Religious Controversies in Rowling's Harry Potter Ever since JK Rowling first introduced Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 1997, children and adults alike have read and loved the series. It gained such popularity that all the books were made into major films and a Harry Potter attraction opened at Universal Studios, Florida. Although readers love Rowling's intricate and exciting plots, many controversies have arisen from these stories, not only in the United States, but also in various countries around the world. Perhaps the greatest controversy concerns the religious implications perceived by some critics. Although these critics believe that the series promotes paganism and encourages evil deeds, these theories should not be taken so seriously. The first major controversy of the Harry Potter series is the argument that Rowling's stories promote paganism, which is against Christian beliefs. The Bible specifically states in Leviticus 20:26, “You shall not practice omens or witchcraft” (“Reading is important”). Furthermore, the Bible supports resentment toward paganism in Deuteronomy 18:10-12, stating that those found practicing witchcraft, casting spells, or contacting spirits are a disgrace to the Lord and will be cast out (qtd. in Mahoney ). In Rowling's book, witchcraft is a fascinating practice. For example, Hogwarts is described as a magical place that one might want to visit if the school existed. As a result, many parents fear that children who read these books will become intrigued by magic and attempt to learn these practices (Wilder Gish). Even JK Rowling has admitted that some readers are so convinced by the books that they believe the wizarding world is real. These readers sent…half of the document…evolved about what these books were about. The biggest controversy, however, centers on the series' religious references, which have led many parents to despise the "immoral" concepts of the stories and forbid their children from reading these books. These people believe that Rowling promotes paganism through magic performed by the characters and promotes evil through various connections to Satan. However, Harry Potter does not reflect the practices of Wicca and in the end good always prevails over evil; therefore, we should not worry about the effects of the series on children, or even adults. After all, readers have enjoyed stories containing magical references for centuries, and humanity has not suffered from it. Harry Potter is just another magical story and should be appreciated, rather than judged because of its controversial references.