Deconstructing Rowling

National Review ^ | 6/9/03 | Dave Kopel

[retrokitten]

It's a proven fact that cats only levitate when they hear food hit a bowl.

LOL! Very true!

[js1138]

I won't be posting or lurking much this weekend.

[js1138]

(because the former accept figures of speech and symbolism in the Bible, the latter do not.)

I don't know. I was discussing the argument in the Bible for a flat earth (Jesus is lead to a mountaintop from which he can see all the kingdoms of the earth), and was told that this was a metaphor. There have been times in history when the church took this literally and argued the earth is flat.

[eyespysomething]

LOL! I've gotta take the kids and go wave at the President this afternoon!! And then dinner, bed, etc.....

After the Mr. gets home later, one of us is going.

LOL

[Allegra]

WHAT??? Is that why my cats don't levitate when I say wingardium leviosa?

No...you're just not DOING it right! I made it work, but the problem is that I can't get the cats down on the ground now. They're just hanging in the air and they're none too pleased about it.

[AmericaUnited]

The fylfot - the backward swastika - was originally four Gammas joined at the base. To early Christians, it symbolized the four elements that God created.

The cross symbolized only one thing to early Christians and that was the Cross of Calvery. Pagans worship the 4 elements. It has never been a "Christian" thing. It has always been a "pagan" practice.

[js1138]

but also more traditional themes, such as good versus evil, power over powerlessness, friendship, loyalty, responsibility and, above all, love.

I think the relevant phrase from the Bible begins withe "By their fruits..."

The magic in Harry Potter is just metaphor for all the difficult and mysterious things that children have to learn while growing up.

[Xenalyte]

The cross symbolized only one thing to early Christians and that was the Cross of Calvery. Pagans worship the 4 elements. It has never been a "Christian" thing. It has always been a "pagan" practice.

(heavy sigh)

I was talking about the fylfot, the reverse swastika. NOT the Cross.

[js1138]

go to the nearest bookstore, pick up a Hairy Potty book and count the clichés on the first two pages.

I notice you have posted this without going to the trouble of posting any of these clichés. Are you really confident about this?

[AmishDude]

Did I mention Illuminati or the Bilderbergers?

Of course not, they're small-time -- tools of the viscious neeeeeeeo-cons.

Ever watch The Matrix? Ever wonder about the main character's name?

Did you know David Frum can fly at Mach 3 and William F. Buckley can dodge bullets?

[js1138]

The cross is an old pagan symbol as well. Throughout it's history, Christianity has sought to "baptize" pre-Christian mythological symbols and show how they can be understood as speaking of the Truth of Christ. Thus were many pagan peoples converted to Christianity.

I sure hope AU never has to read how Ireland was converted. But then something tells me he never will.

[Revolting cat!]

I notice you have posted this without going to the trouble of posting any of these clichés. Are you really confident about this?

I'm confident of the story I related, yes. The review and the subsequent letter to the editor were either in the Wall Street Journal or in the weekly New York Times Review of Books. I'm also confident that at the time I did go to a bookstore myself, picked up a copy and started counting. This was the second or third book of the series, if I remember correctly. Anyway, I found maybe 10 of the 12 the reviewer counted (numbers from memory). Sorry, I don't own a copy of any of the books to post anything from them.

[Allegra]

The cross symbolized only one thing to early Christians and that was the Cross of Calvery. Pagans worship the 4 elements. It has never been a "Christian" thing. It has always been a "pagan" practice.

Look OOOUUUUT! There's a Bludger flying right towards your HEAD!!

[retrokitten]

LOL! You're right! We never did get the spell for putting things down....

[js1138]

I'll admit I've never read them, but I've seen the movie, very cute. But my childhood was forever enriched by Madeline L'Engle's fantasies.

That means you have also been corrupted by fiction that glorifies witchcraft and magic.

;^)

[Allegra]

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Ooops...turning off tags.

[js1138]

I suppose it's now evil to celebrate holidays near the soltices and equinoxes as well. >:o

And where do you suppose those holidays originated?

[js1138]

WHAT??? Is that why my cats don't levitate when I say wingardium leviosa?

I can make my cats levitate with a charm. I just call the Ibizan hound (appropriately named Grendel).

[Mad Dawgg]

"Am I a witch or a pagan from having read them? Hardly."

Same here! I was a Wizard long before I read the Potter Books!

I played the Devil's own game when I was a kid (with me mum at me side playing a goodly Paladin) I've never been the same since and of course I am not only a Wizard but one of the elven folk as well.

See, I also read Tolkein long before I played my first game of D&D!

[Xenalyte]

Elen silla lumen omentielvo!