_Harry Potter and the Bible_

[rabanesss at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 17568

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Amanda Lewanski <editor at t...> 
wrote:

> It occurs to me that you might have missed a reference or two. 
Dave is being a bit juvenile, but he's referring to what was done 
with the> "Schoolbooks" that Jo Rowling just brought out for 
charity purposes.  They were supposed to be facsimiles of a 
Hogwarts library book (Quidditch through the Ages) and one of 
Harry's schoolbooks (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find 
Them). In Fantastic Beasts, there are  handwritten notes in the 
margins, as a student would doodle, "by" Harry, Ron, and 
Hermione. So Dave's not trying to desecrate your book, so much
> as doing an in-joke.

ANSWER: --------------OK.



> You've read the main books, I take it, so you know that the 
reference to> the toilet and getting it through Myrtle's adenoid is 
from Chamber of> Secrets. Again, he's doing an in-joke.
> I didn't really find this immature, so much as an attempt to set 
a> less-than-scholarly tone. He's providing a quick impression 
and > overview, not (at this point) doing a point-by-point with 
page> references.

ANSWER: --------------OK.



> As one of the chief interpreters an analyzers of Severus Snape, 
who has > had several brilliant, insightful, and downright 
ingenious posts > misunderstood, I do understand the 
frustration. <grins> But you must > yourself understand that one 
*can* understand a good argument and still honestly disagree 
with it. That they disagree doesn't mean they didn't understand.

ANSWER: --------------OK.


>[asked ofr specifics of unethical behavior]

ANSWER: --------------See another recent  another posting of 
mine.


> In the early days of Christianity, the rite of confirmation was a
> passage to just such mysteries. The hopeful, yet-uninitiated 
had to leave the worship at a certain point, when the initiates to 
the  mysteries celebrated those mysteries together. In fact, the 
Catholic  church has attempted to reclaim a bit of that "privileged" 
feel to the mystery of the mass, and RCIA students and others 
formally in the process of becoming members do, indeed, leave 
the mass and go study the day's readings while the 
congregation, the "initiated," celebrate the Eucharist. But I 
digress.

ANSWER: --------------Here we are digressing into History of teh 
church. Also, into the differences between Roman Catholicism 
and Protestantism and teh reasons for the Reformation. VERY 
complex, suffice it to say Biblcal Christianity, in teh first century 
before 325 a.d. had no myusteries attached to it, nor many of teh 
doigmas of Roman Catholicsom, which was set up as a 
political-religious institution that cared little for doctrinal purity, 
except when it cost them financial gain. Even today, go to Africa, 
South America, and Asia, and you see Roman Catholicism 
turning its head from populations that blend Catholicism with 
tribal occultism, and shamanism. Many of these voodoo 
adherants, macumba believers, and santerians are actually 
Catholics in good standings and teh churches are blended 
Catholic Pagan sites. Not really Christianity.


> Well, the books contain presentations of them. To call all of 
them positive, though, is a bit of a stretch. The only authority 
figures at  the school who are treated with anything less than 
dignity and respect are Gilderoy Lockhart (who was an 
illustration of incompetence) and  Sybill Trelawney, professor of 
Divination. All of Divination is treated  as having no substance 
and no merit, hardly positive. So I don't think  your blanket 
statement is actually correct.

ANSWER: --------------My point is that overall these things are 
represented in an appealing way. Thus, a curiosity could easily 
be inspired in children to get involved in occultism. It has and is 
already happening in Britian. Also I have received MANY e-mails 
from former occultists telling me that my book is right on, and 
that their dabbling in occultism began with such books. I also 
provide information from universities studies on exposing 
children to occultism through movies and entertainment.



> *You* may not. But it's a sensitive issue, we've read so much 
about banning and book-burnings and the like, by people who 
clearly haven't  put any thought into their reaction or their 
condemnation. I love that  you joined the list to discuss things, 
instead of simply writing us off  as uncultured heathen! But as a 
list, it must be admitted we have a bit> of emotional baggage on 
the issue, which I hope will be discarded as the discussion 
continues.

      ANSWER: --------------I do not favor or endorse, book 
censorship, bannings, or burnings.

Cordially,

Richard Abanes