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What Every Person Should Know

About Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

by Dr. John Ankerberg and Dillon Burroughs

prepared by
Ankerberg Theological Research Institute
P.O. Box 8977

Chattanooga, TN 37414

Copyright 2007 - The Ankerberg Theological Research Institute

[Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows Cover Art courtesy Arthur A. Levine Books (July 21, 2007)

Daniel Radcliffe picture courtesy www.harrypotterorderofthephoenix.com]

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 What Every Person Should Know
About Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
By Dr. John Ankerberg and Dillon Burroughs

According to Scholastic, the final book in the left—” (p. 92. The text cuts off, but the words lead one
Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly to know what is coming next.)
Hallows, sold an amazing 8.3 million copies in its first
-“snogging” (p. 116). According to
24 hours, a first in the history of book publishing.
thefreedictionary.com, this means, “affectionate play
Borders sold 1.2 million copies the first day, (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs).”
the highest single-day sales of any book in its history. This could be the American equivalent of “making out,”
Amazon.com pre-sold 2.2 million copies of the book but I wouldn’t let my kids run around saying the word.
worldwide. British bookstore chain Waterstone sold over
“How the ruddy h—?” (p. 162).
100,000 copies in the first two hours of sales. Barnes
and Noble sold 1.4 million copies in pre-sales.1 “d—…” (Three times: pp. 162, 362, 374).
The real question is not “Why is it popular?” As “git,” (pg. 490), a person who is deemed to be
parents, our question should be, “What is in the book?” despicable or contemptible. The British equivalent of
“jerk” or “punk.”
As we examine the contents of Harry Potter 7,
we find that there are some key issues parents should “bloody fools” (p. 558).
be aware of in deciding whether to allow their children
“bast——…” (p. 564).
or teenagers to read the book, or to discuss with their
children if they already have (or currently are) reading “h—…” (p. 622).
it. These concerns fall into three major categories:
“b——…” (p. 737).
vulgar language, level of violence, and spiritual
content. At least six of these occurrences would be clearly
defined as curse words in American culture. When I
posted these concerns at the fan website
Vulgar Language Potterwatch.com, the webmaster responded, in part,
that:
I (Dillon) posted some of the first comments
online regarding the kind of language used in Harry The language is accurate. However, the
Potter 7. Some of these comments have already been sentiment is misdirected. I spend time in
picked up on CNN.com and at least one Harry Potter elementary schools with kids and I know for a
fan website. fact that they use far more coarse language
than is found in the book.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is
marketed as a young adult book, but is it? After reading In my personal opinion, which as the site owner
it the night of its midnight release, I was shocked to I get to interject as I feel fit, the language in
discover how much vulgarity was included. I may have the novel is appropriate to its reading level,
missed one or two occurrences among the 759-pages, which according to the publisher:
but here is a list to demonstrate the level of mature
language used in the book: Note Young adult, not Child. So yes, if you’re
giving this to your child you may want to
- “And are they getting married in my bedroom?” asked consider the language. If it’s for your teen/
Ron furiously. “No! So why in the name of Merlin’s saggy young adult then you can feel comfortable

Copyright 2007 - The Ankerberg Theological Research Institute 4

 that the language is nothing which will “harm himself dies and comes back to life after a brief
their fragile psyches.”2 discussion with Dumbledore.
Fortunately, the only romantic content of the
book was a kiss shared between Harry and Ginny, but
According to this explanation, this language is fine as
the level of violence is clearly more prolific than in
reading material for young adults. Why? This
any previous title in the Potter series.
explanation cites that it is because elementary school
kids already use language more coarse than this. But
what kind of logic is this? Should we say that it’s okay
for children to view pornography because there are
Spiritual Content
some elementary school children who already do? The spiritual content is by far the most
Likewise, we would never suggest that it is acceptable disturbing, yet intriguing, aspect of the final Harry
to promote marijuana usage among children just Potter tale. It is intriguing in the sense that two specific
because some kids already use it. New Testament verses are quotes as part of the
It all comes back to the question of, “What is storyline. First, when Harry goes to find his parents’
your standard for evaluation?” If your desire as a parent graves, he finds the tomb of Kendra Dumbledore with
is for your child to fill his or her mind with content that the words, “Where your treasure is, there is your heart.”
is healthy and builds them into people of integrity, it is This quote is right out of Matthew 6:21 and Luke 12:34.
important to know what your children are reading and In the same chapter (p. 328), when Harry finds the
to have a say regarding what is acceptable and what tombstone of his parents, it includes the saying, “The
is not. last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” This verse
can be found in 1 Corinthians 15:26, written in a letter
from the apostle Paul.
Level of Violence Another Christian theme at play in the storyline
deals with the resurrection stone, one of three objects
If Harry Potter 7 was a movie, the rating would
that are considered part of the Deathly Hallows. This
be PG-13, similar to the recently released Harry Potter
stone allows the user to see and communicate with
and the Order of the Phoenix film. Why? The PG-13
the dead. Harry uses it once to speak with his dead
rating, according to the Motion Picture Association of
parents, his godfather Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin.
America, includes that, “There may be depictions of
He later loses the stone in the Forbidden Forest where
violence in a PG-13 movie, but generally not both
it remains at the end of the story.
realistic and extreme or persistent violence.”3 This latest
Harry Potter tale certainly fits this description. Toward the end of the book, Harry realizes he
must allow Voldemort to kill him in order for Voldemort
For example, after the death of Mad-Eye
to die. Why? Because part of the dark wizard’s soul
Moody early in the story, his friends are unable to find
lives in Harry. He allows himself to be killed by the
his body. Later, however, Harry discovers his eyeball
Avada Kedarva curse, after which he awakens in the
on the front of Dolores Umbridge’s door where it is
afterlife (or a dream?) and speaks with Dumbledore.
being used as a security measure. Harry steals the
Though it is never made certain whether Harry dies or
eye and later buries it at a base of the old tree as a
not, his return leads to onlookers shouting “He’s alive!”
measure of respect.
(very reminiscent of Christ’s resurrection). Harry returns
Another scenario is found when Voldemort puts and helps finish off Voldemort to win the battle of
the sorting hat on Neville’s head and sets it on fire Hogwarts.
during the battle of Hogwarts. At this point, fortunately,
The other disturbing spiritual themes
reinforcements arrive and battle begins again. Neville
surrounding witchcraft from the other books in the
escapes and chops off the head of Nagini the snake,
Potter series continue as well. Spells are shot back
which contains part of Voldemort’s soul, in the ongoing
and forth in battle with the wands of witches and
battle.
wizards, using phrases that often date back to actual
Some may even argue that as a film, the ancient curses. Remember the Avada Kedara
Deathly Hallows should be R-rated based on its mentioned above? Its origin, according to an author
repeated violence. Why? In total, 76 characters are interview:
killed. That’s nearly one person per every ten pages
…is an ancient spell in Aramaic, and it is the
of the book (In all fairness, 54 of these occur in one
original of abracadabra, which means ‘let the
battle, the Battle of Hogwarts). In addition, Harry
thing be destroyed.’ Originally, it was used to

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 cure illness and the ‘thing’ was the illness, but or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who
I decided to make it the ‘thing’ as in the person consults the dead” (Deuteronomy 18:10-11).
standing in front of me. I take a lot of liberties
Rather than innocent and harmless, parents
with things like that. I twist them round and
must realize the Bible’s position toward evil. The apostle
make them mine.4
John wrote, “Do not imitate what is evil but what is
Another major theme is found in the issue of good” (3 John 11). Ultimately, parents are the
horcruxes. A horcrux, according to the Potter series, gatekeepers. This is no easy task. As Michael O’Brien
is a receptacle in which a Dark wizard has hidden a writes in A Landscape with Dragons:
part of his soul for the purposes of attaining immortality.
It is a fictional idea, but one associated with the Dark
Arts (dark magic) in the series. Voldemort has divided If a child’s reading is habitually in the area of
his soul into seven parts in order to obtain immortality the supernatural, is there not a risk tha he will
as part of his desire to overtake the wizarding world. develop an insatiable appetite for it, an
We also read at several points about appetite that grows ever stronger as it is fed?
occulmency (These are the times when Harry’s scar is Will he be able to recognize the boundaries
hurting.). What is occulmency? According to the Harry between spiritually sound imaginative works
Potter Lexicon, occulmency “is the art of magically and the deceptive ones? Here is another key
defending the mind against external penetration, point for parents to consider: Are we
sealing it against magical intrusion and influence.”5 committed to discussing these issues with our
As applied in Harry Potter 7, Harry can see Voldemort’s children? Are we willing to accompany them,
actions in his mind. A mental battle rages, with year after year, as their tastes develop,
descriptions that are very similar to demonic advising caution here, sanctioning liberality
possession in the Bible. there, each of us, young and old, learning as
we go?...Are we willing to sacrifice precious
Dementors, soul-sucking, ghost-like figures who
time to pre-read some novels about which we
protect the prison of Azkaban, also appear again,
may have doubts? Are we willing to invest effort
resembling demons in description. In addition, Harry
to help our children choose the right kind of
meets Bathilda Bagshot, whom he thinks is a friend,
fantasy literature from library and bookstores?6
but soon finds out is a trap. Bathilda’s body is actually
inhabited and controlled by Voldemort’s snake, Nagini.
This being the case, Christian parents should be very
careful regarding their children’s involvement with this
Evaluating Pottermania latest Harry Potter book and the worldview it promotes.
In all fairness, J.K. Rowling has provided a very We encourage concerned parents to:
well-told story and does not appear on the surface to
recruit anyone into witchcraft. However, the content
of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows should be 1. Read up on the spiritual background of the
concerning to parents for several reasons. First, this book (Through resources such as this article
latest Potter book frequently uses vulgar or coarse and the resources listed below.).
language in a book targeted toward young adults. 2. Pre-read portions of this book and others with
Second, the level of violence is very high for a young which you have genuine concerns.
adult book. Then, third and foremost, the spiritual
content is not only non-biblical but promotes 3. Provide clear guidelines to your children and
witchcraft, spell casting, potion making, the desire to teenagers regarding what reading material is
be a wizard or witch, astrology, numerology, acceptable for your family.
interaction with the dead, and other dark supernatural 4. Set an example of personal Bible reading and
practices, suggesting they are innocent and harmless the reading of other healthy materials as a
activities. model for your children.
The Bible is very clear that all forms of
witchcraft and sorcery are to be avoided when it
writes, “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices Have additional questions about the latest Harry Potter
his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination book or witchcraft in general? Please send us an email
or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, at [email protected] or see some of our
additional materials on this issue listed below:

Copyright 2007 - The Ankerberg Theological Research Institute 6

Additional Materials:

What Christian Parents Should Know About Harry Potter and

Video “Witchcraft Repackaged”
DVD or VHS HP-C: $49.00
Guests: Caryl Matriciana, Berit Kjos, Robert McGee
Description: Six programs featuring commentary from Dr. Ankerberg, columnist Berit Kjos, occult expert Caryl
Matrisciana, and author Robert McGee.
Witchcraft Repackaged: a one hour documentary which explains how Witchcraft has been repackaged to be
extremely appealing to children. You’ll see actual footage of witches, their rituals, spells and interviews. You’ll see
actual footage of witches’ rituals and spells.
Copyright: 2001, Number of Programs: 6 plus Documentary “Witchcraft Repackaged”, Cat. No. HP

ATRI Journal Special Issue: Harry Potter

Magazine: $12
Copyright: 2000
What occult themes are found in the Harry Potter books? Is the witchcraft “real” or just “mechanical”? What does
the Bible say about Christians being involved in such things as witchcraft, divination, and spirit contact? How can
you protect yourself and your children from the occult influences so prevalent in books and on television today?
The Ankerberg Theological Research Institute provides articles from various authors to help you answer these and
other questions.

Also see www.johnankerberg.org for Harry Potter quizes, articles and online video. To order call 1-800-3030.

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(Endnotes)

1
“Harry Potter Posts Spellbinding Sales,” CNNMoney.com, July 23, 2007. Accessed at
http://money.cnn.com/2007/07/23/news/companies/scholastic_potter/index.htm?cnn=yes

2
See http://www.potterwatch.com/mpn/html/article.php?sid=302&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

3
See http://www.mpaa.org/FlmRat_Ratings.asp

4
J.K. Rowling, notes from an interview at the Edinburgh Book Festival, August 15, 2004. Accessed at
http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/news_view.cfm?id=80

5
See http://www.hp-lexicon.org/magic/occlumency.html

6
Michael O’Brien, A Landscape with Dragons (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 1998), pp. 110-111.

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