On the Matter of Harry Potter and Witchcraft

http://www.smh.com.au/news/books/going-potty-about-paganism/2007/07/14/1183833835517.html

Now a lot of people will complain about Harry Potter "turning children into wizards and witches", but what we should be asking is: If this effect happens, which books of magic are suitable for children?

Christian theology teaches that all magic is bad, however, people such as Alchemists disagree.

But which arcane tomes are appropriate for your child?

Clearly, the Necronomicon that H.P. Lovecraft made famous, is not suitable for anybody, as it makes people insane upon reading a mere passage. Also, illustrations contained in the Necronomicon would easily traumatise children.

Neither are magic books by Alestier Crowley suitable for children, as these involve rites that the average 10 year old shouldn't be exposed to.

If there must be boy wizards in this world, suitable educational spellbooks must be printed that are appropriate for mortal minds, leaving out unfathomable horrors and summoning of fiends.

But in all seriousness, Harry Potter was not designed to be a How-To: Be A Wizard or Witch, it was designed as a simple Children's story in the form of a metamyth, which was meant to give children the joy of imagination and reading back. It wasn't designed to recruit for Satan's/Cthulhu's/Dagon's/Yog-Sothoth's armies.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.