Comments on: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Ministers

By: Mike Bull

Mike Bull — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:40:33 +0000

I agree, Kelby. If we are discerning, we can learn from the mystics, and even from Harry Potter. But we need to know the Bible before we can be discerning. The Bible should not be in a box – or a glass case. Love it, Angie! Walter, yes, the Bible can be guaranteed to rock the boat. We do have some ministers here who teach the Bible. The Anglican gent just taught through Exodus, and the Brethren assembly we now attend is committed to expository preaching and weekly communion. Dave – yes, it is a great opportunity, but we take it for granted and often waste it.

Thanks for your comments, guys. Made me feel better!

By: Dave S

Dave S — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:24:28 +0000

That is terrible. Although, I’ surprised you can teach the Bible at all in high school. You certainly can’t do that in the US (for the most part).

By: Walter Robins

Walter Robins — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:27:03 +0000

You have NOT been ‘casting pearls’ because most young minds are hungry for knowledge. However the ‘establishment’ is a club and if you join that club you do so on the basis that you accept its man-made rules. You have misinterpreted the rules believing them to include an acceptance of an in-depth study and analysis of patterns or inter-relatedness of what is supposed to be the central platform of their belief – the Bible. From my long observation individuals such as you are given certain enlightenment, talent and understanding firstly as a gift from God to you. When the excitement of the revelation is realised it is a natural human characteristic to believe this must be shared with the world. Sadly this belief will founder on the rock of enthusiastic idealism (although you must not ‘hide your light’). If you have excited one other person (which you have) with the fruit of your hard work and resources, that is a start. “Many are chosen but few are invited”. Getting back to ‘the club – the Romans kept the population happy by plying them with beer and circuses. They did not want the masses to ‘think’ as that would result in a disturbance of the status quo. Nothing has changed. “Fear” reigns today just as it did then. Even if you are endeavouring to teach in schools a further insight into the Bible, the comfort of merely promoting vicarious, popular superficiality will be perceived as being under threat and that fear must be removed. Please stay calm in the face of the behavior of stewards of the ‘club’ and forgive them ‘for they know not what they do’.

By: Angie

Angie — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:50:48 +0000

Now, now….the Bible should be treated like great-grandmother’s heirloom china: placed in a nice, glass case to admire, but never taken out and used in every day life.

By: Kelby Carlson

Kelby Carlson — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:41:26 +0000

Also, Mike, you should come teach at my highs chool. Do you have any audio lectures available like Jordan/

By: Kelby Carlson

Kelby Carlson — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:39:59 +0000

As alwasy, Mike, good stuff. But I do have a couple of sdisagreements with you, most particularly on Harry Potter. While I would never, ever claim these books could approach the Bible, I do believe there is a lot to be learned from them. (Chekc out John Granger’s book “How Harry Cast His SPell. Granger is a Christian wh digs deep into the harry Potter books for their spiritual meaning.) Also as far as CHristian mysticism goes … well, i’m kind of on the fence about it. i think some of the mystics had valuable things to say, but they don’t override scripture and i would certainly contedn mysticism can (and has) be taken much too far.