I was reading a review by Plugged In, Focus On the Family. I was reading a review on the Harry Potter books, the seventh one specifically. The critic said that though the character development was great and the books themselves were good, that J.K.R. insisting on Love being her ultimate force instead of God makes them sinful or not wonderful books. He said that was what made the difference between Tolkien's and her books, but Tolkien didn't have God and Jesus in his books either.
I thought this was a bit contradictory. Further more, Rowlings books can be a wonderful parallel to Christianity if one is looking to make it into that. Harry always chooses good over evil and love over hate. I don't know, read the review if you want... http://www.pluggedinonline.com/articles/a0003326.cfm
and tell me what you think on the matter, but please, please, please..don't turn this into a a place where you generalize and say "All Christians are so closed minded..and so forth. Thanks guys!
2007-11-20 15:29:08 · 12 answers · asked by cocobeware 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
As with Aslan in the Narnia series and Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, there is a lot of Christ-imagery surrounding the character of Harry. Harry, however, is a lot more of an ambiguous character than Gandalf and Aslan in that there are certainly spots where he is very human, very vulnerable, and tempted by the dark side. If you actually read the Gospels closely, you can see similar moments of humanity in Jesus.
A certain segment of the Christian community today (which is very different from the dominant segments of the community in the 1930s when C.S. Lewis wrote the Narnia stories and Tolkien wrote the stories about Middle Earth) has problems with this type of literature. Unless the book is explicitly Christian, its not acceptable to this narrow but vocal segment. Likewise, any suggestion of Christ's humanity is unacceptable.
I think most Christians can see the moral lessons in Harry Potter as consistent with Christianity. However, the vocal critics will get more attention than those who see Harry Potter as a wonderful opportunity for evangelism.
p.s. Gandalf was a wizard too.
2007-11-20 16:26:48 · answer #1 · answered by Tmess2 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I agree with you, this is certainly contradictory. "God is Love", so if love is the ultimate force, what is being said?
There are a lot of people discussing this matter, and I have found much better resources than Focus on the Family (which tends towards being extremely conservative). One of the best places where this is being discussed on an academic level is hogwartsprofessor.com, and that site gives you links to lots of other good sites. The depth of Christian imagery in HP books goes far deeper than most people imagine it could.
Read articles by John Granger, who is a Christian who has written extensively about the parallels between Harry Potter and Christianity.
2007-11-21 08:05:14 · answer #2 · answered by crazyperson1972 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you really look deeply into it I think you will find that Harry Potter (particuarly book 7) is almost a tribute to christianity. I am not religious at all but even I noticed the ultimate parallel in book 7. This parallel being that Harry dies near the end of the book then comes back from the dead to save humanity...hhhmmm sounds sort of like another story I have heard before...
I can't see how the Harry Potter books are 'sinful'. This is ridiculous, it's just a story, a series of books that happen to be the most successful books of all time. Forgive me, but I think you might find that the sin being committed is not by Rowling but by others, it's called jealousy.
2007-11-20 16:11:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
The thing I really love in all this is that I'm always hearing how God is love. Ok, so if that's the case, then isn't Rowling saying in essence that God is the most powerful force? I've always understood love wasn't a sin, but lust and adultery were. Rowling is not giving us either. Personally from what you've said it sounds like someone doesn't want to use the usual Harry Potter teaches kids to worship the devil arguement. So instead they are trying a slightly fresher approach by claiming Harry Potter teaches kids to sin.
2007-11-20 15:44:44 · answer #4 · answered by knight1192a 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I loved the books and I think Harry is a marvelous character and great role model. I am glad that she didn't bring God into it so that other religions besides Christianity can see the wonderful morals in Harry's character.
I grew up in a mixed religion family. I got very tired of people preaching what religion I should be. I will not say all Christians are closed minded but far too many are for my taste.
2007-11-20 16:30:47 · answer #5 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I don't think all Christians are close-minded.
The author of the review will make more controversy by stating negative things than positive things. Also makes him seem like an authority.
I really can't see his argument. Many Christians believe that God = Love, so choosing Love is inherently godly.
I guess by his reasoning, any novel that does not have divine intervention for a solution is sinful. The character can't overcome their addictions on their own, or that will be sinful. The character can't find their soulmate on their own, or that will be sinful.
Rubbish to me.
2007-11-20 15:41:00 · answer #6 · answered by aggylu 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
tolkien was a devout roman catholic (it was he who coaxed cs lewis out of his original atheism, so tolkien is part responsible for the narnia books as well as lord of the rings).
tolkien had an overt christian (and anti-german) message to deliver in the lord of the rings. if you believe a book is improved by having the added ingredient of a christian message (as your reviewer does) then the lord of the rings is going to be preferable to any secular book whatever.
(personally i have always been dismayed by the covert approval of recreational drug-use (pipeweed) in lotr - but perhaps that is just me).
jk rowling's books have no anti-christian bias, but probably are dangerous to christianity inasmuch as they show people who are moral, good and loving without any reference to a supernatural belief of any sort. (nearly headless nick, when he talks about why sirius will not return as a ghost, makes it clear to harry that the ethics of the harry potter series are entirely secular).
personally i think this makes jk rowling's books infinitely superior as literature to any work with a subliminal message - whether that means the lord of the rings, the ralph wantoknow books, or the left behind series. i prefer literature to be honest with me.
but if christianity is the central tenet of your life, then obviously you will want it in everything.
2007-11-21 06:31:09 · answer #7 · answered by synopsis 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It really does depend on how you look at it. Some people think it is about witch craft and that it's evil. I think that if these particular people would just read one of the books, they'd realize how wrong they are. There can be some Christian symbolisim, if you look at it that way, but you really don't have to. I've grown up in a religous family. I really don't look at Harry Potter in a religous way, I read them because I enjoy them.
2007-11-20 15:35:13 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
i think of, because of the fact that's magical and all, Fred's hand might disappear from the clock - having his hand there for all that factor after his dying may well be demanding, if no longer provoking, for the Weasleys, does no longer it? besides, if each and every ineffective member of the Weasley family contributors grew to become into nevertheless on the clock, it may well be overcrowded with hands. yet, then lower back, it ought to have been basically the Weasleys all of us be responsive to. and that i do no longer think of there's a factor categorised 'ineffective', to be honest - it is basically extraordinary and pointless. For the disappearance of the hand (if it did in fact disappear), i think of it might basically vanish or at as quickly as fade away: that's what magic can do, in spite of each and everything.
2016-10-17 14:09:39 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
was this after rowling said the main wizard guy was gay? im sure that didnt help with the focus on the family people. if not, the fact that there is something to do with magic and what not harry potter will never be favorably recieved by the christian folks. sorry if thats closed minded, but james dobson's reliability on shunning all things 'evil' is fairly reliable. just look at how he dropped his buddy the gay preacher guy. what loyality.
2007-11-20 15:38:52 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋