I think the difference is the Potter books resonate with occultic undertones whereas Lord of the Rings doesnt.
Tolkein wrote the Lord of the Rings initially as a story for his children. People read too much into Lord of the Rings. Tolkein was deeply Catholic so there may well be some resonance of his deep beliefs within the volumes. His audience was his kids.
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Exactly. And right and wrong are not clearly fixed. Harry does bad things to obtain good ends. In the laws of God this is forbidden. You can never do a bad act to obtain a good end.
If it deals with the occult portrayed as good then yes. If it applies to a story like a fictional boy in a book who grows up to become a firefighter, than no.
Lord of the rings is a wonderful tale and like all fairy tales it's message in the end is the triumph of good over evil. My children and grandchildren have read Narnia books and Harry Potter. The early Harry Potter, they tell me, were better as the later ones got a bit dark. They could see that for themselves. If you ban everything they get really interested whereas they learn to discern for themselves if you trust them and let them discuss.
A quick recap of why I love Lord of the Rings... I have to say that I'm not a fan of sci-fi movies, nor am I too interested in that category, except for those that are more famous or a sounding name that you look up because it's "trendy". However, The Lord of the Rings is something entirely different, a masterpiece of cinematic art on so many levels that it is difficult to summarize without writing a huge novel about it. In the end, I can only attribute my genius to the legendary J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson, who brilliantly transferred it to the big screen. From the outside, on the most basic "primitive" level, for the largest number of viewers, they are the choice of entertainment. A film that follows from beginning to end the dramatic action of the fight between good and evil, unusual characters such as elves, dwarves, wizards, hobbits, orcs and many others who in themselves arouse interest and lead the audience to the world of imagination and dreams, the nature scenes are fantastic, beautiful where you stay without days and really the shooting locations in New Zealand are something that gives the film a special flavor, then there are the tense battles where practically in every conflict we meet some of the new characters (uruk-hai, goblins, trolls, wargs, mumakil...) from one side or the other (elves, ents, Gandalf's eagles,...). In every scene, we are left without one of the main characters (Boromir, Faramir, Gandalf the Grey, Aragon when he falls from the cliff, which leaves an additional emotional mark on every viewer and heightens the tension. However, the film is much deeper and conveys the entire story of Tolkien's life, his thoughts, beliefs and experiences on which he not only bases the characters, but also the set of people's behavior, their passions, ideals and downfalls. Literally every character can be analyzed where we see their strengths and weaknesses which reflect on the entire plot and take it in an unknown direction. A story about the struggle for power and authority where we see betrayal from those who should protect justice and peace (Saruman the wizard) because they are cowards who follow the path of easier resistance in order to keep their own life, but actually lead it to ruin. A story of immature boys and the smallest of hobbits who take on burdens that adults cannot carry while grown men show themselves to be weaklings and run away from their responsibility as steward of Gondor. We have an incredible example of sacrifice for the common good and sacrifice for friendship in characters such as Sam or Gandalf, who are rewarded and transformed through this sacrifice. Their noble heart elevates them to a new level where they gain the necessary strength to overcome challenges and carry others on those burdens they carry themselves. Then there is Smeagol/Gollum as a character whose power and desire for the ring has distorted the human appearance, a view of what wealth does to a man when it becomes the purpose of his ideas, worship and the ultimate meaning of existence. That scene when he sinks with the ring is a representation of his downfall where he sinks with it or rather under it into eternal ruin. His spirit is restless, wanders the caves and is in a constant battle with himself... Hobbits, as I have already said, are the smallest and weakest in stature, but they are carried by great desire, heart and perseverance. Every time they encounter an obstacle, they don't give up, they go head-to-head against the wall and continue despite all their flaws. Tolkien, who was a great and loyal believer, actually turns them into a kind of (David vs. Goliath), where the smallest bring victory just as David did, and the scene at the end when Aragon, as the crowned king, tells them that they are nobody is symbolic. they don't bow and he kneels before them to bow to them... Aragon who knows the value of his own origin, but does not wait for fate to write his own story, but accepts every challenge that stands in his way. He goes into the depths of darkness to bring back the light, he goes to those who betrayed all honesty, honor and morality when they were supposed to serve his ancestors so that he can now redeem their betrayal and bring a new victory, and to them freedom from their own actions. A king who primarily wants to serve, and only then be the one who demands others to serve him. The film is full of indelible dialogues and scenes that leave a deep impression on the viewers. Let's say in the Two Towers we have the anticipation of a fight between the people and the Uruk-hai army of 10,000 of them, the darkness, the darkness, the rain add to the drama of the beautiful scene, from a distance you can see the army approaching with torches with the aim of destroying everything in front of them. We watch the dialogues of frightened people, boys who have swords bigger than themselves, the cries of mothers and children, and then there is that silence where only their footsteps are heard. When you look at that scene, you can't help but feel a fear that springs from people's eyes, a kind of discomfort that is felt in every war when you are separated by a moment from death and a moment from life. Unforgettable dialogues between Gandalf and Pippen or let's say Frodo and Sam when in the midst of battle surrounded by defeat we have a spark of hope about the meaning of existence, the life that continues beyond this and the meaning of why they do this in faith for good despite all the odds that are against them... Music is another masterful part of the film series. Dramatic, emotional, combative and inspiring where in combination with the already mentioned scenes and characters, it additionally enhances every event and takes it to some new dimensions. In other words, The Lord of the Rings is a story about hope for a better tomorrow, about the victory of good over evil against all odds, about the little ones who bear the greatest burden and receive the greatest merit, about peace, justice, honesty, sacrifice, betrayal, greed, power and the desire for power ...How every good thing is worth it, that they never give up and that those who are most persistent and most sincere always reach their goal, and those who are led by power and greed always end up under the burden of what their heart longed for. All of this is integrated into a fantastic world of strange characters, unforgettable battles and even more beautiful stories with top music. This is only a brief one, because a lot more could be written about this, but a masterpiece that grows in importance year by year and every time you look at it, you see something new. PS: Also, as soon as I found out that Tolkien was a devout Catholic, I immediately noticed a lot of symbolism and connections between the Bible and the book/film... Let's say "the return of the king", Aragon comes from a lost line just like Jesus who came from the line of King David... Only the king could give "dismissal" to the ghost soldiers who betrayed his ancestors, and later, after fulfilling the promise, they received forgiveness and found peace... The very departure of Frodo, Gandalf to the promised land of the Elves... Plus a sea of others, not to mention the characteristics of individual characters, their strengths and weaknesses. Greed, the desire for power, and yet on the other hand incredible sacrifice, humility, courage and perseverance are shown very well... In the end, that clash between David and Goliath, the biggest burden in the form of the ring was carried by the smallest hobbits... That ring, which is a symbol of power, but also of corruption, could only be worn by someone who was as pure of heart as Frodo and bring it to the final victory(As Jesus, as the purest being (God incarnated in man), bore the burden of sin to defeat evil). . A very complex book, Tolkien was a genius in every respect and the book is actually a deep depiction of human relationships, behavior and desires wrapped in the world of science fiction.
I’ve love watching “Bewitched” for many years, it’s probably my favorite tv show. There is nothing wrong with it, neither is there anything wrong with Mary Poppins, the Wizard of Oz, Cinderella, Snow White, Pinocchio, etc. The notion that fairy tales are satanic reeks of Protestant fundamentalism. I know that there is controversy about Harry Potter, but I don’t trust influencer “exorcists”. The Church has never condemned it, and thus I won’t either. Many very pious Catholics I know enjoy the movies.
The Lord of the Rings supposed triumph over evil shows some imaginary hobbit throwing a ring in a volcano to triumph over evil. Also it shows the triumph over evil is won by the sword. In reality, the Triumph over evil is not and was not conquered by the sword. The triumph began at Golgotha and the begining of Gods Church on earth. And the faithful use the Church to conquer evil in themselves so it can spread to the world and so conquer evil in the world. Also, discernment comes through prayer and the teachings of the Church. If kids can discern for themselves why are they into and patronizing,with their money or their parents money books and movies that idolize the occult, as good in the first place. If this is a Roman Catholic forum why are movies and books that contradict Church teaching being so loved and adored on this forum.
If it’s a sin to read fairy tales about magic, why hasn’t the Church ever condemned them in 2,000 years of history? If you personally feel that you shouldn’t read such stories, then don’t. But do not impose your self-prescribed rules on everyone else.
The fact is they contradict church teaching. That is a fact and is my point. Whether you are into that kind of heresy that is up to you as person to decide. But, I can warn others if i wish and point out heretical teachings in books as i whish. Ill take Jesus Christ over Gandalf.
You didn’t answer my question. Why were such books never put on the index or condemned as sinful by the Church? Accusing someone of heresy is a very loaded statement. Especially when 95%+ of the practicing Catholic world has probably either read or watching a movie including magic. If you can’t link a magisterial document or a section from the catechism condemning something as sinful, it’s just your opinion. In fact, making up rules that the Church doesn’t enforce is a symptom of scrupulosity.
Read the catechism for yourself where it deals with occultism, socery, and magic. As for bad books and movies, there are millions of bad books out there the Church for whatever reason has not taken a stance on many, which are clearly evil, that is if one knows church teaching. A wizard portrayed as good is heresy. If i cant convince you,so be it. I work in a numbers game. My post is read by some who will investigate and read the catechism and will stay away from patronizing books or movies that contradict church teaching.
Another Wizard I loved was Merlin in Walt Disney's, 'Sword in the Stone', especially where he fought the awful witch , 'Madam Mim'. They used to have a special cartoon day on Saturdays in the picture house. The battle between Merlin and Madam Mim was a hoot. No harm in any of it.
