by Travis
We’ve had a good amount of discussion here about the term “fundamentalism” as it applies to Christian anti-Potter crowd. There’s been some disagreement about what the term means. This post might help clarify what I mean when I use the term. Some time ago, I began writing some satire of [...]

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by Johnny
I received an early morning surprise yesterday as I checked this site and clicked on the link to MTV News where J.K. Rowling opened up about the Christian content in the Harry Potter novels. I do have to say that it was inevitable. JKR told Evan Solomon in July 2000, “[T]here is so much [...]

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Rowling discusses the specific Christian content of the Harry Potter series.
We will return to Lovecraft studies with the next podcast. If you’re still having trouble getting into Lovecraft, try listening to the audio version of The Shadow Over Innsmouth, being released in 5 parts by the Atlanta Radio Theater Company (parts 1&2 presently [...]

 

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Well, it’s finally happening: Rowling is specifically discussing the Christian content of the Harry Potter series.
John Granger has got discussion going at HogPro.
I think we’ll interrupt some of the Lovecraft discussion for a few posts on this, given that it’s pretty big news and pertains to what we’ve been discussing here for over two years!  [...]

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by Johnny
Berit Kjos, one of the most staunch opponents of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, reveals her gross misunderstanding of Deathly Hallows in her review, “Harry’s Last Battle & Rowling’s Beliefs“. Concentrating on the Vancouver Sun quotation where JKR told Max Wyman that if she discussed her faith then the “intelligent reader, whether 10 or [...]

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by Johnny
I want to briefly respond to the assertion held by “culture warriors” like Michael D. O’Brien, Tom Snyder, and Ted Baehr that there are Gnostic elements in Harry Potter. The latter two, in “Don’t Be Fooled”, mentions “Gnosticism” in passing as one of the ingredients along with “modern humanism” and “pagan/occult ideas about the [...]

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by Dave
Harry’s credibility as a Christian symbol/figure fixed well and good within the Christian tradition marks most of the public discussion of HP in the wake of Deathly Hallows. I’m not nearly as well versed in theology and Christian thinking as Travis or Johnny, but I do teach a lot of Rhetoric/Composition for a [...]

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Response to Drs Synder and Baehr about Deathly Hallows, in which the sarcasm is plentiful and the responses are right off the top of my head with zero preparation.
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No pubcast next week; it’s moving weekend for us!
Pub Menu

“Don’t Be [...]

 

 Hog's Head PubCast #35: A Defense Lesson [19:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1205)

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by Johnny
Who would have thought that Michael D. O’Brien and Lev Grossman would have something in common, particularly since both, while holding diametrically opposing worldviews, are so eager to say that there is no God in Harry Potter. And they proclaim this in the midst of an overwhelming positive response to the Christian themes in [...]

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Update: Virtuous Wizardry and John Granger take on O’Brien.
Atheists and Fundamentalists, that is. Or in this case, fundamentalist-type Catholics. Michael O’Brien is out with another anti-Potter essay which terribly misunderstands the series. I have no time to respond to this now (Behold a Phoenix, you want to take a shot at [...]

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iMonk has published an incredibly helpful and insightful letter, written by a Christian who ministers to Wiccans to an Anti-Harry fundamentalist who claims that Wicca is growing because of Harry Potter.  The whole post, and the links contained therein, are worthy of your attention.   A brief excerpt:
In any case, the current freaking out over Rowling [...]

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Why Laura Mallory doesn’t represent the Christian point of view; an all-out rant on her crusade against Potter; my plans for the Book 7 release; Owl Post
To my readers who don’t/can’t get the podcast: I do sincerely apologize for not getting transcripts of these. I am simply just too short on time. I’m [...]

 

 Hog's Head PubCast #15: My Issues with Laura Mallory [31:05m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1689)

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Update #3: It’s just getting uglier. If the story is correct, Laura Mallory is considering taking her complaint to court. What could she possibly hope to accomplish in court?
Update #2: It might not be over. There’s talk of an appeal. I might stop covering this story just to protect my [...]

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In light of the recent national publicity of Laura Mallory’s case against Harry Potter, I think revisiting Rowling’s words from this interview from July 2000 would be quite appropriate:
Q: Do you believe in witchcraft and have you ever done any witchcraft ?
JKR: No.
Q: What are your feelings towards the people who say your books are [...]

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The Laura Mallory protest against Harry Potter, which I’ve been keeping my readers updated on since April, has made the national news, now she’s brought her case to the state of Georgia. (HT to LaShawn)
It’s on the main web page of both Fox News and MSNBC.
It’ll be interesting to see the [...]

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