you never can begin to live until you dare to die...

Friday, August 28, 2009

Debate time!

Discussion has been sparked on various blogs... and I'm intrigued. Opinions, everyone!

Tell me:

What do you think of Harry Potter?

and

What do you think of the Twilight series?

I haven't read any of them, so I have no opinion at all. Other than I've never really been interested enough to read them.

But I want to know what you think. =D

And the only reason I DON'T have an opinion is that I haven't read them. If I had, you could be sure I'd have some thoughts.

11 comments:

Marian said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I have never read the Twilight series or Harry Potter. While I am riding the fence with harry Potter, I am completely against Twilight. I mean, they're vampires! Now, our culture is trying to water everything down, bogging our minds so badly that we can not discern good from evil. they are trying to say that people aren't bad: just misunderstood. And it only takes you looking into them to see that. While my mom does say that Harry Potter is bad (their using black magic to try to use it for good), my dad is leaning towards reading it because our pastor is reading them, too.
The apostle Paul says that, once we give up childish ways, we can move on to "meatier" ways. Those "meatier" ways, partly, means that we can choose good, helpful things and turn aside from hurtful things in the world even if they might have an appeal. We have to remember that that appeal is to our sinfulness and that we have to learn to guard against it.
and... maybe part of my view on that comes from my disagreement with dating/boyfriend/girlfriend stuff... so, sorry that it is biased, but when you're a Christian, you have to be biased... :)

Marian said...

Earlier this year I wrote an essay on why the Twilight series is, in my opinion, a bad influence. I have not read the books myself, but I have looked into what it's about--the fact that, though it's so new, it's very popular, is enough to make a reader want to look into it more. This blog post and its comments are very helpful: http://teenlitreview.blogspot.com/2008/02/twilight.html

Bethany said...

Oh dear. What a can of worms. :)

I actually haven't read either series, though I've read a wee bit of the first HP book and a bit of Twilight. So I really am talking about stuff I don't know here, bear with me!

I'm not sure, but it almost seems like the HP books might have more of a negative influence, because of the "magic" bit.

Sure, in classic myth/connotations, vampires are evil. However, if you want to "willingly suspend your disbelief" [big Tolkien reference here], it seems like vampires [the ones in Twilight] need not be evil.
I'm not saying this very well. :(

I think the T books are better than a lot of the books written for teens/young adults morally [esp. the Edward/Bella relationship] but again, I couldn't say as I have not read the books.
So---meh. Hope this made sense.

Bekah said...

Well, I have read HP, and I have to say they are awesome books. I feel like they pose no danger for strong Christian people, because the idea of "magic" is impossible for them. However, for people of no religion or different religion, they might take into their heads the idea that magic IS real, and therefore attempt to cast sorcery or witchcraft or something of that sort. I find the HP books GREAT reading, and recommend reading them strongly. :D
Concerning Twilight...I have not read any of it, so this might be considered a prejudice, but I strongly abhor them. I mean, what's so hot about a vampire? I, for one, have no interest reading about vampires *shudder* I mean seriously they're kind of creepy. But that's just me; maybe they are good. IDK. I just have never read them.
Bekah

hazel marie said...

Hmmm. Its very interesting to read other peoples opinions!
My take on the matter? Well, I must say that J.K Rowling(HP) is a fantastic writer. Very original in some instances and not so much in others. The story itself wasn't bad, it was a decent pastime, though I can see where some people get the idea that it is bad. The story itself has no 'evil intensions' nor does it try and 'convert' one into believing in magic. I think the harm itself comes from the readers that become obsessed with it. I mean, seriously, nobody's forcing you to believe in magic.

Twilight: I firmly believe that this whole fad has gotten out of hand. When people start biting other people saying they're vampires, you know it has gone WAY to far.
The books themselves are well written, but the story is pathetic. A modern time classic teen romance novel. I think this book would be best labeled under 'Drivel'.
Unless you are drawn to predictable, modern romance I doubt you'd enjoy Twilight.

Hannah Nicole said...

I believe that the quality of the writing of HP is good, yet the content of it isn't. The lines of good & evil are blurred.

Hannah

Jare said...

Hannah puts it in a good-short way. “The lines are blurred between good and evil”-but I believe they are only if you’re not looking for a line between them. I have read some of the Harry Potter books and honestly-I liked them. The first 3 were my favorites, after the 4th one though it started getting darker. In the beginning I laughed through the whole books. But now I think that the author has put on a more serious thinking on them. I don't think that the Harry Potter books are evil-I believe that it is just a writer imagination. I doubt that she believes in witches and wizards.
I had no trouble with them(I have read all the way to book 5), sure, some of it was a little creepy, but so are other books that I have read-Who are by Christian authors.
One or the things about Harry Potter (the person and books) that I liked at first was that there was no romance. But right into the 4 and 5th one, Harry is getting older and thus(or as the world sees it), he has to have a very romanced girlfriend.
Now if I had to say something about someone else reading them, I would recommend the first 3 books. Really I would. But after that it gets tons darker and creepier. I am not enjoying them anymore. But I am going to finish them, so I can give my opinion about them.

With Twilight, I have never read or seen it. My parents have put a firm line on that. I think that its mainly about the vampires. I wouldn’t know. I am not aloud to see the movies -but the books are off-limits as well.
Some of you say the reason for Twilight being bad is because of the whole Vampire thing, them being so bad and evil. But is that the “only” reason?

I liked what Gwyniver said on the matter on Harry Potter, “I think the harm itself comes from the readers that become obsessed with it. I mean, seriously, nobody's forcing you to believe in magic.” I think that’s true. So far, from what I have read, I don’t feel forced to admire witches or wizards. I don’t feel like that should defend them either (which I am ‘sort’a doing now I guess), but I am writing this because I haven’t seen the whole deal with the Harry Potter Haters.

And I can’t give my full opinion on Twilight because I know nothing about it.

Well, there’s my opinion, I hope I haven’t offended anyone with what I have written, I also hope that what I said makes sense.
This is sort’a a throw together, so I guess I could have made it better…but oh well.

-Lib
(PS sorry that it is so long!)

Anonymous said...

I haven't read either. But I have seen the first film of the Twilight series. I'm not OK with Harry Potter, but I am quite confused with Twilight. At first I was guarded because every one who I knew and had read them had became addicted. They had to read them again and stuff like that. But then I was thinking that I wouldn't let myself get addicted and so I watched the film. But I'm still somewhat puzzled. I liked the film and the love story - I'm way too romantic, sorry - but I still don't know what to think about vampires. So since I'm not sure I rather just say NO, then I can't make a mistake. It's OK if they aren't bad and I don't follow them, but it's NOT OK if they're bad without me knowing and I do follow them. I don't know if you get what I mean... me explico con los pies.

Gray said...

Moonshaw, I totaly understand. You've explained my sentiments rather well. =D

Unknown said...

Ok, so I was reading through past posts and I saw this so I just had to comment.

Don't know much about Harry Potter (watched one movie a long time ago but never really understood it) They were more off limits because my parents didn't want us getting crazy about the magic etc.

Twilight I have heard some about and heard a friend reading some of one of the books to another friend. And I know lots of girls that went CRAZY about them, reading them 7 times or whatever. From what I have heard it really sounds like not that good of a book to read, with nothing worthwhile. It sounds like it was written to appeal to girls romantic desire (not sure how to say it, but the romance, love, etc). From what I have seen the Twilight series has become a God to so many girls. When I hear someone say "I've read this book/series x number of times" I want to ask...have you read the bible through that many times. Did you take more time to talk to God in that week then you did to reading that book. It happens soooo many times with lots of books and I have done it myself. From what I have been taught by my parents it is best to stay away from these kind of books not because of the vampire but because of the desires it bring out in you that you shouldn't be thinking about/stirring up.
Again, I haven't read them but from what I have seen and heard I am going to stay away from them!