I just read this article from the Christian Post. It talks about renewed calls for Christians to boycott the Harry Potter book series. (Yeah, I know it's a little late.) The reason? The author, J.K. Rowling, recently said that one of the characters was gay. This revelation has caused some believers to join the boycott bandwagon, which started when the first book came out several years ago.
To be honest, I haven't read any of the books. (I have seen a couple of the movies. Books take so long. Plus, there's reading involved.) But I understand that the whole witchcraft thing really bothers some Christians. Although it didn't seem to bother Christians who loved Lord of the Rings. But that's another story.
This gay thing baffles me though. From the article I read, it seems that nobody knew about this character's sexual orientation. So why is it an issue now? There's still nothing in the books that promotes homosexuality. So why the change in attitude? And, why are some Christians more concerned about the unrevealed homosexuality of a character than they are about the overt witchcraft? It's very confusing to me.
The larger question is, why do Christians regard homosexuals as the worst kind of sinners? There are all kinds of sins we let slide, or we accept people who struggle with these things: gossip, gluttony, idolatry, to name a few. But let someone come out that he is struggling with being gay. Then it gets awkward. He's a pariah.
I remember when Magic Johnson went public with his HIV diagnosis. The reaction from a large percentage of the Christians I knew then? HIV is what you get when you're that kind of person. No sympathy. No empathy.
I suggested at a Bible study I was teaching at the time that we treat people who get heart disease because they eat too much red meat the same way we treat people with HIV. After all, both are diseases caused by lifestyle. Needless to say, it didn't go over well.
I wonder why I don't church there any longer...
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3 comments:
Good post! I watched one Harry Potter movie and I could not figure out what the heck was going on....
I told my dad the EXACT same thing back in 1991 when our 250-pound preacher used Magic's HIV diagnoses as an excuse to preach a sermon on how horrible it is to live against God's standards.
BTW, the Harry Potter books weren't 'that' bad. They promoted this horrible concept that good and purity will triumph over evil (how dare she!!).
I think Christians get WAY too carried away over some of this. When I was a kid, I wasn't allowed to watch 'Bewitched'. All that meant was whenever mom wasn't home and it was on, guess what I automatically was drawn too!
Lastly, I'm sure Jesus talked and was with homosexuals when he was on earth. It wasn't like his usual crowd was people you'd see at a PTL meeting. I'm not saying he would say what they did was OK, just that he'd be as friendly to them as he was to anyone else.
I think the disturbance is due to the normalization of what is a counterfeit of something so precious and sacred to God.
It is quite a subtle undermining of the whole Divine romance concept.
And for all of the children, old and young, who read these books it is another small step towards that counterfeit being okay.
It is a fine line and delicate balancing act....no it is not the greatest of all sins. and yes Jesus I'm sure knew many people caught in this sin along with the liars, the gossipers, the backbiters, fornicaters, adulterers, etc., etc....yet isn't it interesting that in our culture it is the sin against our own bodies, the sin involving sexuality and intimacy and all that entails...that our children are being led to believe is not sin?
They are not encouraged to lie, to steal, to cheat, to bear false witness....but the rest...the things that damage what is meant to be God's holy temple, those sins are okay. And if we call it sin it is we who are bigots, intolerant, homophobic....
All that to say I was one of those Christians disturbed and disappointed that JK Rowlings identified one of her most beloved characters as gay.
And I can add that I was not surprised....
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