Finding one's views in the author's mind was Christianity and HP

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 112667

Pippin quoted:

> Is she a Christian?
> 
> ``Yes, I am,'' she says. ``Which seems to offend the religious 
> right far worse than if I said I thought there was no God. Every 
> time I've been asked if I believe in God, I've said yes, because I 
> do, but no one ever really has gone any more deeply into it than 
> that, and I have to say that does suit me, because if I talk too 
> freely about that I think the intelligent reader, whether 10 or 
60, 
> will be able to guess what's coming in the books.''

I knew it!  Dumbledore is going to turn out to be God.  Well, it 
fits, doesn't it?  The long white hair and beard, the hands-off 
approach that drives lesser beings crazy.  And if you 
translate "Grindelwald" into Dutch, then into Swahili, then write it 
upside down and backwards and translate it into Urdu, the final re-
translated English version means "Prince of Darkness."

That was all a joke, people.  Carolyn and I were talking about this 
offlist, but I just want to say here that my world view is about as 
far from fundamentalist Christian as it can get and I didn't feel at 
all that Steve was making assumptions about anyone else's faith.  He 
stated his own, he stated his opinion about JKR's, and more than 
either he made a cogent argument about how an author's worldview 
tends to come through in her fiction.  I really did not feel that he 
was being provocative and I shared his astonishment.

To some people, any conversation about religion (if it deviates from 
their own) is provocative.  To others, feminism is the hot button; 
to others it's foreign-policy politics; etc.  I hope we can continue 
to talk about these sensitive subjects, as Poppy Elf assured us we 
can, and know to bow out and take a nice brisk run around the block 
if the conversation gets too hot for our personal taste.  Our brave 
Elves will make sure everyone's polite about it, right, Elves?

It is very interesting to me how badly I want JKR's views to reflect 
my own.  Sometimes they just clearly don't.  (For example, a couple 
of the chapter titles in Umbridge's DADA text annoyed my would-be-
pacifist soul deeply.)  Usually I don't mind, but sometimes it 
bothers me . . . silly, I know, but if I'm honest I want JKR and her 
wonderful creations to be On My Side.  

So if I may lift this conversation to a meta-level, do we read the 
books to be affirmed in our views, challenged in them, a mix, or 
neither?

Amy Z

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"Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody," said Mrs. Weasley 
sternly.

"Yeah, well, Dad collects plugs, doesn't he?" said Fred quietly, as 
Mrs. Weasley left the room.  "Birds of a feather . . . "