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

[leslie41]

No: HPFGUIDX 153686


> Leslie41:
> > Most if not all of Rowling's names have a secondary meaning, 
> > from Remus Lupin to Dolores Umbridge to Lucius Malfoy to 
> > Voldemort.
> > 
> > All of them, *all* of them, have secondary meanings.
> > 
> > Arthur means "noble and courageous"
> > Remus Lupin is a double play on the wolf motif.
> > Dolores Umbridge means "deceitful shadow" (plus other 
> > interpretations)
> > Lucius Malfoy is a play on Lucifer and the French "bad faith".
> > Voldemort means "flee from death"
> 
> Ceridwen:
> I don't know where you got your definitions, but some are pretty 
> far from their meanings

Leslie41:
Many of the names have a couple of meanings, or even more.  "Umbra" 
means shadow, but "Umbridge" of course as well has a tie 
with "umbrage".  

Check out Mugglenet's long discussion of name origins.  Pretty 
fascinating stuff. I used just the plain old online dictionaries as 
well.

http://www.mugglenet.com/books/name_origins.shtml
 
> Cerwiden:
> Remus is from the twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.  They 
> were raised by a she-wolf.  This is obviously Pagan mythology.

Leslie41:
Of course!  I never said there weren't elements of pagan mythology 
in the books!  There are plenty of elements of pagan mythology in 
Christianity itself!  :^) 

> Cerwiden:
> It's nice that you can find spiritual confirmation in the books.  
> If that makes you happy and strengthens your faith, then be happy 
> and strong.  But there are many reasons to use a name - Remus 
> Lupin, as you said, being a clue to his alternate nature, James 
> Potter being 'just an ordinary guy'.  Your interpretation does not 
> ring true to me at all, and I am rather hypersensitive to 
> Christian parallels, having been raised in a church where the 
> parable is the teaching tool of choice.

Leslie41:
Well, if it doesn't ring true to you, it doesn't ring true.  People 
see different things when they interpret literature, and there are 
many different ways to find meaning in texts.  

I personally think that considering the wealth of stuff in the 
Potter books that contains Christian symbolism, or mention of 
Christianity, a Christian interpretation is definitely supportable.
In many ways, more supportable than a Christian interpretation of 
Tolkien's works, who never mentioned Christianity but who as a 
devout Catholic put, as he said, "Christ's face on every page".

People see Beowulf as a Christ figure, for example.  I can see why 
and they do have a certain amount of evidence for it, but likewise 
that "doesn't ring true" for me personally.