Harry Potter and God - long

[Tonks]

Limberger said:
Lily Potter was not impregnated as a virgin, so Harry was not 
born of a virgin. Jesus' parents (according to the new testament) were not killed by a dark wizard or anyone else for that matter, whereas Harry's parents were. Jesus didn't grow up living under a staircase and being generally mistreated, whereas Harry was. Harry never walked on water, fed thousands from nothing, raised
the dead, restored vision to the blind, etc. as the gospels
claim that Jesus did; nor was Harry out to preach & convert followers to a new religion. Harry was human, imperfect and even attempted to curse people; whereas the new testament claims that Jesus was divine, perfect and never did anything wrong to anyone.

Tonks:
When I said that HP is a retelling of the Gospel, I mean that in a broader way. The Gospel is the good news that we can be (saved) or  transformed into something better than we are. We can become Love.

We can not look at this too literally. One needs to listen with their right brain. The story is strong metaphor with a great deal of symbolism. Only the right brain will understand it. One needs to listen for the global significance, not specific.

It is not that Harry was born of a virgin. His mother's name is Lily (the Easter flower) for those raised in a Christian country, this will take your subconscious on an internal search for the relationship... 

I don't know how to tell people to get in touch with that part of themselves (right brain)... smoke a little weed or something, I suppose. I have never smoked so I don't know if that is the answer. But do whatever opens up that part of your mind to see the bigger picture and connections. That is how to read the HP books, if IMO, you want to get the full meaning of what Rowling was after.

Because when you start with the first chapter of SS/PS you see 3 magi (the plural form of magus, which means wizard) adoring the child sent to the "Muggle" world. That is not literal. It is suppose to invoke an image in your mind that takes you back to another story, also in your mind, and weaves them together, for another, deeper purpose. And the whole book is full of this sort of thing. Lily. The mark on Harry's forhead. How it got there. The effect it had on him, etc. All pointing to something else, at the same time just telling a nice little story to the children.


Geoff Bannister wrote:
>
> > << But I am concerned by the fact that [John Granger] attempts to tie Christianity in with alchemical theory, which certainly isn't part of Christian belief. >>
>Snip)
> Your reply highlights certain points which are contributory to my 
> concern that John Granger is often held up as an example of a 
> Christian who supports Harry Potter, a point of view which I find 
> very suspect when allied to alchemical thinking.
 
Tonks:

Alchemy. Alchemy was an ancient art that occurred in many parts of the world at the same time, and came up with the same ideas even though those parts of the world were very separate from each other and had no means of communication between them. This is suppose to point to the fact that there lies a deep, universal truth within Alchemy. This truth was incorporated into Christianity in the middle ages by many famous Christians, including a few Saints. 

Alchemy as a spiritual discipline of Christianity is the process of taking our soul (of lead) and with the stone (Christ) transforming or (to use a term from the bible, which Rowling uses in a slightly different manner) 'transfiguring' into the gold (image of Christ). The Orthodox church teaching that "God became man so that man may become as God". (before I get a fight on this point, let me remind you that the Orthodox Church is the keeper of the faith as it was from the beginning of the Church, before the church at Rome split off from it. Disagree if you wish, but this IS the teaching of the Church with a Capital C.) 

Following this line of thinking, it follows that DD, being an Alchemist, was working to transform himself and especially Harry into 'Christ'. Not Jesus, but Christ. There is a significant difference. There was only one Jesus. But we are all called to be as Christ. That is the goal and purpose of the spiritual life, to be one with God. There are many ways to say it. Some say to be one with God. Some to follow the teaching of Jesus. Some to die and rise with Christ, Jesus. But the underlying idea is the same. We are to be transformed from the sinful man, the man that is not in communion with God to a person in union with God. For a Christian this mean by and through Jesus, who was the Christ. Jesus, Who was the 'Son of Man' which means perfect man. And we are to be transfigured into Christ, through the death and Resurrection of Jesus and by the power of the Spirit.  Whatever road you take to the Highest Self, the goal is the same. One end, the Omega point, but many paths.


Geoff said:
 
> Christian faith is not part of any other belief; it is complete in 
> itself. 

Tonks:
I agree. In the study of world religions the Truth, which we Christians call God, is called "Ultimate Reality" There is only one Ultimate Reality. Many of the world's religions have some similar concepts when studied closely. And these can be brought together in such a way that while there are many paths the final goal is the same. And that can be through Christ. 

I recommend a book by a Christian monk who lived in India. His name is Bede Griffiths and the book is "A New Vision of Reality". Whatever your religion, or non-religion, you will find this an interesting book and worth the reading. It is not an easy book because he covers science, philosophy, psychology, and all of the major religions. If you read one book in your life, other than HP, of course, this is the one. It will change your perspective on who  we are, and where are we going and what we are to do to bring mankind as a whole to the next step in our evolution. Whatever your beliefs, you will be very surprised by the end of this book. Many of you will be shocked to find yourself agreeing with him. (Amazon has it.) 

Tonks_op