Harry Potter and the curse of bad parenting

I was up late last night finishing reading the 5th Harry Potter book in anticipation of the upcoming film. So today I looked on various Christian sites to see what religious conservatives are saying about witchcraft in literature. Most of what I found criticises J.K. Rowling's work, and other works of fantasy such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia. The sites even blast Christian institutions and personalities who have not come out against these so called dangerous texts. They warn their followers that under the guise of "entertainment", fantasy writers undermine the Bible's teachings and weaken people's faith. The critics are particularly concerned with the impact such stories have on children.

As an adult reader, I understand the distinction between fantasy and reality. I can appreciate the moral lessons of Harry Potter without losing myself and feeling compelled to try my hand at wizardry. But what about children? Do children believe Harry is real and that Hogwarts (school for Wizards and Witches) exists? Undoubtedly, many young ones do. And they dream of one day being admitted so they can learn to tap into supernatural powers. But is that really different than believing in Santa Clause or the Tooth Fairy? Will it derail them from a Godly path? I can't imagine any child growing up and hanging on to those innocent notions. I can't imagine a parent not explaining the difference between imagination and reality.

Of course, there are countless examples of bad, even "evil" people. But can we trace the roots of their psychosis to fantasy literature they read when they were 11 years old? Or is it more likely they were not properly parented? In the end, that's what it comes down to. Those who fear their children will be led astray by what they encounter in literature, on TV, or on the internet, must assess their own parenting methods and gauge how much trust they have in their own children. I find it amusing that religious critics ascribe more power of influence to J.K. Rowlings than they do to themselves or even to God.