[HPforGrownups] Re: Is Harry Potter the Son of God?

[Metylda]

No: HPFGUIDX 171143


--- Ken Hutchinson <klhutch at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> Katie:
> 
> Also, may I beg to point out that Evangelical
> Christianity is
> incredibly different from mainstream Christian
> religions, and quite
> disturbing to a lot of us (Catholic here). I was
> unaware that JKR WAS
> an Evangelical Christian...where is this public
> knowledge? I would
> really be disappointed if 6 wonderful and creative
> books turned out
> to be a vehicle for some kind of religious message.
> YUCK.
> 
> Ken:
> 
> I think that you should know that you are being
> deeply offensive here.
> Perhaps you don't intend to be but you are. You seem
> to be buying into
> the common secular American demonization of
> Evangelical and
> Fundamentalist Christianity which I struggle to
> comprehend because it
> is propagated by those who apparently think of
> themselves as tolerant
> and open minded. Tolerant and open minded towards
> everyone but me, I
> suppose. 

<snippage>

> Ken


bamf:

While many of the Christian religions have the same
core, many of them go about them in different ways. 
Evangelical is a way many groups describe themselves.
(I have also had my head chewed off my Evangelical
Lutherans for saying that all Christians believe the
same thing. Their argument was simply they were right
and I was wrong.) Evangelicals tend to be those that
want to thrust their religion on everyone.  My
opinion.

I do not believe it is a media bias towards many of
the Evangelical groups - they have a 'bad rep' among
more main stream religions.  They tend to be louder,
and have much more of a conservative opinion of things
that bothers many main stream people.  In my area,
they protest in front of stores (not protesting the
stores, but along the highway in front of them) which
does cause a severe drop in business to those stores,
even though the stores have nothing to do with the
protesters.  

I also tend to agree about the HP books NOT being a
tool for evangelizing, proselytizing, or advocation of
any one religion.  I simply think that JKR's comment
of so many years ago means that if we knew her
religion, we would know what values she has.  In the
Christian religion, forgiveness is a huge value as is
treating other people decently. Both of which also
seem to be huge parts of HP (the hat singing about
getting along and ignoring house boundaries, treatment
of Lupin and Hagrid, the whole pureblood vs. halfblood
vs. mudblood vs. squib, etc.)

But, to say that HP is a Christian allegory, does
cheapen the books.  To me, they have many Heathen
aspects to them.  To others, it maybe Pagan.  

But that does not mean I'm going to advocate them as
Heathen, just that they demonstrate a lot of Heathen
qualities.  

And I agree with Katie.  I, too, get sick of seeing
the argument of HP as a Christian book come up again
and again.  Faith is deeply personal, and people will
take from the books what they want.  Not what others
think they should. 

Heathenly,
bamf, Recovering Catholic

There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast.

*****

Me t wyrd gewf


 
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