Admit it? I'll admit I never watched a single movie or read a single book. So, no, I never imitated Harry Potter. And it wasn't for religious reasons. I simply didn't think it looked interesting.
Magic use is considered demonic in nature. This is made clear in the Bible.
In terms of its use in entertainment value, someone once suggested that if the magic is a key or central element to the story its better to avoid. If magic is just an element in a story, but not the focus, it can be watched.
This would be the difference between, say Harry Potter, whose story revolves entirely around magic and spells, versus Lord of the Rings which uses magic, but the magic is not the focus.
And some might say both are wrong to watch.
If I may add to Sub's post, (to the original poster,) I have never tried to imitate Harry Potter spells either, so that's something that just can't be assumed of all of your readers. I've seen movies with magic in them but had no interest in "trying it out," as magic has very frightening (and forbidden) connotations in the Bible.
One thing to take into consideration, along with Harry Potter and, as Sub mentioned, Lord of the Rings, pretty much anything seen as fantasy or science fiction involves magic and/or forces of power that are apart from God: any superhero franchise, Star Wars, Star Trek, the entire horror genre, etc., so what criteria are you using when watching these and other movies in general?
This would be a starting point as to how you would personally evaluate what you should or shouldn't watch.
Something that has always bothered me is that while I neither condemn nor condone things like Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia are always hailed as praiseworthy (with churches arranging group outings to see them in theaters) because it is touted as a "Christian allegory."
And yet, this series has witches, fanciful creatures outside the realm or reality, and the presence of magic galore, just like Harry Potter.
But since it's slapped with a "Christian" label, suddenly that makes it ok? Things that make you go hmm...
I'm not saying that Narnia or C.S. Lewis's works are in any way bad (I'm just not a fan,) but what I do question is the practice of "Christian-washing" things that are condemned in "secular" settings -- but slap a Christian meaning behind the Winter Witch, a talking lion, and all that magic, and suddenly this makes it ok.
I'm not criticizing either side.
I'm just saying, I don't agree with condemning people for watching Harry Potter while taking others in carpools to go see The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
