Religion in HP

[corinthum]

No: HPFGUIDX 40473

Rei asked:

>...what is everyone's 
> take on religion in the HP wizarding world? They have references to 
> and practice such holidays as Christmas and Easter, yet it doesn't 
> seem to make sense that they would be Christian....

> All of the normal things they deal with every day- giants, vampires, 
> magic itself- are supernatural in Muggle eyes, which perhaps makes 
> wizards seem beyond Muggle religion as we know it... but do wizards 
> have their own concept of the supernatural themselves?...Does it
seem >like wizards would 
> have/believe in angels? Demons? Gods?


I agree with the other reply that many wizards raised in the muggle
world would practice the religion of their families.  

In addition, although it's never referenced directly, I see no reason
why wizards wouldn't practice the same religions as us muggles.  As
far as we have been told, wizards, with the possible exception of
Voldemort, have not achieved immortality.  Therefore, the need for
some explantation of afterlife is still present.  As is the need for a
moral  guidelines.  Religion does not center around the supernatural,
although that is often incorporated, but rather around the question of
why we are here, what we should do while we are here, and where we go
when we no longer are (yeah, that wasn't a run-on :) ).  Wizards don't
seem to have concrete answers to these questions any more than muggles do.

- Corinth, once again treading the on/off topic line.