The Trial of JKR for XC in HP (long)

[Tonks]

No: HPFGUIDX 151730

J.K. Rowling - God's Smuggler. 

Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury: Allow me to present the case for 
the prosecution in the matter of J.K. Rowling and the Use of 
Christian Symbolism in the Harry Potter books. I will attempt to 
show, beyond any reasonable doubt, that Ms. Rowling has with clear 
intent, deliberately and with forethought used symbols and methods 
of arranging said symbols to construct hidden clues that she knew 
were of specific significance to the Christian community. 

Item 1. The Defendant's past history: It is has been well documented 
here and elsewhere that J.K. Rowling has been know to use subtle 
clues, embedded clues and play on words throughout her books. Many 
of these clues are of such a nature as to have only been understood 
by some, but not all readers. AEB: The name of Remus Lupin. Lupin 
means wolf and Remus is one of the twin founders of Rome who were 
raised by wolves. This fact is not common knowledge to all readers. 
In the HP books Mr. Lupin (once a Professor at Hogwarts) is a 
werewolf. Also in her own words Ms. Rowling has confessed that she 
enjoys toying with her readers by dropping tiny clues here and there 
throughout the books. AEB: Her prideful snickering confession of the 
tie-in between "smelling of goats" of the Hogshead barkeeper and the 
fact that DD's brother was tried for "use of inappropriate charms on 
a goat". Hence the clue that the barman is DD's brother.

Item 2. Admission by J.K. Rowling in interviews that she is a 
Christian and member of the Church of Scotland. In her own words she 
has made statements on at least 2 occasions that would lead any 
rational person to conclude that she may be hiding something in her 
books that have a direct connection with her Christian faith. 
AEB: "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.'' (The 
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia), October 26, 2000)  and "Again, 
there is so much I would like to say, and come back when I've 
written book seven. But then maybe you won't need to even say 
it 'cause you'll have found it out anyway. You'll have read it. 
("CBCNewsWorld: Hot Type, July 13, 2000)

Item 3.  C.S. Lewis, whom Ms. Rowling admits to admiring, once 
said "Let sleeping dragons lie".  By this he was referring to a 
method of writing which he, himself, used in which the conscious 
mind is unaware of the message being delivered to the subconscious 
mind.  This is like hypnosis which bypasses the defenses of the 
conscious mind, and speaks directly to the subconscious mind that is 
more receptive.

Ms. Rowling has chosen as the motto for Hogwarts "Never tickle a 
sleeping dragon". There is a picture of Ms. Rowling on the back of 
the UK edition of one of the books which shows her in front of her 
bookcase.  This bookcase has a book by Freud, who is know for his 
work on the subconscious. Together these two bits of information are 
very telling evidence indeed.

Item 4. I hereby present depositions from John Granger, an Eastern 
Orthodox Christian (one entitled "The Hidden Keys to Harry Potter" 
and the second "Finding God in Harry Potter") and Father Francis 
Bridger an Anglican priest from the U.K. ("A Charmed Life: The 
Spirituality of Potterworld").

Item 5. From the books:  Here is the written testimony of our 
forensic experts and code breakers.  The document present here is 
only a small part of the proof. 

First, Ms. Rowling has created a fictional world and as such it can 
be anything that she wants it to be. Yet she has chosen to have the 
observation of both Christmas and Easter in both the Muggle world 
and in the Wizarding World. It is just quietly there in the 
background, but the fact that it is there at all must cause one to 
wonder, why?  It implies that the historical event of the birth, 
life, death and resurrection of Jesus has occurred in and for both 
worlds. It also implies that in both worlds there can be and 
probably are Christians. One must wonder as to her intent in 
allowing Christianity as a background presence in this fictional 
world. 

Secondly, Ms. Rowling has created a wise old man that she says is 
the epitome of all goodness. Of course Albus Dumbledore is not 
necessarily a Christian image. But let us look at what he has done. 
He is the founder of the Order of the Phoenix. Although not unique 
to Christianity, the Phoenix has been used by Christians as a symbol 
of the Resurrection of Jesus. Again we have to wonder what did Ms. 
Rowling have in mind when she named the Order? It makes one wonder 
just a bit, since Jesus also had a band of followers that were a 
rather motley group similar to that of the Order. (Still not enough 
evidence here to convict the woman, so let us continue on.) 

Let us look at the person of DD. He was a teacher (of 
Transfiguration), and later headmaster of the school. Jesus was also 
a teacher, many called him `Rabbi'.  Jesus was able to transfigure. 

Words of DD: "I will only have truly left this school when none here 
are loyal to me." and "You will also find that help will always be 
given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." (CS: p. 264 US edition.)

Words of Jesus: "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the 
world" (Matthew 28:20). and "I will not leave you orphans; I will 
come to you." (John 14:18) also "The Advocate, the holy Spirit that 
the Father will send in my name- he will teach you everything and 
remind you of all that [I] told you." (John 14:26)

Book I. Baby Harry, half Wizard, half Muggle, comes to the Muggle 
world from the sky. (Symbolism: Christ coming down from Heaven to 
dwell as one of us.)  Hagrid, Dumbledore, and McGonagall are 
standing adoringly at the foot of little Harry's basket on the steps 
of the Muggle home.  (Subliminal image: Three magi adoring the 
Christ child.)  Later, first year students can only enter Hogwarts 
by boat through the water. (Symbolism: Baptism)  Lily's death was a 
sacrifice of Love ( Symbolism: Lily is the Easter flower. 
Sacrificial death of Jesus.) Mark on Harry's head (Symbolism: 
reminiscent of the sign of the cross placed on the forehead of the 
one being baptized at a Christian baptism.)  Name of the book: HP 
and the Philosopher's Stone can be understood as HP and the quest 
for eternal life.

Book II. HP and the Chamber of Secrets: Ginny is led astray into 
death. (Symbolism: Eve being led astray by the serpent,) When they 
approach the Chamber it reads" the tunnel was quiet as the grave" 
(p. 302) Harry goes on alone leaving Ron and Lockhart behind. Only 
Harry and Ginny are in the `tomb' (Symbolism of Adam and Eve and 
their death because of the serpent.)  Fawkes is the Symbol of 
Christ. The Chamber is also the Symbol of the Tomb in which Jesus 
was placed. And it is the resurrection of Christ that brings life 
back to Adam and Eve. (It is Fawkes that enables Harry to kill the 
serpent and save Ginny and it is Fawkes that keeps Harry from dying 
in the Chamber.) This is why Ginny became Harry's real love in book 
6, because together they represent the new life of Adam and Eve 
(humankind) in the risen Christ. 

There are many more symbols in the other books as well, but for the 
sake of brevity I will skip ahead to ...

Book VI.  HP and the Half-Blood Prince.  (Symbolism: Christ (Jesus) 
is both god and man.) Some on the HPFGU list have commented that the 
vow in Chapter 2 is much like the Anglican Baptismal vow of a 
Godparent at the Baptism of a child. We also have Narcissa Malfoy 
pleading for Draco's life by saying "My son, my only son!" (Jesus 
was God's only son.)  However, the most incriminating evidence for 
the use of explicitly Christian imagery by Ms. Rowling is in the 
events leading up to the death of DD.

Let us first look at the last hours of Jesus: Jesus and his 12 
disciples met in an upper room. There are 13 of them at table and 
Jesus rises to give a blessing. (Remember the words of Trelawney 
about the number 13 at a table, an old saying which was taken from 
this event.) At some point Jesus tells Judas "what you are about to 
do, do quickly". (Relates to DD's "Severus, Please") Later Jesus 
goes to the garden with Peter, James, and John.  (Note the fact that 
Ms. Rowling chose those very names for 3 of the Marauders. Plus the 
fact that Sirius (the 4th Marauder) is the morning star. Jesus is 
called the morning star.) Jesus, thinking about the events to come, 
prays "Father, let this cup pass from me, but not my will but yours 
be done". Later Judas brings the Roman guards to arrest Jesus.  
Those with Jesus draw their swords to fight and Jesus tells them not 
to.  He intends to go willingly.  Jesus knows what is going to 
happen, he has predicted it. He knows that he is going to die and 
does so willingly. He is beaten, and is placed on the Cross at a 
place called Golgotha which is translated "the place of the skull". 
It is believed that he took on the sins of the world (of mankind). 
He said "I thirst".  Three more hours pass and he dies. His bones 
were not broken as were the two who were crucified with him.  He is 
buried in a tomb with a large rock in front of it.  At this point it 
is believed that Jesus descended into Hell or Hades. (Note: Inferni 
is Latin for "inhabitants of the lower world (pl.), the shades; the 
damned; Hell".)

Now DD's last hours:  DD asks Harry to follow his will no matter how 
much Harry may not want to, and Harry agrees. DD and Harry go to the 
area near the cave. The entrance requires a blood sacrifice. DD uses 
his own blood saying that Harry's is too precious. (One way of 
looking at this is that Harry himself - the symbol of humanity- is 
precious in the eyes of DD.) They go over the lake to the pensive 
and Harry forces DD to drink of the cup 12 times. (12 is the number 
of Jesus' disciples, the number of the tribes of Israel and symbol 
of completeness.) DD has what seems like a nightmarish memory when 
taking the cup. (This can be interpreted as symbolic of Jesus taking 
on the sins of the world.) And then DD says "water".  (Just as Jesus 
said "I thirst".) DD and Harry are surrounded by the Inferni who 
rise out of the depth of the lake and are dispelled only by fire. 

DD and Harry come back to Hogwarts at its highest point, which is 
the place where the Dark Mark or Skull has been cast. DD is now `at 
the place of the skull'.  Harry is immobilized under the 
invisibility cloak and becomes the `silent witness' to what is in 
essence the murder/sacrifice of "Christ".  The traitor Draco brings 
the DE to DD. And Snape (one of his own) kills DD.  So that his body 
may not be corrupted by the werewolf, Snape sends DD's body softly 
falling from the tower. (This is something of a colorful WW takeoff 
on the idea of Jesus' body and the notion of `not one bone being 
broken'.) Then the Gryffindor hourglass broke after being hit by a 
curse, and the rubies within it fell onto flagstones below.  (When 
Jesus died the veil in the temple was torn in two.) Then we see 
Fawkes flying over DD's body and singing a song. (Side note: Could 
this be the same song that Fawkes sang when he came to Harry in the 
Chamber of Secrets? Makes one wonder if it is part of what will 
bring DD back to life.)

Back to the story of Jesus: Sometime during the hours of the night 
before dawn on the third day Jesus came back to life and got up and 
walked out of the tomb. When the women went to the tomb in the early 
morning they found it empty. He appeared (almost like apparating) in 
the room where his disciples were hiding. He stayed with them for a 
number of days and then ascended into heaven. A few days after his 
ascension, while his disciples were meeting, the spirit in a form of 
a dove came to them. This gave them courage that they did not have 
before, and with His spirit within them they went on to do the same 
miracles that Jesus did.  It is believed that His spirit is with 
each person that asks for Him.  And this spirit helps the person. SO 
we can see if any of this continues into book 7. Because is may be 
the spirit of DD (in the form of a phoenix rather than a dove) that 
helps Harry to overcome LV.

Summation: It has been well documented and the defendant has openly 
admitted in interviews that she has used ideas and symbolism from 
many sources for the content of her books. It should come as no 
surprise that Ms. Rowling has also used ideas and images from the 
Christian Bible as well.  Does this mean that Ms. Rowling is writing 
a Christian story? Maybe, maybe not.  If yes, its it only for 
Christians? No. Does it mean that Ms. Rowling is intent on 
converting others to Christianity? IMO, the answer is again "No".

While the underlying message is one that many Christians will 
recognize as the Gospel message of the triumph of Love over evil and 
death, the message of the Harry Potter books is a message for all 
people and for all time.  The message is deeply entwined within the 
story in such a way as to get past the sleeping dragon of our 
conscious mind and sneak quietly into our unconscious.  As it 
permeates our subconscious and seeps into the deepest level of our 
mind to the very core of our being we resonate with the message 
because it is a message that has already been written on the 
collective heart of humanity since the beginning of time. It is the 
same message that has come to us from ancient times in many forms, 
through many cultures, and philosophical systems, but the message is 
one message for all people and all time.

The Prosecution rests its case and ask that you find Ms. Rowling 
guilty as charged.

Tonks_op