[HPforGrownups] The religious content of Harry Potter

[Lindsay]

No: HPFGUIDX 128689

Hans:
> First of all I want to answer a poster who asked about the quote from
> Rowling which I've had as part of my signature for all this year. The exact
> quote is: "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.'' It can be found on
> http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2000/1000-vancouversun-wyman.htm.

>There IS a pattern, and if you know that
> pattern, you can work out the message and the climax. And it's so obvious,
> that even a ten year old can work it out. 

Lindsay:

I think what makes many of us shy away from strong religious theories
is that they are religious, but that they are too specific to dogma.

If it is so easy that a ten year-old can figure it out, how can it be
pulling religious dogma that most people have never even heard of?

I think the more prevailing arguement is a simple one.  Rowling
believes that Love Conquers All, and through that, we can predict what
is going to happen.  That Love is how Lily saved Harry, that Love is
the power the Dark Lord knows not, that Love is how Harry will defeat
Voldemort.

Love is an underlying theme to many religious beliefs, like Christian
ones, despite some of the more violent passages that can be found in
many religious texts.  Love is a prevailing theme, and that is what
Rowling means - the theme to the Harry Potter books is one about the
power of Love.

--Lindsay