7.25.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
The recent arrest of Bosnian Serb war criminal Radovan Karadzic, who was posing as a New Age guru named "Dragan David Dabic", has sparked some eager pundits to form a link between the New Age movement and mass murder!
"The New Age Dr Karadzic was not a disguise; it was a peep at what could have been, an alternative history. If Pol Pot had come to Britain, he might have opened a respectable stall at the Stoke Newington farmers' market. If Dr Karadzic had moved to Camden market he could have become a quiet and harmless guru. As it was, he butchered half a country. The lesson is: keep an eye on those health stores."
Igor Toronyi-Lalic's correlations become ever-more perilous, performing mental acrobatics to link organic farming to murder because Pol Pot liked it, and claiming that New Age stores readily carry copies of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion". If this extended Reductio ad Hitlerum points to any conspiracy theorist, it must be the author himself.
Speaking of conspiracy theorists, want to dig up the "Harry Potter leads children to the occult" argument again? No? Too bad! Joe Max e-mailed me a link to a dazzlingly tunnel-visioned editorial from 2003 entitled "Heresy in the Hood II: Witchcraft among Children and Teens in America". Heresy in the hood! Gods that tickles me. That should be the title of a movie.
"Any Web–savvy child can be indoctrinated into a pagan worldview and start casting spells before a parent catches on to this new interest."
And they are probably downloading their records for free! Truly Satan is powerful! But why am I mocking an article from five years ago? Because the Christian anti-abortion hub LifeSiteNews references it extensively in a recent editorial by Hilary White.
"As of June 2008, the seven book Potter series has sold more than 400 million copies and the books have been translated into 67 languages. The phenomenal success of the books has made their British author, J.K. Rowling, the highest-earning novelist in history. Three years after Harry Potter, Harvey writes, a review of television programs, major children's book publishers, and popular youth websites, 'should more than confirm our initial warnings.'"
Blah, blah, blah, Harry Potter, blah, blah, Buffy, blah, blah, Satan, blah blah. Really I can't even muster the energy to debate this stuff any more. Especially if they don't even go to the trouble of writing a new piece, instead of simply paraphrasing one from five years ago. Perhaps both sides are stricken with Harry Potter outrage fatigue?
The Richmond Times Dispatch features a column from A. Barton Hinkle that looks at a recent decision by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholding non-sectarian prayer in the town of Fredericksburg (it was challenged by a Christian pastor who wanted to say the "J-word"). Hinkle explains how the ACLU could press for non-sectarian prayer in this instance, yet fight for the inclusion of Wiccan Cynthia Simpson in a different public prayer case.
"There is a defensible rationale for the stance the ACLU has taken, and it goes like this: Governmental bodies should not allow invocations, period. But given the fact that Chesterfield had done so, then it was obliged to treat all religions equally by allowing prayers from other faiths: Buddhist, Shinto, Wiccan, or Spaghetti Monster. Having opened the door to Abrahamic faiths, it couldn't slam the door on non-Abrahamic ones. In the Fredericksburg case, the ACLU doesn't want the door opened at all."
In other words, if you want sectarian prayer, you have to invite the Pagans.
Paging Llewellyn! Remember your hilarious moral victory in North Carolina? Well, you just might get your chance to repeat it in Arizona.
"Alliance Defense Fund yesterday announced that it had filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Arizona on behalf of the First Baptist Church of Maricopa and its pastor, Jim Johnson, challenging Maricopa County school district's policy on distribution of literature by nonprofit groups ... School policy permits nonprofit groups to have their literature promoting various events and activities made available to students in schools. However the policy excludes literature from any sectarian organization or literature that promotes a particular religious belief or participation in religion."
Network with some Arizona groups now, contact the local media and tell them that if First Baptist Church of Maricopa wins, you'll be happy to distribute Pagan books and flyers to the kids. As I mentioned earlier, if you include sectarian religious content, you have to let everyone in!
In a final note, Technoccult points to an amazing in-depth look at the relationship of Throbbing Gristle/Psychic-TV founder Genesis P-Orridge, and Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge, who tragically passed away last year due to an undiagnosed heart condition.
"If we can be with this woman as lovers, as partners, for the rest of our lives, thought the front man of the legendary bands Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV, who'd easily piled up enough experiences and enough identities to justify that royal "we"—it's all we'll ever want in the universe."
A true tale of magick, love, gender, music, and the art of becoming one being.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: Genesis P-Orridge, Harry Potter, Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge, law, litigation, New Age, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, prayer, Radovan Karadzic, Wicca
10.19.2007
Rowling Settles the Score
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, on a book tour, expands on her previous claims that the hugely popular series contained Christian themes.
"Author J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books have always, in fact, dealt explicitly with religious themes and questions, but until "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," they had never quoted any specific religion. That was the plan from the start, Rowling told reporters during a press conference at the beginning of her Open Book Tour on Monday. It wasn't because she was afraid of inserting religion into a children's story. Rather, she was afraid that introducing religion (specifically Christianity) would give too much away to fans who might then see the parallels. 'To me [the religious parallels have] always been obvious,' she said. 'But I never wanted to talk too openly about it because I thought it might show people who just wanted the story where we were going.'"
But for those Pagans who still want to imagine themselves at Hogwarts, not to worry, Rowling insists that the fictional school is "multifaith". But if Potter kneels to pray, it will most likely be at Rowling's Church of Scotland. Further commentary on Rowling's latest statements can be found at "Get Religion", and "Hogwarts Professor". Perhaps we can finally convince certain over-zealous Christians that they aren't banning a "pagan" book when they attack "Harry Potter".
Labels: Christianity, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Paganism, Wicca, Witchcraft
9.04.2007
The Return of the Brunswick Board!
Last year the Brunswick County Board of Education (in North Carolina) decided to vote on a new policy that would allow groups to hand out religious tracts in Brunswick County schools. This policy was meant to smooth the legal road for local Christian groups wanting to distribute Bibles and tracts on school property. But things went a bit awry when Pagan/New Age publisher Llewellyn said they would use the new policy to distribute free copies of their books through local Pagan and Wiccan organizations.
"As a publisher we are committed to the dissemination of information and recognize that indeed there is much misunderstanding in the mainstream community about so-called alternative religions and we think that our books can help clarify some of these misconceptions. We regularly donate a handful of titles here and there to various pagan organizations and festivals as part of our regular publicity and outreach programs. While we are usually approached by pagan organizations looking for donations, this time we were proactive in our approach."
Brunswick County Board of Education considering Pagan books.
Unsurprisingly, the Board indefinitely tabled the vote, fearing the consequences of real religious liberty. Now that merry band of concerned conservative Christian officials, proving that revenge is a dish best served cold, are looking to pass a new religiously-motivated procedure.
"Brunswick County school officials will consider a procedure for students' parents to challenge books available at school libraries ... Board member Shirley Babson said some parents have expressed that books such as the Harry Potter series represent witchcraft and promote the practice of Wicca. Board member Jimmy Hobbs said he sees the importance of reviewing the policy. 'The issue is a valid issue,' Hobbs said. 'I'm not attacking Harry Potter. When the issue of Bibles in schools came up last year, the ones that raised the most opposition was the group known as Wicca. Does this policy give them a free pass to get their materials into the schools? When distributing materials, we should be careful by not being biased. Is Wicca being allowed, in other ways, to the exclusion of Christian literature?'"
Take that Wicca! We are totally going to let Christian parents challenge all those Harry Potter books you sneakily placed in our libraries! They must not have heard that Harry Potter is written by a Christian and contains Christian themes. I'm sure no bad publicity will come from this move, it isn't like anyone reads Harry Potter anyway. I await further updates with bated breath.
Labels: Brunswick County Board of Education, Christianity, Harry Potter, law, Llewellyn, Paganism, Wicca
8.07.2007
Harry Potter and the Christian Allegory
Just before the final Harry Potter novel arrived in stores, I made my one and only prediction concerning the novel.
"My own (spoiler-free) prediction? I think there is a very good chance Rowling will reveal the series to be a Christian parable of sorts after the climatic ending of last book."
While Rowling has been mostly quiet about religion and her books, it is no secret that she attends church regularly and considers herself a practicing Christian. Before the release of the last book she made it plain that there was a Christian message to be found within the series.
"...there clearly is a religious - undertone. And - it's always been difficult to talk about that because until we reached Book Seven, views of what happens after death and so on, it would give away a lot of what was coming. So - yes, my belief and my struggling with religious belief and so on I think is quite apparent in this book ... my struggle really is to keep believing."
Now it seems that acknowledgment of the underlying Christian themes within the Harry Potter books is starting to expand from a small minority of Christian fans, and into the mainstream.
"Here's my mea culpa: After finishing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I realized the entire seven-volume story is at least as essentially Christian as C.S. Lewis's Narnia stories. That was a bit of a shock for me, because I've spent a couple of years writing about how the books are devoid of anything resembling explicit religion. And I had suggested that the moral themes that some Christian authors found in the books are also found in many other religions."
Scripps Howard religion columnist Terry Mattingly goes right to the source to point out the completely obvious nod to Christian ideas of resurrection and sacrifice.
"Harry Potter and his best friend Hermione Granger arrived in the magical town of Godric's Hollow on a snowy Christmas Eve. Carols drifted out of the village church as they searched its graveyard for the resting place of Lily and James Potter, who were murdered by the dark Lord Voldemort. First, they found the headstone honoring the family of Albus Dumbledore, the late headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The inscription said: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Then the Potter headstone proclaimed: "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." Harry was mystified. Was this about defeating the evil Death Eaters? "It doesn't mean defeating death in the way the Death Eaters mean it, Harry," said Hermione, gently. "It means ... you know ... living beyond death. Living after death." For millions of religious believers who embrace Harry Potter, this pivotal scene in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" -- book seven in J.K. Rowling's giant puzzle -- offers new evidence that the author is, in fact, a Church of Scotland communicant whose faith has helped shape her work. The first inscription is from St. Matthew's Gospel and the second -- stating the book's theme -- is a passage in St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians about the meaning of Christ's resurrection. Is this part of what Dumbledore had called an all-powerful "deep magic" built on sacrificial love?"
Perhaps the confusion for so long is that people focused so hard on the witches and wizards in the book that everyone assumed it was downright Pagan in orientation. Some have even themed Pagan money-making enterprises around that conceit. Or it could be that the confusion was caused by Rowling's attempts to (perhaps clumsily) insert Christian themes in a way that wouldn't "give away" the climax of the story.
"Wizards have godfathers, celebrate Christmas, name hospitals after saints and put quotes from the Bible on their grave stones, but they don't have churches, vicars or Christenings and their weddings and funerals are secular affairs."
Of course conservative Christian adversity to the books only clouded those waters, making everyone forget that one of the most famous Christian allegorical tales also involved witches, centaurs, magic, transformations, and enchanted items. Perhaps in ten years time, people will look back in wonder at all the fuss people made over the books, and everyone will just "know" that the books were written by a Christian who set out to tell a tale that included Christian themes and ideas. Harry Potter won't be seen as a recruitment tool for Paganism (by Christians or Pagans) any more than any other imaginative work that includes fantastic elements.
Labels: Christianity, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, occult, Paganism, Religion
7.25.2007
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
For those keeping track of the July 4th Pagan Religious Rights Rally that took place in Washington DC, one of the participants: Caroline Kenner, has posted a write-up of the event at the Witches Voice web site.
"Finally after all these months, we were listening to brave speeches about freedom of religion, and the need for a Pagan chaplain in the military, the need for Thor’s Hammer and the Druid Awen symbol to be recognized by the VA as the Pentacle has been. We had a diverse roster of speakers representing many national Pagan organizations: The Troth, Asatru Folk Assembly, Military Pagan Network, Sacred Well Congregation, Ar nDraoicht Fein and Circle Sanctuary. It was inspiring to see so many diverse Pagans working together, people with very different beliefs, practices and deities sharing a common purpose."
You can read all my coverage of the rally and related news articles, here.
Having exhausted all other angles, Christianity Today asks the question: what would Jonathan Edwards (the prominent colonial-era fire-and-brimstone preacher) do about Harry Potter?
"So there we have it. The most engrossing imaginative world created at the start of the 21st century is essentially pagan. Don't get me wrong - I like the Harry Potter series. I've read all of the books. And I'm sure Jonathan Edwards would have done so, too ... That doesn't mean I shouldn't read it. Nor does it mean that Edwards would disapprove of us learning from it (light from wherever it comes), but (borrowing from more recent intellectual heroes like Lewis or Tolkien) it does mean that if the world's imagination is captured by Potter-esque versions of the afterlife and the transcendent - a less-than-Christian way of looking at the world - we have work to do. The imagination is a hairbreadth away from the soul."
The article seems to call for a "Christian" Harry Potter to "rescue" the souls imperiled by their runaway imaginations, but the next C.S. Lewis seems less likely than ever in our ever more polarized society. In other Harry Potter news, James Dobson does not approve!
A new shopping center in Britain has seemingly changed its proposed name after a coven of Witches, unhappy with the proposed Witchy-sounding name of Highcross Quarter, registered the domain names first and refused to sell.
"A coven of elderly witches has claimed victory in a battle to change the name of a £350-million (about R4,9-billion) shopping centre. They objected after developer Hammerson announced a huge addition to Leicester's Shires mall would be called Highcross Quarter. That's the name given by witches to the four most important periods in the "wicca" calendar ... Once the name was announced, the witches immediately registered several Internet domain names using the term. Morrigan Wisecraft, a witch from Loughborough, said she was contacted by Hammerson within days of registering the domain names last year. She claimed the group was offered large amounts of money to part with the titles, before Hammerson took the matter to the United Nations' World Intellectual Property Organisation. Now the company has appeared to have given up on the fight but would not comment on whether pressure from the local "alternative faith group" was behind a decision to change the name."
I'm not sure if I would claim this as a "victory" for Pagans, it isn't as if "highcross quarter" is a term used solely by Pagan groups. The case seems to come very close to "cybersquatting" under the protection of religion. It brings up a larger question, do modern Pagans "own" or have rights to things we label as sacred, even if those things have other uses or contexts?
Xtra profiles the spiritual and emotional reasons behind GLBT folks' tattoos, revealing some very "pagan" ideas in the ink. [Warning: a couple of the photos may be NSFW]
"My tattoos are dedicated to my spiritual development ... [The goddess] is a higher power, the beginning of life and death, and of knowledge. I got that the same year I had my first relationship with a girl. Coming here from the Ukraine I was pretty repressed. There was no such thing as gay or lesbian, or drug use, none that was open. I wasn't exposed to any of that growing up. [The goddess] represents woman, with mothering and birth. She has two horns and goat feet so she can be perceived as Pan, a male god. That is my take on two sides."
In a final note, part two of a the three-part podcast interview with author/Witch/activist Thorn Coyle has been posted. You can find part one, here.
That is all I have for now, have a good day!
Labels: Harry Potter, Highcross Quarter, Jonathan Edwards, Paganism, tattoo, Thorn Coyle, UK, Veteran Pentacle Quest, Wicca, Witchcraft
7.23.2007
Updates on Past Stories
Psychic Wars in Salem: The Boston Globe does a follow-up on the uproar over the licensing of psychics in the "Witch City" of Salem, Massachusetts. It looks like the compromise measure put forward by the city council has defused (for the most part) an escalating "psychic war" that pitted established store owners and local celebrities like Laurie Cabot against the organizers of psychic fairs that take advantage of the tourist boom around Halloween.
"While the question of who is a true psychic may never be answered, a new bylaw regulating fortune tellers in Salem is winning praise from some people on both sides of the licensing issue ... Although the ordinance puts a cap on the number of readers who participate in the psychic fairs held at Halloween, it lifts the ceiling on how many shop licenses the city issues, which has angered a group of longtime shop owners. Still, others in the psychic community embrace the ordinance, saying it legitimizes the practice."
But tempers could flare again since Cabot and other long-time shop owners are unhappy that the compromise measure allows for the continued existence of psychic fairs that they say steal business from their shops. We'll most likely have to wait until the Samhain/Halloween season to see if a lasting truce has been established or if these "psychic wars" will heat up once more.
Meeting the Living Goddess: It looks like Nepali Kumari (living goddess) Sajani Shakya will be reinstated to her position as a living goddess after voluntarily going through a series of cleaning rituals to remove the "sin" of leaving her native land.
"A 10-year-old girl who is worshipped as a living goddess in Nepal has had her title reinstated after defying tradition and visiting the US. Temple authorities at her home town in Bhaktapur said the visit had tainted her purity, and that they were beginning the search for a successor. But yesterday they said she would not be stripped of her title because she was willing to undergo a "cleansing" ceremony to remove any sins."
Shakya was in the US to help promote a documentary about the Kumari entitled "Living Goddesses". The filmmakers and Shakya's parents were shocked to hear she was being stripped of her title while in America, and some suspected that it was a political ploy. But whatever the reason, it looks like the status quo is being restored (no doubt a flurry of critical press helped in that matter), and Sajani Shakya will return to her role as the physical manifestation of the goddess Taleju Bhawani (until she reaches puberty, that is).
Muggle Mallory vs Harry Potter: There seems to be the possibility that Harry Potter fans won't have their favorite opponent to kick around anymore. Laura Mallory, that famous anti-Harry Potter crusader, is retiring from her particular brand of Christian "activism" to follow a new calling.
"The mother who fought to ban Harry Potter books from her children's suburban Atlanta school district said her work on the case has allowed her to find her calling - ministering to children and young adults. "I never understood why I was involved with Harry Potter in the first place," said Laura Mallory. "I never expected all of that to happen, but I'm called, and my husband is called to this generation. We want to see them delivered from drugs, alcohol, the occult and sexual perversion." J.K. Rowling's wildly popular Harry Potter books tell stories of children with magic powers. The first six books have sold more than 325 million copies and they are the most challenged texts of the 21st century, according to the American Library Association."
But lest we think all those defeats in court have worn her down, Mallory claims she is still deciding whether to take her attempt to ban Harry Potter from her children's school district to federal court. So keep your popcorn handy, and stay tuned.
Labels: Harry Potter, Kumari, Laura Mallory, Laurie Cabot, Living Goddess, Nepal, Paganism, psychics, Salem, Witchcraft
7.20.2007
Spoiler-Free Harry Potter Roundup!
The massive avalanche of Harry Potter purchases start at midnight tonight. While many of us in the Pagan community have tried to distance ourselves from the idea that Harry Potter = Paganism, that hasn't stopped the press, editorialists, and assorted pundits (religious and secular) from throwing in their two cents about the "occult" and "pagan" themes within the books.
"I absolutely did not start writing these books to encourage any child into witchcraft. I'm laughing slightly because to me, the idea is absurd. I have met thousands of children and not even one time has a child come up to me and said, 'Ms Rowling, I'm so glad I've read these books because now I want to be a witch'" - J.K. Rowling
So here is a quick round-up of articles that are wild about Harry (or more accurately, wild about the theological implications of Harry) that mention Pagans, the occult, and the religious "message" of the books (plus: Wizard Rock interludes!).
"He is part of the milieu that makes interests like Wicca or paganism more acceptable, but I doubt the books have made much difference ... What is likely to happen is that any window to that type of thing that was opened by reading Harry Potter diminishes as children get older. They may reawaken to the spiritual dimension for other reasons at a later date but that will be because of things that have a stronger influence than movies. I don't think there will be any long-term effect." - Trevor Jordan, applied ethics senior lecturer, Queensland University of Technology
[The Hungarian Horntails]
"Like I said, I have only seen the movies, and there is no mention of the Wicca religion. In the book series, the magic that the characters do is not a religion at all, but what seems to be a preordained way of life. A similar defense is what the board attorney had stated and the case was dropped. Not to mention that if they had to take away any books containing witches, then Cinderella and Macbeth would be out the door as well." - Vanessa Legatt, St. Cloud Times
[Draco and the Malfoys]
"Star reporter Jen Gerson will be reading right along and blogging as she goes, starting at midnight tonight. Having missed the charms of Harry Potter in high school, she first read the series in second-year university when, penniless, she moved into a pagan commune in North Toronto to take advantage of the friendly offer of a free room with a chicken-wire door. Though the pagans felt that the books offered an unrealistic portrayal of their religion, they nonetheless lent her the first few books. Jen, having no money for movies, discovered the series offered hours of free entertainment to distract her from the horrors of, well, second-year university." - The Star, "Blog along with the new Potter"
[The Parselmouths]
"Certain elements in the books and movies ring true for members of the Wicca community who practise magic, says the president of the Pagan Awareness Network, David Garland. Spells used by the characters reflect real-life rituals. "They quote Hermione - she's the brainy one - talking about herbs and their properties," Mr Garland said. "What she says is correct. The characters use a wand and so do some of us, but they're not as powerful or impressive as they are in the book." Wands and swords, known as athame, were used to direct energy as "an extension of the will". "I put my cape on maybe once or twice a year," Mr Garland said. "People do wear robes and that's the common aspect of what we do." Mr Garland said many pagans in Australia were Harry Potter fans, though he had read only one book and seen the first movie." - Caroline Marcus, The Sydney Morning Herald
[DJ Luna Lovegood]
"More fundamentally, reactions to Harry Potter highlight the worldwide character of clashes between various forms of traditionalism and modernism. To many religious conservatives, Harry Potter represents yet another assault by the mass media, public institutions, and other manifestations of secular culture against their traditional values. In the United States, Russia, Thailand, and Australia, some Christian conservatives have condemned the books for, among other things, promoting occultism and Satanism. Harry Potter and his friends, after all, use magic and witchcraft, not only as part of their everyday lives, but also as part of their struggle against the forces of evil. Christian critics of Harry Potter argue that the Bible makes clear that all magic stems from demonic sources. By teaching children that witchcraft is acceptable and by encouraging them to play with wands and cauldrons, Harry Potter risks seducing them away from Christianity and into occult practices. It may even, the argument goes, bring them into contact with the very real demons that haunt our world." - Daniel Nexon, The New Republic
[The Moaning Myrtles]
"Is it possible Harry Potter is fostering anti-Christian bigotry in our youth? ... next time you hear your kids dish out scorn for Christians and /or Christian beliefs, maybe it's time to take an inventory of their favorite books and movies ... Rowling could decide to have Harry repent of his open rebellion against God through sorcery. Maybe she will cease dishonoring traditional "non-magic" beliefs. And, pigs could also start flying. Until this happens, Christian families need to protect their kids from Harry Potter's clever seduction." - Linda Harvey, WorldNetDaily
[The Remus Lupins]
"Old Sour Kraut himself, Pope Benny, is the most obvious example of a crank who thinks that the books "introduce children to the dangers of neo-paganism", while the American Evangelical movement has ruled that "The problem is, witchcraft is not fantasy; it is a sinful reality in our world.,But, sadly, it seems that some religious types are now trying to co-opt Harry into their own beliefs and the Church Of England is even releasing a book Mixing It Up With Harry Potter which aims to use Potter to spread the Christian message. God dammit - do the Churches have to ruin everything?" - Ian O'Doherty, The Independent (Ireland)
[The Whomping Willows]
"I had one letter from a vicar in England -- this is the difference -- saying would I please not put Christmas trees at Hogwarts as it was clearly a pagan society. Meanwhile, I'm having death threats when I'm on tour in America." - J.K. Rowling, The Associated Press
[The Marauders]
"Many religious Jews are not keen Harry Potter fans. They have tried to prevent their children from reading the books because of what they call its "pagan" content. But still, the market there is big enough to prompt salesmen to take the risk of being fined and open her shop on Saturday. Harry Potter has been a global sensation for years and this is the final chapter for the young wizard. Millions of copies of the final Harry Potter book have been shipped to all corners of the world. But in Israel, the world's most famous boy wizard is going to need a little more than magic to pacify the country's leading rabbis." - Russia Today
[The Hermione Crookshanks Experience]
"Yet some fearful parents still seek to repress Harry Potter in the belief that these stories have power to lead children to evil. "I was told by some leaders that we were going to have to train 1,000 exorcists, so many children were going to become demon-possessed by Harry Potter," said Connie Neal, a member of the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, and author of the book "What's a Christian to do with Harry Potter?" "I hope they kept their day jobs," Neal said, laughing. - Mark Hughes Cobb, Tuscaloosa News
[Harry and The Potters]
That is all I have for now. For those Harry Potter fans out there I hope you have a nice time at the various release parties. My own (spoiler-free) prediction? I think there is a very good chance Rowling will reveal the series to be a Christian parable of sorts after the climatic ending of last book. Won't that confuse the Laura Mallory's of the world!
Labels: Christianity, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, occult, Paganism, Religion, Wicca
7.10.2007
Should We Be Mixing With Harry Potter?
The latest Harry Potter film is opening this week, and the last Harry Potter book is coming out later this month, so once again the press is looking for new angles in which to report on this cultural phenomenon. Some are counting down the top cinematic Wizards (and Witches), others are interviewing the stars of the film, and some are digging up possible spoilers from Harry Potter "hackers".
"Harry Potter hackers say they have discovered the secrets behind the last book in the series, but the fact they disagree with each other casts doubt on their claims ... One hacker-theory has Harry Potter deciding to end his life in order to kill his evil enemy Voldemort and also that Ron and Hermione will both die, after which the trio are reunited in the Deathly Hallows - the Ghost World - along with Harry's late parents, Sirius Black and Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. However, a hacker calling himself Gabriel claims Ron and Hermione are attacked by Lord Voldemort and Hermione sacrifices her life to save Ron."
One might think that many modern Pagans would be eager to ride this press bandwagon, but due to the hostile reactions from some Christian communities, most modern Pagans have taken pains to explain that Harry Potter isn't some sort of recruitment tool for the occult arts, and have avoiding equating themselves with the popular series. But others in the wider Pagan community aren't so scrupulous, and have bent over backwards to insert themselves into Pottermania.
"If you've ever wondered whether you're more Griffyndor than Slytherin or ever doubted whether you really are just a muggle? Then put down you Harry Potter book and meet Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. He's regarded as the inspiration for the fictional professor in the Harry Potter series[No he isn't. - ed]. Oberon has just set up the first real "Hogworts" style school, The Grey School of Wizardry. He's also the founder of the Church of all Worlds ... The junior wizard school resembles Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series. It has the exact four houses described in the book. Oberon says these "elemental houses" are named after the "elemental creatures": Sylphs, Salamanders, Undines and Gnomes."
Yes, Oberon "living unicorn" Zell-Ravenheart, co-founder of the Church of All Worlds, has been plugging away for some time now on his online "Grey School of Wizardry" that offers to teach the "secular" science of Wizardry to Harry Potter obsessed kids and adults (mostly adults, really). Two recent press releases try very hard to tie the school in with the latest film. The first does everything in its power to convince us of Oberon's essential "Dumbledore-ness".
"When J.K. Rowling first conceived of the idea of Harry Potter, it is unlikely she had ever heard of Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. Yet as the Harry Potter legend took flight, more and more people began turning to this wise old Wizard in recognition. Oberon Zell-Ravenheart is the cover story in the Summer, 2007 issue of PanGaia magazine. His Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard will be featured in all Barnes & Noble Bookstores from July 12 through August 8 (coinciding with the release of the next Harry Potter movie and the final book in the series.) ... This esteemed Wizard is referenced or quoted in over 80 books, and he has inspired, enthralled, and enlightened many a curious mind, both young and old. In all his calm yet commanding power, in his gentle yet absolute wisdom, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart is truly the real Albus Dumbledore."
The second touts the "real" Hogwarts that is Ravenheart-Zell's Grey School of Wizardry.
"The fourth Harry Potter movie takes us back to J.K. Rowling's fictional "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," made famous as the setting for seven novels and four previous movies. These books and films have become the most popular literary phenomenon of all time. Millions of readers and viewers would love to board the "Hogwarts Express" and travel to a remote academy that teaches real magick, Witchcraft, and Wizardry. Well, as so often happens, fiction has become reality. A major online school has been established to meet these needs."
Despite how "secular" one claims the online school to be, anyone can see that the vast bulk of its instructors are modern Pagans of one stripe or another. One also would question the editorial decisions of PanGaia to tout Oberon and his school when the magazine's managing editor is also the Grey school's "Dean of Studies". But the larger question is, should we be intentionally mixing with Harry Potter? Isn't using the books and films as a recruitment tool for a Pagan-run organization exactly what intolerant Christians blast J.K. Rowling for all the time? Isn't it a bit unseemly to hijack an author's work in order to make money for your own organization?
Labels: Grey School of Wizardry, Harry Potter, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, Paganism, PanGaia
6.10.2007
Equal Time For Nutjobs
In Drew Curtis' new book "It's Not News, It's Fark", he outlines the many ways the mass media passes off crap for news. One category of faux-news he outlines is "equal time for nutjobs", in which wildly unscientific views or conspiracy theories infiltrate articles in the name of journalistic "balance". A good example of this trend in action is that famous anti-Harry Potter nutjob Laura Mallory (who now lists herself as an "ordained minister").
Mallory's quest has morphed from a quirky culture-wars Harry Potter story for reporters having a slow news day, into having her rantings printed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"The mass media today knows all too well that "sorcery sells," and the market is none other than ...? You guessed it - our children. Just take a look at the flood of occult books, movies, television shows, video games, and there's no denying it. Many children and teens today, fascinated with Harry Potter, are seeking Harry's power ... There is an anti-Christian world-view agenda today in our schools and government, and Harry Potter clearly undermines a Biblical world view, replacing it with a Pagan world view. To put it simply, that's not fair, and it's time to say so."
When did religiously-motivated insanity and a perfect losing streak in the courts translate into decent qualifications for getting an editorial printed in a large mainstream newspaper? This sort of thing should have been consigned to WorldNetDaily, instead of foisting these incoherent conspiratorial ravings about the Bible and Harry Potter on the people of Georgia.
"... witchcraft is being promoted in our classrooms ... Witchcraft has been around for thousands of years and is an abomination - detestable, vile and abhorred - to God ... God warns us of it for our own good."
Is this supposed to be "balance" for all of the critical articles and editorials the mainstream media has run about Mallory? Can we hope that she has finally exhausted her 15 minutes of infamy? I suppose if her campaign loses steam should could always switch to protesting Summer blockbuster films, as suggested by a local editorial.
"I do think, however, that Mallory's energies could be better spent ridding the world of other, even more insidious evils. Everyone knows kids these days are far more likely to go to a movie than read a book. When will Mallory and her posse mobilize to save us from the detrimental effects of summer blockbusters?"
I think this nutjob has has enough "equal time" now.
Labels: Drew Curtis, Fark, Harry Potter, Laura Mallory, Paganism, Wicca, Witchcraft
5.29.2007
Laura Mallory in Court Today
The now infamous anti-Harry Potter crusader Laura Mallory (who may or may not have a MySpace page) is in the news once more as the Gwinnett Superior Court hears her case against the school her children attend.
"Mallory is scheduled to appear in Gwinnett Superior Court Tuesday morning to argue the "Potter" stories are harmful and promote witchcraft and the occult to young people. Supporters of the "Potter" books say they encourage children to read and should be available to all students. Since she launched her anti-Potter crusade in 2005, Mallory has taken her case to administrators at the Loganville elementary school her children attend; to a school appeals committee; to the Gwinnett County Board of Education; and to the Georgia Board of Education. She's lost at each level."
Mallory (who still claims to have never read the books), eagerly shows why the press still loves (to hate) covering this conservative Christian underdog.
"Some parents who've heard about the controversy in the media, now, instead of taking Harry Potter at face value, they've started looking into the effects of it ... Personally, I don't think it's a good idea to raise a whole generation of witches, I don't think it's good for our country."
Quotes like this (conveniently timed with the release of a new Harry Potter book and movie) don't debunk my theory that she is actually a brilliant performance artist. But even if she is the simple and sincere mother she paints herself as, this crusade does more to spread the gospel of Harry Potter than any ad campaign could. So grab some popcorn (if were lucky I'll update later today with a verdict) and lets see how long her mad campaign will last. If her promise to go "as far as necessary" holds true I may be covering her exploits until she faces the Supreme Court.
Update: Laura Mallory has lost again, maintaining her perfect losing streak. Mallory claims she "may" take the case to federal court, no doubt funded by conservative culture warriors.
Labels: Christianity, Harry Potter, Laura Mallory, Witchcraft
4.12.2007
(Pagan ) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
First off, an update on yesterday's post concerning the selling of Witch School. A registered student of the school has posted a message from Ed Hubbard to the student body concerning the sale in which he further explains his actions and tries to assure members that their identities won't be sold along with the school (though the large membership is listed as an asset in the auction).
"Despite the sale, we will not sell the names of our members, and we refuse to reveal any personal information. We promised this and we will continue to keep our promises. And any new owners will be forced to the same confidentiality."
Hubbard also claims that the Hoopeston, Illinois campus will be closed no matter what happens, partially due to hostile actions by the local city council and press. It should be interesting to see the fall-out from that action since up till now they have proudly claimed that Hoopeston was a "Pagan colony", and encouraged Pagans and Pagan-run businesses to move to the town. I'll be following this story as it progresses.
Salon.com has a lengthy article up on the dark legacy of Carlos Castaneda. Castaneda was the author of the hugely popular book "The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge" in which he claimed that he was a student of a Yaqui shaman named don Juan Matus. His books would help spark the New Age movement of the 1970s and 1980s.
"If this name draws a blank for readers under 30, all they have to do is ask their parents. Deemed by Time magazine the "Godfather of the New Age," Castaneda was the literary embodiment of the Woodstock era. His 12 books, supposedly based on meetings with a mysterious Indian shaman, don Juan, made the author, a graduate student in anthropology, a worldwide celebrity. Admirers included John Lennon, William Burroughs, Federico Fellini and Jim Morrison. Under don Juan's tutelage, Castaneda took peyote, talked to coyotes, turned into a crow, and learned how to fly. All this took place in what don Juan called "a separate reality." Castaneda, who died in 1998, was, from 1971 to 1982, one of the best-selling nonfiction authors in the country. During his lifetime, his books sold at least 10 million copies."
Robert Marshall looks at the darker side of Castaneda, this includes teachings which some believe lead to the suicides of several of his "witches" (devoted female followers and lovers of Castaneda), accusations of plagiarism, and the exploitation of Native Americans.
Anti-Harry Potter loon Laura Mallory, who made the news for trying to remove Harry Potter books from the local public school library, will have a hearing next month in Gwinnett Superior Court.
"A Gwinnett Superior Court judge next month will review the decision to keep the Harry Potter series in Gwinnett schools. A hearing has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. May 29 at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, said Sloan Roach, spokeswoman for Gwinnett County Public Schools. Laura Mallory, a Loganville mother of four, asked in 2005 for the best-selling series to be removed from classrooms. She has said the books are inappropriate for children because they contain violent themes and promote the Wicca religion. Furthermore, she said, the Bible states witchcraft is an abomination to God."
One can only hope her losing streak continues.
An interfaith radio program in my former hometown is interviewing some local Pagans this Saturday April 14th (noon CDT).
"Ashley Price and Cynthia Westfeld, members of a local Neo-Pagan group will discuss the beliefs and practices of this religion, how they came to be members and leaders and what this group is actively doing in this community."
You can listen live, here, or download the podcast after the show has been aired.
In the Pagan blogosphere Deb Oak has the perfect response to the Easter controversy concerning the chocolate Jesus, Chas Clifton links to a story on Pagan rosaries (for which he was quoted), and The Gods Are Bored celebrated its second blogiversary.
In a final note, a fond farewell to Kurt Vonnegut who died yesterday.
That is all I have for now, have a good day.
Labels: Carlos Castaneda, Harry Potter, Kurt Vonnegut, Laura Mallory, Pagan Blogs, Paganism, Witch School
1.25.2007
Muggle Mallory vs Harry Potter: Round Two!
It looks like winning the "Idiot of the Year" award in 2006 hasn't slowed down Christian crusader Laura Mallory of Loganville, Georgia. Mallory is pressing forward with a Superior Court appeal to the rulings made by the local board of education to keep Harry Potter books on the shelves.
From "The Nervous Witch" by Jack T. Chick.
"Mallory said, "We will take a stand for truth, and pray God will touch the hearts of this generation." For the past year and a half, she has vehemently preached that the books indoctrinate children in witchcraft. She hasn't, however, actually read the books. Mallory says she is poised to take legal action and has apparently received "significant donations" from "supporters" in aid of this."
From "The Nervous Witch" by Jack T. Chick.
Columnist Emil Steiner, who named her idiot of the year in 2006, seems to admire her almost poetic ignorance.
"Now, without going so far as calling her an idiot (oh wait), it certainly shows a high level of ignorance to believe that a book you haven't even read is capable of converting people to a religion you know little about. Beyond the flawed logic though, Ms. Mallory's dogmatic persistence may actually end up driving more children to read Harry Potter. In a time when faith is mired by extremism, and reading is at an all time low, perhaps she feels the only way to teach the concepts of poetic justice and the dangers of close-minded fanaticism is through a polemic gesture. If not, she is demonstrating a line of thinking that makes the Salem Witch Trials seem almost rational."
So much for my hopes that this story (and others like it) would fade away. At this point her crusade is starting to look like some strange sort of morality play. Maybe we will find out that "Laura Mallory" is really the stage name for a liberal performance artist who is commenting on our modern culture by constructing a stereotypical ignorant evangelical to wage a Sisyphean struggle against the inevitability of Harry Potter.
Labels: Harry Potter, Laura Mallory, Paganism, Witchcraft
12.23.2006
Idiot of the Year?
Washington Post columnist Emil Steiner gives out his "Idiot of the Year Awards" for 2006. The winner? Why none other than Laura Mallory of Loganville, Georgia, who made the news several times this year in her attempts to ban Harry Potter novels from the local school library on account of them "leading" children to Wicca.
"2006 Idiot of the Year: Laura Mallory, of Loganville, Georgia. This vigilant mother of four has demanded local schools remove Harry Potter from their libraries because, in her analysis, the books are an "evil" attempt to indoctrinate children in Wicca religion. Congratulations Laura, and good luck on your quest to eradicate the dark forces which pollute children's literature."
Where once columnists and pundits were willing to "debate" the issue of Harry Potter and the occult, it truly has evolved into an issue that merits only scorn for any who are foolish enough to believe that these books lead people to Paganism. While Mallory most likely won't be the last "idiot" to take up this cause, she might be the last one to get any real attention from the mainstream press. Mallory is currently "thinking about" a court appeal, lets hope that the fact she is getting all the wrong sorts of attention makes her reluctant to seek out more.
Labels: Emil Steiner, Harry Potter, Laura Mallory, Paganism, Washington Post, Wicca
12.16.2006
The Last Word on Harry Potter?
Within four or five years, after the last of the books come out, and after all the movie adaptations have been filmed, we will no doubt look back at all the trouble over the theological implications of Harry Potter and wonder if it was really worth all the bother. Perhaps then it can become, simply, a popular series of books for children instead of a cultural wedge issue. Perhaps then the ongoing nonsense of parents fighting for their removal from school libraries will end and Laura Mallory from Georgia will become famous as the last notable opposition to fantasy literature on the grounds that it "teaches" children the evils of "witchcraft".
Mallory, who took her objections to the Gwinnett County school board and the Georgia Board of Education, has finally been given the message that these objections are laughably paranoid and bespeak a small scared faith unable to survive in a plurality of viewpoints. To underscore her defeat, the Augusta Chronicle Editorial Staff writes a scathing editorial in regards to this crusader's misguided campaign against a fictional children's story.
"Was any of this really necessary? Granted, Laura Mallory had every right to appeal to the Georgia Board of Education after Gwinnett County's school board denied her request to remove Harry Potter books from school shelves. But all the state board did was back Gwinnett's decision. Ms. Mallory's request shouldn't have even come before Gwinnett's school board because it's so ludicrous. It's hard to believe that there are still people out there like Ms. Mallory clinging to the notion that the wildly successful Harry Potter books - filled with spell-casting, intrigue and fanciful fun - somehow draw children into paganism and witchcraft."
Sensibly, the paper urges Mallory (and no doubt others just like her waiting in the wings) to focus on some true evils in this world, and to leave Harry Potter alone.
"Ms. Mallory mentions television, movies and video games as other portals of evil open to our kids. She's right. That's why parents need to take care of those negative influences first - the violent, misogynistic rappers; the movies with immoral and amoral messages; TV shows at their most tasteless. Those are the things that are far more likely for children to internalize as being real - not some work of fiction about a bespectacled teen who plays the occasional game of Quidditch. Ms. Mallory and her ilk are tilting at the wrong windmill. Go fight the real enemies to our kids."
Perhaps I'm naive, but I'd like to think this is the nail in the coffin of this particular kind of "news". Maybe now the culture warriors can go back to analyzing "demonic" song lyrics. No doubt someone will pop up in opposition once the last book comes out, but if we are lucky, no one will be listening any longer.
Labels: Christianity, Harry Potter, Paganism
