Harry vs. Religion
by Kassadee Marie, HSM team writer
There are people who think that anything they believe is true; that their opinion is fact. Just read a few threads on the Sony forum almost any day, and you’ll find plenty of examples. Then there are those who don’t believe that there are any facts. To them, each of us experiences our own reality. My opinion lies somewhere in between what I see as these extremes. Yes, it’s just my opinion. I believe there are facts and most of these are proved scientifically, but I don’t believe all that is real is also physical. Can scientists prove love? (There are changes in the human body when we experience emotions, but not everyone has the same changes and certainly not to the same stimuli.)
At this point, I should perhaps explain another of my other beliefs, but believe me, I am not proselytizing. I am Christian, which means, among other things that I believe in God, Jesus Christ, Satan, Heaven and Hell. However, I do not go to any church, as churches are man-made institutions and I don’t have much faith in them. My relationship with God is private, for the most part. A lot of the following is my own opinion (in case that’s not clear).
Some religious groups have spoken out against the Harry Potter novels, movies, games, the website and now against Pottermore coming to Home. It seems that these people believe that “Harry Potter” promotes magic, which means witches, which means… what? Armageddon? The Antichrist? Gun control? This concept makes me want to shake my head and say, “Wait. What? Really?” I also feel like telling these people that magic isn’t real, there are no true witches wielding wands that work magic, and that they really need to check their priorities. And while they’re doing that, they might want to look up a few words, such as “fantasy” and few concepts like “freedom of speech”. Which, by the way, I’ll happily support for them, even if they won’t support it for others. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Even though it’s a small minority of people — one poll indicated 7% — who hold these beliefs, they are a vocal group, happily writing anti-Potter articles, making anti-Potter videos, trying to have the books banned from schools and holding book burnings. I repeat, “trying to have the books banned from schools and holding book burnings”. In addition to complaints, people have actually brought lawsuits against school board personnel. It makes me shudder to think that people are this careless of our liberties. I am always amazed at people who scream for their own rights and freedoms, while trying to take away others’ rights and freedoms. Don’t they realize that a reduction in rights for others, such as the freedom of speech, eventually leads to a reduction in rights to all, including themselves?
This poll also stated that 41% of the people polled were unsure of their own view of the books. And these are people who indicated that they were familiar with the books, by the way. I hardly know what to say to that except, “Read the books again, keeping an open mind and decide.”
Happily, many Christians and other religious people do support the Potter books. And these people are doing their own writing and video making. Many church leaders have indicated approval of the books for their values and moral point of view, such as choosing good over evil; love of friends, family and others; humility in everyday life regardless of how powerful; and even the ultimate sacrifice of giving one’s own life for others. There are even those who use the novels to teach faith. I find it slightly amusing that some people state that the books promote the Wiccan religion (lumping together such things as possession, communing with spirits, sorcery, curses, spells, occult symbology, and black magic) and meanwhile many Wiccans are stating that their religious practices are highly different from almost any of the activities in those books.
I don’t find it amusing that some people who have widely criticized the books have not read all – or in some cases any — of the books. One of these people is a woman who has considered taking her lawsuit to the Supreme Court after losing to the school board, the school appeals committee, the county school board (who voted unanimously against her) and then launched an appeal against this decision to the Georgia State Board of Education. That appeal was also rejected.
I also find it interesting that atheists and secularists applaud the novels for being non-religious. It seems any point of view can be supported in the Potter books, if you choose. To quote Mika LaVaque-Manty of the liberal website Left2Right: “Religion plays no role in the books. There are no churches, no other religious institutions, nobody prays or meditates, and even funerals are non-religious affairs.” And he does seem to have a good point.
Frankly, I know there are books out there on the occult, Satanism, Paganism and also any unsavory activity that people can dream up; some of them have pictures. If people need to fight something, why don’t they go after these types of writings? Let’s leave fantasy books out of this debate, especially well written ones. Or just go fight for human rights, world peace and the end of hunger.
Let me close by saying once more that although I found much of the factual information given out in this article from Wikipedia and similar on-line sources, the opinions expressed herein are very much my own.
May 7th, 2013 by Kassadee Marie | 3 comments
Home is endlessly entertaining to this California girl. Kassadee has been in Home for about four years, and loves almost everything about it (with a few notable exceptions). She spends way too much money there, and perhaps too much time... Someday she will travel the world and write about the people she meets and the places she sees.
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You gave some good points here Kass. I have heard many people speak out against this and I believe that it is up to the individual to decide for themselves what is good for their consumption and for their kids.
Harry Potter is fantasy, not religious or anti-religion in any way I can determine. It was written for fun, not to be taken seriously at all. If you educate your child as to what is real and what isn’t these books will have no bearing on their beliefs at all. And as you said there are much more important things to be fighting for or against in this world of ours. Great read.
Nicely done Kass,
If you look at a Harry Potter book turn to the front few pages, there you find a very important word…fiction.
I know this is a big and confusing term to many, so allow me to translate: It’s not real. It’s made up, so is Santa Claus, I’m sorry to say. Arguing about something that’s not real might just be the definition of insanity.
One has to look at the motivation of people who want to ban books. It seems to me that some people are so uncomfortable with their own beliefs they need to turn outward in some strange show of bravado to soothe themselves.
Again, the word is…fiction
I never read HARRY POTTER and likely will not if for no other reason than I read little nowadays. For people who enjoy the stories, bravo!
I believe in magic, here’s Harry Potter & the Lovin’ Spoonful. IOW, I believe in magic. You define it, I define it differently? Maybe not, it’s all a mystery to me, life, love, religion and magic… maybe all one and the same.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mshS8E8IKD4