religion in the WW (wasRe: the missing godparent)

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 88292

> > Carol:
> > 
> > ...edited...
> > 
> > However, I'm surprised that the WW has godparents at all, or that 
> > they celebrate Christmas, Easter, have monks, and friars ..., or 
> > even .. use such expressions as "My Lord!" and "Bless my 
soul!" ....
> > Christianity in all its variants, ..., is a
> > Muggle institution,  ...edited...
> > 
> > Carol, who knows that JKR can depict her world in any way she 
likes,
> > but nevertheless finds the religious elements strange. (I'm not
> > anti-Christian; I just think the WW and the RW should be a bit 
more
> > distinct.)
> 
> 
> bboy_mn:
(lots of insightful info snipped for brevity) 
> That would mean that during favorable periods in history, witches 
and
> wizard would have been exposed, and indeed converted to the 
Christian
> faith. I see no incompatability between the witches and wizards we 
see
> in the HP series, and the possibility of Christian faith.

Ginger:

To address both bboy_mn and Carol, let's not forget the influence of 
Muggleborns.  

I have heard the expression "Oh, my God" from people who deny the 
existance of a deity.  It is merely an expression common in many 
cultures.  A Muggleborn attends Hogwarts, uses the expression, and 
*poof* it catches on.  Anyone remember the "cool" expressions that 
went around school at that age?  It's like Ron saying "mate" 
constantly in OoP.  

Muggleborns may also have come from Christian families (or atheistic 
families, or Jewish families.....you get the idea).  One doesn't have 
to leave one's faith behind when changing addresses.  It is entirely 
possible that, over the centuries, some Wizards have become 
Christian.  The customs, such as naming Godparents, may have 
followed, whether the practicing of the faith did or not.  

For all we know, Lily may have mentioned having Godparents to James, 
who thought it was a good idea to have someone designated to take 
Harry should LV get them.  It would have been a wise precaution.  Or 
Lily may have been a Christian, or of another faith which names 
Godparents.  Or may have had a friend who was.....The possibilities 
are endless.

As for celebrating Christmas, I still think Ron sums it up 
best: "Oy!  Presents!"  Easter?  Not as big of a deal, but hey, free 
candy is good.  Not to mention that the UK celebrates Christmas, so 
once again, we have the influence of Muggleborns.

In another thread, people have pointed out that JKR uses familiar 
concepts to help us envision things without her having to take pages 
to describe them.  That may meta-figure in here.

Ginger, who actually used to use the expression "cooby George" cuz it 
was cool back then.  I still have no idea at all what it meant.