_Harry Potter and the Bible_

[ourobouros_1999 at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 17546


> 
> Okay, with the admin notes out of the way, I second Charmian's 
> earlier point about the secular interpretation of religion in the 
> Harry Potter books.  In my opinion, in the context of creating a 
> credible alternative universe, JKR interpreted elements of 
> traditional magic, witchcraft and folklore.  To my mind, her 
> witchcraft references are more a reflection of her thorough 
research 
> for the book than an expression of her own lifestyle or beliefs.  

To my mind, the question of whether it would be very fruitful to comb 
through the HP books in search of whether they jibe or do not jibe 
with Christian doctrine is one which we should ask before even 
embarking on this discussion. Since the HP books were not intended to 
be commentaries on Christian ethics, nor are promoted by the remarks 
of JKR, her publisher, or press critics as such, I question whether 
we ought to bother evaluating them in this way, any more than we 
ought to consider combing through the books for fidelity to Wiccan 
doctrine and accurate depictions of pagan rites. I mean, to my mind 
in makes just as much sense as evaluating them psychoanalytically 
[hey, folks. Let's psychoanalyze Snape, and determine whether his 
outburst is reflective of hysteria or neurasthenia. Or maybe we've 
done that already], or through one of the more abstruse theoretical 
ways. You may find one or two insights, but to really 
understand/appreciate the HP books, I think other approaches are more 
useful, like actually understanding JKR's intent and viewpoint. 

And that's why I'm going to decline getting directly into the 
discussion. Like I said before, if some people have religious views 
which cause them to reject HP, that's their business. I see this as a 
sectarian issue (because not all Christians, or even most from what I 
see, support this interpretation of HP or this attitude towards 
fiction), which isn't really relevant to those who don't belong to 
certain branches of Christianity. So to me (as a nonChristian) this 
makes as much sense as Harry Potter and the Koran, or HP and the I 
Ching or Confucian Analects. (Though I suspect that Harry is not 
headed for mastery of the Confucian virtues.) The moment that people 
start trying to impose their choice on others, trying to tell people 
what they should allow their kids to read, regardless of the beliefs 
of the other parents, I would involve myself. 

Charmian