_Harry Potter and the Bible_

[ourobouros_1999 at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 17560

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., John Walton <john at w...> wrote:
> (Admin note -- Richard, could you please leave "Harry Potter and 
the Bible"
> in the subject line for those trying to filter out our discussion.)
> 
> I've just typed a long response to some of Richard's points when a 
thought
> struck me.
> 
> Why on earth are we trying to ascribe Christian morals to Harry?

At the risk of being me too-ish, I have to add a big YES to this. Why 
is it necessary to believe he is? Why is it relevant to the HP books 
as a whole, which do not deal with sectarian concerns?

> 
> Nowhere in the books does it state that he is Christian.
> 
> The books are not intended as moral guidance. They are works of 
fiction.
> IT'S NOT REAL. (Apologies to Dadgrid there...)
> 

I think they are moral points in HP, but they are more about ethics 
rather than religion. The morals have more to do with timeless, 
ecumenical values rather than chapter and verse biblical citations. 
If they coincide, it doesn't mean that Rowling is necessarily basing 
everything off the Bible, but merely shows universalism, and how 
Biblical values have are part of Western culture. But then we had 
might as well start talking about the Enlightenment Harry too, 
because of the tolerance themes in the book. Next up for discussion:  
Harry Potter, existentialist hero. :P

> Why, therefore, do people (Sorry Richard) insist on attempting to 
ascribe
> Christian -- or, heck, ANY religion's -- values to Harry and to the 
books?
> 

Yes. Just like I said above, someone could write an essay describing 
how Harry Potter would be considered as a Confucian, and whether 
Confucian values are supported by HP. Or Taoism. Or we could talk 
about whether Dumbledore would be considered a good military leader 
by the guy who wrote the Art of War (he has some choice things to say 
about the terrific importance of spies and subterfuge. :)) But I 
wouldn't take these discussions too seriously, nor would I claim that 
they are the key or even anything but marginal sidenotes. Actually, 
some of them might be sort of fun. Bottom line:  not all comparative 
literary endeavors are well conceived or illuminating. 

Charmian