The plan, and why it was unfulfilled
Posted by Nick Milne on February 19, 2010
As those who have read my work here and elsewhere may remember, I have, on occasion, contributed to the ongoing (and not insubstantial) efforts of a coalition of Christian writers to rebut wrong-footed and ill-considered criticisms of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series – criticisms that paint the series as gnostic, or satanic, or provocative, or any number of other things. Our most prominent opponents come from many different backgrounds. Lev Grossman writes for Time Magazine. Fr. Alfonso Aguilar teaches at the Regina Apostolorum University in Rome. Michael D. O’Brien is a prominent Catholic author and artist.
The latter gentleman has apparently written a new book, to be released this spring. In Twilight of the West: Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture, O’Brien will present a synthesis of his views on the matter, apparently arguing that the Harry Potter series – in a literal, factual, in-no-way-abstract sense – is tainted by the influence of the demonic and represents an threat to Christian children that is as dangerous as it is subtle. He has posted the preface to this book on his website. You can read it here.
My first reaction was immediate and derisive scorn, followed by an eyeroll so pronounced that it’s a miracle they didn’t fall right out of my head. It was in this piqued spirit that I sat down to write a lengthy take on both the preface and to his perspective on this in general, as seen in other essays and in his 1994 study of fantasy literature for children, A Landscape with Dragons.
But that is no way to do it. The scope of the thing would have been fine, but to do it in scorn and derision would hardly serve. No good would be accomplished. No justice would be done.
So, I scrapped what I had. I really do intend to post a lengthy appraisal of this matter, but it will not be today, and it will not be while vexed. Look for it on Monday.
Turin Hurinson said
Yeah, nothing morally wrong with Harry Potter on a gnostic or satanic level… but there are other problems with it; e.g. this article, which I don’t entirely agree with but which seems more grounded in reality than those who say HP encourages witchcraft.
Also, not to hype my own blog (well, maybe a little :P), but I think there are legitimate complaints with HP that, while primarily aesthetic, can’t be dismissed as just whining about how it could have been better; here and here, specifically.
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Ransom said
I wish these folks would spend their time on targets more worthy of condemnation, like certain Sparkly Vampires.
godescalc (aka the Viking) said
I’m not a fan of Mr. O’Brien’s critique of HP (what of it I’ve read), but I don’t think this article merits much criticism, or much response either way (although everything else he’s written may). It’s the preface to a book, hardly worth getting worked up about. The author sets the scene, states his contentions, outlines what’s at stake, and maybe informs the reader what has inspired him to write – which necessarily tends to the personal, and if it involves spiritual nausea and a sense of spiritual warfare, that’s a good a reason as any. It is a preamble, and presumably the book will do the work of arguing what the preamble outlines; released as an article on the internet, it serves to indicate what the book will discuss. All is right and proper.
It’s a good question whether he expects his sense of spiritual warfare to convince the reader. If he’s sensible, he doesn’t. It is not particularly clear. In any case, even assuming he is correct about HP and not overreacting, all he can and should do is act as a warning flag for the reader, who is then responsible for checking out his arguments (on the intellectual side) and praying and maybe enquiring of persons of spiritual discernment (on the spiritual side).
The bit most worth discussing in that article is the last paragraph, to my mind, because it relates to how he will actually approach the matters his preamble outlines: “I cannot offer you, dear reader, an encyclopedic or scientific presentation of the merits and dangers of the Harry Potter series and its films. Instead, it is my hope that this general survey of the phenomenon and some consequent reflections will stimulate serious questions and thinking on the issues involved.” This strikes me as slightly weaselly considering his contentions. “Harry Potter is a tool of the Devil!” Perfectly respectable thesis; can you prove it? “Well, I can offer a survey of the phenomenon and some consequent reflections and hope it stimulates some serious questions.” I see.
As to spiritual nausea and spiritual warfare, I’ve heard enough stories along the lines of O’Brien’s, and had such a reaction to a book before, so I’m uninclined to dismiss it on those grounds; although I had no such reaction to Harry Potter, nor did anyone I know. Anyway, let atheists mock on such grounds; let Christians hold out for evidence, and reserve their scorn for other matters.
Turin, that criticism you linked is pretty awesome – I particularly love this quote:
“Let us take the principle of Election, the notion that there are a fortunate few who, by grace of God, shall be called to salvation. In the Potterverse “Election” is called “Sorting” and instead of being controlled by Almighty God it is controlled by a hat.”
At first it’s hilarious because it’s a ridiculous and insane thing to say; then he actually proves it…
godescalc said
Ransom, Michael O’Brien has done that, too.
Vernunft said
Nick, I have an HP story to relate to you on gmail.