[HPforGrownups] Re: The Role of Religion in the Potterverse

[No Limberger]

No: HPFGUIDX 186217

>Sartoris22 wrote:
>SNIP<
>I find it odd that neither the narrator nor a muggle character compares
>Voldemort to Hitler. However, that omission doesn't stop me from
>comparing Voldemort to Hitler.
>SNIP<
>Although an author's intentionality is an interesting debate,
>and I do believe Rowling intended the Christian allusion...

No.Limberger responds:
Yes, I would agree that there is some similarity between
Voldemort and Hitler due to the similarities in racial purity
between the two.  Ultimately, Voldemort was just more
interested in personal power more than anything else, which,
to me, would be an indicator of very low self-esteem.  The mind
makes many connections between different individuals,
objects and situations.  This is part of how the human mind
works to identity, rationalize and understand.  Is it possible
that JKR could have drawn from Hitler in her creation of
Voldemort?  Yes, just as it is possible that she drew upon
her beliefs in the creation of the Harry Potter novels.  The
distinction that I make here with most is that I in now believe
that she had any intent of writing what could be termed
Christian novels because, I believe, while she may have drew
upon personal Christian beliefs in writing Harry Potter, she
also deliberately did not make religion a major component
of the books.  Had her intent been to promote Christian
beliefs, then the novels would reflect this far more than they
currently do and ever will.

As to the notion that some see Harry Potter as a
"Christ figure", the definition of a "Christ figure" can be
so broad that anyone who performs a heroic act is
automatically a Christ figure.  Thus, the term has little
value because a difference that makes no difference is
no difference.  If people want to see Harry Potter as a
Christ figure, they can certainly do so, just as followers
of other religions can equate the stories to their own
personal religious beliefs.  It's all a matter of perception,
including people who want to believe that JRK deliberately
intended the novels to promote a Christian allusion.
Christianity was not the first religion to promote a
belief in life after death or an immortal soul, nor is it
the only religion that promotes such beliefs today.
People with strong Christian beliefs will readily
identify with these concepts within Harry Potter.
However, to conclude that the imagery was deliberately
included to promote Christian beliefs lacks
sufficient evidence.  Additionally, the fact that
the Judeo-Christian bible strongly condemns both
witchcraft and homosexuality makes many
Christians condemn the Harry Potter novels.
Thus, there is no strong consensus even among
Christians that the novels promote Christian beliefs.
Again, it's all a matter of personal perception that
determines how each individual chooses to see them.


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