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Other Religions Speak Out
by Farah Weheba
August 2, 2004
Everyone has heard and read the controversy surrounding Harry Potter and Christianity. Did no one stop and think about how other religions view Harry Potter or magic in general? There are hundreds of different religions around the world, but I obviously could not interview a member of every religion. I interviewed people of a few different, common faiths to hear their take on Harry Potter.
I first talked to a girl who practices the Hindu religion. I asked my friend Avanthi, "How did the release of Harry Potter affect the Hindu community?" She replied, "It didn't create any concern or anything. In fact all of the children in India are like obsessed with Harry Potter. All of them." I then asked, "So, no one opposed Harry Potter or was offended by the books?" Avanthi replied, "No, it wasn't really a religious issue." I wondered, "Does magic have any significance in ancient Hindu culture?" She replied, "Yes, but not magic with a wand and charms, more like snake charming and transforming."
Harry Potter does not seem to contradict any Hindu beliefs. I next talked to Emilee, a Jewish friend of mine. I asked her, "Did Harry Potter stir up any controversy at your temple when it was first released?" She replied, "It really really did." I was quite surprised to hear this because I had never heard any news coverage about the Jewish community's disapproval. Emilee continued, "None of the kids were allowed to read it. The Rabbi told all the parents to prevent their kids from reading it. Some of the parents even tried to start a ban on the books in the Synagogue, but it didn't succeed because they couldn't get any government funding. Every time a new book is released, it starts some controversy again, but right now it's not an issue." I then asked, "Is there a specific reason your Rabbi opposed Harry Potter?" She said, "He didn't want the children in our Synagogue reading about witchcraft and wizardry. The parents thought it might affect their beliefs." I then asked Emilee, "Have you read any of the books?" She answered, "Yes, I've read all the books but the fifth. My parents didn't see how it could harm me."
It looks like Christianity wasn't the only religion that had worries and complaints about Harry Potter. Next, I heard what a Buddhist had to say about Harry Potter. I asked my friend Kim, "Was there any uproar in the Buddhist community when Harry Potter was first released?" She simply replied, "Nope." I asked, "Were any of the parents opposing Harry Potter?" She again responded with a simple "Nope." I asked, "Well, what was the Buddhist view on magic and witchcraft?" She responded, "We're not strict on anything like that." I then asked Kim, "Does magic date back on ancient Buddhist cultural customs?" She told, "Well, you can call it magic, but it was more like 'miracles' or something similar. Our religion is based on mostly discipline and not a lot of 'beliefs' nor like the belief or just one God."
Buddhism does not have anything against magic or Harry Potter, like many other religions. I myself am a Muslim, and I remember that when Harry Potter was first released, Muslims were nervous about some of the children reading it, after all of the Christian controversy. After a short period of time, they grew to realize that it doesn't pose a threat to readers, their faith nor safety. Many Muslims enjoy reading Harry Potter. In the times of the ancient Egyptians, servants used to use magic to entertain the pharaohs. They would use transfiguration, the action of turning one thing into another. Their most popular magic involved transfiguring snakes into branches or staffs. Now, all of the magic books are nonexistent because they were destroyed to ward off any evil. In the Muslim religion, there are different types of magic: greed, jealousy, and envy. For example, it is quite easy to jinx a child's health, if the right blessings and passages are not said. When someone buys a new home, has a baby, or receives a large promotion, there are certain blessings should be said, or else the envious person might affect the outcome of the new rewards and events. The Muslim community does not discourage anyone from reading Harry Potter, because it does not teach readers how to perform evil charms nor cast wicked spells. They were glad to see such an imaginative set of books written for readers of all ages.
Overall, Harry Potter has not stirred controversy in many religions. Some parents and members of different faiths are a bit uncertain of Harry Potter's teachings and intentions, yet not many of them take the time to read the books, resulting in a misjudging, uninformed opinion. The series of the books' "magical influence" is often misleading because of the fact that Harry attends a school of witchcraft and wizardry. What many anti-Potter groups do not understand is that the book is fiction. The books were meant to stimulate imaginative thoughts in readers, not cause them to study the ways of Voldemort. Readers nowadays are mature and informed enough to make their own decisions and draw their own conclusions about Harry Potter.
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