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Do witchcraft and sorcery really exist, and are there people, nowadays, practicing them? How powerful is the devil, and how much authority does he have in this business?

Witchcraft and sorcery really exist, and are still being practiced today. References to witchcraft are frequent in the Holy Scripture. The Holy Bible condemns such practices, considering them an abomination; "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, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you" (Deut 18:11-12) and those who practice them will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:20-21).

The devil can give people the power to perform many things. We read at the time of Moses and the plagues that Pharaoh's sorcerers and magicians were capable of imitating Aaron in changing their rods into serpents (Exo 7:10-12) and to duplicate one of the plagues (Exo 8:6-7) but not the others (Exo 8:18; 9:11).

Harry Potter is a fictional story. Although it makes a distinction between good wizards and bad wizards, reading it might dangerously desensitize the readers, making  acceptable to them the idea of good wizards and witches.While the Holy Bible teaches that no one should read or keep such books, Harry Potter goes to school to learn magic and wizardry. "Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all" (Acts 19:19).