Muggle traditions at Hogwarts? (Was - Re: Religion)

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 78853

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "feetmadeofclay"
<feetmadeofclay at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, jazmyn <jazmyn at p...> wrote:
> > 
> 
> > > --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "say543" 
> <hesdead_dealwithit at h...>
> > > wrote:
> > > > Since religion is basically nonexistent in HP, how was there
> > > > a St. Mungo and a Fat Friar? 


> 
> If Wizards cannot manage to even imitate the proper dress of muggles 
> and most don't care to bother, why would they bother with Christmas 
> or Easter.  
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> Golly

bboy_mn:

I brought this up before, a long time ago, and someone was kind enough
to point out that there are Christmas time and Easter time holidays
that predate our modern concept of Christmas and Easter. Which I will
also point out are only 'modern' in the broadest concept of history.
Let's remember that they are based a something that is over 2,000
years old. 

So there has been a Yule celebration that pre-dates Christmas. Just as
these ancient holidays evolved into our version of Chirstmas it seems
reasonable that the wizard worlds concept also evolved. 

But I see that evolution of the celebration of ancient and traditional
holidays as independant of the evolution of the wizard world's
knowledge of the modern muggle world. Since the wizard world has it's
own magical version of common muggle utilities, I'm sure they look at
electicity and piped in natural gas as curiousities and oddities.

Remember the wizard world has transportation methods that are as
advanced as Star Wars and Star Trek. They can cross the country easier
than we can cross a small town. It would be nothing in terms of time
and effort for Molly to travel from Devon to Diagon Alley for
groceries. Therefore, they are able to move through the muggle world
without interacting with it.

Think of yourself living in a foriegn country. You have no choice but
to interact with that culture, because the only way you can function
is to go out into it and transport yourself, communicate, gather food,
find shelter, go shopping, etc.... Although, I admit that even muggles
create little enclaves of their home culture in foreign worlds, so
they can feel comfortable; example: Chinatown-London. 

Also, note that Christmas and Easter are TERM breaks. These are
holidays that naturally or coincidentally fall at places during the
calendar year that lend themselves to end of term breaks. So instead
of Christmas holiday, we could just as easily have an end of first
term break that falls near the end of the calendar year. Three months
later, end of second term conviniently falls near Easter.

So, I see no conflict between the presents of what we deem muggle
religious holidays and wizard being unfamiliar with the muggle world.
They are very much independant things. Christ's birthday and death day
are ancient events, that also coincide with other ancient
celebrations, so it's not at all unreasonable to think that wizards
have hundreds of years of knowledge about them. On the other hand,
electricity, the Telly, radio, computers, airplanes, etc.. are all
very very very modern inventions. 

Just a thought.

bboy_mn