Harry Potter: Satanic Propaganda?

So I was surfing the Web today and I came across an article over the so-called “dangers of Harry Potter”. They say that it promotes the occult and desensitizes children to witchcraft. So I’m a little bit confused… does that mean that these people really, honestly believe that magic is real? I love the series and understand that the book is planted firmly in fantasy, in fiction, in the realm of “not real”. In order to be really offended by Harry Potter in the way that these people are you’d have to believe that witchcraft is real. Come on… can anyone really believe that someone can wave a stick around, even a “magical” stick with special ingredients in it’s core, while saying the right weird phrases and honestly expect that something “magical” will happen? If you’re going to tell me that exposing children to Harry Potter is bad because it’s exposing your children to witchcraft, that’s akin to saying that maybe children shouldn’t be exposed to Santa Claus because - come on - there’s no way he could have a flying sleigh with flying reindeer (one with a red, glowing nose) that go around the world in supersonic speed delivering presents to homes through tiny chimneys without magic.

I’m sure at this point I could mention the tragedy that was the Salem Witch Trials. None of those people were actually practicing witches. It was a hysteria that made people point the ugly finger of witchcraft at other people to avoid getting it cast upon themselves. For one thing, magic violates the second law of thermodynamics (gasp!).

Okay, so maybe magic is condemned in the bible. However, if we accept that magic isn’t real - and if you believe that it is real, you need a brain check - it’s condemning something that isn’t there, isn’t tangible, isn’t really even able to be condemned. It’s like condemning unicorns. You could plaster posters every where saying anyone caught with a unicorn should be put to death and anyone caught promoting Unicorn Propaganda be put in jail. All that would be in futility, however, because unicorns aren’t real and neither is witchcraft.

So, really, what does it matter? Even if it is “exposing children to the dangers of witchcraft”, it’s just like “exposing them to unicorns” - none of it matters because none of it is real. I’m not sure who it’s really hurting if some kid really thinks magic is real and runs around in his backyard with a stick trying to make his toys turn colors. At some point, all kids realize Santa isn’t real and sooner or later he’d realize that magic isn’t real, either. It’s all incredibly stupid.

Of course, besides the fact that it’s bluntly, garishly stupid - these people have no right to try to get the books banned from the rest of the public. It’s just a book. If you don’t want to read it and if you don’t want your kids reading it, then don’t read it and don’t let your kids read it. Case closed.

(I realize that there are many other reasons people don’t like Harry Potter, one being that it just simply isn’t their cup of tea. I respect that because I get many strange looks when I tell people that I simply can’t stand the Lord of the Rings trilogy…)