Let me start this article by saying that I have not been a boycotter of the Harry Potter movies and books. Though I haven’t read the books, I’ve watched a few of the movies. It’s true that they have witchcraft, etc; but I think some in the Christian community have overreacted. Maybe I’m a bit naïve, but I think most people can distinguish between fantasy and reality. This even includes children, provided they are properly trained. I grew up watching movies with magic, dragons, spaceships, and superheroes. My parents encouraged imagination, but also taught me that certain things are not real (monsters, witches riding on brooms, etc) and thus not to be feared. My own childhood has heavily influenced my philosophy on fictional movies and books.
Now I’m having to step back and reconsider a few things. J.K. Rowling recently made headlines by announcing that a central character of Harry Potter is gay. Needless to say, I’m very concerned that such an issue has been thrown into a story that millions of kids are exposed to. How does this actually contribute to the story? Will the character’s sexual orientation be blatantly apparent in the next movie?
Let’s make no mistake here—some sectors of the media have an agenda to push homosexuality on our children. I saw evidence of this a few weeks ago when I watched Stardust. If you haven’t seen the movie, I’ll just tell you that one of the characters gives a new meaning to the term “fairy tale.”
These are just a couple of examples of the ever-increasing prominence of homosexuality in media. Does it make a difference? Absolutely! Allow me to make an observation as one who has lived in two cultures. After living here in the Philippines for five years, I’m convinced that cultural and environmental factors heavily influence homosexual behavior. We can argue about the role of genetics all day, but I’ve seen firsthand what happens when the line between male and female is blurred by society.* Culture and environment does make a huge difference.
I’m not really advocating a boycott. I’m not saying it is wrong to read Harry Potter or watch the movies. I simply want Christian families to be aware of the world’s agenda and respond accordingly. Prayerfully consider what your children are exposed to. Most importantly, teach them biblical values and help them identify lies in the media. Let’s not allow our youth to be seduced.
See Also: Ask Kuya Kevin–Same-Sex Relationships
*I’ll explain this just a little bit further. My experience has been that homosexuality is more accepted and more prevalent here in the Philippines than in the States (if not more prevalent, more obvious). I’m speaking purely from personal observation, not scientific studies. Here in Manila I’ve seen very young boys wearing makeup and feminine clothing. In other words, it seems the culture “grooms” young men and women to get in involved with the homosexual lifestyle. With such behavior so common, it is no wonder that so many youth struggle with sexual identity. Please keep in mind that I also see many wonderful aspects to Filipino culture–this is simply one negative observation. All cultures have good and bad aspects which must be scrutinized according to God’s word, the Bible.
