Religion in Harry Potter: Examining the Perceived Controversy - Research Paper

Introduction

Religion is a common practice among the majority of people all over the world. This is a practice that may include rituals, commemorations of a deity, sermons, sacrifices, feasts, festivals. The practice may also include initiations, meditation, funerary services, religious music, sacred dance, religious art, matrimonial services, prayer, and other aspects of religious and spiritual elements. Harry Potter's books have always been maligned by many religious groups. Many religious groups have defended his books. Religious elements in Harry Potter remains in the background. If you are not looking for Christian correspondents, it is unlikely that you will notice the religious elements that exist. Although some of the Christians find Harry Potter promoting occult, others can discover profound aspects of religion and regard them as Christian works. This paper aims to discuss the religious elements in the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

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Quite a few explicit references to religion in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone exists in the book, but readers can see a few Christian ideas appear in the book. Hogwarts, an old castle, missing a chapel and it is also unlike most old castles and British boarding schools. Although Easter holiday and Christmas are mentioned, there is no clear indication of people going to church or participating in any of the religious activities of those holidays. Easter and Christmas are mostly celebrated with friends and family, but not for any religious purposes "Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas!" Hagrid says in chapter 12. The aspects of religion are easy to identify than the actual practice of religion throughout Harry Porters, and the Sorcerer's Stone "festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees..." (pg. 196). These elements include good against evil, represented by Harry Potter and Voldemort. The good and evil theme related to the Bible. Harry Potter is Jesus, and Voldemort is the Devil. Harry can be seen as Jesus because he is a savior against the evil. We can see this trait when Harry successfully saves the Sorcerer's Stone from Voldemort and prevents Voldemort from gaining his power back. Harry is also a target of Voldemort, just like Jesus is a target of Satan. Voldemort can be seen as the Devil because he has gone too far into them, and he is willing to kill anyone in exchange for more powers. There are many religious aspects throughout Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. One case related to temptation from the evil is a popular religious topic about the temptation of Jesus from the Devil. This is directly related to Harry Potter being tempted by Voldemort to join his evil side so they can have more powers. Harry turns out to be Jesus, and Voldemort appears to be the Devil.

Harry Porter's birth looks similar to that of Jesus Christ, Moses in the bible and also the birth of Krishna in Mahabharata. Karna, a child to Kunti by the divinity of the sun, is brought into the world with a couple of brilliant earrings and a covering like covering which flashes just like the sun. He is placed in a bin along the Ashwa waterway. In Champapuri, on Ganga banks, he is protected by Adhiratha, a charioteer who is also his better half Radha. She is childless and thus pleased to receive this tyke. Karna is raised by his non-permanent parents with close similarity to birth and development of Harry. As indicated in Exodus in the Bible, another Pharoah climbs to control Egypt in 1200 BC and oppresses the Jewish people.

The pharaoh chooses to slaughter all Jewish kid children. In any case, a certain mother spares her infant and puts the child in a reed bushel which she puts in the stream of Nile and later sends a small girl to keep watch on the bin above water. Fortunately, the Princess, Pharoah's daughter, sees the crate, and spares the infant and gives him the name "Moses." The child's sister is called to discover a medical attendant to deal with Moses. Moses' mother is designated as the medical caretaker to deal with her child. Moses experiences childhood in the imperial court and achieves an abnormal state of instruction. Moses develops to be the Hebrew's pioneer clans and later the Ten Commandments promulgator. This is reflected in literary happenings as Harry Potter is considered a destitute as he is neglected by his parents Lily and James. It is Hogwarts headmaster professor McGonagall and Dumbledore that saves the baby from strong hands of Voldemort leaving the baby under Dursleys "Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead, they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning" (16-17). Moses, Krishna, and Karna later had a higher status that enabled them to serve humankind. Harry also possesses distinctive features. The gift he has of the bolt-like star acts as an honor badge.

In the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry is considered as the person who represents the figure of Christ as he is fated to end the oppression of Voldemort who in this case represents evil. In this case, the religious aspect is shown as Voldemort is used to indicate or represent evil while Harry is seen as good or the person who will bring the darkness to a conclusion.

The religion aspect is also displayed by sacrificial love, which is a strong concept of Christianity. In the Christian religion, sacrificial love is shown by Christ's love, which led him to die on the cross so that he could save humankind. In the book, Harry Potter, and the Sorcerer's Stone, the sacrificial love is also shown where Harry's mother died so that he could save him (Brown et al.,130). Her love even goes an extent extra and continues to protect him as in the case where Harry is knocked unconscious during the confrontation with Quirrell. In this confrontation, death is shown as a metaphorical death, and Harry was trying to protect the school and the world at large from Voldemort.

The Sorcerer's Stone portrays another religious aspect. This is because the Stone is portrayed to contain or grant eternal life, and that is why Voldemort wished to possess it (Rowlings,75). Harry was also ready to do anything involving risking his life so that he could procure the Stone even if he could not use it. The end of the novel portrays Voldemorts quest for violence and immorality, which ends up in death and Harry's sacrifice of time ends him to a life filled with love and companionship.

Toward the start of the story, witches and wizards the nation over were commending the demise of Voldemort, otherwise called You-Know-Who. As Mr. Dursley, Harry Potter's Uncle was leaving work; he kept running into a wizard who was in the festivity. He exclaimed, "Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day" (pg 5)! Rejoice is utilized in religious settings as an expression of festivity, and is regularly referenced back to the Bible stanza Phillippians 4:4 "Celebrate in the Lord dependably; again I will say, Rejoice!" Professor McGonagall likewise says, "I wouldn't be amazed if today were known as Harry Potter Day later on" (pg 13). In this way, the Witches and Wizards are "cheering" in the day due to Harry Potter, as though they were commending a religious occasion.

Spiritual aspects are also shown in the birth of Harry. This is because Harry is born and abandoned by his parents, James and Lily. Three people, namely Dumbledore, Mc Gonagall and Hagrid, visit him and they take him to his aunt and uncle so that they may raise him. By doing this, they transfer the child of the magician to the ordinary world. This is compared to the life of Christ, who was visited by three wise men who brought gifts to him. Three men visited Harry, and the present they gave to him was saving him from the hands of Voldemort while the three wise men who visited Christ brought gifts with them. Another resemblance was that Harry was raised by his stepfather, just like his stepfather Joseph raised Christ.

In the Christian understanding, the sorcerers' Stone can be identified with the Bethel Stone. Jacob utilizes a stone as his cushion when he camps in the region of Luz. In his fantasy, he has a great vision of holy messengers climbing and plunging upon a stepping stool. Jacob observes God remaining at the highest point of the stepping stool giving the guarantees. He has recently offered to Isaac and Abraham. He besides guarantees to be with Jacob on his adventure. Whenever Jacob rises and shines, he names the spot Bethel, which means the "House of God" and the Stone is named as "Bethal stone." He puts the Stone upon a column and blesses it with oil. Jacob blesses the Stone and makes it fit for the receipt of contributions. Afterward, the zone of Bethel is considered the "gateway of heaven." This aspect brought about by the Sorcerer's Stone can be used to show how religion is slightly touched on in the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerers stone ( Lackey,114). In Hindu folklore, standing stones or columns are the epitome of God. The Hindu divinities are engraved on stone statues, as Stone is an image of solidarity, time everlasting, goals, and interminability. The universe is made of five components: earth, water, fire, air, and space. A stone has each of the five components in it. The Hindus inject capacity to the stone statues through point by point customs and the reciting of mantras. At that point, the statue is viewed as getting of enormous power and able to appropriating it among the fans.

There are many religious thoughts and images all through Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The main idea identified with allurement from the shrewdness, a renowned religious subject about the enticement of Jesus from the Devil. This is straightforwardly identified with Harry Potter being enticed by Voldemort to join his shrewd side so they can have more powers(Cohen,66). There is another religious image that incorporates Harry woke up three days in the wake of battling Voldemort with an end goal to spare the Sorcerer's Stone. Harry Potter could be viewed as Jesus again as Jesus became alive once again three days in the wake of is being executed. Conclusion

It is difficult to distinguish the religious thoughts in the book. However, religion still assumes a significant job in the story. The case of Jesus and Devil as compared to Harry Potter and Voldemort is well brought out in the book. A lot of aspects such as the Sorcerer's Stone, the birth of Harry, the comparison of the three wise men visit and comparisons to other religions ways of living are well brought out in this book to show that religion plays a crucial role in the buildup of this book. They are also used to bring out some ideas as well as lessons.

Work Cited

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Cohen, Signe. "A Postmodern Wizard: The Religious Bricolage of the Harry Potter Series." The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 28.1 (2016): 54-66.

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Lackey, Mercedes, ed. Mapping the World of the Sorcerer's Apprentice: An Unauthorized Exploration of the Harry Potter Series. BenBella Books, Inc., 2015...