Godfathers. Gravestones and the role of religion.

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 186146

Geoff:
Let me reiterate that, throughout this post,  I am speaking from my own 
experience of Christ so all I write might be prefaced with "I believe that
" 
or "I feel that".

In post 186142 No.Limberger wrote:
> In an earlier post, I mention that wizards & witches go back long before
> Christianity came into existence. Did the concept of a soul originate in
> Christianity?

Geoff:
In a word, no. Look at the Psalms. They are full of references to the soul.

No.Limberger:
> The concepts of an immortal soul, love and self-sacrifice are universal 
> themes that no one religion can claim ownership. I believe that JK Rowling 
> knew this long before she began to write any of the Harry Potter novels 
> and do not believe that she used these themes as a means to promote 
> Christianity even though she herself is Christian. 

Geoff;
I do not think that JKR was promoting her faith but drawing on her own 
belief to create the world which she wanted. She, like Tolkien, had no idea 
how widespread her readership would be – or even that she would get a 
readership(!).

No.Limberger:
> Additionally, I believe that it is safe to say that the WW would have  
> adopted these concepts of an immortal soul, love and self-sacrifice long 
> before Christianity came into being since, as my understanding goes, 
> the WW existed long before Christianity in the Harry Potter Universe.

Geoff;
Very true, but it is how these concepts are dealt with that separates the 
religions and how I believe a faith like Christianity differs in what has to 
be done with the immortal soul. 

Obviously people existed before Christianity, which only appeared after 
Christ, who was God in human form, spent time on the earth and 
revealing God's plan for salvation and eternal life. but Christ himself 
was at the creation.

In message 186138, Potioncat wrote:
> To my mind the fat friar, Christmas carols being sung by Sirius and by the 
> suits of armor along with other Christmas celebrations, added to Easter 
> Eggs, Godparents, the cross over Moody's grave and even the dark suited 
> wizard who spoke at DD's funeral all seem to be very Christian images.

> If JKR had wanted to separate the WW from Christianity, she could have  
> done it very easily. She could have created something obviously different, 
> avoided it all together, or pulled from Druid or wicca images.

Geoff:
I think that, as a Christian, she would have found it very difficult to create 
a fictional universe which did not chime with her own faith and write it 
convincingly enough. Like Tolkien, there is a sub-text through which the 
author's own belief shows. JKR has matched the Wizarding World very well 
to the modern UK world where there is a great deal of nominal Christianity. 
The great majority of UK residents would describe themselves as such 
although their connection to church is usually when, as it is sometimes 
jokingly referred to, someone is "hatched, matched or dispatched". But, 
as you say, there is still a lot of Christian imagery which is recognised by 
most people.

Potioncat
> As often as we've discussed Christian themes within HP, I don't think 
 
> we've ever looked at obvious Christian situations in canon. I never  
> doubted -- or probably thought too much about it -- but I always 
> assumed the WW had  the same Christian background. Even at that, 
> the epitaphs and Harry carving the cross were very big "wow" 
> moments for me.

Geoff:
For looking at Christian situations in canon, may I direct you to "The 
Gospel according to Harry Potter" by Connie Neal. This was published 
in 2002 and looks at the first four books up to GOF but would probably 
cover the area you mention.