Christian symbols and symbolism WAS Religion in the Potterverse

[pamscotland]

No: HPFGUIDX 40642

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "bluesqueak" <pipdowns at e...> wrote:
> Pam of Scotland writes:
> > Whether you like it or not, there are a lot of former 
church       
> > buildings around Britain that are no longer churches, some 
are     
> > private houses (giving the owners an interesting time digging 
the  
> > potato patch), some are entertainment centres, some 
are            
> > deconsecrated and left to rot and their grounds are, at 
best,      
> > wonderful wildlife refuges, and at worst, playgrounds 
for          
> > activities of questionable legality and taste. 
> 
> It's pretty much the same argument as the baptism/christening. You 
> assume that the graveyard setting has only a historical/social 
> significance, I assume that it may have a Christian symbolism. You 
> assume that the church ( in GoF p. 552 UK hardback) is closed and 
the 
> graveyard unconsecrated until you find a board saying 'All Souls 
> Little Hangleton, Services Sunday 11.00am', I assume that it is 
open 
> until I reach the sign saying 'Little Hangleton Leisure Centre'.

I actually don't assume anything!  I'm trying to point out that 
sometimes people interpret symbols in a way that may not have been 
intended and may actually be incorrect.  I don't assume a church 
building is a leisure centre, neither do I assume it is a church in 
use - I observe that it looks like a building originally constructed 
for religious purposes.  Until I actually examine it I have not the 
remotest idea whether or not it is still a church in use.  However if 
I were writing a story, I would describe such a building as a church 
(an architectural description) and if it were necessary to include 
some reference to Christianity then I would make it explicit.  

To me a Voldemort scene at Stonehenge, for example, just wouldn't be 
anything like so scary as a Voldemort scene in a graveyard - 
particularly when one thinks of all the Dracula movies and Living 
Dead movies etc.  Unfortunately I've just been watching the Porky's 
movie with a graveyard scene - I'm going to have to read some scary 
stuff to stop me laughing at a headstone scene now.

Pam