[HPforGrownups] Re: Wizards and Muggle traditions

[Odile Falaise]

No: HPFGUIDX 60700

Elizabeth writes:
<<<I don't see why wizards can't be Christian, Jewish,
Muslim, Pagan, or anything else. I don't think one
cancels out the other.>>>

And now me (Odile) chiming in:
Right on!  ITA!  I would like to add that, IMNSHO, the
Witches and Wizards in the Potterverse have magical
*ability* - it is part of their genetic make-up, if
you will, and -- again, this is my own opinion -- I
don't think that one's abilities much influence one's
beliefs.  

I lived in Japan for a year.  If anyone thinks that
the consumer culture in the US is out of control...
hooboy.  In Tokyo, at least, I found Christmas to be a
shopping holiday.

And as a practicing Pagan, I can tell you from
experience that my coven-mates and I get sucked into
doing the "dominant culture" thing at Christmas - even
in supposedly liberal New York City, where I am
careful to wish everyone a "Happy Holiday" rather than
"Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hannukah" or even "Happy
Kwanzaa" lest I rumple their fur or something.  I even
get "Yule presents" (including from our High Priest),
which is silly.  (But then again, it can go back to
certain Norse ideas which would take us way off
topic.)

Anyway.

Back to things Potter, and quoting Elizabeth again: 
<<<Perhaps J.K. Rowling doesn't go into spirituality a
lot because she wants the story to be as universal as
possible.>>>

Odile (me) again:
Right.  It is the Hero's Journey that Joseph Campbell
wrote about, IMO.  Of course, certain authors can (and
have!) put a Christian spin on HP, but the symbolism
and the themes are universal enough to be interpreted
according to almost any belief system.

For example, here is a fantastic (if very long)
article that interprets HP from a Jungian POV:

http://www.cgjungpage.org/articles/grynbaumpotter.html

And another interesting take on the Potterverse from a
socio-political POV:

http://www.voiceoftheturtle.org/show_article.php?aid=170

Ah, the end of my post at last.

Odile