Sacred Reality

This blog was started by Mary. I am a Roman Catholic wife and mother, interested in applying my faith to every aspect of my life and to the world around me. I try not to be a "Sunday-only" Catholic. However, I am still working out my faith with fear and trembling.

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Location: The South, United States

Roman Catholic homeschooling wife and mother working out her salvation with fear and trembling

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Harry Potter's Pro-Life Message

Ok, I am a very busy person, but I did a brief search, and I couldn't come up with anything on this, so here goes nothing. Forget about Dumbledore is gay. If so, he is celibate, penitent, and self-sacrificing (ok, his death was kind of morally sketchy and definitely room for arguing over it, but again, she needs a better editor) Chapter 11 in the Deathly Hallows--VERY PRO-LIFE message. Anti in vitro fertilization. Anti selective abortion. Pro-father stick up for your wife message. And pro-homeschooling, too! What you say? How? Evil Harry Potter! Bah humbug. I think J.K.Rowling needs a better editor, personally, to go back and tie up some loose ends and put in a little more consistency, but I personally think Harry Potter is a great series, all things considered. She definitely needs help with plot and with endings. But you have to give her credit for chapter 11. It is marvelous, simply marvelous.
I made the mistake of giving this book back to my nephew before I had a chance to write this post. So forgive me if I don't quote things exactly. But even if you don't read anything else, look at that chapter.
Ok, so what has the evil Lord Voldemort done? He has BANNED homeschooling, something the "wizarding world" has always been supportive of. Whoa! All of the kids HAVE to go to Hogwarts so he can brainwash them.
Ok, that alone is kind of cool. Now we have the werewolf Lupin come on the scene. He has been a grump throughout the book, and they finally find out why. His wife, Tonks, is pregnant with their first child, and he is all depressed and worried about the baby having his same genetic disorder. He said he left to come help Harry. Well, evil old Harry Potter berates him for not sticking to his wife, tells him he should be rejoicing over their unborn baby, and tells him the most important thing he can do is go be with his wife and rejoice in their child. Even little feminist Hermione says that there can be found good in his genetic disorder and to embrace the chid. (Notice they don't refer to the child as a fetus or suggest they put some spell on the kid--nope, not at all.) Whoa. Now, pray tell what children's novel for this age group, Christian, secular, or other, would actually have a prolife chapter like this in it? A secular kid might actually read this and think, hey, maybe abortion is wrong! Hey, a real man stands by his wife in good times and in bad. And perhaps, more importantly, we must always stand up for what is right, correct each other when need be, even if it means our friend might not like us anymore. (Lupin was pretty irate,zapped Harry with his wand, but he got over it and saw Harry was right.)
So, Harry is certainly far from perfect, but this chapter alone makes it a worthwhile read. Harry is always cognizant of his mission in life--are we? Are we aware of the living hope that is in us? Could we face death like Harry did, if we had to? Would we be aware of the saints about us, giving us strength? My husband suggests thinking of Harry as a parable, and I think there may be some truth in that. So, no Harry is not for all, but I think we could all learn a lesson or two from the books.

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