Well, hopefully those same church members aren't like some of the ones that I used to attend church with, passing around things like that "Onion" article as fact.
Fankly when I started reading the Narnia books, I felt they "talked down" alot more to the reader than any of the HP books have. I've still been enjoying the Narnia series though. (which, BTW, are Children's books)
Over the past 20 years I've seen the same tact taken with Harry as they took with Pokemon and much earlier, D&D... sadly most of the opinions on these things where done without any real knowledge, and usually those who did could tell right away. D&D was accused of giving instruction of how to cast spell taken from satanic and witchcraft sources, there where also those saying that with the roll of the dice you would cut off someone's genitals.... yet none of that is in the D&D manuals. The same sort of stuff is being said about Harry.
As for wierd things happening.... I've spent quite a while doing a certain amount of tech work for PCs and the like.... if I could just remember my falicies.... there's one that applies.... anyway... just cuz one thing procedes another doesn't mean the 1st one is the cause (kinda like bad luck after a black cat crosses your path). Short of someone really into witchcraft who enlisted the aid of real demonic forces against that family, I would have to say it's coincedence rather than cause and effect (that's the one... duh!) Doesn't mean the "wierd stuff" isn't real, just saying that it's not specifically a bunch of paper with ink and some glue doing it.
Well, I've said too much again I think... or maybe not.
Stoked myself for the next movie and book (though I could live without the movie, I'll see it at least once it's hit DVD... might even add it to the 1st two, which I said I wasn't going to buy).