A Defense of Harry Potter

Historically speaking, mainstream Christianity in the world and certainly in America has been the instigator of numerous witch-hunts. In the last decade, the Harry Potter book series has come under fire. It has been accused of being a stepping-stone to paganism, witch-craft, and the occult. It is thought that many of the readers will begin fantasizing about being able to cast spells and possess magical powers. Some Christians have gone after this book series calling it evil and a denial of God. They lash out at any who read it, and many people have written very hateful letters to the author, J.K. Rowling.

I have just finished reading the Harry Potter series. My only intention in reading the story was to be entertained. I needed a break from all the non-fiction books I read and my wife suggested Harry Potter. I came away from each and every book with an absolute amazement of how good they were. Yes, they were entertaining, but what I am talking about are the powerful and yes, Godly messages I saw. I soon came to see that this is a series Christians should have embraced. The series is full of the Gospel story. It is a story of redemption, forgiveness, mercy and so much more. It is a story where the most unlikely and weakest characters are made strong (just like every story in the Bible). Harry Potter is a story of love.

For all those critics of the subject of magic, you miss the point. The main and undeniable thesis statement of the book series is that love is more powerful than the greatest magic of all the greatest wizards. The main villain, Voldemort has magical powers that others have never seen and could never hope to attain, but he has no love. Up against a tiny baby boy protected by the love of his mother, Voldemort’s powers are nothing. (sounds like 1 Corinthians 13 doesn’t it?) The message of “love conquers death” is a focal point of the story. The subject of becoming a “master of death” becomes an obsession of many wizards, but none can attain it. Then the wisest of all wizards (Dumbledore) tells us that “the true master of death accepts that he must die, he does not run away from it.” (sounds like Jesus doesn’t it?)

One of the things I was most impressed with in Rowling’s story telling was her grasp on human nature. Even the most protagonist of characters are shown to be very human with great weaknesses and temptations. Each of the main characters have moments of selfishness, stubbornness, pride, and moments when the say and do very hurtful things to their friends. But the reader gets to see these character’s hearts. We see their remorse, and even better, we see the forgiveness from those who have been hurt.

This series is continually echoing the theme of good vs. evil. But just like in the Bible, it is not so black and white. There is also redemption, mercy, and forgiveness. Some characters in Harry Potter we begin to think are lost and we even begin to hate them. But then when it matters most, they come running back and are forgiven (much like the Prodigal Son).

Besides all the biblical parallels, this story has much to say on subjects with which all Christians should be concerned. True friendship is a constant theme along with unity. Even unity with those who you may not always see eye to eye except that you want “good” to triumph. One of the biggest issues that Rowling takes on in this book is racism. This is a topic addressed in all seven books of the series. There are those in the magical world who believe non-magical people (muggles) are a lesser race along with magical people born to muggles (mudbloods), and non-magical people born to magical people (squibs). Rowling does an excellent job of addressing this issue and does it in a way that I believe will make many young readers think about how they treat others.

I find it amusing that because magic is present in this story, it is seen as a denial of God. But somehow The Lord of the Rings and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe series’ are excused from such criticism. And if Rowling is denying God in this series, then why do all the students take a “Christmas” and “Easter Break” instead of a “Winter” and Spring Break.”

Somehow in America, the message of the Gospel has been greatly skewed. Everywhere we turn, Christians are telling people “don’t do this, and don’t so that.” We begin that Jesus came to put us into bondage rather than set us free. However, Jesus did come to set us free, free from religion. Religion is the greatest enemy of God and it is what drives all witch-hunts. People use religion to try to better society, but all it does is polarize. The only time society is improved is when people admit they have been using religion for themselves and their own causes. Witch-hunts are the furthest thing from what Jesus intended for his followers. If we look back 2000 years, we will find that the Pharisees would have been the ones to go after Harry Potter. But today the Pharisees have been replaced by the “Christian Right”. The same “Christian Right” that has gone after the Teletubbies and Sponge Bob. Through out history there always seems to be a powerful group of misled people like the Pharisees and the “Christian Right.” They seem to think that they are the Word of God and all others are either waiting to be judged, or waiting to hear who to judge.

I think those who criticized Harry Potter without even reading it would be horrified if they were to read it now. Horrified at how wrong they were.

Not just a sandwich

Every year in this country millions of people are researching the new house, new car, or new laptop they are going to buy. They are on-line, they are checking consumer reports, and they are asking friends’ opinions. But how many of those same people are also researching the foods they eat or what their daily spending money actually supports? Certainly the things we ingest into our bodies are more important than the car we drive. And if we could help it, wouldn’t we want to spend money in places that support people and our own communities?

The Salvador Deli in downtown Greeley is one of those places. They are striving to be “great before being big” (Burlingham). Their gourmet sandwiches are, to the owners and employees, a work of art. They are not just selling a product, but rather, they believe they are there for the community. They are a fair trade business, meaning that they pay their employees a livable wage and serve a high quality product at the same time. Their employees are also involved in the decision-making and therefore care about their jobs and love what they do. The Deli has created an atmosphere that many in the community have already embraced.

In contrast, chain restaurants and other publicly traded businesses cannot offer what local businesses like the Salvador Deli can. By law, publicly traded companies have to put stockholder profits as their number one priority. Unfortunately for the consumer, most of these businesses run a Machiavellian “ends justifies the means” type business plan. The corporate food industry is riddled with such atrocities as employees paid non-livable wages (Ehrenreich), the use of illegal immigrants, outrageously poor food quality, and food not fully cooked (Schlosser). Those who have worked in the fast food industry know that employees get praised for speed and sometimes that means poorly cooked meat. This is evident from the E.coli cases that seem to sweep some part of the country each year. But besides all of this, when one spends their money at one of these chains, that money is gone forever.

Shopping at local stores means your money stays in the community. For example when one buys a burger at McDonalds, that money goes toward opening five other franchises per day somewhere else in the world (Schlosser). That money supports a food culture and dining experience that honestly lacks both culture and experience. The Salvador Deli has created an atmosphere much like a café. One is intended to slow down for a moment in life and enjoy the work of local artists, but mostly enjoy conversation and the people in ones life. At the Deli, people are customers and not statistics on some corporate master- mind’s desk in a faraway high rise.

Greeley, CO is like so many other cities in that it is divided by money, race, and politics. However, there is a large group of people in the city of Greeley who believe in a revitalized downtown. They are saddened by so many cities that have devolved into suburbs with no real town center and no place for the people of the city to gather and commune with one another. This group of people believes that to enrich their community, they must concentrate efforts in the downtown where the greatest needs of the city are found.

Currently, the city of Greeley is in desperate need of healing in its community. It has become like a miniature L.A. or Detroit. People stay on their side of the city and only travel in their personal cars to their impersonal corporate box store. All of this helps us to avoid real community with anyone of a different walk of life. Unfortunately Detroit and L.A. have a scary result related to this type of culture. They are home to some of the worst race related riots of the 20th century. This can happen anywhere.

But having community is not just about avoiding problems. Community is where life is found and found most abundantly. It’s about sharing a beer and celebrating life at the Oktoberfest. It’s about supporting businesses like the Salvador Deli who strive to be great before being big. It’s about learning from the heart and mind of local artists as one ventures out to local art galleries, craft shows, and open mic nights. It’s about having new experiences and meeting new people. It’s about seeing that the things like money, race, and politics only cause division and condemnation.

The hope for a revitalized downtown is being realized. A lot of businesses have taken a chance and are seeing success. The Island Grill of Fort Collins has moved in and has already attracted everyone from retirees to college students. The Natural Therapy Center is the buzz all around town with their inexpensive student-given massages. Wood World Design is astounding with its exquisite craftsmanship at half the cost one would suppose. And the Union Colony Dinner theatre has been sold out nearly every single night. These businesses, by taking a chance have shown a genuine love for the city and have made themselves into something people want to get behind and support. There are a lot of people who care a great deal about downtown Greeley. These people are passionate and have a contagious heart for the community and the city.

Beauty is being recaptured in the downtown as well. The original facades on many of the buildings have been restored and if one drives down 8th avenue a couple more can be seen being worked on right now. It is easy to get lost in the day when sitting on a bench and admiring the detail put into these buildings. It is a skill one does not see much of anymore.

I spend a lot of time in downtown Greeley. I bring my daughter to the park where she plays and laughs with kids of a different race. I’ve discovered some of the best food and coffee in the city. I am in constant awe of the beautiful buildings and architecture. I find myself baffled that the park, the sidewalks, and the shops are not packed everyday. I am sad that this great arena for community, and that the idea of community in and of itself has been almost forgotten. “Community” has been labeled a buzzword and a liberal conspiracy for us all to “just get along” by those who thrive off of division. But we only label what we do not understand. Come to downtown Greeley and the Salvador Deli and understand.

Recommended Reading

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

Small Giants: Companies that Choose to be Great Instead of Big by Bo Burlingham