BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Wicca Wicca and Harry Potter

With both the new book coming out and the new movie that came out, I have to get some of your opinions on the similarities between what is presented in the Harry Potter books and true Wicca/witchcraft/Paganism.

My personal opinion is that similarities are few and far between. There are no true rituals and there is no obvious reverence for nature in Hogwart's magic. But, some of the fanatic Christian groups think the books are full of Wiccan information and that the books could be seen as recruiting tools, or some such thing.

I do think this book could open children's minds to the occult, where they had possibly not been exposed to such ideas before. But that's true of any book (not necessarily relating to the occult, but to other topics that parents may not want their kids to know about).

Any other ideas on this?

I don't think HP has the slightest relation to paganism or Wicca, in fact to me it is more atheist/agnostic than anything else - and that is a good thing because it allows for any belief system to find (positive) meaning in it (although many have automatically gone for a negative meaning just because that is the individual person's nature). HP teaches children to question and to look within for guidance rather than trusting naively in adults, and that is a good thing.

I agree!!

By the way, the last book is excellent. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did.

I loved the last book. She did an exceptional job with it, I think in wrapping up all the loose ends.

Hi Everyone,

I too loved the book --- loved how it wrapped up everything. But now I'm sad that there won't be anymore books

I too see HP as more agnostic. Rather than turning to a higher power they are turning to each other and looking within. I don't see that it could open anyone up to paganism anymore than the Brother's Grimm.

All the same.... guess it's time to re-read them all again (soon as I've watched the movies again LOL).

Elle, I love how you put this! I love the friendships that the children formed, and how they were always there for each other, even when adults let them down.

Although she almost put too much of a trend of adults letting down the children. They hardly ever did listen to Harry and his friends when something was going on...

Thanks Deanna Personally (going beyond just being let down) I think Harry Potter and books like it are great conversation starters for those difficult topics, like "just because someone is an adult doesn't mean you have to do what they ask you to if it makes you uncomfortable..."

Hope you dont' mind my just popping in here. I think that HP is related to Wicca because people truly dont' understand what wicca is. They think HP - witchcraft wicca - witchcraft.
It's as simple as that.
And yes, I also loved the last book and am sad that there are no more books to look forward to. But somehow I think she will keep Harry going. Somehow, someway. it might not be a full length book but little tidbits here and there.
Personally I'd like to see a prequal but she said she wont do that. but...... ya never know.
Thanks for letting me put in my 2c