David, I do appreciate you all here. I thought I was gonna be run off the board.You’ve been quite nice,must’ve been reading Disney books lately. You do have a point. My son watches the coyote fall over a cliff and come back up intact. Some slow people might think to try this,I meant he could get an idea of interest in the occult from reading about wizards,even though he would know that the books are fantasy. Of course,I can always explain to him about real-life wizardry,and why it is wrong according to my beliefs. Like I said,you’ve been nice,come on up to Ohio and I’ll buy ya a beer! 
orangecakes,
I picked up the first Harry Potter book last night and read it, and I have to say that it’s an absolutely charming book
Magic is not presented as a “it’ll solve all your problems and make you a better person” idea. All the characters - magicians and muggles - are presented as real people.
There are two characters that I think you might consider as occult (I’m guessing that you define occult as using magic for selfish or evil ends, and not as “Hidden from the eye or the understanding; inviable; secret; concealed; unknown.”), however, they are both villains in the classic sense, and it’s made very clear what the unpleasant consequences of occult magic are.
Really, the use of magic in the story is only a plot device. The story itself is of a young boy who makes friends, learns important lessons, and finds his own self-worth.
It was a quick read for me, and I’d suggest that you pick up a copy for yourself and read it. It may not be to your taste, but I honestly don’t think it’s as dangerous as you’ve heard.
Yes,youre correct about my definition of occult. I will pick one up,as its in my sons library. However,he is 6.5 and not reading quite yet,so its a bit abovce his level right now anyway.
The poster beneath me is really smart!
I suggest you take a look at Disney’s SLEEPING BEAUTY. The Harry Potter wizards are not too far removed from the three good fairies. If you think that’s demonic and satanic, then you should censor your kids’ reading VERRRRRRY carefully.
Most 11-year olds fantasize having miraculous powers – a fairy godmother, a magic wand, a wishing ring, a genii in a lamp. It’s a normal and healthy part of growing up, when you’re young enough to believe that you can do good in the world, but you’re old enough to realize that you’re not empowered.
My suggestion is to focus on the intent of a work of literature or film, and not on the trivial. Many posters on this topic have mentioned The Wizard of Oz, a great example. The whole point of that movie (like Harry Potter) is that the child can do a great deal of good in the battle between good vs evil (represented by good witch and bad witch in Oz). The fact that evil is represented by a bad witch and good by a good witch is irrelevant. The question is how those witches are used in the story.
An 11-year old with no fascination with magic would, I suppose, instead be reading about serial murderers and rapists and Nazi torturers. I think it’s better by far to let them read about witches and sorcerers who must choose to do good or to do evil.
Why not ban reruns of “Bewitched” while we’re at it?
It’s good to see a Harry Potter thread here. I am, however, just a bit disappointed that it was begun with a reference to whether it’s too evil for public consumption. I’d been hoping to contribute to a discussion of some of the plot points/background infrastructure. Oh, well. This is Great Debates, after all.
(Funny, this board won’t let me go back and review the topic so I can address a remark to the person who brought up a particular point. I’ll just have to wing it.)
With regard to the point that religion is not considered a part of the stories at all, I feel I must point out that all three books so far have dealt with Harry’s activities during the Christmas and Easter holidays, sometimes with occurrences which are indispensable to the story line.
It strikes me that Ms Rowling is cheating a bit (taking the easy way out by not mentioning religion, but nevertheless utilizing certain cultural references that have their bases in the dominant religious practices of her chosen locale).
Orangecakes, if you have any interest in reading for your own pleasure (and I presume you do, or you would not likely be here), I urge you to head down to your local library and check out Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. (actually, that may be a bit naive on my part; from what I’ve heard, these books have a long waiting list) Or, you could head on down to the local super bookstore and find it in paperback (imagine my chagrin upon finding that this was available two weeks after shelling out real bux for the hardcover). I really think you’ll find it enjoyable and harmless for children of all ages. Not a single reference to the Necronomicon. 
Back to the OP:
These are two very different questions, 'Cakes. Absolutely, there are books I want my child to avoid until he is old enough (in my opinion) to understand them.
Should they be banned? Some schools keep a list of “restricted” books, which a child may only check out with parental approval. That sounds like it might work. But maybe not. Perhaps the best bet is for parents to provide reading materials that the school doesn’t. And then to ensure that the child understands what he’s reading.
But that might take a little too much parental involvement.
-andros-
Lumpy:
Did you post that knowing or not knowing that several fundy groups tried to organize protests against Sabrina for “making witchcraft look acceptable” to young teenagers?
Tom~
Obligatory Pagan Interjection:
What’s wrong with making witchcraft “look acceptable”? You might as well ban Fiddler On The Roof while you’re at it, for making Judaism “look acceptable”.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread, already in progress.
Please, God! Don’t let them start banning books. The freedom of the press is a peice of the glue that holds this Country together!
If you don’t want your children to read certain books…MONITOR what they read.
After all what would you ban?
books with: murder, adultry, magic, occult, and all out EVIL?
Guess what? You just helped ban the bible too! The same right that helps us keep our bible, also gives others the right to read what they please.
Banning books because a few people don’t like the content, will not change a thing…only make them worse
Well, I object to making witchcraft look acceptable. Once you do that, where are kids going to turn in order to shock their parents? They’re liable to start becoming Methodists or Catholics, for gosh sakes, just to irritate the old people!
Tom~
Jedi said:
Ok, so you’re saying there would be an upside…
Jedi, I would think there would be a distinction between public libraries and school libraries.
Parents cannot directly monitor what their child reads at school.
-andros-
Oh no! David B.(my favorite moderator,wants to ban the bible! 
You just read it for the dirty parts,Dave 
Jedi-667 wrote:
What do you mean “our bible”?
I would guess that he’s speaking to fundamentalists who want the book banned who might be lurking. He does share the Bible with them.
Jedi seems to be a little out of depth and umm… fervrent… but he seems to be on your side in this one tracer.
I doubt that he assumes we’re all Christians here, after Auraseer’s post.
–John
Trying to keep down the flames.
friend orangecakes,
you asked:
while my children were in school, i discussed what they were reading (both in class and out)with them on a regular basis. the intent was not to censor their reading, but to help them understand what they were reading.
when books are banned, it leads me to wondering who is selecting these books, and why are they banning them. i am all in favor of you monitoring what your children read, but leave the rest of the kids alone.
a parent has the right, and the responsibilty to make decisions for their children, but why should their decisions be binding on my children? doesn’t that interfere with my parental rights?
“don’t get strung out by the way that i look, don’t judge a book by it’s cover” (tim curry as dr. franknfurter in rhps)
longhaired one,you sum up my feelings perfectly. I don’t want Anything banned(bookwise). Like I said,I’m a big John Waters fan.I do monitor my sons reading(he’s only 6),but when he’s older,I hope he’ll show discernment(hopefully,no necronomicon!).
Oh, I dunno, I think the Necronomicon would provide quite a bit of entertaining reading!
(Too bad it doesn’t really exist.)
Polycarp said:
That’s odd. I could have sworn I saw an ad for it in Parade Magazine, years and years ago, being offered by the Franklin Mint, or one of those other “collectibles” mills.
I’d apologize for hijacking the thread, but I’m not even sure whether we’re supposed to be discussing the relative harm-ful/-less-ness of Harry Potter, or the more general issue of banning books; FTR, I cast my vote already, and the recent mentions of the Necronomicon call to mind the post in which I did that. So, maybe I’m not hijacking the thread at all, but redirecting it toward its original purpose.