Reviews, Interviews , News, Commentaries, My Top 5 Movies, Best-Of Lists, Filmmakers of Faith, Film ForumHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
That may be one of the enduring lessons of the Harry Potter epic. Jesus said that our lives do not consist of the abundance of our possessions (Luke 12:15). In Rowling's world, that is certainly true. Love, friendship, loyalty, laughter, joy, family—all of these matter much more than all the gold in Gringotts. Or in the Dursleys' well appointed but soulless home.
A whisper of Christ
Along with revealing the back-stories of Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, and Petunia Dursley—all of which should satisfy longtime Potter fans—Rowling reveals another secret in the Deathly Hallows. It happens when Harry, Ron, and Hermione visit Godric's Hollow, to the house where Voldemort killed the Potters. There, Harry sees the murder through Voldemort's eyes. When the Dark Lord broke into their house, James Potter rushes to defend his wife and son, but it was hopeless. Caught without a wand in hand, he was no match for Voldemort.
Lily, on the other hand, had a choice. Voldemort wants to kill Harry, not her, and tells her to step aside. She could live and let her boy die. Instead, she lays down her life to protect him. The act of substitutionary sacrifice saved her son's life, just before the opening of the Sorcerer's Stone.
As Rowling said in an online interview (mugglenet.com/jkrinterview.shtml), the "caliber of Lily's bravery was, I think in this instance, higher because she could have saved herself. Now any mother, any normal mother, would have done what Lily did … but she was given time to choose. James wasn't. It's like an intruder entering your house, isn't it? You would instinctively rush them. But if in cold blood you were told, 'Get out of the way,' you know, what would you do?'"
Jeff Weiss, religion writer for the Dallas Morning News, said the first six Harry Potter books are remarkably secular. After the Half-Blood Prince was released, he wrote: "After 3,365 hardcover pages, we know an awful lot about the orphaned wizard, and as far as we know, neither he nor anyone else in the books has ever set foot inside a church, spent a moment in prayer or acknowledged (or even contemplated) the existence of God.
"In the new book, as in the earlier volumes, Christmas is a holiday of feasts, presents and decorations—with no whisper of Christ."
Writers such as John Granger (hogwartsprofessor.com), however, argue that Rowling's fictional world is loaded with Christian symbolism, but always in the background. In the books themselves, the only hint of Christianity comes in the form of Sirius Black, Harry's godfather. Since he has a godfather, Harry was baptized as an infant. (Rowling said the baptism, or christening, was "a hurried, quiet affair" (books.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_858.php).
A Fractured and Beautiful Faith
Streaming This Weekend, May 24, 2013
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BobVoice
the satan does promote "love", especially when it is "free love" with no consideration for its source and recipient. -"This book teaches to love no matter what, to be loyal no matter what situation you may be in, to fight for what you believe in and that's what this book teaches, not witch craft." They may all seem like noble and even Christian traits, but are actually more insync with occultist ideology. I have no doubt Harry Potter is a vehicle for occultism. Does this mean I shield my children from all media and commercial interaction? Do I turn my kids into social outcast's and prepare myself for the inevitable backlash of pierced body parts and black face painting? No thankyou. If you really are a Christian you will not fear the enemy, nor will your children. My kids read harry potter, but are educated enough to read it from a objective point of view. They know it is a tool of the enemy, and with this knowledge comes the impowerment to use it to reaffirm their own faith.
T.J.
The theme park is coming in 2009 in Orlando....book your flights....buy your tix and bring your wand and harry glasses....stir the cauldren of destruction. Even Frank Perretti knows a whole host of demonic spirits reside over the Orlando area so the Hogwarts theme park will fit right in.
P.Williamson
I heard Christ whispering in the first book and my anticipation built with each successive book and I was not disappointed with the last book with all the secrets revealed. It was a very satisfying ending to a great series. My thanks to J.K. Rowling for her collaboration with the "higher power."