A look at Harry Potter, the Occult and what the bible has to say

Suitable For Ages 14 upwards

Required: Harry Potter Good & Bad Leaflets (Research required), Flip chart, pens

Session Plan

Opening Ice Breaker: The group must think of their favourite children’s story and then one by one try and mime it to the rest of the group who must try and guess the story

Explain/Introduction Harry Potter has sold tens of millions of copies since it first came out, adults and children have been snapping them up enjoying the books and the story within them, however there seems to be a big debate between Christians about these book. Have a look at these two leaflets

Preparation – previous to this session you will need to search around on the internet for both positive and negative Christian opinions on Harry Potter and make some copies of these views

Ask: Hand Out Harry Potter Pro and Negative leaflets and ask the group to read through them

Ask Ask the group what they think of the two very different leaflets?

Ask Would you say that Harry Potter encourages the use of magic and witchcraft?

Explain Lets have a look at what magic and the occult, mentioned in both these leaflets really is and what the bible says about them.

What is the Occult?

Brainstorm What do you think the occult is?
(Occult could be… Witchcraft, Cults, Tarrot Cards, Mediums, Fortune Telling, Reading your star sign blurb)
Ask What do people look for in the Occult?

Bible Read Isaiah 47: 8-15
Ask What are the people in Isaiah looking for in magic?

Answer – Some kind of control, either to know the future or influence the present in some way. This may be because of a basic need for security. Also people are aware of a spiritual dimension to life and are looking for spiritual solutions that work. God’s the only one that works!!!

Ask Why is God against the Occult?
Explain The main problem is that the occult looks to other spiritual forces rather than God. This is the root of all sin. In particular it stops people listening to God and obeying him. Bible

Read 1 Samuel 28:3-20

The Occult or fortune teller in the story is used as an alternative to God!

Bible Read Deuteronomy 18: 9-16

Ask What is the basic sin being committed by people practicing the occult?

Bible Leviticus 20:6 – I will be against anyone who goes to mediums and fortune-tellers for advice, because that person is being unfaithful to me. So I will cut him off from his people.

Explain Our relationship with God should be like a friendship or relationship and therefore we should be faithful to God who tells us not to worship anything but him and trust in him.
Ask What’s going on?
Read Harry Potter Quote: – ‘He had long since come to the conclusion that her brand of fortune-telling was really no more than lucky guesswork and a spooky manner’

The bible both old and new testament see the occult practices as a mixture of trickery and real power drawn from demonic beings. The bible is clear that ultimately they all fail.

Bible Read Isaiah 47: 8-15

Ask Think of the ways which their magic fails?

Is there anyway there where our attitudes could be similar to those described even if we don’t engage in magic?

But what about?

Read Matthew 2:1 – Think about what reasons God might have for choosing some Magi to come and worship the baby Jesus?

Bible Read Daniel 1:1-7 – Put yourself in Daniel’s position in the first few days of his exile

Bible Read verses 8-21 – How does Daniel respond? How do you think you would have responded?Explain

Daniel eventually became ‘chief of magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners’ (Dan: 5:11) How do you think he was able to handle being a believer in God in such a position for all those years?

Questions Allow this time for the group to ask their own questions and discuss/debate Harry PotterPrayer Close by praying for God to be centre of our lives, asking him to help us be wise when it comes to the occult