[HPforGrownups] Re: the hidden key to Harry Potter; Soc Sci 101

[pennylin]

No: HPFGUIDX 60329

Hi --

Kneasy noted: <<<<By the tone and content, I would guess that you are both from West of the Water. Maybe you aren't aware that British attitudes towards religion are somewhat different to those in the USA. Over here it tends to be a very private thing and those that freely discuss or expound their religious beliefs in public are thought a bit embarassing and 
perhaps a bit odd by  a lot of their listeners. It is also thought to be a breach of manners to imply beliefs or attitudes to someone you don't know or who hasn't publicised them.>>>>>>>>>

Er.........as the author of the "Religion and HP" FP (see http://www.hpfgu.org.uk/faq/religion.html), I'm well aware of the different cultural outlook regarding religion that prevails in the UK, as compared to the US.  That FP referenced above hasn't been updated since April 2001, and I'm aware it's out-of-date.  But, yes, we've had discussions on this list for years now about the different attitudes about religion that prevail in the UK.  

I also was not implying anything about JKR's religious beliefs, beyond what she herself has stated in interviews.  All I know is that she has stated that she believes in God, is a Christian and attends the Church of Scotland more than sporadically.  She also did make the statement that if she focused much on her Christian faith in interviews, then readers would be able to guess the direction of the series.  Whether she would regard herself as a devout Christian is something I don't know.  Whether she intended to infuse her works with a Christian message is something else I don't know.  Whether the series outcome is ultimately guessable based on knowledge of Christianity seems *possible* (but not certain), based on that interview statement that I gave a citation to this morning.  

My overall point though is that we don't know her authorial intent with respect to anything and certainly not with respect to religious interpretations that may be put on her works -- we don't know if she would claim or disavow a Christian message if given an opportunity.  Therefore the commentaries by Christian authors such as Granger, Bridger, Killinger and Neal are *a* viable (though not the *only* viable) interpretation of Rowling's novels.  

Penny



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