Ever think in 100 years the world would have surrendered all meaning of life to the pubescent, stick insect that is Harry Potter? Popularity for the brainchild of JK could not be better and with even adults jumping on the proverbial ‘Hogwarts Express’ isn’t it only a matter of time before the drones of society moves all faith to fiction: not that that hasn’t been the case in the past- sorry Jesus.
Don’t get me wrong Harry Potter has done so much for the world, young children can now grow up with the combatable aspiration of a letter popping through the door signing their prosperous, free-thinking lives over to a magical lie; but does religion differ from the blatant mirage of bullshit? Add a few wands, un-translate some meaningless nonsense, cut out some of the unimportant stuff and bang, the bible becomes the multimillion selling social excrement that is the Harry Potter franchise.
Popular to common thought Harry Potter does fit snuggly into the bosom of modern society while Christianity appears as the geeky kid left in the playground alone to ponder the fate of his own nostril discharge. If Jesus was to miraculously materialise in the living world (which would be no mean feat for a thousand year old dead guy) he would more come across as a stereotypical terrorist than the currier of human sickness and the parter of waves. Let’s face it; he would have a harder time finding his way through airport customs than across a river chased by a bunch of roman cavalry.
So why shouldn’t we just drop this ageing belief in the almighty and endorse the hope that our young ones will grow-up as flourishing wizards? In retrospect, it’s far more probable for a wand to cure partial blindness like a mobile Specsavers than the messiah banishing the demons from a demonic sheep. Come on, even with its ‘teachings’ and ‘miracles’ the bible isn’t exactly gripping, I’ve never lost sleep reading it from cover to cover, have you? Even the first paragraph, of the first chapter (geneses) has so much repetition of ‘God’ it becomes duller than an afternoon of the Antique Roadshow; where as in every line of Harry Potter there is over kill of imagery and beautiful plot setting with twists and turns. This is much more effective than realising in the middle of the book that the main character dies- I’m sure the creator of the heavens and the earth could have made a better plot spinner than that, don’t you think? Although I’m not sure readers of Potter are exactly enthralled by the clever literacy terms; more the fascination that the ginger has friends. Even the teaching of the bible don’t stand up against Harry potters vastly superior modern appeal, now, what’s more applicable to modern society; care for your neighbour or your children living with the notion that even though they may be ginger or a geek they can still befriend someone famous? I know what one I would choose…
In essence Harry Potter is like the bad-ass brother of the bible: while Jesus splits bread to feed the masses, Potter survives death curses, slays dragons and saves the world from a deformed, sea like monster who scares people so much he has no name- well he does in fact have a name its Voldermort but for the purpose of his characters, we (the reader) should fear him and by extension his name or something like that. To be honest it doesn’t really matter when it comes down to the logistics, Christianity is built on such ropey ground, with un-provable miracles and wildly imaginative characters which come across like they are straight out of sesame street, just making the incidences reflected in Harry Potter all too believable- well if you call a miracle believable but then again this is where ignorance or as they call it belief comes in. This highlights the similarity between the unbelievable magic in Harry Potter and the tasks Jesus carried out which is in itself a solidification of fiction.
In establishing this uncanny link and people’s ability to look past the fictional dogma of religion it becomes all too easy for a modern society to adopt a ludicrous story like Harry Potter as the definition and explanation of existence and the teachings of life. Unlike Christianity, which only controls predominantly the western world and occasionally stocking the further circumference of the globe, Harry Potter caresses the entire population; it does not single out one race but instead appeals to a wider audience. Maybe this is because it was not designed to be that sort of book but who decided the bible was supposed to be either? Just because the book was about how the world was made doesn’t demand people to bend over in prayer. If J.K. Rowling preached that this world was twinned with another and that we should all follow its teaching I can guaranty a few brainless oafs would follow. But she didn’t. Once again showing that if someone was to start a theory that this one book or in Harry Potters case seven was the reason of life would in the end conform a fair few million.
Even in the history of the Christian belief there has been so much blood spilt and death it comes across more as an hour long special of Casualty than the life altering nonsense of the Bible (or is that just how it comes across to me?) I don’t know any follower of the HP craze that has been that adversely affected. Unless you count a cold night camped outside the local WHSmiths to get their newest copy.
It all boils down to the fact that the spunky, four eyed, potion making, girl failing, wand waggling, skinny teen that is Harry Potter is a vastly more up to date, believable lie and dwarfs the previous, “death grip” influence that the Bible had over its “worshipers”. For God sake, let’s face it Christianity is dead and buried. Sure it will be remembered but more like an odorous, fungal infection that you would rather not talk about than the idolized prophecy that started these lies. It really doesn’t matter what book it is in order to capture the impressionable minds of these people seeking forgiveness and comfort. If a bigger more imaginative plot was to come along sharing the same themes it would be all too easy to integrating itself into people’s beliefs and stamp out any other silly ideas such as Christianity. So will this wildly inspiration load of fiction that has hold of so many minds, that displaces so many messages of life, that fits so nicely into modern society take over from the illusion of previous book like the bible? God knows…
