Baptism/Christianity in HP: was Looking for God in Harry Potter

[leslie41]

No: HPFGUIDX 153500

> Gerry:
> First let me state that I have nothing against christianity or
> christian symbolism. But as much as I don't like looking for 
paganism
> in Harry Potter (which is not there) I don't like this kind of
> reasoning either. Harry's scar is where the ak bounced. That's 
canon.
> Harry survived because his mother died for him. That's canon. There 
is
> nowhere in canon that Harry's mom's sacrifice was not good enough 
and
> that his christening somehow gave him something extra. Lots of 
people
> where baptised, obviously it did not help them. 

Leslie41:
Oh, of course!  Being baptized is absolutely no guarantee that evil 
will not befall one.  It's not some sort of "shield".  

But Harry is not just anyone, really, at least not in the Wizarding 
World.  

And if we're talking about the sacrifice of his mom, whom as you cite 
gave her life for him, isn't it logical that we also think there 
could be a larger Christian significance in terms of Jesus' 
sacrifice, who died for Harry as well? (I am speaking not necessarily 
of my own beliefs, but of the professed beliefs of his parents and 
his godfather).  

When you add that to the fact that the place on Harry's body that 
repelled the scar is the very place where he received the waters of 
baptism, and possibily unction as well, it becomes hard for me to 
think that (at least subliminally) Rowling was making a point, and 
tying together his mother's sacrifice with Christ's, and with Harry's 
acceptance into Christ's kingdom.

Not the only way to look at things, obviously.  One need not read the 
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and see Christ in Aslan, either.  
But as with Harry's scar, it is more interesting and meaningful for 
me that way.