Comments on: Harry Potter and the Godly Hallows http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Sun, 8 Nov 2009 12:21:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Rivkah http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-272345 Fri, 20 Jul 2007 22:42:05 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-272345 I've never really found the Chronicles of Narnia to be heavy-handed in their message, even after reading the whole series for the third time as an adult. It's obvious where he gets his inspiration, but Lewis treats Christian story the same way many authors have treated Greek and Roman and Egyptian mythology to influence their stories; novels and series derived from older, religious stories, turned and twisted into something either different or more modern. Perhaps, though, we take more offense at Christian mythological influences in stories than we would with Greek and Roman because it's something we find more personal and still an important part of modern society instead of something faded into the distant past? And because nobody's ever had a man in a toga waving the Illiad in their face, screaming for them to convert. ;) <i>The universal truths are the ones that matter.</i> Word. :D I’ve never really found the Chronicles of Narnia to be heavy-handed in their message, even after reading the whole series for the third time as an adult. It’s obvious where he gets his inspiration, but Lewis treats Christian story the same way many authors have treated Greek and Roman and Egyptian mythology to influence their stories; novels and series derived from older, religious stories, turned and twisted into something either different or more modern. Perhaps, though, we take more offense at Christian mythological influences in stories than we would with Greek and Roman because it’s something we find more personal and still an important part of modern society instead of something faded into the distant past? And because nobody’s ever had a man in a toga waving the Illiad in their face, screaming for them to convert. ;)

The universal truths are the ones that matter.

Word. :D

]]> by: Tag http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-267988 Thu, 19 Jul 2007 03:48:07 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-267988 The marvelous thing (which is, in fact, not marvelous except by my black sense of humor) about the types who are up in arms about whether or not the HP books condone paganism or witchcraft or Satanism et al (which are all conflated to mean the same thing in their minds) is that the very BALLS on these people that they think they have a right to know definitively so they KNOW whether or not to expose their children and really anyone's children, that supposed chutzpah is the biggest tell of just how insecure in their supposed convictions they are. Is the antithesis of Satgancraft such weak tea that these whimsical little romps pose such a threat to them? Wouldn't anything so feeble be almost deserving of that sort of competition, such as it is, for demanding that much of a headstart? I should admit here that I am a complete Harry Potter Luddite. I have read none of the books, and the only reason I've halfway seen the first movie and only that one is because I saw it with the alternative soundtrack created by SuperDeluxe.com's Brad Neely (which is pants-pissingly hysterical; hunt it down online: "Wizard People, Dear Reader"). I belong to the camp that sees more than a passing resemblance between Harry and Tim Hunter, and that's troubling. Someday, once all the hype and craze has passed, I think I'll sit down with the entire series and enjoy them on their own merits. I just wonder, though: if an openly agnostic or atheist or something other than your baseline Judeo-Christian sect (and I'm not so sure about the Judeo- part) put out a children's book of diverting yarns that could, in certain lights, seem to endorse their particular worldview, would the "good" people of established faiths be as forgiving and accepting, as their particular faiths prescribe, as the dogma-deprived seem to be of these great series for the literary satisfaction they bring nevertheless? This is not merely a hypothetical for me, as I have conceived of stories, some intended for younger readers, which have varying shades of some less than popular ideas, some of which are at direct odds with certain sacred cows. Must I couch these ideas in the gelcap of the idiom with which they are most transfixed? Maybe I have to make a pagan action hero out of Jerry Falwell; that'd be positively Frankensteinian. The marvelous thing (which is, in fact, not marvelous except by my black sense of humor) about the types who are up in arms about whether or not the HP books condone paganism or witchcraft or Satanism et al (which are all conflated to mean the same thing in their minds) is that the very BALLS on these people that they think they have a right to know definitively so they KNOW whether or not to expose their children and really anyone’s children, that supposed chutzpah is the biggest tell of just how insecure in their supposed convictions they are. Is the antithesis of Satgancraft such weak tea that these whimsical little romps pose such a threat to them? Wouldn’t anything so feeble be almost deserving of that sort of competition, such as it is, for demanding that much of a headstart?

I should admit here that I am a complete Harry Potter Luddite. I have read none of the books, and the only reason I’ve halfway seen the first movie and only that one is because I saw it with the alternative soundtrack created by SuperDeluxe.com’s Brad Neely (which is pants-pissingly hysterical; hunt it down online: “Wizard People, Dear Reader”). I belong to the camp that sees more than a passing resemblance between Harry and Tim Hunter, and that’s troubling. Someday, once all the hype and craze has passed, I think I’ll sit down with the entire series and enjoy them on their own merits.

I just wonder, though: if an openly agnostic or atheist or something other than your baseline Judeo-Christian sect (and I’m not so sure about the Judeo- part) put out a children’s book of diverting yarns that could, in certain lights, seem to endorse their particular worldview, would the “good” people of established faiths be as forgiving and accepting, as their particular faiths prescribe, as the dogma-deprived seem to be of these great series for the literary satisfaction they bring nevertheless? This is not merely a hypothetical for me, as I have conceived of stories, some intended for younger readers, which have varying shades of some less than popular ideas, some of which are at direct odds with certain sacred cows. Must I couch these ideas in the gelcap of the idiom with which they are most transfixed? Maybe I have to make a pagan action hero out of Jerry Falwell; that’d be positively Frankensteinian.

]]> by: Brad http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-264149 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:40:06 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-264149 what I meant was I don't think she will be as heavy-handed a la Lewis because her story was so intricately plotted from day one -- if the message is in there it is stretched out like a thread. People will write books about it. But I don't agree that Milton is a failure -- I think that was his point, that you can't reconcile these two situations, but Auden is Auden so I will bow quietly and leave the lecture hall. When's the Paradise Lost movie with Shia LeBoef as Adam? Where the hecks is that Prince Caspian movie? and here is my waking nightmare: that at the midnight sale some nerds roll up in trucker hats and "Sith Lord" black tees. They get the book, open to the last page and start reading! Or read it and shout it out!!!! Have I lost it completely or do others have this fear as well? We need a BioDome sans Pauly Shore to read in peace. With chocolate frogs for all. ok, no more comments BR what I meant was I don’t think she will be as heavy-handed a la Lewis because her story was so intricately plotted from day one — if the message is in there it is stretched out like a thread. People will write books about it. But I don’t agree that Milton is a failure — I think that was his point, that you can’t reconcile these two situations, but Auden is Auden so I will bow quietly and leave the lecture hall. When’s the Paradise Lost movie with Shia LeBoef as Adam? Where the hecks is that Prince Caspian movie?

and here is my waking nightmare: that at the midnight sale some nerds roll up in trucker hats and “Sith Lord” black tees. They get the book, open to the last page and start reading! Or read it and shout it out!!!! Have I lost it completely or do others have this fear as well? We need a BioDome sans Pauly Shore to read in peace. With chocolate frogs for all.

ok, no more comments

BR

]]> by: Cam http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-264142 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:32:55 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-264142 Hi Heidi, Yeah, duck and cover man. I just read an email on Tech Crunch saying that Deathly Hallows copies just hit the Torrent sites. There's no stopping it now... Runaway train... Turn off all media for the next 3 days... Hi Heidi,
Yeah, duck and cover man. I just read an email on Tech Crunch saying that Deathly Hallows copies just hit the Torrent sites. There’s no stopping it now… Runaway train… Turn off all media for the next 3 days…

]]> by: Brad http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-263469 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:27:08 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-263469 how dare all of you for questioning Queen JK: she will do what she always does: write brilliant sentences that become incredible chapters that become no less than big life experiences. Can't wait. Really wish that there could be no spoilers so I could take my time though. If there is a 'big' death or something, it will be CNN that spoils it, don't you think? I don't think there will be though. I did hear Meredith Viera say "so who's she going to off?" and I felt dirty down to my innerest molecule. I turned off the TV but I could still see her smile. I liked the last movie too -- Umbridge was SPOT-ON even though the Weasley's final hoo-hah didn't have the Catherine Wheel that spelled out "Poo." And no Mungo's. But SO much better than the unremarkable and unforgivable? Goblet (how do you NOT include the World Cup?). But the House of Black wallpaper family tree with Kreacher? SHIVERS BR how dare all of you for questioning Queen JK: she will do what she always does: write brilliant sentences that become incredible chapters that become no less than big life experiences. Can’t wait. Really wish that there could be no spoilers so I could take my time though. If there is a ‘big’ death or something, it will be CNN that spoils it, don’t you think? I don’t think there will be though. I did hear Meredith Viera say “so who’s she going to off?” and I felt dirty down to my innerest molecule. I turned off the TV but I could still see her smile.

I liked the last movie too — Umbridge was SPOT-ON even though the Weasley’s final hoo-hah didn’t have the Catherine Wheel that spelled out “Poo.” And no Mungo’s. But SO much better than the unremarkable and unforgivable? Goblet (how do you NOT include the World Cup?).

But the House of Black wallpaper family tree with Kreacher? SHIVERS

BR

]]> by: Ekval http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-263223 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 16:27:08 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-263223 I think there are definite Christian/spiritual undertones in the books and movies as you have certainly mentioned. As a Christian myself, I find the books uplifting...there is little to no "occult" there at all to those who know much of the occult. As for your fear of the endings or an overt message, I doubt that is what Rowling meant by saying she was inspired by Lewis. Lewis' Narnia is simply aimed primarily at children in a way that Tolkein is not. Lewis is certainly overt in his allegories to Christianity, but I don't think that is likely what she is thinking. As you said, I don't think you'll be clubbed over the head with it, though there may of course be some significant sacrifice involved. I think there are definite Christian/spiritual undertones in the books and movies as you have certainly mentioned. As a Christian myself, I find the books uplifting…there is little to no “occult” there at all to those who know much of the occult.

As for your fear of the endings or an overt message, I doubt that is what Rowling meant by saying she was inspired by Lewis. Lewis’ Narnia is simply aimed primarily at children in a way that Tolkein is not. Lewis is certainly overt in his allegories to Christianity, but I don’t think that is likely what she is thinking.

As you said, I don’t think you’ll be clubbed over the head with it, though there may of course be some significant sacrifice involved.

]]> by: Mark Engblom http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-262975 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:49:40 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-262975 <b>"She’s said Narnia is her inspiration, which sounds worrisome."</b> "Worrisome"? Right...Rowling is going to hit us all squarely between the eyes with an barely-disguised presentation of the Gospel in the closing chapter of Deathly Hallows...because, you know, she's been doing it <i>all along</i>, right? How about just going back to worrying about important things like the Batgirl Showcase cover? “She’s said Narnia is her inspiration, which sounds worrisome.”

“Worrisome”? Right…Rowling is going to hit us all squarely between the eyes with an barely-disguised presentation of the Gospel in the closing chapter of Deathly Hallows…because, you know, she’s been doing it all along, right?

How about just going back to worrying about important things like the Batgirl Showcase cover?

]]> by: Dagwan http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-262926 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:24:57 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-262926 I'll bet it turns out Snape is really a Skrull. I’ll bet it turns out Snape is really a Skrull.

]]> by: Harry Potter News | Harry Potter Movie | Harry Potter Trivia | Harry Potter Books » Blog Archive » Harry Potter and the Godly Hallows http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-262650 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 12:07:24 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/17/harry-potter-and-the-godly-hallows/#comment-262650 [...] Original post by The Beat [...] […] Original post by The Beat […]

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