[HPforGrownups] religion in the WW (wasRe: the missing godparent)

[Pen Robinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 88298


>>> 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.)
>>

I seem to be in the mood to contribute to this thread, even though the 
subject resurfaces regularly and is going to resurface again and be 
subject to the same cultural misunderstandings next time as it was last 
time, etc...

I celebrate Christmas in the same way that the WW does: exchange of 
presents, consumption of feast, decoration of premises.   (I also enjoy 
singing Christmas carols, if the occasion arises.)

None of the above seems to me to have religious significance.  I would 
classify it as 'Tradition'.  I don't care whether the use of holly and 
ivy and candles and a pine tree to make the house look festive is a 
peculiar mixture of pagan and Christian customs - I assume it is - I do 
it because "It's Christmassy".  I am an atheist.  But Christmas is fun!

I don't think that the fact that the WW acknowledges Christmas is an 
indication either of religion or of non-religion.  It simply 
demonstrates that in certain ways, the WW is *like* the Muggle world.  
Our Muggle calendar includes a public holiday period based on Christmas 
(and schools have what is in the UK called the Christmas vacation, 
lasting about two weeks), and a public holiday period based around 
Easter (schools also have an Easter vacation, which presumably in the 
US would be known as Spring Break).  These are enjoyable festivals 
involving large quantities of chocolate, which is as good an excuse as 
any for a celebration!

In omitting any reference to the Christian roots of these festivals, 
JKR is (a) avoiding the issue of whether or not wizards have religious 
beliefs, and what these might be; and, more importantly (b) mirroring 
the normal behaviour of British society.   While it is true that there 
are some efforts made to note the religious aspects of these occasions 
(Christmas carols on Radio 4, that kind of thing), and there are some 
people who have sincere regard for the Christian meaning of these 
occasions, it seems that most of British society regards them as an 
opportunity not to have to go to work, to acquire expensive consumer 
goods, and to eat and drink too much.

If Hogwarts did not take any notice of Christmas, it would feel as 
though it were truly part of an alien society - and as I see it, the 
Wizarding World is supposed to be hidden right next to us.  That is 
part of its charm.

It's moderately interesting to note that the WW does not take any 
notice whatever of Guy Fawkes' Night (5th November - aka Bonfire 
Night), which has for many years been a much more significant (but 
non-religious) annual event in England than Halloween has...   But 
non-British citizens have no reason to be aware of Bonfire Night, so 
nobody enquires why Harry doesn't wonder why there are no fireworks...  
and in any case it is very close to Halloween.  I suspect that JKR has 
her WW celebrating Halloween because of the vague notion that it is a 
'witchy' kind of night, because for most of England (though not 
necessarily all - there are places in the UK where various Halloween 
traditions survive) it is a relatively new festival, which frankly has 
been re-imported from the USA.  I was aware of certain Halloween 
traditions when I was a child - bobbing for apples, and the like - but 
never bothered with them, but nowadays there are a few kids in the 
neighbourhood who dress up and doorstep people for treats.

Incidentally, Halloween is also in origins a religious festival.

Pen