ARLINGTON, VA (ANS) -- J. K. Rowling made a recent statement that “Christian inspiration” played a role in her writing of the series of Harry Potter books.

Whatever J K Rowling may say about inspiration for the books, the true

J.K. Rowling

judgment of the books should rest on what they themselves present. I don't doubt Ms. Rowling's sincerity, but if it is authentic Christianity that inspired her, would she have created a child hero who practices occult arts that are clearly condemned by God's word? Harry and his friends casts spells, take a class called Divination, communicate with the dead, and learn how to mix magical potions. In fact, they are in school to hone their practice of the occult.

Ms. Rowling has spoken of her professed struggle with the issue of life after death, and how this is reflected in the books. She related this to her Christian faith. While it is true that belief in life after death is very much a part of Christianity, the view of life after death is also held by many non-Christian religions such as Islam, Hinduism, New Age beliefs, and some Neo-Pagan beliefs.

What is not part of Biblical Christianity is how Harry and others communicate with the dead. The ghosts at Hogwarts are not just symbolic but represent actual people who have died. Moaning Myrtle, a ghost who hangs out in the girls’ restroom, was killed, and she even morbidly describes how someone found her body: “And then she saw my body. . . ooooh, she didn’t forget it until her dying day, I made sure of that. . . followed her around and reminded her, I did.”

In the first book, Harry sees his dead parents in a mirror and they wave to him. While adults may dismiss this as fantasy, young children who read this will take it literally. In the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, communication with the dead is even a more forceful theme. While Harry seemingly lingers between life and death after being injured, he goes to a peaceful place where he meets Dumbledore, who gives Harry some crucial information, facts that Harry could not have received otherwise. Harry also encounters his dead parents, and several deceased companions during this interlude.

In our culture, we have mistakenly accepted fictional “friendly” or humorous ghosts. This has desensitized us to God’s commands against spirit contact and communication with the dead (Deuteronomy 18: 10-11; Is. 8:19), so that we substitute fiction for truth or downplay the idea of belief in ghosts. Children are often confused about ghosts and whether real people hang around after they die. According to the Bible, attempting to contact the dead is wrong, yet these books promote the view that it can be a good thing.

Rowling referred to the Biblical quotes on the tombstones in the last book. But putting quotes from the Bible on tombstones does not make a book Christian, either, especially when so much of the book is not consistent with historic Christian beliefs.

One quote, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” does not tell the readers anything unless they know the Biblical context. Harry, in fact, doesn’t understand it.

The quote on the tombstone for Harry’s parents, “the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” is meaningful only in its Biblical context. But no Biblical citation is given for either quote. Harry thinks the quote is something a Death Eater would say. Ironically, this quote is inconsistent with messages in the books that death is a good thing. Dumbledore tells Harry in the first book that to “a well organized mind, death is the next great adventure.” The last book, through various people, tells readers that death is an “old friend,” is “easier than falling asleep,” and that there are things “worse than death.” But in the Christian view, death is the result of sin coming into the world, and is an enemy to be abolished by Christ.

I was involved in the occult for many years before becoming a Christian; the occult really exists. Such things in the Harry Potter books as divination, astrology, amulets, communicating with the (supposed) dead, and casting spells are practiced by real people. Furthermore, books that explain how to do these things are filling more and more shelf space at your local bookstore.

When will Christian adults wake up and realize how pervasive occult concepts and ideas are packaged and marketed to young people today? Harry Potter only makes those activities more appealing.

Before becoming a Christian, Marcia Montenegro was a professional astrologer who taught astrology for several years, and was involved prior to that in Eastern and New Age practices. Through her ministry, Christian Answers for the New Age, Marcia speaks and writes on New Age and occult topics. Based in Arlington, VA, she is the mother of an adult son and the author of SpellBound: The Paranormal Seduction of Today's Kids, (Cook/Life Journey, 2006). You can get more information at www.christiananswersforthenewage.org.