Godparents...

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 17401

Hi --

Neil Ward wrote:

> ****I  think you're right about JKR's avoidance of religion.  She does
> let in references to things associated with Christianity, from a
> secular
> viewpoint, but that is fairly typical of much of the British
> population.
> Concepts such as 'godparents' and 'Christmas' are not presented in
> their
> religious meaning, IMO, because it is possible to strip them of their
> origins and leave only the 'comforting tradition' aspect.  British
> people of other religions celebrate Christmas as a festival period,
> whilst observing their own religious days, and JKR would be aware that
> references to Christmas, for example, would not necessarily be
> alienating to people of other religions.

Ah, finally.  This is what I really wanted to know.  Godparent in the UK
might not necessarily have the religious connotation that it more
typically has over here then?  I was thinking that "godfather" might be
more or less like the references to Christmas & Easter in the books --
something that has become more secular (and not automatically considered
religious) in the UK.  Amy's quoted passage makes it pretty clear that
Sirius was Harry's legal guardian (even though it doesn't say "legal")
-- the implication is pretty clear that he was to have guardianship in
the event of their deaths.  While I'm not discounting the possibility
that Sirius might have also been named a godfather to Harry in a
Christian christening ceremony, we don't know for sure what religious
traditions (if any) the wizarding community have.  So, my thought is
that JKR might just be making a general non-religious reference to the
term "godfather."

Penny


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