", Exodus 3:14, was too Holy to be uttered. Therefore it is God that is so feared and Holy He is, "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named". In the Harry Potter series , good is made out to be evil and evil is made out to be good.

But What about C.S. Lewis' Narnia?

Christian fans of Harry Potter insist that the series is no different than C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, a series that many Christian parents accept.

It is true that both authors create fantasy parallel worlds involving young British children who encounter magical creatures. Both develop admirable characters and evil villains. But this is where the comparison ends.

The difference between the two hinges on the concept of authority. From a Christian perspective, authority and supernatural power are linked.

Take a look at Mark 2, where Jesus heals a paralytic. When Jesus first sees the paralytic, He says, "Son, your sins are forgiven." This sets up the following scene:

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does this fellow teach like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Immediately Jesus knew . . . that this was what they were thinking . . . and He said to them, "Why are you thinking such things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . ." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. (Mark 2:6-12a)

Christ's power flows from His authority. That's the nature of all legitimate power-it is granted and guided by authority.

When we read Rowling's series, we find that she effectively divorces power from authority. There is no sovereign person or principle governing the use of the supernatural.

Magical power is gained through inheritance and learning. It is not granted by a higher authority, because there is no Higher Authority-at least none higher than Harry's mentor, Albus Dumbledore, and the evil Lord Voldemort. The two are equal, antagonistic and unaccountable to a higher authority.

In C.S. Lewis' Narnia, power and authority are welded together. That authority is Jesus, in the character of the great lion Aslan-creator and sovereign ruler of Narnia, son of the Emperor Beyond the Sea. Good power is power that is bestowed by Aslan and exercised in accordance with his will. This good power is at work when the children Peter, Susan and Lucy use gifts bestowed on them by an agent of Aslan.

Evil power, on the other hand, is power that is seized or conjured-rather than bestowed-and exercised for selfish ends. Those who resist the temptation to use such power are commended, as was Digory, in The Magician's Nephew. But those who wield it (such as Jadis, also in The Magician's Nephew) and the White Witch (in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) are eventually vanquished by Aslan.

Despite superficial similarities, Rowling's and Lewis' worlds are as far apart as east is from west. Rowling's work invites children to a world where witchcraft is "neutral" and where authority is determined solely by one's cleverness. Lewis invites readers to a world where God's authority is not only recognized, but celebrated-a world that resounds with His goodness and care.

It's a difference no Christian should ignore.

Proven Link in "PHILOSOPHER'S STONE" With Alchemy , & Ultimately The Occult

Central to the plot, and part of the title of the first book in the Harry Potter series, is the sorcerer's stone, in actuality "the philosopher's stone," (title changed for books in the U.S. and France). The philosopher's stone is connected to alchemy, an occult practice that combined the exploration of minerals with Gnostic practices of sorcery seeking to turn base metal into gold, and through that, attain an inner spiritual transformation. Alchemy is defined by one occultist as " the process of the transmutation and purification...of the soul via the discipline of purifying and combining physical materials and chemicals which are symbolic of spiritual transformations," and the Philosopher's Stone was a "metaphor for the illuminated mind," and the "First Substance from which all other metals derived," (Whitcomb, 485, 527).

Further descriptions of alchemy reveal its metaphysical nature: "High magic and alchemy are twin branches of the magical system known as Hermetism...," and "There is an intrinsic link between alchemy and the Kabbalah....Like alchemy, the Kabbalah sees three planes in nature -- the mental, the astral, and the material [...]Thus, the alchemist, a Hermetic magician, bases his physical and spiritual work on the Kabbalah, particularly the Tarot.." (Gonzalez-Wippler, pp. 61 and 63). The Kabbalah is too complex to describe here; suffice it to say that it is an occultic Gnostic perversion of Judaism which "is a complete system of symbolism, angelology, demonology, and magic" (W. B. Crow, A Fascinating History of Witchcraft, Magic, and Occultism, Hollywood: Wilshire Book Company, 1968, p. 82). The Tarot are a set of cards used for divination. Rowling refers to Nicolas Flamel in the first Harry Potter book (103, 219) as the partner in alchemy of Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts. Harry and his friends search through the library, looking for Flamel's name to see who he is (197-8) and finally read about him as the "only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone" which can turn metal into gold and gives immortality through producing the "Elixir of Life," (219, 220). In Harry Potter, Flamel has achieved immortality because he is 665 years old (220).

According to Jacques Sadoul in Alchemists and Gold (G. P. Putnams' Sons: New York; 1970), Flamel was a "Fourteenth century French adept and Public Scrivener," (p. 243) and a key figure in the story of alchemy. An "adept" is a master of esoteric knowledge, including occultism. Flamel is also mentioned several times in the well-known Witchcraft, Magic & Alchemy, (Grillot de Givry, Dover publications, 1971, pp. 216, 349, 352, 360, 367, 378, 384) and in a book by the editors of GNOSIS Magazine (Richard Smoley and Jay Kinney, Hidden Wisdom, A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions, New York: Penguin/Arkana, 1999, p. 184).

Rowling's book mentions Flamel's wife as "Perenelle," and that Flamel and his wife are over six hundred years old due to Flamel's success with the Philosopher's Stone and discovery of the Elixir of Life, rendering him immortal (220). In Spence's Encyclopedia of Occultism, Flamel's wife is rendered as Petronella (there are probably several variations of this name). Spence states that Flamel first studied astrology before coming across a book with instructions and pictures of serpents which purported to be an occult book by an alchemist and magician named Abraham, circa 1400 (1-2); this led Flamel to further studies, finally achieving the ability to turn mercury into gold and the discovery of the elixir of life (162), just as it is stated in Rowling's book. Flamel gained a reputation as a magician and "his followers believed that he was still alive though retired from he world, and would live for six centuries," (162). Spence's book devotes over three pages to alchemy (9-12). If Flamel was a partner with Dumbledore, the fictional headmaster of Hogwarts, then that naturally makes Dumbledore a practitioner of occultism. Dumbledore is fictional, but Flamel and alchemy are part of the history of occult practices.

Sadoul quotes someone named Claude d'Yge at the beginning of his book, who cautions against seeing alchemy as entirely mundane or entirely spiritual, and urges instead to see that "Alchemy is but a symbol used to reveal by analogy the process of achieving 'Spiritual Realisation' -- in a word, that man is at once the prime matter and the athanor of the Work -- let them pursue it with all their might." The "Work" refers to the "Great Work" of alchemy. Even more pointed is this description: "In
essence, alchemy has to do with the liberation and transformation of consciousness. But it is a transformation of a very specific kind. One might say that the gold of the alchemists is the body of resurrection," which is a "divinization" and immortality of self (Smoley and Kinney, 192). Alchemy seeks to make man a god, one who can create and transform by his will, secret knowledge, and magical access to forces.

Sorcery is not a matter of mechanical actions or pretense at power, but is based on underlying occult principles and spirituality. As Rowling plainly tells us, "There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words," (133).

Divination, Spells & Occult Worldviews

"The Philosopher's Stone" is full of references to and sometimes outright use of divination tools, spells, and occult views.

Harry gets a glimpse of his dead parents in the Mirror of Erised ('desire' spelled backward), and the mirror is used later by Quirell and Harry to locate the philosopher's stone (289-92). When Harry looks in the mirror to get a vision that will give him the stone's location, he supernaturally gets the stone in his pocket (292). Mirrors, still bodies of water, crystals and other reflective surfaces are used as divination tools in the occult , a method called scrying or crystallomancy (de Givry, 305-08; Farrar, 201, 326; Guiley, pp. 307-08; Spence, 111-12) . The object favored by witches was a magic mirror in which they would see visions or receive mental images after staring into the mirror (Guiley, 398). There is a long history of mirrors used in the occult, including tales that witches taught Pythagoras how to divine (fortunetell) by "holding a magic mirror up to the moon," and magicians who stared into mirrors until they went into a light trance and "saw visions that answered the questions that were put to them."( Guiley, 229). Scrying in A Witches Bible is "any form of divination which involves gazing at or into something (crystal ball, black mirror, pool of ink, etc.) to induce psychically perceived visual images," (326). Divination, the practice of obtaining unknown information through supernatural, esoteric means, occult tools, or through reading hidden meanings, is strictly forbidden by God (Deuteronomy 18:10-11; Acts 16:16). Harry does use the mirror as
a form of divination to locate the stone and he seems to know the occult principle of gazing into the mirror because he tries to stop Quirell from "giving his whole attention" to it (290).

Subjective feelings and intuition have priority in the New Age and the occult. Making a decision is often based on feeling "right" about something. When Harry is buying a wand, many wands pass through his hands until he finally gets the "right" one which causes him to feel "a sudden warmth in his fingers," (85). In fact, it is not Harry who chooses his wand, but "it's really the wand that chooses the wizard," (82). This is a very occult view of how things work in the world -- a view of magical correspondence at work between people and objects. It is almost a form of animism, the belief that objects contain intelligent forces or spirits.

Wands, which were also known as divining rods, are well-known in occult arts, and are used for purifying, divination, focusing energy in a spell, finding water or treasure, and invoking spirits [including the devil in black magick], (de Givry, 106-108, 311-320). In contemporary witchcraft, a wand is a magical working tool and is "the instrument of invocation of spirits," (Guiley, 380). The Farrars quote another book that a wand is used "'to call up and control certain angels and genii'"
and is often marked with occult symbols (257-58)['genii' were believed to be inferior deities attached to each mortal, {Spence, 239}]. One book depicts a photograph of the aforementioned Aleister Crowley, a "magic wand" in his right hand, (Gonzalez-Wippler, 287). Occultists often believe that Moses was a magician who triumphed over the Egyptians and the Red Sea through sorcery with his staff (de Givry, 311; Guiley, 380). However, the Bible tells us that it was God who performed these
miracles, using Moses (Exodus 4, 6-11, 14:21). Before Harry learns he is a wizard (witch, sorcerer), he visits the zoo and discovers he is able to communicate with one of its residents. Which animal would that be -- a noble lion, a mischievous monkey, a swift gazelle? No, it's a snake, a boa constrictor. Harry's actions allow the snake to magically escape after there has been a silent communication between the two (pp. 27-28). It is interesting that it is the snake with whom Harry discovers his magical ability to communicate with animals since snakes have a special place in the occult, usually as symbols for wisdom, enlightenment, fertility, or feminine power ( Jack Tresidder,
Dictionary of Symbols, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1998, 184-87). "The snake was above all a magico-religious symbol of primeval life force, sometimes an image of the creator divinity itself," (Tresidder, 184). It is not suggested here that the author intends these associations, but it is a point of interest considering that Harry is a natural sorcerer.

Owls are used as messenger birds for the students at Hogwarts. Rosemary Guiley notes that in the Middle Ages, "demons in the forms of owls attended witches, accompanying them on their broomstick flights and running errands of evil for them," (251). (Of course, witches never rode broomsticks; this is part of folklore. Nevertheless, it is interesting that owls were messengers for witches in this folklore and show up in the Harry Potter book also as messengers). A "sorting hat" is placed on the children's heads in deciding which of the four houses at the school each child should join. The hat decides this and apparently can read minds (121). Of course, no hat or object can do these things, but the practices are real. The attempt to read minds, telepathy, is a psychic art and is taught in psychic development and other occult classes. Of course, only God is omniscient and knows the minds and hearts of men (Job 38:4, Psalms 44:21, Luke. 11:17, Luke. 16;15) .

Spells are taught at Hogwarts and are used throughout the book, even when Harry's friends use a "body-bind" spell on their friend, (273). Interestingly, there is a spell for binding in A Witches' Bible (141). Interest in spells is promoted as a healthy thing when the children are on the train to Hogwarts and Ron is asked to perform a spell. When he can't do it, Hermione brags that she's already practiced spells by doing "a few simple spells" and that they worked (105). Books with spells are easy to find at any bookstore, and even easier on the Internet. They have been seen in magazines for teenage girls. Witches and others do spells today; this is not a charming fantasy (pun intended). Silver Ravenwolf, a witch, has written several books aimed at teens, including 1998's Teen Witch, which sold so well that bookstores could hardly keep it on the shelves. Teen Witch and other similar books are full of instructions for casting spells. Whether these spells work or not is beside the point; casting spells and sorcery are occultism and clearly forbidden by God (Deuteronomy 18: 10-11; 2 Kings 17:17, 20:6; Isaiah 47: 10-15; Malachi 3:5; Acts 8:11, 13:6; Revelation 18:23, 21:8).

Fueling A Tremendous Growth of Interest in the Occult & Witchcraft

Harry Potter books, by JK Rowling, and TV shows such as "Sabrina The Teenage Witch", "Charmed" and "Buffy The Vampire Slayer", have sparked a new flood of interest in the Occult and in satanism.

The young wizard and his creator-author J.K. Rowling-have been featured on 60 Minutes, the Today show and the Rosie O'Donnell Show. Libraries and bookstores across the country are hosting Harry Potter parties complete with broomsticks and witch goodies mentioned in the series.

In 1995, it was estimated that some 100,000 Americans, mostly adults, were involved in devil-worship groups. Today, more than 14 million children alone belong to the Church of Satan, thanks largely to the unassuming boy wizard from 4 Privet Drive.

Harry Potter glorifies the occult. God condemns the occult. Should we take a book lightly that endorses what God has so seriously forbidden? For young people, Harry Potter could fuel a fascination that leads to dangerous dabbling with occult powers. So what starts out as spooks and
spells can lead to psychological and serious and sometimes irreversible spiritual damage.

"Blessed is the man (including child and woman) who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of mockers; But his delight is in the law of the Lord. And in His law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:1-6

Conclusion: The Lesson of The "Special Brownies"

Many parents are hard put to explain to their youth why some music, movies, books, and magazines are not acceptable material for them to bring into the home, for their youth to see, or hear. One parent came up with an original idea that was hard to refute.

He listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting to see a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors. Everyone else was seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex. They never really showed it. The language was pretty good. They only used the Lord's name in vain three times in the whole movie. The video effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed. Yes, there was the scene where a building and a bunch of people got blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't very bad.

Even with all these explanations for the rating, the father wouldn't give in. He didn't even give them a satisfying explanation for saying "No." He just said "No."

It was a little bit later that evening that this same father asked his teens if they would like some brownies he had prepared. He explained that he had taken the family's favorite recipe and added something new. They asked what it was. He calmly replied that he had added dog poop. He stated that it was only a little bit. All the ingredients were gourmet quality. He had taken great care to bake it at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be superb. Even with
all the explanations of the perfect attributes of the brownies, the teens would not take one.

He father acted surprised. There was only one little element that would have caused them to act so stubbornly. He assured them that they would hardly notice it if at all. They all held firm and would not try the brownies.

He then explained that the movie they wanted to see was just like the brownies; Satan tries to enter our minds and our homes by deceiving us into believing that just a little bit of evil won't matter. With the brownies, just a little bit makes all the difference between a great brownie and a totally unacceptable product.

Notes
1. 2 Cor. 10:5
2. 1 Sam. 15:23
3. Deut. 18:10-11
4. Exo. 22:18
5. Gal. 5:20

Here is a response to the above letter from Mr Bill Whitcomb, author of the The Magician's Companion, received 15 October 2002.

Hi Bill,

Thanks for your reply. It is indeed a privilege to hear from you.

The article you referred to in our website was posted by a reader in response to an editorial. We welcome views, ideas and information from everyone. I make no arguments for it or against it. I just publish it in full. May I have your permission to similarly post your email to me as a response to that article?

As Christians, we try to be good testimonies of the goodness and love of God in the way we live our lives. Sometimes, that may require us to keep away from some practices that may hinder our relationship with God. We do not however, label all such practices as "occult" or "devil worshiping". There are many grey areas and what is acceptable to some may not be appropriate for others. For example, not every Christian is against the "Harry Potter" books and I have many Christian friends who enjoys the books thoroughly. I also have friends who cannot enjoy the books with peace in their hearts. But they are still good friends with each other and do not condemn each other for their own stand on the issue.

As with any group of people, there will be those who are less tolerant and more vocal. I can't say if they are right or wrong, but I try to respect them for speaking up for what they believe in (deception and lies excepted). The Church of the Ascension is in Potong Pasir, in the suburbs of Singapore. As you are aware, we live in a multiracial, multicultural, multilingual and multireligious society with many festivals, traditions and lifestyles practiced alongside each other. We also have our good share of "occult" practices right in front of us - many Christians come from homes where different members practice different religions. Many locals engage openly in "spirit" worship, trances etc.

We have just celebrated the "Mid-Autumn Festival" - traditionally a Chinese festival linked loosely to Taoist worship (in the past). Although our church did not participate in any worship, we did enjoin our community in celebrating the event at a local community centre, inviting residents from all races (not just Chinese), religion etc to come together to enjoy each others company. That of course would have invoked some criticism from some less understanding and more extreme traditionalists. But then, how else should we share the love of God? We won't compromise the Word of God. But neither would we keep our neighbours at arm's length.

With God's blessings,

Editor

Church of the Ascension Website
15 October 2002

I came to Ascension ten years ago. Definitely not because of Anglicanism. To be frank, I was quite uncomfortable attending the services during the service first few years but I praise God that, that did not stop me from finding and knowing more about Him. I remember when I was then a new member, I saw guys hugging each other, I said to myself "Yuk, I'm not going to do this. I hope this church doesn't make everyone do this"

Despite this, Ascension is the only church I have attended and we (my family and I) have no intention of changing to another church.

Like most of us in Ascension, I do not know much about Anglicanism. I did buy a book on Anglicanism but sorry to say, I have no interest in it. In fact, if any non-Christians were to ask me on a subject related to "denomination", I would give them this analogy: "Oh, it is just like the dialects of the Chinese. We have different dialects (e.g. Hokkien, Cantonese...) with different culture and traditions"

One of the common comments my non-Christian friends (usually non-English speaking or those who speak little English) gave after attending our church service was "your church so serious and holy", referring to the hymns and solemnity of service. Sorry to say, this was one of the reasons why they did not come again.

I'm not against Anglicanism. In fact, I quite like hymns and respect the way the Holy Communion is observed. But I'm not brought up in any way related to Anglicanism and that's the reason I have no feeling for it.

I love God. I love Jesus. I love my church.

Church Member
(Editor's note: We have omitted the person's name as requested. While we allow requests for names not to be published, we do require all letters to us to have their authors' names given for verification and clarification)