Religion & HP

[flying_ford_anglia]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C4437
From: flying_ford_anglia
Subject: Re: Religion & HP
Reply To: [Yahoo! #4426] Religion & HP
Date: 7/17/00 12:43 am  (ET)

On the whole, Britain isn't a very religious country. Many of those
who were raised in the Church of England (C of E), for example, will
*say* they believe in God without a second thought, but when it comes
to practicing the Christian religion, it's a different story. Church
attendance is very low and Christmas and Easter (even Weddings) are
observed in a secular way by many (far more than in the US).

JKR might say she believes in God when prompted, but I suspect that she
wouldn't say she was 'a Christian', because that tends to imply a keen
interest in observing the religion.

I think I'm a fairly typical secular British being: raised in the C
of E but now totally irreligious in day to day life. When I think of
"Oh Come All Ye Faithful", I place it in a secular context, alongside
"Jingle Bells". That doesn't mean I don't realise the significance of
the song but, it is just a carol we sing a Christmas - it does not make
me think of God or the Baby Jesus, it makes me think of Christmas trees
and choirs and the crowds in Oxford Street.

So, my theory is that JKR simply draws upon words and concepts she knows
to create a comforting, nostalgic 'feel' for the books. As Penny says,
some of it is 'Dickensian', but there's also Shakespeare, Pantomime,
Fairytales, Pageantry and Gothic Horror films in there.

It's remotely possible that JKR was making a joke about a religious carol
being sung in a School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, but I suspect the truth
is that it didn't cross her mind; if it had, she'd have realised that
could be offensive to some.

Neil