Comments on: Harry Potter and the Religious Whiners

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 02:12:15 +0000

Oh please. I’m fed up with Christian’s finding a ‘Christian allegory’ in any popular work of fiction. Harry’s mother sacrifices herself to save Harry - it must be a Christian allegory! I’m an athiest and without a second thought would sacrifice myself to save either of my daughters, as I’m sure would nearly any mother (or father) - Christian’s don’t have a monopoloy on ‘love’ of this nature.

Harry celebrates christmas etc - it must be a Christian allegory! Well I celebrate these holidays too without any spiritual influence - they have ‘evolved’ into secular traditions not necessitating any Christian belief.

One writer speaks of the books being built around the ‘ideas of love, sacrifice, forgiveness, mercy, and redemption. It’s everything that Jesus taught …’ - please! These may represent some Christian ideals but they are far from unique to Christian faith, or theism of any kind. Get a grip. It’s said to be a Christian allegory insofar as it incorporates these ‘positive ideals’ but not to the extent that other aspects of the book (like, let’s say, magic!) interfere. Let’s just enjoy the book as a work of fiction without the desperate need to claim theistic intent. (and, of course, simply because Rowling is a Christian and may have borrowed from some of the more positive aspects of Christianity does not make the book a Christian allegory)

By: catherine

catherine — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 18:39:44 +0000

Wow…that’s so ironic, I’m not sure if I should laugh or cry.

I just posted my own reveiw…I’d love to hear what others think!

http://catherinemcniel.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-final-post-about-harry.html

By: Peter

Peter — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 13:39:55 +0000

I do not think is a specific attack on anti-Semitism but an attack on prejudice and racism more generally. The entire issue of “pure blood” wizards vs. other magical humans and creatures is a sharp criticism of heirarchical thinking, mutual mistrust and oppression.

Yes, precisely. But I think that the “Harry Potter is Satanic” people are far more likely to sense (and be made uncomfortable by) the similarity to anti-semitism than the broader view.

By: ellenbrenna

ellenbrenna — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 23:18:48 +0000

I do not think is a specific attack on anti-Semitism but an attack on prejudice and racism more generally. The entire issue of “pure blood” wizards vs. other magical humans and creatures is a sharp criticism of heirarchical thinking, mutual mistrust and oppression.

By: Zuzu

Zuzu — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 19:01:40 +0000

If God dies, who’s gonna pay for the funeral?

By: Mighty Ponygirl

Mighty Ponygirl — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 18:53:02 +0000

God also dies in the end of Trek movies directed by William Shatner. Which is really quite poetic.

By: Nomie

Nomie — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 18:36:28 +0000

human - sure they are! Voldemort is all about the “purity” of the wizarding people, wanting to destroy Muggles and stamp out the “impurity” of those with Muggle or “Mudblood” ancestry. The preservation of pureblooded families is another part of his pseudo-Hitlerian crusade, along with the idea that Muggle sympathizers like the Weasleys are “blood traitors.” There’s some stuff in book 7 that makes this even more blatant, like compulsory registration of Muggle-born wizards.

By: Flamethorn

Flamethorn — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 01:03:10 +0000

Who Dies in Harry Potter? God

No, no no. God dies in Philip Pullman’s books. Sheesh.

By: Mighty Ponygirl

Mighty Ponygirl — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:41:43 +0000

Kat — don’t forget, in the last book, Harry kills Ron so that he can marry Hermione! It was very “King David” if you ask me. :p

By: Kat

Kat — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:59:25 +0000

In every book, the families all celebrate Christmas, so I don’t agree that the book is completely absent of Christian reference. The fundies are fussy about the fact that Rowling hasn’t made it an obvious focal point of Harry’s life and if you aren’t wearing it on your sleeve then you must be a heathen. Boo hoo. In the meantime, Harry is a “good” figure, who sometimes gets angry or bitter or falters… sort of like some Christian heroes. But overall, the message is that its hard being good all the time, temptations, challenges, and disappointments are around us, but if you stay the course good will overcome evil. Not exactly a satanic message.