checking out the library book / Love - massively OT, mostly

[Barry Arrowsmith]

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "Penny & Bryce" <pennylin at s...> wrote:
> 
> Does it then follow though that absence of explicit reference to a god of some sort in 
the Potterverse means it absolutely doesn't exist therein?  Or, might it be the case that 
Rowling simply hasn't affirmatively displayed evidence of spirituality (Christian or 
otherwise) in the series *yet*??  Hmm?  After all, there is a graveyard at Hogwarts that was 
confirmed by Rowling to Cuaron (which is, of course, hearsay ...... but canon of a sort 
nonetheless I think).  Might there not also be a related abbey or village church or some 
such?  Seems quite possible to me, Goat's Law notwithstanding.  
> 

Kneasy:
No, it doesn't mean that a god does not exist in HP.
However, the presence of a god can be at best only assumed *unless* one is
revealed in the text.

Sure, a graveyard. In the film and as you say Jo intimated strongly that it figures
later.
Well, you've got to do something with the empties, looks untidy otherwise.
Quite ruined a little theory of mine, that did, that the Death Chamber was the
WW equivalent of the morticians viewing room and that the Veil was where the
dear departed was despatched. Pity. I quite liked that one.

> *nods*  Yes, exactly.  That is, incidentally, a big point of John Granger's thesis -- that 
Rowling is a Christian author writing in the tradition of great classic English literature 
which is, by and large, Christian.  It seems to me that Rowling has created a wizarding 
world that developed alongside the British muggle world for centuries and shares many of 
the same traditions and history.  Part of that history is indisputably Christianity.  
> 

Just to be difficult -
Unless the WW split off from Muggle society before Christianity was established 
in this sceptred isle. The dating of Hogwarts is no guarantee that the formation
of the WW happened at the same time. Only need to back-date it 5-600 years.
A mere bagatelle.