witchcraft and Judaism (was Sirius Black,godfather)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 32606

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Etha Williams 
<nonconformist594 at y...> wrote:

> Wouldn't it be a bit hard to be a witch/wizard and be 
Jewish/Christian since
> there are parts of the Old and New testaments decrying magic 
and witchcraft?
> How would a witch/wizard explain that s/he was practicing a 
religion which stated that s/he was doomed to hell?

Since Judaism and Christianity have different teachings about 
both the afterflife and witchcraft, I'm not sure it makes sense to 
lump them together.
   
   The Hebrew scriptures do forbid sorcery, however, it is by no 
means clear that the subjects taught at Hogwarts would be 
considered "sorcery" as defined by Jewish law. No one  appears 
to be conjuring by means of unclean spirits, or asking  ghosts for 
knowledge of the future. Simply seeking or using  hidden 
knowledge is not forbidden according to the verse: "It is the glory 
of God to conceal a matter and the glory of a King to plumb a 
matter" Proverbs 25:2. 
   In so far as magic is being used to deceive others or injure 
them, that would be forbidden in any case, and many of the 
potion ingredients are clearly not Kosher (fit for consumption 
according to Jewish law), so an ethical observant Jew would 
want Rabbinic advice on whether to allow a child to attend 
Hogwarts. Doubtless the Rabbinic rulings on this matter were 
concealed after the wizarding world went into hiding. ;-)

Pippin