In April of 2010 I wrote my e-newsletter on the new film titled, Whose Side Is God On? In its own promotion, it aimed at changing the end-time views of evangelicals and the theology that says the Jews are God’s chosen people and that they have a Divine right to the land of Israel. The movie’s spokesman, Porter Speakman, explains that there is a biblical alternative for Christians who want to love and support the people of Israel. He says that there is a theology that doesn’t favor one people group over another. Instead, it promotes peace and reconciliation for both Jews and Palestinians unlike “Christian Zionism” that is outspoken in its favoritism toward all things Jewish, based on biblical verses.

I am not sure why Israel can’t have a little group of supporters. We have just seen the world get behind the Palestinian push for statehood in the U.N. But what really troubles me is that the bashers of Christian Zionists don’t really care one whit about Israel’s friends. They can’t stand us, in fact. According to the film’s Web site, pro-Israel Christians like me have helped create “the largest refugee population in the world.” We are participating in “ethnic cleansing” of the Palestinians, and we sanction “Israeli apartheid.” Does this sound like the film is unbiased?

With God On Our Side tries to provide a portrait of desperate Palestinians but doesn’t spend a nanosecond explaining that their plight is at the hands of their corrupt and selfish leadership, starting with Mahmoud Abbas who has done a song and dance in the U.S. in recent days. There is no reference to the new terror state in Gaza run by Hamas or the fact that Palestinians danced in the streets with joy on 9/11. The promotion in the film and its Web site of Stephen Sizer, well known for his blatant anti-Semitism, dashes any hope that the film cares proportionately for the Jew and the Palestinian. Sadly, the so-called Bible Answer Man, Hank Hanegraaff, loves to give Sizer credibility on his radio program which serves to gain recruits for Israel-bashers. Hanegraaff’s Preterism is tough enough to swallow but calling my friends and me supporters of “apartheid” as well as “racists” takes the argument way too far.

Now that the film has had almost a two-year shelf life and global circulation, it has gained new and troubling advertisers. One is Frank Schaeffer, the son of the late Francis Schaeffer. If he speaks for a lot of people, times are scarier than I thought. He says in The Huffington Post, “My father was a key evangelical founder and leader of the American religious right. I grew up in a home where the ‘return of the Jews to Israel’ was seen as ‘proof’ of ‘God fulfilling prophecy’ in order to expedite the return of Christ. I changed my mind and I changed my politics. I explain why I quit the evangelical movement in my book. I no longer believe that any ‘prophecy’ is being fulfilled in Israel or anywhere else. I don’t believe anyone is ‘chosen.’ If there is a God, then God either loves all people or none.”

Frank Schaeffer, most of the world believes as you do. Why can’t you folks allow a very tiny little band of Christian Zionists to stand with Israel? Why must you throw verbal stones at us? But it gets worse. I am not sure your dad would be proud.

“Speakman’s film presents an authentically Christian and evangelical perspective to the warmonger far right views,” he states. “As such, this film is literally the most important document of its kind — because it was made by an insider. It is the key to understanding why evangelicals have become the permanent party of war in the name of ‘helping Israel.’ ” Schaeffer doesn’t stop even here. He is about to get even more intense.

He says, “If we go to war with Iran, you’ll know why after watching this film. Hint: It won’t be to protect American interests. The film presents an opportunity for Christians of all denominations as well as Jews, Muslims, atheists — whomever — to engage for peace as vigorously as the Christian Zionists root for war.”

Wait! I’m not rooting for war! Wars are lethal. Are you rooting for war? I’m also not rooting for terror or any kind of violence. It is the Palestinians, whom Schaeffer and this film champion, who broke into an Israeli home in March and literally slaughtered the Fogel family, Jewish settlers. A young daughter came home at midnight to find rivers of blood and only one family member left. The intruders were careless and missed one.

Schaeffer says that it is American Christian Zionists who have driven American foreign policy over a cliff. He says we jeopardize America’s future due to our “hair-brained biblical prophecy beliefs.” Now, if Frances Schaeffer isn’t turning in his grave yet, he is about to. Frank says, “To a Christian Zionist, defending Israel is just a handy pretext for indulging their obsession: Egging on, even helping the fulfillment of biblical prophecies about the return of Christ. But their worst sin isn’t just embracing dumb theology but that they have enabled a nefarious group of losers (emphasis mine) to irreparably harm America and contribute to the needless killing of our men and women in uniform worldwide: The neo-conservatives.”

I do get it that today it is not cool to be a conservative, a neo-conservative (whatever that is), a Zionist, a prophecy buff, or an end-time watcher hanging on to my blessed hope. If we fit into any of these categories, we are among the “nefarious group of losers.” Even I don’t call theology I don’t agree with “dumb.” I might call it “unsound” or “unbiblical” or “man-made.” Five-year olds call ideas “dumb.” You really have to have an axe to grind to talk like Frank Schaeffer & Co and he clearly has an axe in his hand! He has called good people just about everything short of some four-letter words. We’re losers, hair-brained nuts, nefarious, obsessed, in favor of ethnic cleansing and apartheid, warmongers, racists, and fools. And, we control American foreign policy.

Well, it was American Christian evangelicals and Christian Zionists who sounded an alarm to be wary of the “Arab spring.” We warned that it was not a ploy for democracy– rather, an effort by the Muslim Brotherhood and other radicals to destabilize the Middle East and the world–and to unite and wipe out Israel.

So much for our influence. Nobody listened.

You only have to look at the magazine Christianity Today (CT) to realize that something has gone very wrong with evangelicalism in recent years. This periodical was started by Billy Graham many years ago and was the magazine of choice for most evangelicals. In the 1980s, it began a slow slide to the Left and the state of it now should be a warning. When a church, a denomination, or in this case, a magazine, begins a downward spiral, it almost never turns around and corrects its crash course. In other words, slippery slopes only lead to whoever is on them crashing and burning. Very rarely do they pick themselves up again and head back in the right direction. Many of us maintain that turning Left is still not right.

It didn’t take long for the magazine to hit another one out of the heretical park. That is only if you see the Harry Potter series as downright dangerous for kids and teens. Harry is gigantic news right now, in that part 2 of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows has premiered big time! Many showings were sold out well in advance. The Los Angeles Times is calling this “the most successful film franchise in modern Hollywoodand the most impactful piece of pop culture for a generation.” Christianity Today writer John Granger thinks just about like the newspaper.

Granger has authored a July online article in CT titled, Harry Potter is Here to Stay: Why the Final Movie is Only the Beginning of the Harry Potter Phenomenon. I will warn you up front: Granger is going to be among a lot of commentators who are comparing Harry to Jesus Christ, and who insist you really can find God in all things Harry Potter.

He’s right about one thing: Harry Potter is here to stay, but it’s because occultism and witchcraft are here to stay and these things are to wax worse and worse in the last days. But Granger says, “Harry survives many near-deaths because of his ‘bond of blood’ with the sacrificial love of his mother. Seven years in a row, Harry dies a near death and ‘rises from the dead’ in the presence of, or symbol of, Christ. Our hearts recognize, resonate with, and thrill to Harry’s annual death to self and resurrection. Rowling has written a spiritual allegory of the soul’s transformation to perfection in Christ.”

To add further consternation to people like me, Granger then proceeds to talk about Stephanie Meyer’s series on vampires called Twilight. He states that both Potter and Twilight have “resurrection experiences after a sacrificial death.” He also states that, “Harry Potter revealed the great spiritual hunger of our time.” I say it revealed the enormous appetite for the paranormal!

Sure! Kids and teens are breaking the doors down at theatres for a spiritual Sunday school lesson. No, they’re addicted to the glitz and the witchcraft–and the evil–that grows worse with each film and book. In a 2005 article in Christianity Today, the CT author writes, “Rowling uses her heroes to champion the fruit of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness. . .” This non-discerning outfit then suggests that, “the witchcraft of the books is not to be confused with the witchcraft of our world.”

Isn’t witchcraft just that–witchcraft? There isn’t a brand of sanctified witchcraft and evil witchcraft. It’s all witchcraft. Harry Potter is politically correct paganism. A Wiccan group in Scotland says the Potter phenomenon has helped increase interest in witchcraft around the world. They say, “Harry Potter has had a positive effect, although we don’t let anyone join (our organization) until they are 18.”

My friend, Caryl Matrisciana, produces the very finest Christian documentaries out there and I might add–against all odds. Like this ministry, she faces obstacles to getting her brand of truth out there. Her documentary, Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged, reveals the numerous similarities between the spells and magic used by Potter and those used in Wicca. She claims there is overwhelming evidence that author J.K. Rowling meticulously researched Wicca and included its tenets in her children’s books.

Caryl says, “My greatest concern is that the godly fear that protects mankind from dabbling in the spirit world is being taken away from children who read these Harry Potter books. The terrors and horrors of black magic and occult practice, rituals, ceremonies, and demon possession are being normalized.”

She continues, “Alarmingly, the Potter books are engaging in pagan discipleship, turning our children to spiritual alternatives and also turning them away from biblical principles and God’s protection.”

Yes, the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 marks the end of a cinematic era — eight films, 10 years, $6 billion and counting in worldwide ticket sales. Some kids are getting grief counselingrealizing it’s the end of an age. Yet outfits like Christianity Today say Potter will live forever due to Harry’s “resurrection power.” Some are being conditioned to think the Holy God of the Bible will look the other way while His people commit spiritual adultery. He will not. He will send strong delusion for them to believe the lies of these last days (2 Thessalonians 2). It would be wonderful if once-trusted outfits like CT magazine would not cooperate with a dark agenda and that they would change course and sound firm warnings.

What is it about Deuteronomy 18:10-12 that Christians who defend Harry Potter don’t get? “There shall not be found among you anyone who… practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead…. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord…” All of these practices are the bedrock of all things Harry Potter.

As commentator Berit Kjos says in her movie review, “In a world that despises God’s Word and moral guidelines, it’s not surprising that a series of books based on witchcraft and wizardry has won the hearts of the people. Occult themes, whether in books, movies, or computer games, have become one of today’s most effective tools for social transformation. Even churches are promoting the change. The ‘light’ side of evil could hardly be more deceptive!”

We can snicker, call the magazine Christianity Astray, and move on, but a reality check reveals that entire denominations are backing the Potter phenomenon and Christian bookstores are carrying numerous books about finding God in Harry Potter. So understand that it’s not just the radical Jesus Seminar people who are so off base. The undiscerning tentacles of today’s apostasy are reaching into all avenues of liberal and conservative Christianity.

When Jesus was asked by His disciples about end-of-the-age signs, He warned them of deception and others coming in His name. As nuts as it sounds, Harry Potter is now a Christ-like figure and all things Harry Potter represent one of the greatest deceptions of our day. Something that represents terrible evil is being called good. J.K. Rowling tapped into the longing of our day for the paranormal. As a result, her wealth is only exceeded by the Queen of England. But there will be a terrible price to pay in eternity unless there is repentance which is available to all, no matter what the evil is. That is the good news of the gospel and the good news of this story.