A Biblical View of Harry Potter

By Pastor Timothy R. Stout

This was originally written by Pastor Stout in 2005 while he

was pastor of the Gold Hill Bible Church in Placerville, CA

The Bible tells us, “There shall not be found among you anyone…who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD…. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 18:10-13).  

Harry Potter is an imaginary young boy who is a student at Hogwarts, a school to train witches and wizards in their craft. The courses in the school include the study

of astrology, casting of spells, numerology, magic, divination, and conjuring of spirits. The events and episodes of Harry’s life center on how he puts these things into practice. However, one needs to be aware that these are the very activities which God expressly forbids us to participate in, as the above Bible passage teaches.

1. God is real. God tells us in the Bible, “…I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure…. Indeed, I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it” (Isaiah 46:9-11).

There is none like Him. He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. He is sovereign and does what He pleases and no one stops Him. He has revealed Himself and His will in His Word, the Bible. In the Bible He declares that He desires people to seek Him personally. He is good and will reward those who diligently seek Him. By contrast, occult activities are an attempt for a person to become his own god, to have the personal power to control his own destiny, and to do this without any help from, dependence on, or relationship with the Creator God. This does not please Him.

2. Satan is real.  God has created a class of spirit beings we commonly call angels. One of these angels was named Lucifer. He started out good. God once said to him, “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty…. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you” (Ezekiel 28:12,15). So, Lucifer was extremely intelligent and beautiful. He was also extremely powerful. However, in time be became overly impressed with himself. So, God said to him, “your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor” (Ezekiel 28:16). In fact, he became so impressed with himself that he wanted to be like God. Thus, God confronted him, “…you have said in your heart: …I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; …I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:12-15). Lucifer determined in his heart to assert his authority over the angels (stars) of God and to be like God. What is God like? Among other things, He is sovereign, giving account to no one. He is unlimited in His power. He is worthy of worship and receives it from the angels. So, Lucifer decided that he, too, would like to be worshipped, to do what he wants without accountability, and to be in authority over god’s creation.

 The problem with this is that Lucifer is not worthy of worship, his wisdom is insufficient to run the universe, and there is room for only one absolute sovereign in a kingdom. Thus, this decision of his heart was not justified. Once iniquity was found in him, Lucifer had become a sinner. In an effort to carry out his plan, he used violence to force worship and obedience. He is the”father” of violence. Thus, God commented to him, “ … you became filled with violence within, and you sinned” (Ezekiel 28:16). After Lucifer sinned, he became more commonly known as the devil or also as Satan. Jesus said of him, “He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks out of himself, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44). The one who invented lying, deception, violence, and murder is certainly not worthy of worship nor of having the authority to rule.

3. Harry Potter makes the devices of Satan seem attractive. A major problem with Harry Potter is that he makes occult power seem desirable, seem good to have. At one time young people daydreamed of being sports heroes or movie actresses. Now, many dream of having the occult powers that Harry Potter has. However, these powers are not the innocent devices presented in his books. Satan invented the occult arts as a means to divert peoples affections from God and to bring people under bondage to himself. One cannot involve himself in the the forbidden arts without suffering severe consequences, both now and eternally.

4. Jesus Christ presented a model of “going about doing good.” The Bible talks about “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). Jesus devoted His entire ministry to being of benefit to others, to helping them with their needs, to teaching them truth about God. He never acted out of self interest. He submitted Himself entirely to the will of God the Father. He was tested in every way that a man can be tested, and yet never sinned (Hebrews 10:14). The first four books of the New Testament describe His life. It would be far more profitable for all people, young and old alike, to study His life and to see how He responded to different circumstances than to read Harry Potter.

5. By contrast, Harry Potter makes the immorality of Satan seem attractive. Satan is the father of lying and violence. He rebelled against living within the bounds of his proper estate. He reject the notion of accountability to God for his sin. Harry Potter displays these same immoral attributes.

    USA Today, a daily newspaper, commented that millions of children identify with Harry as a soulmate. Soulmates connect at the deepest level. They think alike, they act alike, they take on similar values of right and wrong. This is significant in the light of a warning in the Bible: “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good morals’” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

What is the underlying morality of the Harry Potter stories? Lying, stealing, and cheating are seen as normal behavior. It is considered appropriate to yield oneself to emotions of hatred, rage, murderous intent, and vengeance. Harry never suffers consequences for his sin. Indeed, on one occasion he steals a magic potion, breaks 50 rules, and yet receives a special award for service to the school instead of being expelled. Disobedience is acceptable as long as you do not get caught; even then if you are someone special it won’t matter. There are no consequences.

 By contrast, we read in the Bible, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight” (Proverbs 12:22). “But … sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

6. The judgment of Satan and those who follow him. Everyone who has ever lived will someday give an account of what he has done in this lifetime. Some will be awakened to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2). Jesus Christ will Himself be sitting on the throne of judgment when this day arrives (Revelation 20). Those who have not had their names written in the book of life, that is, those who have never been saved, will at that time hear these words, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). This passage is interesting. It tells us that God did not create Hell in order to judge people,rather to judge the devil and the demons (the angels who followed him). In God’s appointed time, God will strip Satan of all power and cast him into the Lake of Fire. Hell is truly the appropriate punishment for the one who invented lying, deception, murder, and violence and who is the source of so much misery, even as we can see in the world today. However, although Hell was not created for people, those who reject the forgiveness of sins God offers them in Christ Jesus will first be judged for the works they have done and then follow the devil into Hell.

7. It is inappropriate to read the books, view the movies, or in any way identify with Harry Potter. Harry Potter is seducing an entire generation of young people into Satanic immorality and the practice of the occult. However, the problem goes beyond this. The Bible speaks about how Satan “energizes the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). When a person read a book giving details about occult practices, or watches movies about these things, or participates in occult rituals, he opens himself up to demonic energizing. This can become a trap in which the person ends up in spiritual bondage to Satan before he realizes it. Young people and older ones alike should absolutely avoid these books and movies, period. Parents have a responsibility before God to keep this kind of material away from their children as much as they possibly can. Jesus said, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks should come, but woe to him through whom they  come! It would be better for a person if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble” (Luke 17:1-2).

8. Jesus Christ can break the bonds of demonic oppression. When a person allows himself to be exposed to occultist activity,  he typically comes under demonic oppression and bondage. Perhaps the single greatest symptom of this bondage is fear. What starts out as fun and fascinating leads to slavery and fear. A person may become fearful of someone with greater powers attacking him, or of not performing a ritual correctly and suffering consequence, or … and the list goes on and on and on. However, praise God, the Lord Jesus Christ can break the bonds of Satan. The reality is that God is stronger than Satan and can frustrate and thwart Satan’s plans and intentions at will (Isaiah 42:5).

Indeed, the Bible describes how God “has delivered us from the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin: (Colossians 1:13-14). The “us” in the passage refers to those of us who have trusted Jesus Christ as our Savior. We have been transferred out from under Satan’s authority and transferred into Christ’s kingdom. Because we have had our sins forgiven, we now have the hope of Heaven written in our hearts and are no longer in bondage due to the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15). The blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross has redeemed us from our sins, and we are free to serve God out of love.

9. Jesus Christ can reconcile a sinner to God. Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth,, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Jesus Christ is God’s Son and has the power to forgive sins. He paid for those sins when He died on the cross, effectively covering the sins with His blood. He was buried, then physically rose form the dead three days later, and was seen by many. Just as He rose from the dead, He has the power to raise those who trust in Him. He offerr forgiveness to all who will come to Him in repentance, believing on Him as Savior. Will you come to Jesus now?