Harry Potter and Kjos Ministries, 3

[Regla 2.718]

For the third instalment of this series, we must now walk away from Peter the Temple Master and meet Berit Kjos, and her article on how it's not just fantasy. You know, there's probably some profound insight to be gained about the human mind in the fact that those that claim a children's book is not just fantasy live their life under the assumption that a myth book is not just fiction. Most interesting indeed. And now, to the article:

Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix
"It's only fantasy" and other deceptions
by Berit Kjos

"The story of Harry Potter is an allegory: It is written and packaged to look like fantasy when, in truth, it is a carefully written true description of the training and work of an initiate in an occult order.... The story line aligns with real occult books written by Gavin and Yvonne Frost, who, themselves, run the foremost school of witchcraft in the British Isles." Peter, a former member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. [Ah, our good friend "Peter". Your insanity inspires me]

"The new Harry Potter book made book-publishing history this weekend. Barnes & Noble Inc., the nation's largest bookstore chain, was on track to sell one million books in the first 48 hours, as much as it had expected to sell in a week...."2 The Wall Street Journal, 6-23-03 [Is this supposed to illustrate how widespread the "damage" is or is it resentment that the Bible might lose first place amongst best-selling books in history?]

"It makes me feel as though I am Harry. Here I feel I am a student at Hogwarts." Greg Fitzgerald, 13, New York Times, 6-26-03. [Wow, an author that can get readers to empathize with the main character. It's almost like J.K. Rowling is a good writer or something]

"I couldn't believe she killed off a character. I was so depressed.... I know I'm getting worked up over what's fiction. My mom keeps reminding me of that. But I said, 'It's all real in my mind.'" (Nancy Chen, 14, of Tulsa) Young readers charmed — spellbound, even" [Oh, what a clever pun. It's only ruined by the fact you think the emotional state of a fourteen-year-old is proof of anything]

---

Summer Solstice -- an ancient pagan celebration in Europe and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere -- seemed a fitting release date for J. K. Rowling's fifth book. [Just as pagan as the winter solstice. You know, the one early Christians stole and turned into Christmas?] At midnight on June 21, young and old were waiting in line at bookstores around the world to get the next installment of their favorite myth. With my camera ready to document the event, I found a place in the "K-L" line behind a mother with three children.

"What do you think of the Harry Potter books?" I asked her.

"I love them," she answered. "I've read all of them twice to myself and once to my children."

"How old are your children?" I asked.

"Nine, eleven and fourteen. But they were six, eight and eleven when we started."

Only six and eight! [I'd be more shocked that this woman is reading the book to her children rather than let them read them by themselves. I mean, a fourteen-year-old, for fuck's sake!] I looked around at the costumed adults and their children in Harry Potter glasses, black robes and pointed black hats. How many of them would call themselves Christians? I wondered. [I'd say about 80%. Don't have the statistics with me right now] How would this next level of training in occult practice affect their faith and their lives?

My concern grew over the next two days as I read the 870 pages. In their fifth year of occult training, Harry and his friends were more sophisticated in their understanding of the dark arts and far more rebellious toward authorities. [Well, yeah, that's to be expected. It's part of this whole "growing up" thing] Even their relationships with each other seemed darker and more fragile. [Teenagers. Ever heard of them?] One of J. K. Rowling's favorite verbs seems to be snarl (as in "'About time!' Harry snarled", p. 43), a word she repeated again and again.[Yeah, she uses that one a bit too much. Is that somehow evil?] Lying and rule-breaking had become the norm and, most of the time, the young wizards and witches got away with it. [You may not be aware of this, but that's kinda what happens with teenagers at school]

While some readers will see the anger, rage, swearing and cruel jinxes as nothing more than "fun" and fantasy [Some people can separate fact from fiction. Weird isn't it?], this immersion into angry and hateful environments will surely strengthen the notion that rage, rudeness and rebellion are cool as well as okay. [Not so much "cool" as "natural". Again, teenagers] It doesn't help that millions of children around the world are encouraged to feed their minds with images such as this:

"Harry longed to bite the man. . . but he must master the impulse. He had more important work to do. But the man was stirring.... Harry saw his vibrant, blurred outline towering above him, saw a wand withdrawn from a belt. . . . He had no choice. . . . He reared high from the floor and struck once, twice, three times, plunging his fangs deeply into the man’s flesh, feeling his ribs splinter beneath his jaws, feeling the warm gush of blood. . .
"The man was yelling in pain. . . then he fell silent. . . . He slumped backward against the wall.... Blood was splattering onto the floor.... His forehead hurt terribly." (p. 463)

No, Harry hasn't morphed into a vampire. Instead, he illustrates an occult principle called bilocation. While his physical body was asleep at Hogwarts, a part of his soul/spirit was far away -- inside Voldemort -- acting out this murderous assault as a vicious serpent [I've covered this before with Occult Master Pete. This is not an occult concept, it's a basic fact of life. The mind can imagine situations taking place elsewhere]

Our article on The Matrix shows the same mystical correlation. Actions in the dream world correspond perfectly to actual changes in the real world. [Just as mystical as the fact that the images in your eyes correspond to the real world. It was supposed to be a vision. While that's not precisely naturalistic, you are trying to force a mystical concept to it that doesn't fit] So while the sleeping Harry -- in his mind -- saw and shared in the brutal act, the distant victim was bitten, torn and left to die.

In that nightmarish scene, Voldemort, an evil wizard with the cravings of a vampire [What? Voldemort's main craving is immortality. Vampires are best known for their craving of blood], had turned himself into a snake [He focused his mind on the snake, he didn't transform into it] (occultists call it transmutation). And since Harry was psychically linked to this dark, powerful wizard, he participated in the attack as if he were actually inside the snake -- as if his spirit had possessed the serpent. Harry felt Voldemort's hatred and shared his thirst for blood.

Shape-shifting: In the Middle Ages, many believed that shamans could assume the shape of an animal... "A woman imprisoned on suspicion of witchcraft 'claimed to be able to transform herself into a wolf. The magistrate promised not to have her executed, [if] she would turn into a wolf before him. The witch rubbed her head, neck and armpits with an ointment and fell into a deep sleep for three hours. She could not be roused by 'noises or blows.' When she awakened, she claimed that she had turned into a wolf, gone a few miles away and killed a sheep and a cow. The magistrate investigated and discovered that a sheep and cow in the location described by the witch had indeed been killed. It was evident that the Devil 'did that mischief' and that the witch had merely experienced the dreams and delusions created by Satan." "In shamanism, shamans metamorphose (shape-shift) into their guardian animal spirits or power animals (animals from whom they derive their chief power). The shape-shifting is done in an altered state of consciousness." The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft by Rosemary Ellen Guiley (1989) pages 225-227.

To guard against such disturbing intrusions into his mind, Harry must learn occlumency, "the magical defense of the mind against external penetration." It's "an obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one," says Professor Snape. (p. 519)

Don't dismiss it as "just fantasy!" It's an actual formula for defense against psychic attacks in the real world of high-level occult orders. [These people believe there is such thing as psychic attacks. No further comment necessary.] And the key to success is a basic principle behind all occult training. Snape said it well: "Clear your mind and let go of all emotion." Love, hate, delight, disgust ... these can be manipulated by a powerful opponent. Therefore all feelings must be purged.

Readers who never make it past the middle of the book will miss this gruesome scene [Not quite as gruesome as, say, two entire cities being destroyed by fire, if you ask me], but they still face the horror of a heartless assault in its opening pages. Consider how a child might be affected by the following images of deadly dementors:

"Harry felt a creeping chill behind him that could mean only one thing. There was more than one....

"A towering, hooded figure was gliding smoothly toward him, hovering over the ground, no feet or face visible beneath its robes, sucking on the night as it came.

"Stumbling backward, Harry raised his wand. [He tried to cast a spell but it fails]

"He could smell the dementor’s putrid, death-cold breath, filling his own lungs, drowning him.... The dementor’s icy fingers were closing on his throat – the high-pitched laughter was growing louder and louder, and a voice spoke inside his head – “Bow to death, Harry”

[He casts the spell again]

"An enormous silver stag erupted from the tip of Harry’s wand; its antlers caught the dementor in the place where the heart should have been; it was thrown backwards...."

Ms. Rowling's dementors are like psychic vampires. [Sure, sweety. Assuming there is such a thing and that it has a consistent description, two things you have failed to prove] They suck energy out of humans, not unlike the "Haunter" in the Pokemon myth who "sucks out the opponent's soul."[A bit of a subject change, here, but was Haunter ever shown sucking an opponent's soul? Not just a text description that says it can do it, an actual instance of it happening] Their depraved goal is to destroy their foe. [That's why they are shown as Dark Creatures. Not unlike your myth describing Satan]

So is the goal of advanced members of sophisticated secret societies such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. "Peter," a former member who has helped us understand the actual nature of today's popular occultism, said it well: "Like psychic vampires, these dementors feed on the emotional energy of people." [The same "Peter" that can't decide if psychic vampires suck energy or possess people]

Harry saves the day with an advanced spell that banishes the dementors. By the time the readers have relished a few more chapters, such magic formulas begin to seem familiar -- almost normal [If they had read the series so far, they should seem normal from the beginning of the book]. After all, Harry is their hero! The readers are all rooting for him. They want to see him win -- and the stronger the magic the better! No wonder witchcraft is on rise these days. The world is learning that magical training brings virtual success. It feels good. So why not go for the real thing! [Because, and I can't stress this enough, magic doesn't exist!]

Many do. Marysia Kolodziej -- a young thelemite or solitary witch -- tells us why:

"You are not wiccan unless you have been initiated, which I hope eventually to be - and a ritual magician in practice. ... I am a [Harry Potter] fan for several reasons. Initially it's the universe. The books with the largest pull have this highly detailed, well-thought out universe that almost seems real and, importantly, that you would want to be a part of. You are not just drawn into the story but into that world. Then through talking about them with fans you fall further and further in love with the characters, you analyze them and worry about them until they feel real to you. Then you have, in a way, become a part of that shared universe, and it is a wonderful place to be." 4 Harry Potter: The witch's view

Marysia should be pleased with the Order of the Phoenix. Whether she realizes it or not, it actually offers many of the key lessons she longs to learn. [Oh for the love of fuck! Magic doesn't exist. I don't know if Marysia is under the delusion that she will obtain magical powers through Wicca or not, but if she is, she is in for a big disappointment] Showing the progressive stages of magical training, it provides a tantalizing replica of the intense program that shapes chosen initiates for leadership in actual occult orders.

Since Ms. Rowling's storytelling skills are hard to resist, young readers find it all too easy to identify with life at Hogwarts. As Time magazine points out, "Rowling shows an uncanny understanding of how adolescents deal with one another."

"She gets almost everything right," says ligia Mizhuquiri. "What happens [at Harry's school] happens to us. Some of us are popular. Some of us are not. Some of us get bullied. Some of us are bullies." By empathizing with the characters and their dangerous choices, readers learn to delight in the very things that God calls abominations: witchcraft, divination, sorcery and spells...(Deut 18:9-12) [God calls wearing blended fabrics an abomination. Deuteronomy 22:11 and Leviticus 19:19. You'll have to excuse me for not giving a fuck]

Those who refuse to enter this enticing virtual reality often face rejection or wrath from their peers. [If you refuse to read Harry Potter because you don't like it, then fine. Nobody's going to judge you. If you refuse because you are afraid it will turn you into a witch, then you are an idiot and need to get a new brain] The pressure to join the crowd, justify occultism, compromise one's faith and rationalize the spiritual shift is rising fast. These comments sent to our website illustrate the process:

"I am a strong Christian and love the Lord with all my heart. The problem is I really enjoy reading the books and nothing about them conflicts with my spirit.... " A youth pastor

"The bottom line is that Harry Potter makes children, teenagers like myself, and even adults HAPPY. I've read the books to several children that I know or babysit for, and watched all of them laugh, smile, and cry happily.... Children wouldn't be so desperate for Harry's world to be real if the series wasn't just that good." M. L., age 17

"I have been encouraged by my pastor at my CHRISTIAN church to read the Harry Potter books, because even though they have references to magic and sorcery, they can teach us more about the values of Friendship and Bravery then he can.... I am no longer Christian. Somewhere along the way my beliefs changed. I practice Wicca...." A.

"I am positively OUTRAGED at what I just read on your page. Children all around the world are enjoying Harry Potter and why shouldn't they?!" B.

I'm not surprised that the first two writers measure right and wrong by their feelings, not by God's Word [As it has been shown time and time again, the Bible is no measuring stick of morality]. In today's postmodern churches, few children or adults learn the Scriptures that would train their conscience to be a trustworthy guide along God's Way. Today's feel-good churches tend to avoid the Biblical truths that might conflict with the tolerant and politically correct atmosphere they like to exhibit. [I don't see you stoning people that work on the Sabbath or that sow different kinds of seeds in the same field. The reason modern churches don't follow many of this guidelines is because, surprise, the guidelines are completely moronic]

As a result, many church members are more comfortable with the world's ways than with God's ways. [As they should. The reason the world rejected God's Way is because God's Way is primitive, violent, ignorant, useless, barbaric and a few other adjectives as well. It has set back society by centuries. We don't need more of that] Compromise seems more "right" than God's call to separation. [See 2 Cor 6:12-18] The way back to God is through conviction and repentance, but that rarely happens among those whose conscience has been trained to match the world's values. If you don't accept God's standard for right and wrong, you have little reason to repent. See Isaiah 5:20

In a world that rejects God's unchanging guidelines and loves occult thrills more than His wonderful presence, the spiritual battle is sure to intensify. [Spiritual battle always seemed like an euphemism for "sitting on my ass hoping the unbelievers would go away" to me. I don't know why]

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore...." Ephesians 6:10-18

God's children had better be dressed for battle, not for a party, when they face these principalities and powers of darkness. This unseen army is as real as we are, and its cruel master wants our children. [And the most powerful weapon of this invisible Army of Darkness is... A children's book! Mwahahahaha!]

So teach them to "put on God's armor." Then, "clothed in Christ" and filled with His Spirit, they will be ready to face a world that has little love for the God we follow. No need to escape into a fantasy world for real-life fellowship with Him is far more exciting and wonderful than all the short-lived and addictive thrills that captivate youngsters today. [You talk about book reading as if it was the same as drug use or street racing. I don't know how long its influence will last, but Harry Potter has shown millions of kids the joys of reading. It has done more for literacy and culture than any other book in years. I can understand you not liking that, after all, the more educated the person, the likelier it is to see through your bullshit]

The last part of the armor tells us to take hold of the "Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God." The key scriptures that show us God's attitude toward witchcraft and wizardry are listed in Twelve reasons not to see Harry Potter movies. Please read this article. [Don't worry, I will. I need new material]

We all face a choice. Will we focus on the world's fragile and illusive "happiness" and make "fun" and fantasy our aim in life? Or will we seek God and find the wonders of His peace in the midst of turmoil, His strength in our weakness, His amazing joy even when all looks dark from a human perspective? We can't have both. Therefore -

"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve....

But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Joshua 24:15

[You seem like you've already made your choice, and nothing will make you change. I pity the closed mind that can never contemplate the possibility that its beliefs are wrong. I pity it doubly when those beliefs are so mind-numbingly stupid]

Harry Potter and Kjos Ministries, 2

[Cito nuevamente la regla 2.718]

Another review by our friend Peter of Harry Potter, this time book 5, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It's supposed to be unfinished, but hey, it's not like I have anything better to do.

According to ancient Egyptian thought man is made up of two parts: the Ka (soul/spirit) and the Ba (body).. The mythology of the Phoenix parallels the right of an Adept in occult order initiation. In that order an Adept Minor is in the condition of “man (ba) to ascended man (ka).” In other words a man’s flesh is still in control of his soul/spirit (baka) but he is aware of his soul/spirit as it begins to awaken. As an Adept Minor evolves into an Adept Major his condition changes to that of “ascended man(ka) WITH man (ba)” wherein ascended man is equal with the flesh (ka=ba). As an Adept Major evolves into an Adept Exempt his condition evolves into “ascended man (ka) in control of man (ba)” where his ascended man is in control of the flesh (ka=ba). [Way to fail, dude. There are multiple interpretations of the different parts of the Egyptian soul, but none of them says the Ba is the body and almost all include more than 2 parts] In effect, the rising of the phoenix is the death, resurrection and ascension of man to god. The Ritual of the Middle Pillar: This ritual accomplished the drawing down of the energy of the universe into man’s sephriah. The chant says, among other lines, “Soul Osiris slain and risen” and in the ritual when you manifest Osiris as risen it is the same symbol as ascended man. A well-known euphemism for Osiris is the Phoenix.[Yeah right. In most version of the myth, and certainly in the one adopted in the Harry Potter series, the phoenix's resurrection is not an ascension. The new phoenix is not an improved version of the old one, just a younger one] The “Order of the Phoenix” could be a parallel to an Inner Order of an Occult organization.[Except it isn't. The Order is, basically, an organization of people fighting a dictator. No part of the Order includes an initiation or learning new powers.]
The connection between the Dark Lord and Harry. P. 531.	The connection described here happens in psychic war. Spirit exchange. When two individuals are involved in a psychic battle and neither dies bits and pieces of the spirits of both of them exchange. Eastern mysticism calls this an exchange of energy at the chakra level. Hermetic magicians exchange this energy at doth.(A vertical dividing line within the Cabalistic (occult) Tree of Life [Blah blah blah, more "Harry Potter has mythical elements therefore Satan" crap.]
Harry and the snake. P. 462 Harry’s dream changes and takes on a new form. He becomes a presence inside the body of a snake and he sees through the snake’s eyes to watch the attack of Mr. Weasley	• Voldemort morphs into a snake – transmutation in occult terms. South American magic refers to this as a nagual – the taking on and sharing the life of an animal form. (A War of Witches. Timothy J. Knab, Ph.D, Harper Collins, Publishers, 1993.)[Whoops, no. Voldemort doesn't morph, he just focuses his mind on his pet snake.] • Harry: bilocation. He’s in two places at one time. The physical part of him (ba) was in bed asleep. The part of him connected to Voldemort (ka) experienced what Voldemort was doing when he attacked Weasley. Harry experienced this attack in his physical body.[Harry was in two places at the same time in the same sense I'm in two places at the same time when I remember my holidays in the coast. There's nothing supernatural about the mind being able to picture a location that's not your current one]
Occlumency, page 530. Occlumency is a “branch of magic that seals the mind against magical intrusion and influence.”	This is identical to the Sign of Hypocrates. You learn this sign when you learn astral travel so that you cannot be attacked. Hypocrates was under attack by Set and when Set attacked Hypocrates turned himself, astrally, into stone so that he could not be attacked. The attacker cannot get through the barrier.[I can find no reference to the Sign of Hypocrates anywhere, besides here. Sounds slightly made up. And anyway, since when is your mind not being read the same as turning into a rock?]
Legilimency, page 531. “those who have mastered Legilimency are able under certain conditions to delve into the minds of their victims and to interpret their feelings correctly… Time and space matter in magic. Eye contact is often essential to legilimency.:”	There are two parts to this in occult magick: • One part of this is aura reading. If you can read someone’s aura or the ka of that person you know what is going on inside that person. Eye contact is necessary to read someone’s aura. Eyes mirror the soul.[If you had bothered to read a few sentences further, you'd have noticed that in this particular case, eye contact isn't necessary.] • The other part is the fact that occultists can hear what people broadcast spiritually much the same way that if we could tune into certain frequency we could hear radio signals in our heads.[Not much to do with Legilimency, which concerns itself with thoughts and memories rather than "spiritual broadcasting"] •Time and space DO matter to occultists because everything has to be done in the NOW. You can’t change the past or read far into the future so everything must be sown in the present.[Funny how Snape in the explanation focused exclusively on space and you focus exclusively on time. Kinda like there's no relation at all]
“Clear you mind and let go of all emotion” page 535. This idea is repeated on the next page when Harry is instructed to focus and discipline his mind.	This is the first law of the Tablet of the True Seeker (Code of Survival in the system of Hermetic Magick): purge love and hate. Love blindly inclines one to error and hate repels one from the truth.[More unverifiable crap. Nobody but you has ever mentioned this code of survival of hermetic magic. The Tablet of the True Seeker is part of the Bahá'i faith, which is not an occult order]
Snape is teaching Harry that is he fails to discipline his mind he will die or be taken over completely by the Dark Lord. P. 536 and 538. Empty your mind every night before you go to sleep.	Snape is teaching Harry how to prevent psychic attack.[You could describe it like that, yes. So?] He is also teaching Harry to take his ascended man (a or soul/spirit) and impose it on the body (Ba) so that he has the power purge his emotions. No one has the power to control emotions in the flesh – emotion can only be controlled from the soul/spirit. [No mention of souls or spirits in the passage. Sounds like you are making stuff up to shoehorn this into your preconceived idea that everything in the Harry Potter series parallels your claims of what goes on in an occult order, with complete disregard for such things as honesty or facts. That's my impression, anyhow]

And for your reading pleasure, my first encounter with Kjos Ministries (and my first mockery of them) can be found here. This post is my parody of Berit Kjos' review of Casper.

Harry Potter and Kjos Ministries

[Sí, prometí tratar de traducir todos los posts, pero no se aplica a aquellos en los que cito extensamente a otras personas. Regla número 2.718]

Are you tired of fundie reviewers that say Harry Potter is evil and it leads children into the occult? Don't answer, I don't care. Point is, I am. So when I read this from the website of Kjos Ministries, I was annoyed. And what do I do when I'm annoyed at something that's both stupid and blatantly wrong? What you will see in this post.

First of all, I'd like to leave something clear. A big part of the arguments shown rely on the fact that Harry Potter has elements of magic that are similar to those in occult circles, and that somehow is evil. Bullshit. Fantasy shows fantastical elements, what a shocker. And those elements are sometimes drawn from mythology, so will obviously have some similarities with pagan beliefs. That in no way implies that reading about them will convert you to paganism. Now that's out of the way, let's go point by point.


The story of Harry Potter is an allegory: It is written and packaged to look like fantasy when, in truth, it is a carefully written true description of the training and work of an initiate in an occult order.[When exactly did you sit down with JK Rowling and discuss the true meaning behind her books?]

In every instance, everything Harry does is an extension of his belief system.[Hard to know, considering Harry's religious beliefs are never discussed in the books] His foundation is in magic through will. The concept that magick is an extension of will is a foundational occult truth [and also a very common element in mythology] and is diametrically opposed to the Christian concept of will where every born again believer’s individual will is brought into submission under Christ.[That's funny, kinda negates the whole "free will" thing that supposedly stops God from manipulating us as he likes]

Everything that Harry learns is immediately applied to his life and practiced over and over. [Immediately? Hardly. A large part of what he learns only becomes significant a few books later. If your problem is that he puts into practice everything he learns, then I have news for you: This is a book. Introducing irrelevant information is not the best narrative style] Harry learns that everything he thinks, says or does is an act of magick. This concept in magick is written out through the exercises that he does while at Hogwarts School for Wizardry and Witchcraft. [Huh, I kinda missed that while reading. Mind pointing it out for me? Oh, and it's "Witchcraft and Wizardry". Ladies first]

Christians should be discipled that their belief system is the foundation of everything that they think, do and say. The fact is that everything we think, do and say is an extension of our belief system. It is dangerous to suspend our belief system when it comes to judging the value of what we give our children to “read for entertainment.” [It's much more dangerous to have a belief system that considers reading fantasy about magic is evil, but a book filled with genocide, rape, graphic violence, and torture is all fine and good]

Harry Potter is instilled with the traits of “Every Man.” There are characteristics of Harry Potter that every kid will identify with.[Classic literary device] Kids will defend Harry’s choices and actions as justifiable. [And I'm sure that has nothing to do with the fact that they are].The author is very successful in evoking strong sympathy and empathy for Harry in her readers. The books teach situation ethics rather than absolute values of right and wrong that are taught in the scriptures.[I never saw the scriptures as something you should draw your morals from. You know, with the whole "stone a disobedient child to death" and "force a rape victim to marry the rapist" things]

What is important to emphasize is that words have meaning and power. Words influence culture. It is impossible to read something and not be effected by it or learn something from it.[If you include "having fun" or "anger" as effects, then that's true. Completely irrelevant, but true] It is not only foolish but it is also dangerous to dismiss the indoctrination of the adventures of Harry Potter with the excuse, “It’s ONLY fiction,” “it’s JUST a book,” something without a real agenda. The agenda of J. K. Rowling is very real — she is writing to instill in children a familiarity with occult truth — she just clothed it in fun [Again, how exactly do you know this? Are you psychic? Did she explain her diabolical plan to you, in a classic "Villain Monologue" situation?]

For the non-Christian, there is nothing wrong with this story.[No need to tell me that] For the Christian, what the author writes is considered an abomination by the LORD.[You know, not every Christian shares your delusions about the occult. Many of them are even rational human beings!] (Deut. 18) See the following!

Harry Potter Books 1, 2 & 3	The Occult Parallel
Book 1, page 51: Harry is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where: Harry is an initiate Harry is learning witchcraft Harry is learning to conquer fear.	A person is INVITED to join an occult order The story line aligns with real occult books written by renowned occultist Gavin and Yvonne Frost. The Training Work of the Initiate, by William Gray

I was invited to join a church many times. Was that actually an occult group?

The first book is called, “Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone.”

Occultists use sorcerers’ stones to transmute substances from one to another

The Philospher's Stone was a mythical artifact alchemists seeked. Those pesky laws of physics prevented it from working, though. Shame, really.

Book 1, page 66. Harry is informed about how much work goes into becoming a wizard and about how much there is to study. The book tittles listed, while not actual books, are significant.

The content Harry has to study includes: Astrology, Herbology, Astronomy (book 1, p. 133), Channeling power, how to use magick wands and practicing rituals. The titles of the books listed closely align to actual occult book.

Classic subjects of magic. Common mythology isn't evil

Book 1, p. 1Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Book 1, page 90-94 to get to the school, people have to go through a portal and get on a train. 31-133. The rooms shift places until the students can lock them down through visualization.

The entire school of Wizardry and Witchcraft is a creative visualization and exists on the astral plane- not on the physical plane. You can't get to it unless you go through the portal at the train station. This is why the rooms in the school move around. See Role-Playing Games & Popular Occultism

"Visualization" or "locking rooms down" is never mentioned in the book. Most rooms stayed in their place, what changed was the stairs and doors. Oh, and Hogwarts was on the physical plane. The "portal" at the train station was simply a hidden door to get to the train. You can go to school without going through the train station, and Harry does so in book 2.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is organized: Dumbledore (a man) (#1)) Supreme Mugwump Snape (a man) (#2) Professor Minerva McGonagall (a woman) (#2) Deputy Headmistress (book 1, p. 51)

Parallels any occult order: Imperitor (a man) (#1) Temple Master (a man) (#2) Cancellareous (a woman) (#2) No one confronts the power of an Imperator. No one is more powerful than he. He rules the order.

A)Dumbledore was Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, he was Headmaster at Hogwarts.
B) Snape was Head of House, and as such was below McGonagall, who was both Head of House and Deputy Headmistress. The actual chart, which doesn't parallel your own at all, is:
(#1)Dumbledore, Headmaster
(#2)McGonagall, Deputy headmistress, Head of Gryffindor
(#3)Snape, Head of Slytherin,
(#3)Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw
(#3)Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff

Harry learns how to cast spells.

Occultists manipulate elemental spirits, demonic entities, servitors, etc., as well as circumstances and people through spells, acts of will, creative visualizations, and ritual spells for their own benefit. (destruction spells, death spells)

I've said it before, just because it has mythological elements doesn't mean it's evil.

Book 1, p. 114: There are four houses within the Hogwarts School: Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

Each one probably represents an element. Air. Earth. Water. Fire. Since Hogwarts exists on the astral plane, that takes care of the fifth element - ethers. We do not know this yet by the end of book three.

Almost every list of four anything can be shoehorned into the four elements. Ether is never mentioned in the entire series.

Book 1, 66. Harry has a spell book

Grimore -- and occultist's personal book of incantations.

Again, common elements of mythology

Voldemort wants the sorcerer's stone so he can "create" a new body for himself.

There really is a sorcerer's stone -- no comment on what it does or how it's used -- just know that it IS!

Oh, so you admit you are a nutjob? The Philosopher's stone doesn't exist. Trust me on this one.

In Harry Potter, the "will in action" is a strong theme that runs throughout the story line.

The will in action is a direct reference tot he laws of Thelma, more specifically, the first law upon which all other laws hinge: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. Nothing supersedes the will. The supreme will rules."

"Will in action" is not even remotely the same as "Do as you will". The series focuses a lot on the consequences of actions, and explains quite clearly that might doesn't make right.

Book 1, p. 53. Harry was told that his parents died in a car crass. Actually they were psychically murdered.

In the occult world, people "die" by "accident" or "natural causes."

That happens in the real world too, you know.

Book 1, p.164. Hedwig- Harry's pet owl. All the students at Hogwarts get and send their messages by owl.

Actually, Hedwig and all the other owls are familiar spirits. In the occult -- familiar spirits are used to convey messages from one occultist to others.

No, the owl is an owl. Patronuses, which are closer to spirits, are in fact used to send messages, but again, mythology=/=evil.

Book 1, p.130-133. Harry returns to his dormitory room through a "portrait hole." The portrait asks for a password. Book 2, p. 300. The sink - another example of a portal and how to open it up.

Portrait hole = portal - the opening between the physical plane and the astral plane through which entities move back and forth. Portals open with the correct words.

Wait, I thought you said the school was already on the astral plan? How can you move from the physical to the astral if you are already on the astral?
Oh, and if a door that opens with the correct words is evil, then the entire concept of passwords has doomed us all to hell.

Book 1, p. 138 and Book 3, p. 2. Harry uses a quill pen, ink and parchment paper to document his magical spells.

Standard occult practice -- all occultists learn to document their spells in the initial stages of their training.

He is in a magic school. He is doing his homework!

Book 1, p. The author gives a description of what is referred to as Quirrell's master. Harry could see a face on the back of Quirrell's head. Quirrell is strengthened by unicorn blood, the Elixir of Life (book 1, p. 293). He drinks blood.

This is a description of a real psychic vampire. The face says, "See what I have become, mere shadow and vapor. I have form only when I can share another's body. But there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds." (Book 1, p. 293) Psychic vampires are real. Drinking blood is strictly forbidden in the Scriptures.

Another example of how you are certifiably insane. Grow up and learn the difference between fact and fiction. And while we are at it, unicorn blood isn't the elixir of life, it's a cheap substitute. And considering it was a villain who was doing the blood drinking, it hardly qualifies as an endorsement of disobeying scripture.

Book 1, p. 291. "There is no good and evil, there is only power and those too weak to seek it."

Power is the greatest central them in the occult world. There is no god and no devil in the occult world. There is ONLY POWER.

Too bad it was the main villain of the book who said that, and therefore the author is actually condemning that philosophy. Dishonesty is much more convenient than valid criticism, but not quite as compelling.

Book 1, p. "Always use the proper name for things -- fear of a name of anything increases fear of the thing itself."

Harry is being instructed in how to purge fear. All emotion, in the occult world is purged out of a person. Fear could mean death.

No, fear means fear, not death or every emotion, and it's not being "purged", it's simply instructions on stopping its increase. It's basic advice on dealing with your fears instead of avoiding them.

Book 2, p. 20-21. Harry broke the decree for the restriction of underage wizardry because he had just done serious magick. He gets a reprimand. He does it again in book 3 when he attacks Aunt Marge. (p. 28-30)

AKA - he broke the rules of discretion that every occultists is well aware of. Occultist NEVER break the rules of discretion.

If occultists never (sorry, NEVER) break the rules of discretion, how exactly do so many people know about occultism? By the way, the rule of discretion in the books was the Statute of Secrecy, not the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery. It was also pretty much the only way to explain why the population at large didn't know about magic. Literary devices aren't evil.

End of book 2 (p. 317, 322) A young girl gets possessed; you see a conjurative being that threatens to kill. Harry kills a certain conjured spirit (a snake) with a special sword.

These passages are an indirect reference to Kaballah, the Tree of Life, the Kundalini (snake) and the Sword of Kerubum. "SELF" is the source of power.

Suuuure are. And the Basilisk wasn't a conjured spirit, it was a physical living being.

Book 2, p. 52 mentions a "Hand of Glory." Book 3, p. 208. Hit Wizards.

These are references to items used in VERY NEGATIVE magick.

The hand of Glory is described as a Dark artifact. Not a particularly powerful one, but hey. Hit wizards are people, not items.

Book 2 explains why Voldemort is the way he was (a psychic vampire) in book one. Harry doesn't understand Voldemort until Dumbledore explains him. In trying to protect Harry from a psychic attack on his life by Voldemort, Harry's mother took the attack on herself and she died. When she took on the full brunt to the attack, she absorbed most of the energy. Harry absorbed some to the knowledge of Voldemort, but when the energy returned to Voldemort, it destroyed his body. That is why, in book 1, we see him as a psychic vampire -- he needs to have a host body.

Rowling gives a perfect description of the difference between demons and fallen angels on the physical plane in this example of Voldemort. She writes that Voldemort once had a body, then he didn't now he does when he attaches himself to other people. This is the way demonic entities exist in the physical world. They need a physical body in which to manifest. Angels, holy or fallen, do not need physical bodies to manifest -- they can make their own bodies on the physical plane. When occultists repel a psychic attack, they absorb some of the knowledge of the individual that attacked them. In Harry's case, he absorbed the ability to speak snake (and other special capacities) from Voldemort.

If the explanation is perfect, how come it never mentions anything about physical and astral planes? It had some parallels with mythology. Big deal.

Book 2, p. 314-322. Rowlings describes an occult war: Voldemort says he's the greatest sorcerer in the world and Harry says that Dumbldore is the greatest wizard in the world. Then a fawkes, a phoenix and a sorting hat show up to defend and fight for Harry. Voldemort gave Harry permission to use the tools Dumbledore sent him. Harry defeats Voldemort.

Occult wars are fought on the spiritual level. This story line is straight psychic metaphor. Harry found the weakness in Voldemort's existence and capitalized on it. There are references to items used in VERY NEGATIVE magic.

It wasn't so much giving permission as mocking their uselessness. And the fight wasn't that psychic, considering the whole "sword through the mouth" and "stab it with a poisonous fang" aspects of it.

Book 3, p. 247. The Dementor's kiss.	Lupin explains that when dementors wish to destroy someone utterly, they suck the soul out of the person through their mouth. "You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working."
Book 3, p. 250, 251. Hermione is reading a Rune translation.

And part where you tell us why it's wrong? You kinda forgot about that, dude.

Book 3, p. 426, 427. Harry has a conversation with Dumbldore regarding saving Pettigrew's life. Dumbledore tells Harry that when one wizard "saves another wizard's life, it creates a bond between them. This is magic at its deepest and most impenetrable."

This bond and debt is called an ON in the occult world.

So thanking someone for saving your life is satanic. Gotcha.

Harry does not know that he can talk in the language of snakes. You get an inkling of this in books 1, page 28. When Harry has a conversation with the boa constrictor, he thinks the snake is talking English, when, in fact, it is Harry that is talking "snake." The conversation with a snake comes up again in book 2, page 194. In a class titled "Defense Against the Dark Arts," a snake is ready to attack one of the members of his group, Justin, and Harry tells the snake to stop. The snake obeys immediately. People were astounded that Harry could speak snake.

Those who practice the many forms of familiar magick have the ability to communicate with animals. I.e.: horse whisperers, medicine men, etc.

And the part where he doesn't know about it, that you for some reason bothered to mention?Or was it just a distraction manoeuvre, to trick us into not noticing the fact that you don't have anything resembling a point?

Book 3, p. 28-30. Harry attacks his aunt Marge for her disparaging comments about him and his family by placing a swelling spell on her.

This is a psychic attack. Harry's lightening bolt scar on his forehead is a symbol of his psychic strength. The lightening bolt is similar in nature to the occult "Sword of the Cherubim."

Too bad the scar has absolutely nothing to do with this event, and it's shape isn't particularly similar to a sword. And Cherubim are angels, you know. The concept of Cherubim with swords is mentioned in Genesis 3:24. Or is the Bible an occult book too?

Book 3, p. 133. Harry's class practices on a bogart to remove whatever fear they have. A bogart is an entity which morphs into whatever anyone is afraid of. It is a shape shifter and will change itself into "whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

Bogarts, called something else in the occult world, are real. They are used in occult training as practice for conquering fear and for perfecting their craft.

No, they practice on a boggart to... guess what... learn how to fight boggarts(and dementors, in Harry's case). And they don't exist.

Book 3, p. 83. Harry has a confrontation with several dementors. These creatures are similar to vampires that can suck the positive energy out of a person. They cause a person to be confronted with their own evil and what the person fears. Harry is not successful in deriving the dementors away on his own. In book 3, p. 236-237, Lupin teachers him a spell to put a barrier between him and the dementors.

In the occult, psychic vampires are similar to dementors. They feed on the emotional energy of people. Fear is a strong emotion that dementors feed on.

Wait, I thought the description of Voldemort as a being that inhabits others was a psychic vampire. Get it straight, either they possess people or they suck their emotions. Oh, and Dementors don't feed on fear, they feed on positive emotions.

In conclusion, the entire argument was based on misrepresentations and saying that because something is similar to a common element of fantasy, it indoctrinates into the occult. Funny how I managed to read through the seven books, multiple times, and not to become an evil occult wizard. Maybe it doesn't work on atheists.

That's all for today, I'll do other stuff from Kjos later. I had a nice one mocking their review of Casper on the FSTDT forums.

Edit: I forgot to mention that "Peter" (real name unknown), the author of this particular example of idiocy, claims he used to be a Temple Master at the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn before he found Jesus, and that he studied and mastered multiple kinds of magic. In a perfect world, I would be completely convinced this was a dead giveaway nothing he wrote under that persona could be serious. In a perfect world.

Definiciones

[Read the English version]

Hace unos días, este artículo me llamó la atención. Para los que no quieren leerlo, habla sobre la superstición en Argentina: causas, supersticiones más comunes, etc. Y estadísticas, que es la parte relevante. De acuerdo con una encuesta entre 1007 personas, el 45% de la población cree en eventos de algún tipo que causan buena o mala suerte. Sí, el número es una poco grande para mi gusto, pero lo que es interesante no es eso, sino que sólo 1 de cada 10 se describió como supersticioso. Permítanme decirlo: ¡¿Qué carajo?! Si creés que podés influir en tu suerte pasando por abajo de una escalera o rompiendo un espejo, sos supersticioso. Me chupa un huevo si no te gusta la connotación, esa es la definición de la palabra.

Me pregunto si esto causado por disonancia cognitiva o estupidez general. Para los que no conozcan el término, la disonancia cognitiva es la tensión psicológica que sentís cuando tenés creencias en conflicto, en este caso, "la superstición es estúpida", "yo soy supersticioso" y "yo no soy estúpido". Tenemos una tendencia natural a reducir la disonancia cognitiva mediante la eliminación o alteración de las creencias en conflicto, y la forma en la que lo hacemos no siempre es inteligente o racional. La forma racional de lidiar con el asunto sería dejar de ser supersticioso. el camino algo menos racional es convencerse de que la superstición no es estúpida. El camino irracional y deshonesto (con uno mismo) , que parece ser el más común en este caso, es redefinir supersticioso. Con estupidez general me refiero a aquellos que no son conscientes de la definición de superstición. Lo más probable es que sea una combinación de ambos.

Ahora, esto me recordó un asunto relacionado. Específicamente, el de los cristianos que niegan ser religiosos. Como yo lo veo, la religión no es más que superstición con pretensiones, así que esto vendría a ser un caso particlar de lo discutido anteriormente. Algunos pueden estar en desacuerdo con mi apreciación del asunto. Es irrelevante de cualquier manera.

Durante mis viajes por la interweb, me encontré con muchos que opinaban que el cristianismo, o por lo menos su propia denominación, no eran una religión, sino "una relación personal con Jesucristo". Su frase es algo del estilo de

RELIGION es el hombre intentando llegar a Dios. El CRISTIANISMO es Dios tratando de llegar al hombre.

Eso es una pelotudez. No podés redefinir palabras sólo porque no te gusta que las usen con vos. Para estar seguros, revisemos el diccionario.
Del diccionario de la Real Academia Española:

1. f. Conjunto de creencias o dogmas acerca de la divinidad, de sentimientos de veneración y temor hacia ella, de normas morales para la conducta individual y social y de prácticas rituales, principalmente la oración y el sacrificio para darle culto.
Vamos por partes: ¿Creencias acerca de la divinidad? Sí. ¿Veneración y temor? Sí. ¿Normas morales? Sí. ¿Prácticas rituales? Sí. ¿Oración y sacrificio para darle culto? Sí.

Creo que gané.

Entonces, ¿Cuál era el punto de todo esto? Notar que la gente tiende a ignorar términos claramente definidos cuando no le gustan. Jódanse. ¿Te da miedo ver un gato negro? Entonces sos supersticioso y perdés el tiempo en rituales idiotas creyendo que podés influir en tu suerte. Dejá de hacerlo, demostrá que funciona, o por lo menos llamalo por su nombre. ¿Creés que un tipo que murió hace 2000 años es Dios y puede determinar lo que te va a pasar cuando mueras? Por mí esta bien. Pero no esperes que sea considerado un hecho empírico o una relación personal.

Definitions

[Versión en castellano]

Yesterday, this article (Spanish) caught my eye. In case you can't or won't read it, it talks about superstition in Argentina: causes, common superstitions, etc. And statistics, which is the relevant part. According to a poll on 1007 people, 45% of the population believe in good luck charms or unlucky events of some sort. Sure, the number is a bit high for my tastes, but what's interesting is not that, it's that only 1 in 10 described themselves as superstitious. Allow me to say it: What the fuck? You believe you can influence luck by walking under a ladder or breaking a mirror, you are superstitious. I don't give a shit if you don't like the connotations, that's the definition of the word.

I'm wondering if this comes from cognitive dissonance or general stupidity. Cognitive dissonance, for those unfamiliar with the term, is the tension you feel when you have conflicting beliefs, in this case, "superstition is stupid", "I'm not stupid", and "I'm superstitious". We are naturally inclined to reduce cognitive dissonance by eliminating or altering the conflicting beliefs, and the way of doing so is not always smart or rational. The rational approach would be to stop being superstitious. The somewhat less rational approach is to believe superstition is not stupid. The irrational and dishonest (to oneself) approach, which seems to be the predominant in this case, is to redefine superstitious. By general stupidity, in this case, I mean people not being aware of the actual definition of superstition. Odds are it's a combination of both.

Now, this brought to mind a related matter. Specifically, Christians who deny they are religious. From my own point of view, religion is no more than glorified superstition, so they are pretty much a subset of those discussed previously. Some might disagree with this assessment. It's irrelevant anyway.

During my travels on the interwebs, I've come across many who held that Christianity, or at least their own brand of it, is not a religion, but "a personal relationship with Jesus". Their catchphrase is something along the lines of

RELIGION is mans attempt to reach God. CHRISTIANITY is Gods attempt to reach man.

To which I say, bullshit. You don't get to redefine words just because you don't like them being applied to you. Just to make sure, let's go check the dictionary.
From Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary:

1 a: the state of a religious This one doesn't help the debate, since being religious is what we are trying to determine.

b (1): the service and worship of God or the supernatural Do you go to church? Do you pray? Then you are religious, according to this definition

(2): commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance See the previous comment

2: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices Also useless for the debate, see first comment.

3archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness Well, I'll give them this one. Believing in Jesus does not imply conscientiousness

4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith Whoopsy, back to losing again. Christians tend to believe in the divinity of Jesus, with ardor and faith no less.

So the score is, 2 inconclusive, 3 for "Christians are religious", and 1 against. And it's the one noted as archaic. I think I win.

So what was the point of all this? To note that people have a tendency to ignore clearly defined terms when they don't like them. Well, tough shit. You recoil when you see a black cat, you are superstitious, and you waste your time in idiotic rituals believing you can influence luck. Either quit it, prove it works, or at least be honest with yourself and call it by it's name. You believe a guy who died 2000 years ago is God and he can determine what happens when you die, fine by me. But don't expect it be considered empirical reality or a personal relationship.