DH as Christian Allegory (was Classical & Biblical Quotations)

[Katie]

No: HPFGUIDX 173244

<<<snip>>>
MelroseDarjeeling wrote:
 Everyone might not agree that *all* of these are intended as a
 Christian allegory, but I suspect most would agree that the      
 central point of the book, and indeed the whole series, is Harry 
 sacrificing his life for others in a dead-on parallel to Christ's 
 crucifixion.

 Betsy Hp:
<<<snip>>> In a bit of irony I've had reason to study the 
 crucifixion this week and I have to strongly disagree with 
 MelroseDarjeeling's contention that Harry's death scene paralleled 
it at all.  In fact, I'd go so far as to say that what occurs in DH 
is not only not very Christian, it's actually in opposition to 
everything Christ taught and demonstrated.

 Of course this is my opinion and I'm sure (very sure! <bg>) others 
> will differ.  But, speaking for myself, here's the problems I have 
> with attempts to parallel Christ's crucifixion with Harry's death.
> 
> Just on a non-theological basis, Jesus was surrounded by the 
living, 
> not the dead.  His disciples were there, they protested when he 
was 
> taken and in fact Peter attempted to fight the soldiers leading 
Jesus 
> away.  (A move Jesus rebuked, healing the soldier Peter had 
wounded.)> 
> In contrast, Harry seperates himself from his friends and speaks 
to the dead.  He goes to his death at the orders of a *very* human 
man, not the word of God.  And he leaves his friends fighting and 
killing those around them.
> 
> So visually the scenes are completely different, IMO.
> > On a more theological level (which is where things always get 
hairy, so again, my own opinion here), while Jesus submitted himself 
to the base laws of men to prove the Christ *above* those laws (to 
> demonstrate a higher law, if you will), Harry went to die because 
he had a bit of evil in him and death seemed the only solution.  
Harry even had his beloved dead around him encouraging him to do 
it.  Jesus sacrificed; Harry suicided.
> 
> And of course, the kicker for me is that Harry is not Jesus 
Christ. Not even close.  Looking at Jesus's actions (healing the 
Centurion's servant, protecting the adulteress, healing the woman 
with an issue of blood, taking on a tax collecter as his disciple, 
speaking with the non-elect, healing the woman of Canaan's daughter) 
and at his words (the parable of the Good Samaritan, the entire 
Sermon on the Mount) shows that Jesus was inclusive and 
compassionate. 
<<<large snip>>>

 That's my opinion anyway. <g>
> 
> Betsy Hp
>
KATIE REPLIES:

I usually avoid the Chirstianity threads on this list, mostly 
because, being someone who was raised Catholic and went to twelve 
years of Catholic school, left the church and practiced Wicca for a 
while, and then married a practicing Buddhist...my views are a 
bit...different. But I really felt the need to respond to this 
thread, and I hope I do not offend in doing so.

I agree that there are parallels that *can* be made to the Christian 
story. However, I do not believe that these are "Christian" books, 
at least in the sense of a Narnia. JKR has said that her morality is 
based in Christianity - but that doesn't mean that these books are 
supposed to send some Christian message out to the world. It means 
that the way she learned her personal morals and ethics were in the 
context of being a Christian. Just like someone who is raised Hindu 
will have ethics and morals that are contextually 
Hindu...incidentally, I wonder why it is that Christians often claim 
that *any* redemptive or moral tale is Christian? Is redemption 
copyrighted by Christianity? Why can't HP be books about personal 
truth, love, and redemption without being Christianized?

As for the Biblical quotes...she also used a quote from 
Aeschylus...who was a pagan. So...the idea that Biblical quotes 
somehow prove this is a Christian tract don't hold much water with 
me.

Further more, Harry's conquering of death seems eminently 
UNChristian to me. Isn't God supposed to be the only one to conquer 
death? IF (and I don't think she was) writing some Christian 
morality play, she blasphemed pretty good by having Harry basically 
play God at the end. 

I just don't ever see the whole idea of these being Christian books. 
And,as I have said before, that would pretty much take the magic 
right out of them for me if I believed that. 

Just my opinion! I am NOT trying flame anyone or offend anyone. I 
have been told before that I am insulting Christians by arguing 
these points, and I certainly don't mean to do that. My family is 
all Catholic, and I certainly love and respect them. I just strongly 
feel that these are NOT Christian books in any literal sense, other 
than the writer being Christian...which most writers in the UK 
probably are, right? 

Ok. No more posting on Christianity threads. I just had to say that. 
Thanks for letting me, and I hope no one is offended by my opinion, 
Cheers,  Katie