Christianity in HP? (WAS: Dumbledore's Death)

[Rachel Crofut]

No: HPFGUIDX 151023

Tonks:
<Snip>
>Let us start with Sirius. His closest friends and the ones that he
>hangs out with most are Peter, James and John (Remus John Lupin).
>This is also true of Jesus. We hear that he frequently went with
>Peter, James and John. Jesus also transfigured in their presence,
>and so does Sirius. All of this points to Sirius being a Christ
>figure. Also we have the fact, so I am told, that the star Sirius is
>seen as the `morning star' by some and also as the Messianic star
>that the magi followed. And the morning star is Christ. But the
>biggest thing is the way in which Sirius dies. Oddly he goes behind
>the veil in both body and soul. Has anyone else ever done that in
>the WW?  I would think maybe not. This points to the Ascension of
>Jesus.
<Snip>
>The events of the cave and the tower are events, in very disguised
>form, that are similar to the last hours of Jesus, even to the fact
>that it happened at the place of the skull. (the dark mark over the
>tower.)
>
>Sandy and Steve are right, it does seem like the death of DD was not
>befitting the greatest wizard of all time. I too share the pain of
>his death. I agree that JKR has done a magnificent job of getting
>all of us to love DD and morn his death. The way we feel and the way
>Harry feels and way all in the Order feels are the same as what the
>Disciples felt after the Crucifixion of Jesus.  I think that is
>exactly the way that JKR has set it up for us to feel. I also think
>that we will see some sort or resurrection in book 7. It will not be
>as I or others expect, but it will be there, if only in the return
>of Fawkes.
>


Rachel here:
First off, lovely post, I hated to snip any of it :-).  I know that many 
people believe DD and/or Sirius and/or Harry and/or Voldemort (I have heard 
that before...) are Christ figures in some sense.  There are undoubtedly 
hidden references to Christianity, however, aren't there also many many 
references to Greek and Norse mythology?  The names of many of the 
characters are taken from these old religions, as a few of the names could 
possibly be taken from Christianity.  It seems to me that JKR loves to 
include allegories and references within her books however I think people 
should take a look at all of these religions if they want to find a 
religious meaning behind the series.  As tempting as it is to compare parts 
of Harry Potter to Christianity, especially in light of the Narnia series' 
revival, readers seem to be ignoring the various cultural references found 
throughout.  IMO, it seems almost a certain doom to use witches and wizards 
as the prime protagonists in a Christian novel.  I found an article dated 
July 13, 2005, about the new Pope's views on Harry Potter.  The site can be 
found here: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/jul/05071301.html

"In a letter dated March 7, 2003 Cardinal Ratzinger thanked Kuby for her 
"instructive" book Harry Potter - gut oder bse (Harry Potter- good or 
evil?), in which Kuby says the Potter books corrupt the hearts of the young, 
preventing them from developing a properly ordered sense of good and evil, 
thus harming their relationship with God while that relationship is still in 
its infancy.

"It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are 
subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort 
Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly," wrote Cardinal 
Ratzinger.

The letter also encouraged Kuby to send her book on Potter to the Vatican 
prelate who quipped about Potter during a press briefing which led to the 
false press about the Vatican support of Potter."

It seems to me that JKR wouldn't use witches and wizards (often associated 
with being in cohorts with the devil, see the Salem Witchcraft Trials, the 
term "witchhunts" which refer to looking for the bad people, and many other 
negative associations) to express Christianity.  Also, I would assume that 
JKR would respond to the Pope and insist that she was attempting to teach 
children Christianity, I don't see her allowing the Pope to suggest such 
things about her series if she was really trying to instill Christian 
morals.  Rather I see her encouraging children to learn more about the world 
in which they live and, also, to live morally.  A book doesn't need to teach 
Christianity to teach morality.
~ Rachel