[HPforGrownups] Re: Wizards and Muggle traditions

[yellows at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 60812

In a message dated 6/17/2003 4:42:37 AM Eastern Standard Time, Pen writes:

> I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that British 
> Hindus and Moslems participate in the same kinds of activity, given 
> that their kids would feel pretty hard done by if they 
> didn't

I agree. My response, in which I wrote (in response to Elizabeth):

<<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. Perhaps J.K. Rowling doesn't go into spirituality a lot because she wants the story to be as universal as possible.>
Brief Chronicles answered:
<<Well, I agree that wizards can likely be any religion they fancy and it won't matter to anyone. But, in fact, canon seems to suggest something different. There's no mention of other religions, and the kids all seem to take it for granted that everyone celebrates Christmas.>>

also included a second paragraph, in which I said that my problem was not with the *religion* of the event. I don't feel as though the religious aspect of this cultural tradition is described at all in canon. What I feel is that celebrating Christmas (for religious purposes or for social purposes) is not something we can refer to as "universal," because there are many people around the world who do not celebrate this occasion, and also do not understand it. 
So I was disagreeing with the suggestion that JKR chose to leave out spirituality in her books because she wanted them to be universal to people of all religions. I think the inclusion of Christmas will make the stories less universal, yet no less enjoyable.  :)

Brief Chronicles