I don't know the answer but maybe someone out there can point me in the right direction.

From what I understand of Christians is that they enjoy and praise "Lord of the Rings", yet blast and protest "Harry Potter".

I know they are different stories, but I think they share the same type of moral teaching that is good for children and adults alike.

Both stories have a young man with a great responsibility to save the world at the possible cost of their own lives and the lives of their friends (sacrifice.)

Both show the strong bounds of friendship,honor and the trust in others and yourself.

As for action, both have them and to me the "LOTR" is more intense and unsettling than that of Harry Potter. I know the Christians complain about the use of magic in "Harry Potter", but "LOTR" uses it also, both stories tend to use it for good or to defeat evil. Both are filled with mythical and magical creatures and a high element of fantasy.

I guess what I'm asking again is why is one good and one bad. Is it because Tolkien was a strong Catholic and Rowling doesn't display a strong religious side? Both of their works neither condemn or endorse any type of religion anyway, so I don't see why that should matter.

Any point in the right direction would be nice, if nothing else than to fill my curiousity.

I think it's two factors, A) Lord of the Rings (the books at least) have never achieved the same massive popularity as Harry Potter, even though they are certainly popular books and 2) LOTR was not introduced in the age of right wing Christians, and therefore did not draw their ire as much.

I don't know if that how true that is.

Here is a review from http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/m ... 000114.cfm

(to save you a read a pretty postive review of "LOTR")

and here is the conclusion of the same websites review for Harry Potter

• conclusion: The success of the first Harry Potter movie—and the expected success of this sequel—lies in their extreme faithfulness to the books. Of course, some details are omitted so as not to make a very long movie even longer. But director Chris Columbus knew that the artistic license usually taken with movies based on books would be a recipe for disaster in the case of Harry Potter, which has made avid readers out of millions. That said, it’s no surprise that there are really no surprises here. And nothing that will change many minds. The battle lines have already been drawn regarding Harry Potter’s treatment of magic. Those who thought it was harmless hocus pocus before will likely continue to think so. The same goes for those already convinced that it’s an instructive depiction of the occult. What will be easy for both sides to agree on is that the violence and fear-factors in this movie are quite inappropriate for the younger portion of Harry’s intended audience. Moms and dads who wish to ward off the curse of nightmares should keep their kids out of The Chamber of Secrets.
http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/m ... 000260.cfm

So both movies atleast have been reviewed and its amazing how one is considered "Christian" enough and the other "an instructive depiction of the occult".

But you may be right after all, I have no answer for the ways they are perceived by the christian right.

The funny thing about LOTR is it can go either way.

yeah considering Tokien's world is an explicitly pagan one...

I was once a pretty devout Christian and still believe in God now and I think I know why they embrace LOTR and not HP.

As said earlier LOTR was written by a man who was a pretty devout Christian and so Christians want to believe there is some underlying Christian belief to the books, but the main reason I think why they embrace it so much is because they want so bad to have something with Christian belief's in the main stream pop culture that they will latch on to anything that comes close. Look at those left behind books and movies. They are probably the closest thing that Christians themselves have made that has come close to being popular in mainstream pop culture.

Harry Potter doesn't give any indication that it has any underlying religious belief's so they bash the hell out of it.

That sounds like a good start, thanks for the insight.

It has nothing to do with being a Christian and everything to do with being completly insane. I would be willing to bet 95% of Christians have no problem with Harry Potter. The 5% that do, are very vocal. I doubt they like Lord of the Rings, or movies at all for that matter.

But if I were to rationalize it. It is the very idea of supposively good characters using witchcraft that bugs them. Actually read the CAP review on it. They are equally offended by children disobeying adults, which is a common theme in the Potter series. As for Lord of the Rings, it takes place in a more mythical fantasy setting. It is such a departure from your average setting, and isn't taking place in modern times, so it is a bit more akin to something like Star Wars. Potter is current times, aimed at children, and starring children so it gets under the crazies skin a bit more.

NO U!

Like geg.

if anything i would have said lotr was more popular. it's certainly stood the test of time, at any rate.

to answer the initial poster's question... i don't know. fanatics aren't the most logical types. the theology of lotr certainly has a lot of christian themes in it.

I think this is a big part of it.

Also in regards to magic, although there is quite a bit of magic used in LOTR, it's not as prevalent and it's not as integral a part of the story as is the case with Harry Potter. Harry is learning magic in school, and it surrounds him in every aspect of his life. The magic that exists in LOTR is something that is not possessed by the average character,and it's use is not explained in great detail (at least not in the movies) and normally doesn't amount to more than a flash of light from Gandalf's staff.

Most of the main "hero" charecters in Lord of the Rings are human like, and have absolutely No magical abilities whatsoever- even the elves, although "immortal" do no sort of real "magic"... Gandalf is of course the exception.

they draw their strength from their beliefs in themselves, and what they are doing is "right". It is also portrayed that when one of the "human like" people give into the temptation of magic, it destroys them (gollum).

I don't think that's entirely true. Correct me if i'm wrong, i'm not really up on my lore. But doesn't a lot of the elves' power come from the rings they were given by Sauron? Isn't it this that allows Elrond and Galadriel to protect their kingdoms? Also there was certainly some magic element to the cloaks and rope given to Sam and Frodo. Also, Arwen cast some sort of spell outside of Rivendell that made the water rise and wash away the ring wraiths...and that's just the first book.
But i see the point you were trying to make. Most of the peoples of Middle Earth don't dabble too much in magic, it's only a select few groups.

I just mean the general "main" guy of Legolas... who does his fighting with straight fighting.

sorry for the confusion.

Gotcha.

seems to me they celebrate xmas at hogwarts.

the only thing around here more disgusting than intolerant christians are the people who are intolerant of christians. fuck off.

intolerent christians make me hate being white and want to join the nation of islam.

and why would christians like LOTRs more than HP, when sam and frodo obviously were gay for each other.