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

[Tonks]

No: HPFGUIDX 151046

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Rachel Crofut" 
<rhetorician18 at ...> wrote:
>
snip)
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.
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------ (snip)

Tonks:
First not all Christians see that as a problem. So the use of 
witches and wizards is not a problem for most of us. As to the 
current Pope's words when he was a cardinal, I think that the intent 
of his words have been misunderstood. As I understand it the Roman 
Church under John Paul II came out and said that there was nothing 
wrong with the HP books.  But even if the new Pope were against it, 
which I am not sure that he is, the Pope does not speak for all 
Christians either.

Secondly, it is not the Christians that JKR is writing the books 
for, IMO.  She doesn't need to `preach to the choir'.  I do think 
that she has used many symbols from many sources, some of them from 
very ancient religions, such as the religions of Egypt.  And she 
does mention Egypt in the books.  All of these speak to the 
collective unconscious of mankind. And those symbols have been with 
us for as long as humans have been on the earth.

Third, the way in which she writes, combined with what she has said 
in interviews, point to her using specific Christian symbols to tell 
the world a Christian message in a way in which it can be openly 
heard. Not every Christian is the kind that will accost you on the 
street (or TV) with a bible in their hand telling your what a sinner 
you are and that you need to repent and be saved or burn.  It is a 
sad thing that this is only introduction that many people get to 
Christianity, and this type is NOT what most of us are about.  I 
think that most Christians are like DD, and like the man that Harry 
is growing to be. 

I also think that the message that JKR is giving is a universal 
message. I was at a HP convention in Canada in 2004 in which someone 
presented a paper entitled "What is a Good Jewish Boy Doing in a 
Place Like This" (paraphrased).  The author made a good case for 
Harry from a Jewish point of view using Jewish symbolism. 

I have hoped that people of other religions might look closely at 
the books and show us other symbols from their own religions. I am 
sure that JKR is writing for everyone, young and old, from every 
race and tongue, etc. And the message is a universal one of God's 
Love. 

Tonks_op