STR † THE FREEDOM BLOG

Christianity, unlike most of the other religions of the world, contains a built-in virtue that is so ubiquitous that it rarely gets mentioned:? Humility.? Easton’s 1897 Bible dictionary defines humility thusly:

a prominent Christian grace (Rom. 12:3; 15:17, 18; 1 Cor. 3:5-7; 2 Cor. 3:5; Phil. 4:11-13). It is a state of mind well pleasing to God (1 Pet. 3:4); it preserves the soul in tranquillity (Ps. 69:32, 33), and makes us patient under trials (Job 1:22). Christ has set us an example of humility (Phil. 2:6-8). We should be led thereto by a remembrance of our sins (Lam. 3:39), and by the thought that it is the way to honour (Prov. 16:18), and that the greatest promises are made to the humble (Ps. 147:6; Isa. 57:15; 66:2; 1 Pet. 5:5). It is a “great paradox in Christianity that it makes humility the avenue to glory.”

A more secular definition reads:

the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one’s own importance, rank, etc.

All of this is to say that when a Christian is wrong, he apologizes.? This stands in marked contrast to Muslims, for example, who have yet to apologize for allowing their religion to lead them down a path to Islamo-Fascist terrorism.? Indeed, Christians welcome the chance to correct their wrongs.? It provides them an opportunity to engage, as Christ did, in metaphorical feet-washing which you can only imagine provides a humbling effect.

Therefore, the writers and staff of STR embrace the opportunity to apologize to J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books.?

Firstly, we apologize for getting the name wrong.? Due to a summertime reduction in staff, the recent articles by Billy Bob Neck were perhaps not as stringently fact-checked as most of our articles are.? For this, we apologize.

Before the second apology, a brief bit of background.? It was recently announced that the full text of the last Harry Potter book found its way onto the internet.? This was only half true.? A bit of digging revealed that the text released turned out to be a fake.? We know this to be true since that last portion of the book was released to us and it bore no relation whatsoever to the book released yesterday.

Now for the second apology.

We apologize to J. K. Rowling for any and all insinuations that she was, is or has ever considered being a Satanist.? I’m sure that as she planned the books she knew the danger she faced from Christians and it is an act of bravery that she stuck to her guns.? What she produced in the end is nothing more that one of the most satisfying examples of Christian literature to be written in quite some time.? We are humbled.

Before the readership protests that we are breaking the law by publishing the final pages of the last Henry Potter book, be rest assured that as a vocal?critic of the series and an influential Christian website?we have been given a waiver in order to spread the word that this series redeems itself in a way almost unimaginable to the human mind.

If you would rather wait until Saturday, then you should read no further.? Otherwise, be prepared to have your breath taken away and your faith in Jesus strengthened, restored or both.

God bless you!

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The courtyard of Hogwarts lay littered with the broken bodies of students and teachers.? Harry?s mind cast back to his first year and found this new tableau as unfamiliar now as it did when he first arrived.? This Hogwarts, charred and broken, smelling of death, was not the school he knew.? And the man responsible for it stood before him with his wand pointed at Harry?s heart.

?Harry Potter,? Voldemort?s thin high voice rang out in triumph, ?I would not count on another escape, if I were you.? You have come to the end of your usefulness, Harry.?

Harry, dazed and bruised, struggled to make sense of Voldemort?s words.? Usefulness?? What did that mean: usefulness?? Had he, Harry, been only a pawn in some game that he was completely unaware of?

?Yes, Harry,? whispered Voldemort, ?a pawn.? And yes, I can read your thoughts Harry, just as clearly as I feel Miss Granger about to sneak up behind me ? AVADA KEDAVRA!?? Voldemort spun quickly around, his wand shooting a single green ball of light that hit Hermione squarely in the chest.? Before Harry could say anything, she crumpled to the ground as if deflating quickly.? Harry raised his wand only to find it flying from his hand and caught by Voldemort.

?Why so hateful, Harry,? oozed Voldemort, ?Not loved enough as a child by your parents, Harry?? Oh.? That?s right.? I killed them, didn?t I?? And I?m about to kill you Harry.? Have you made yourself ready for death?? Oh.? Yes.? You want to know why you?re a pawn.? I could care less about you.? You?re a flea on a tick, as far as I?m concerned.? However, others cared very much about you.? They?ve gone to extremes that I never thought them capable of.? Oh, I had a sense that idiot Dumbledore would sacrifice himself and die for you, but to actually do it?? Killing Dumbledore will go down as my greatest triumph!?? Voldemort let out a hideous shriek of laughter.? ?No, Harry, you mean nothing.? I made the Ministry of Magic believe that I wanted you simply as a means to destroy the Ministry of Magic.? And I have done that.? The social fabric of the wizarding community is ripped to shreds.? Not even Dumbledore could stitch it together again.?

Harry stumbled backwards falling over the head of gargoyle that fell from the tower.? He looked and saw the stone grin frozen for all eternity on its face.? Eternity, Harry thought.? Well, I?m not just going to let him kill me that easily. I?ll ?

?No you won?t, Harry,? Voldemort interrupted.? ?I have your blood coursing in my veins now Harry.? You and I are almost the same.? In fact, I could possibly be your father, Harry.? Would you like that?? The father you never knew??? Voldemort again let out his high, shrieky laugh that pierced through the scar on Harry?s forehead.? Harry jumped up.

?You can be my father as long as you kill yourself, Voldemort,? Harry spat.

?Amusing,? drawled Voldemort.? ?It?s too bad you?ll never put that wit to good use.? I was going to kill you quickly, but now,? Voldemort flicked his wand and Harry doubled over in pain, ?I think I?ll torture you for a while.? CRUCIATUS!

Harry felt himself lifted gently into air.? What had Snape tried to teach him?? Empty your mind.? Don?t fight against ? just simply don?t let it enter.? Harry breathed deeply, trying to shut out the death, destruction and chaos surrounding him.? Just as Voldemort could hear his thoughts, so, too, could he hear Voldemort?s.? He focused on ignoring the evil jeering inside his brain.? He thought about slowly unbuttoning Ginny?s robes; her soft lips; her ?

He found himself slamming into the hard stone of the castle.

?No, Harry,? Voldemort seethed, ?love, even the physical act of love, won?t help you, either.? This is the end Harry.? There is no one, there is nothing in this earthly world that can come to your aid.? You are truly and ultimately alone.? The only thing left for you is to beg for death.?? Voldemort advanced slowly towards Harry, red eyes blazing.? Harry frantically looked around for something, anything he could use.? ?There is nothing, Harry.? It?s been fun.? Goodbye.?

No.? No, that?s not right, Harry thought.? There is something.? Something that I?m missing.? Something more powerful than Voldemort.? Something even more powerful than Dumbledore.? Think, Harry told himself, THINK!

He cast his mind back to the Dursley?s; their sitting room; that horrible pale couch with the pastel flowers with the lace doilies on the arms.? The too-clean kitchen.? The dining room where, as part of their plan to beat the witch out of him, they forced him to say ?

Grace.

Grace.? Grace to who?? Didn?t they call it praying?? Didn?t Mrs. Dursley on the days that she actually deigned to speak to Harry constantly remind him how?what was his name?Jesus was more powerful than any witch or wizard could ever be?? There?s nothing left, thought Harry, I?ve tried everything else.

?Dear Jesus,? Harry muttered, feeling a small stream of blood trickled from his mouth.? As he spoke the name of the Savior, he felt an odd sensation as if Voldemort had jerked suddenly.? ?Dear Jesus,? he started again.? Yes.? Voldemort definitely jerked again.? ?Dear JESUS?, Harry said louder and pushed himself to his feet, ?I am a poor and miserable sinner.?

?It?it won?t work, Harry.?? Voldemort?s hideous face twisted almost as if in pain.? His voice sounded less than convincing.

?DEAR JESUS,? Harry said loudly, a thunderclap punctuating his prayer, ?I am a poor and miserable sinner who has turned his back on You.? I know now that You -?, Voldemort began a low whimper, ?- are the Way and the Light!? YOU,? Voldemort shook violently, the whimper turning into a cry of pain, ?are the LORD and SAVIOR of mankind!? YOU ??

?NOOOOOO,? Voldemort wailed, ?NO!? Jesus is NOTHING.? Jesus can not help you, you poor, wretched piece of filth.? It?is?too?LATE!?

?DEAR JESUS,?? Harry shouted, approaching Voldemort who quivered like jello, ?I renounce Satan.? I renounce the Devil.? Merciful Jesus, I ask you to come into my heart and MAKE ME WHOLE!!?

?AVADA KEDAVRA?, Voldemort cried, pointing his wand at Harry?s chest.? Almost in slow motion, Harry watched the green ball of light form at the tip and grow bigger.? He watched as it separated from the tip to begin its murderous journey toward him.? Harry looked back on his life.? How could he have been so blind?? How could he have allowed himself to fall so low as to consort with Satan himself?? This school, with its magic and wonderment, served only to corrupt him.? And could you really have ?friends? in such a case?? Or were they simply there to increase the Satanic force field?? To provide more energy for the Devil to do his business.?

All his years at Hogwarts meant nothing and served nothing but his own pride and arrogance that he did not need Jesus.

He watched the green ball inch toward him.? A tear fell from his eyes.? The soon-to-be-dead Harry Potter looked up to the Heavens and smiled as he felt the Spirit of Jesus enter him.? He then looked into Voldemort?s glowing red eyes.

?HIS will,? he said softly, ?not yours, be done.?

It seemed as though time had stopped.? The green ball, the ball of light that contained his death hung in the air inches from his robes.? Voldemort seemed to stop breathing.? The sounds of death ? fire, crumbling stones, wails of the wounded ? ceased.? And then, scarely believing it, Harry watched the green ball reverse course and headed back toward Voldemort.?

?Back to Hell with you,? said Harry.

The evil wizard?s eyes widened as time regained its regular speed.? The green ball sped into Voldemort?s chest and he crumpled to the ground.

Harry fell to his knees weeping.? ?I turn my soul over to Your care, Lord.? You are the Way and the Light.? I am Your humble and unworthy servant.? May You have mercy on me.?

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?Harry Potter, you wake up this instant or we?ll be late for church!? I?ve had enough of your disobedience and God has, too!?

Harry awoke, bathed in sweat, in his own bed.? He looked out his window at the waving fields of wheat of his Kansas home.? What a horrible dream!? Life without Jesus had been a nightmare!

?Sorry, Mom,? he yelled as he scramble into his church clothes, ?I?ll be right down!?

The End