[HPforGrownups] Religion in US, UK, Hogwarts Schools

[Metylda]

No: HPFGUIDX 128532


--- Tonks <tonks_op at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Tonks:
> Interesting!!  I am from the U.S. and I think that
> way about the 
> U.K!  Maybe we are more alike than we know.  Most
> people here in the 
> U.S. are not religious and do not go to church.  I
> think that in 
> some parts of the country the States that voted for
> Bush, there 
> might be more conservative Christians, but not in my
> state.  In 
> those *other* states and especially in small
> conservative towns 
> there might be a push for people to go to church and
> at least 
> pretend to be religious. In Texas maybe??  Also
> those tend to be the 
> area that are mostly anti-Harry Potter, as odd as
> that seems to some 
> of us, and to JKR herself. 
> 
> There is a difference in the *political correctness*
> between the 2 
> countries.  I do business with a company that has a
> branch in both 
> countries.  At Christmas I got a *Happy Holidays*
> e-card from the 
> U.S. branch on Dec. 24rd.  And from the U.K. branch
> a *Merry 
> Christmas* e-card the same day.   And I loved it..
> the U.K. one.  I 
> said.. "Thank goodness someone somewhere can still
> say *Merry 
> Christmas* 1 day before *Christmas*!!!"    
> 
> As to the Christmas and Easter breaks at school.
> Here in the U.S. it 
> is winter break and spring break. Santa can't even
> come to school. 
> And Santa is a somewhat secular concept, but even he
> can't come into 
> a U.S. school. For that matter I don't think that
> they do Halloween 
> parties anymore either. 
> 
> To tie all of this back to HP.  A school like
> Hogwarts would have to 
> be a private Christian school, because in the U.S.
> we would not 
> allow the suits of armor to sing those songs!!
> 
> God rest ye merry Hippogriff, let nothing you
> dismay, remember Harry 
> Potter was born on that fine day, to save us all
> from Voldy's power 
> when we have gone astray...  it works.  Opps... no
> it doesn't, I 
> can't say the G word either. And I suspect that the
> authorities 
> would recognize the tune and say that was a no, no
> too.  So the U.K. 
> from my perspective is much more *religious*.  
> 
> Tonks_op

bamf:

I've lived in both places.  Granted, the problem with
such generalization about what is and is not
celebrated in schools in the US, is that, well, the US
is pretty big.  What applies in one area does not
apply in other.  I know it was called 'Winter Break'
way back when when I was in HS in IL because, gosh
darnit, we had Jewish students at our school too. 
Also, at my public HS, we sang many carols at our
holiday concert in December as well as singing many
Chanukah songs.  Spring break was always called spring
break. I've never heard it refered to as anything else
in the US.

When I lived in England (went to Uni there) it did
seem to be that people were much the same as they were
in the US.  Neither country screamed to be more
Christian than the other.  There are people who go
regularly, people who go at holidays, and people who
don't care, or, are other religions.  A vast number
seemed to only go at the holidays, same as in the US.
(Now I'm really craving a mincemeat pie. Made with
real mincemeat, not the nuts and berry stuff in the
US)
 
I can easily see the Dursleys being in the middle
group, which maybe where Harry learned to be,
indifferent, to religion. Or at least not really
showing any inclination towards any one religion.
(Well, maybe not Buddism as he does eat meat. Although
that can be left to individual choice...)
 


"Why, you speak treason!" -Maid Marian
"Fluently!" -Robin Hood
-The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Cub fans are not normal.


		
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