Christianity and HP

[mizstorge]

No: HPFGUIDX 112268

Christmas has largely become a secular holiday. I worked at a 
doctor's office jointly owned by Jews and atheists. We had an annual 
Christmas party with gifts, and got Jewish holidays off paid. The 
doctors all knew I was heathen, and we not only had interesting 
discussions about religion, we all gave and received Christmas gifts. 
In the Western world, Christmas has become the beginning of the big 
year-end party season, an excuse to give gifts and send greetings to 
friends, acquaintances and relatives. Even carols can be sung without 
a whole lot of religious feeling. Well, okay, even pagans enjoy the 
songs about the baby being born at the Solstice:/).

Halloween is also a secular holiday with very old British origins. 
Loads of history there. I think JKR uses it so prominently because 
it's become a night of fun most kids look forward to, but for poor 
Harry it brings nothing good. Maybe the last battle will be fought on 
Halloween with a promising outcome to break the cycle.

As for Easter, even my atheist co-workers enjoy chocolate bunnies and 
Peeps.

Now for godparents in the modern world. This too is becomming 
secular. My husband and I were asked by friends to be 'godparents' 
for their children ages 7, 9 and 12. We were a bit surprised, since 
they were (nominally at least) Christian and so we asked for 
clarification. They didn't want us to be present at a baptism or to 
promise to assist with the children's religious education, what they 
wanted for us to adopt the children should the parents predecease 
them. It was meant a a totally secular decision, one they wanted to 
put in thier wills and they meant it as a compliment for our rapport 
with the kids. In fact they said because we were so open about 
discussing religion they knew we would make sure the kids got any 
kind of religious information they wanted, regardless of our beliefs.

Some non-Christians find the secularization of Christmas and Easter 
to be just an ingrained part of Western culture, or view  with 
amusement the changes Time has wrought upon ancient festivals. Some 
Christians go to church only at Christmas and Easter, or don't attend 
church at all but celebrate the two big holidays with gifts. I've 
been amazed to find non-Christian visitors from other countries 
getting into the whole idea, and mailing 'Christmas" gifts to their 
relatives back home!

We have to wait for JKR to tell us how important Christianity is to 
the WW. IMHO, she's going to let the reader decide on their own 
rather than spoon-feed us.

Going on a tangent, Miz Storge'