Magical Latin

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 186122

> >m responded:
> >Others have mentioned that we have a friar wandering the halls of Hogwarts.
> 
> No.Limberger responds:
> The ghosts that wander the halls of Hogwarts are not limited to friars.

Magpie:
I'm confused as to what that means. I didn't say they were limited to friars, but just that friars exist as something that exists and is recognized. Just as they would be in the UK. References to specific religions are all Christian (that I remember) but the characters are mostly secular. Harry knows what a friar is, but can't quote the Bible. 

> >m responded:
> >As to whether there would be book burnings if they were as Christian as
> people
> >suggest, sure they would.
> 
> No.Limberger responds:
> Some Christian groups in the U.S. have burned Harry Potter books.  This is a
> 
> fact, and many Christian groups in the U.S. continue to preach against
> reading
> any Harry Potter books.

Magpie:
I know they have. I was saying that the fact that they burn them and preach against them does not mean that the characters in the book don't live in a world that mirrors the modern UK as far as its association with Christianity. For some people witchcraft and wizardry is anti-Christian, and that's a big part of the objection. Other Christians consider the books not only good but pro-Christian.

 
> >m responds:
> >I'm sure Dudley was baptized just like Harry was, whether or not the
> Dursleys
> >attend church regularly.
> 
> No.Limberger responds:
> Again, this is presumption based upon a preferred definition of the term
> "godfather",
> which I responded to Geoff earlier.

Magpie:
My apologies there--JKR once referred to Harry's "christening" in an interview and I think I incorporated it into the text in my head.

So what are you saying about how the books are/aren't in terms of Christianity? I thought you were claiming that Wizards had some alternative religious identity to the religious identity of modern people in the UK. Which would mean some devout Christians, some secular people, some nominal Christians, and many other religions as well--Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist etc. All the religions you'd find in the UK. Though some of those would have been introduced to the UK relatively recently compared to others. I've no doubt the Dursleys consider themselves CoE but probably only go to church on certain holidays, if at all. What they would consider "normal"--mainstream, but not too religious.

-m