_Harry Potter and the Bible_

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 17435

Dave wrote:

>can anyone here point to
>any article online by a Christian leader who speaks
>intelligently about the vast gulf between occultism and
>the Hogwarts universe?

Sorry, I can't, other than the "First Things" article Penny pointed 
you to, but what comes to mind for me is that it's important not to 
accept the opponents' definition of "occultism."  This goes for saying 
"HP isn't about the occult" AND for accepting the implication that the 
occult is evil.  What =is= the occult?  I've seen it used to refer to 
everything from palmistry to Wicca to Satanic ritual to "magic."  My 
dictionary says it's belief in the supernatural, which would make most 
Christians occultists.  But dictionaries aren't the most nuanced 
sources . . .

What goes on in HP has nothing to do with Paganism other than its 
positive valuation of magic and the word "witch."  This is enough to 
send people like the HP and the Bible author around the bend.  A lot 
of Christian fundamentalists don't need to know anything else about HP 
or Wiccanism, because the Bible says "you shall not suffer a witch to 
live," and that settles the matter for them.  Never mind that it is 
quite unclear what the Bible means by a witch.

On the other side, HP's positive use of the word "witch" is enough to 
make some Wiccans cheer for it--but HP is not about Wicca, witchcraft 
in the religious sense, or Paganism.  

Plenty of Christians are able to see Paganism as a separate religion 
that doesn't threaten their own any more than Judaism or Islam does.  
And plenty of Christians =and= Pagans are able to see that HP isn't 
really about either of their religions.  

So far, so good.  But neither is Wicca, the religion, "occult" in the 
sense that its critics often mean it.  I expect that one thing the 
author of _HP & the Bible_ means by "occult" is "Satanic."  Wicca is 
not about Satan-worship--quite the opposite.  I would be cautious 
about implying "HP is good, occultism is bad, HP isn't occultism," 
because it accepts the all-too-vague (and pejorative) definitions of 
occultism.

I hope you'll upload your speech to Files when it's done!

Amy Z

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 If only the hat had mentioned a house 
 for people who felt a bit queasy, 
 that would have been the one for him.
     --HP and the Philosopher's Stone
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