Harry's decisions not to take revenge and the emphasis on the power of love over evil are noble themes. In fact, they are primary themes in Christianity. Additionally, when Harry and his friends have an opportunity they work to liberate the oppressed-again a major Christian theme.

Do these Christian themes justify reading a book about wizards? Opinions will differ on that subject, but we should keep in mind that the magic in these books is typified by flying on broomsticks, waving magic wands, and making things disappear. This is quite different from spiritualism, which is worship of the devil and evil spirits.

--Rex Strom
Courtice, Ontario

The fact that there is a debate within the Adventist Church about Harry Potter does not surprise me. There are always going to be those who try to rationalize that it is all right to do that which we have been told by God not to do.

Those who choose to visit the witch of Endor are welcome to do so, but they must be willing to accept the consequences of their visit.

--Lee Belcher
Columbia, Maryland

Well, folks, with the receipt of the issue with the Harry Potter article, I was reminded once again why I generally don't read the Adventist Review. Will someone tell your writers and editors to get a life?

Harry Potter is fiction. No less than the Wizard of Oz, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, or Rumpelstiltskin-to name a few. Frankly, I guess I'm one of the few who were blessed to be raised in a very loving Christian family, by parents who taught me that there's fact and then there's fiction. And, by the way, there's also the devil-he's the bad guy.

To be honest, I found book 2 of the series rather predictable, boring-a poor sequel to the first volume-and I don't plan on reading any of the rest of the series. And it's obvious that the movie critics are also mixed on the second flick as well; regardless of how many lemmings have already shelled out their shekels for a movie, some would rather punt.

Folks, it's a story. A work of fiction. Enjoy it as a story and quit trying to read more into it than is there. I'm reminded of all the time I wasted in academy and college attempting to find the same "meanings" in old works of classical literature that my instructors did. They also just couldn't read a story without having to fabricate some symbolic significance to the minutiae of a simple work of fiction-many authors of which have long since died without telling us of any hidden meanings in their works or, as in the case of Melville, having blatantly stated that there were no hidden meanings in such things as Moby Dick!

Yes, there is a heaven, which is our goal, and a hell and devil that we need to be very aware of . . . but isn't there something more useful to kill a whole section of your magazine on?

--Don Rima II
Herndon, Virginia

Surely a mistake has been made by the editorial staff at the Adventist Review. As a former adherent of the occult, I am absolutely shocked that the Review would publish a Yes/No perspective on the Harry Potter series of books. The very titles of the Potter books tell exactly what they're all about. Paul clearly warned us, "Abstain from all appearance of evil" (1 Thess. 5:22). There is no godly reason whatsoever to put in print an opinion that occult fiction is appropriate for Adventist children.

--Will Baron, author,
Deceived by the New Age
Norwalk, California

Once again the Adventist Review has gone to the trouble of analyzing Pottermania. Anita Oliver concentrates her concern on five points: (1) The use of power; (2) revenge; (3) the struggle between good and evil; (4) imagination; and (5) the occult.

Being a blue-eyed Scandinavian, I can't help wondering why evangelical Americans are so concerned about J. K. Rowling's fantasy product Harry, while they support a real-life president who certainly (1) gives the world a strong example of the use of power to show off; (2) threatens the world with revenge and actually does it; (3) forces all of us to take sides with him or against him in the struggle between what he defines as good and evil; (4) shows signs of a vivid imagination or limited knowledge about the world; and (5) claims to be Christian but behaves and speaks as a heathen cowboy.

Whom should we primarily warn our children about following? The imaginary Harry Potter, or the pretend-to-be-real U.S. president George W. Bush?

--Atle Haugen
Tromsø, Norway

The article on Harry Potter was well done and much needed. Why did it take so long for the Review to publish such an article?

When the craze hit some three years ago, I was boarding a plane for some meetings in Washington, D.C. No less than four passengers (all adults) had the first volume of the Potter series. In the snippets of conversation I could easily overhear, it was obvious that Harry Potter was the devil's tool to engross the mind with things worthless to the soul. I voiced opposition to it in my church and church school back then, but it seemed for the most part that our church was silent.

But we are beyond Potter. We are back to Tolkien and Lord of the Rings, Potter's competition. That trilogy that Christians are praising is a toned-down version of wizardry, etc. That three-volume series took me from the benign fun of fantasy to full-blown evil tomes from the likes of Stephen King before I met Jesus. To tout the merits of a fictional book by saying it is an analogy between good and evil is weak and useless. Almost any adventure/fantasy book could fit that category.

The question is: Does the author lead the mind of his or her readers to heavenly, pure thoughts of God and His character, will, and purpose? Anything less than that is suspect.

--Pastor Kevin James
Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director
Nevada-Utah Conference
Ogden, Utah

I have read the Harry Potter series and don't intend to read any more. I don't know if I would have come to that decision had I not read the article "What Do We Do With Harry Potter?" (Nov. 21), but I would like to think I would have.

I haven't seen the movies in the theater or on video, and I don't plan to. The books themselves are questionable for literary value, and I don't recommend them to my public school students-even in attempt to get them to read.

Besides their occult content, they are the kind of literature that Ellen White wrote about: "There is another class of books-love stories and frivolous, exciting tales-which are a curse to everyone who reads them, even though the author may attach a good moral" (Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 134).

We need to study, or at least look into, things for ourselves. God doesn't just tell us what to do and how to do it; He gives us a choice. And I think that's what you've been trying to do with these articles on fantasy, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings (see www.adventistreview.org/2002-1546/story5.html for a Web-only article on fantasy).

--Ruby Hinrichs
Rogersville, Tennessee