Christianity in HP (WAS: Religion & Law in HP and Smelting Sticks)

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 169072

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Kathryn Lambert <anigrrrl2 at ...> wrote:
>
> Geoff Bannister <gbannister10 at ...> wrote:          

Geoff:
> <enormous snipping here>
> 
> Returning to the books and looking at the question of where JKR is 
> coming from, she has indicated that she is a Christian and we know 
> that she worships in the Church of Scotland, where she now lives. 
> There are implicit hints to Christian belief in the HP books: 
> Dumbledore's comments on choice; possible redemption (for characters 
> such as Snape or Draco or Peter Pettigrew), sacrificial love as 
> demonstrated by Lily to mention a few - and there is certainly a book 
> in existence "The Gospel according to Harry Potter" which draws 
> comparisons between events in the books and quotes from the Bible. 
> Obviously, the structure of the books did not lend itself to overtly 
> Christian observations (in the same way as LOTR).
> 
> Ironically, a couple of years ago, there was a groundswell of 
> criticism from a number of members on the group which included 
> Wiccans, atheists and alchemists inter alia, who suggested that 
> Christians were hijacking the books completely.
> 
> <another large snip>
    
Katie:
>   I resent wholeheartedly your insinuation that sacrificial love, redemption, CHOICE, and 
other so-called "Christian" themes in Harry Potter are Christian at all. 

Geoff:
I have only just got round to thinking replying to responses to my post, having been away 
in Cardiff over the weekend where my host's PC decided to crash thus cutting me off from 
the group for the best part of three days!

Wearing my hat as a List Elf, I felt that this thread was begining to sail too close to the 
rocks and rapids of Off Topic so I have posted a reply on HPFGU-OTChatter should you 
feel inclined to read it.