the missing godparent

[Martha]

No: HPFGUIDX 88297

bboy:

<sniiiip> 
I see no incompatability between the witches and wizards we see
> in the HP series, and the possibility of Christian faith.
> 
> I will however admit, that in the more real non-fictional world, the
> two seem to be mutually exclusive, but in the general world of
> folklore and mythology in combination with the world JKR shows us, I
> see no incompatability. I find it completely believable.

Martha:

I second that. I think the issue here is that while in the real 
world, magic has been seen in the past as a threat to Christianity 
(etc), or as a religion in its own right, in the WW it is unrelated 
to religion. Wizards and witches in the Potterverse use magic as we 
use technology - it is an ability or a skill that makes certain 
aspects of life easier. Technology and religion are generally seen as 
compatible in our society, so why not magic and religion and the WW? 
As far as we know, magic in the WW does not involve, for example, 
envoking any outside source of power (a deity, spirits etc). It is a 
skill, and moreover it does not just come naturally - training is 
involved. Some users of this skill are better at it than others.

Carol:

> > 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,  <sniiip>

Martha:

This relates to the points I made above. I don't see chosen religion 
in the WW and magic as incompatible because I don't see why 
Christianity is necessarily a muggle institution. True, we have seen 
no evidence of the practice of religion, but IMO that's because Harry 
doesn't practice any religion. We don't know what other students do. 
I went to a state comprehensive school and while we had "assemblies" 
which sometimes involved religious thought, as a general rule 
religious beliefs were kept well away from the curriculum. If you 
were of a certain religion, fair play to you. Hogwarts may well be a 
boarding school, but it seems to me that JKR has chosen to reflect 
the way that state schools are run in the UK - without specific 
religious beliefs being imposed upon students.

Anyway, just two knuts...

~ Martha
(who, if she ever has kids, will ensure they have fairy gothmothers 
to furnish them with black clothes, and also godfathers who say 
things like "I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse") ;-)