Harry Potter reminds me of the Dungeons and Dragons craze a few decades ago. I’ll never forget a fellow seminarian advertising in our seminary newsletter for a “dragon master.” This na?ve young man training to be a youth minister couldn’t imagine any potential spiritual problems arising from some harmless fun with Dungeons and Dragons. What this seminarian failed to appreciate was the role of an entry point into the world of the occult and new age movement.

The majority of those who fool around with Dungeons and Dragons, toy with Ouija boards, listen to heavy metal rock, or read books like the Harry Potter series that are filled with themes with witchcraft and sorcery, will never fall into any permanent spiritual deceptions. Yet, I can guarantee that Harry Potter will be an entry point into the demonic /New Age world for thousands of young Catholics. Many Christians scoffed at the potential dangers posed by Dungeons and Dragons, yet research has validated those warnings.

George Gallup reports that 44% of teen-agers say they know a person who actually tried to commit suicide. When teens were asked what they thought caused teens to think about suicide, drugs and alcohol headed the list, but 17% of teens survey said “playing with Dungeons and Dragons” was a contributor (The Spiritual Life of Young Americans: Approaching the Year 2000,With commentary and Analysis by George H. Gallup, Jr). Any Christian youth worker that thinks Dungeons and Dragons is harmless to teens is simply unfit in regards to the spiritual discernment necessary for leading teens.

An August 1994, Gallup Survey reported the following beliefs of American Catholic teens (ages 13-17):
Which of the following do you believe in?
Astrology – 58%
Ghosts – 43%
Witchcraft 24%
Vampires 6%
Keep in mind that less than 30% of American Catholics teens believe that the Eucharist is more than a mere symbol. Why would anyone want to expose young Catholics so unsure of their faith to things like: blood-drinking, werewolves, vampires, potions, spells, sorcery, demon-like characters, and witchcraft as found in the Harry Potter series?

Many Protestant and Catholic parents think Harry must be okay since so many conservative Evangelical Protestant leaders along with nationally known Catholic leaders have said that Harry Potter is okay. I warn against this misguided advice.

Until now, I have not felt the need to say much to St. Joseph’s Covenant Keepers about my background dealing with the New Age, cult, and occult. Here is a brief description of my background:
1. Before my conversion to Christianity, I was involved in New Age and false religious movements that actually practiced several of the things casually described in the Harry Potter novels.
2. I have been a state representative for a national referral service that assisted families in getting their loved ones out of cults, new age groups, and satanic movements.
3. I have trained college peer leaders to combat Satanism on campus.
4. I have lead young people out of the very world described in the Harry Potter novels to a commitment to Christ.
5. I have attended training by law enforcement officials about youth involvement in Satanism and the occult. I have also assisted law enforcement officials investigating occult related crimes.
6. I have personally confronted and ministered to demonically possessed individuals involved in Satanism and the occult.

In light of this experience, I warn fathers that exposing your children to the enchanting world of Harry Potter is playing with a fire from hell. Will every child reading Harry Potter get burned? Of course not. Will some get burned? Yes, in all likelihood there will be thousands. If you want to know where the billion-dollar Harry Potter craze is going to take these children, just look at the Harry Potter online bookstore web pages advertising additional books for kids interested in related works. Harry Potter is just one of the many entry points into a world where the fascination with wickedness creates an addiction that perverts the innocent mind and obscures what is good.