Time forbids regular posting here--and has for some time. I do post regularly elsewhere, though. Come visit me at A Light Inside. Sometimes I even talk about Harry Potter. :)
If you like wizard rock, you can find my music here.
See you around!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Announcing
The newest wizard rocker on the block ...
me.
Stop by the Myspace if you've a chance and catch the music of Library Lily and the Tales of the Bard, perhaps the longest and geekiest name in the entire wrock tradition.
Full seven-song album coming soon.
me.
Stop by the Myspace if you've a chance and catch the music of Library Lily and the Tales of the Bard, perhaps the longest and geekiest name in the entire wrock tradition.
Full seven-song album coming soon.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Vigil, Samhain, Halloween
Growing up, my family didn't celebrate Halloween. We shut off the lights, made brownies, and watched movies together. I loved and looked forward to that sweet secretive time.
Over the past few years I've looked a little more into the holiday itself, and according to my understanding, what we have today is derived from the placing of the Christian holiday "All Hallows' Day" or "All Saints'" to coincide with the Celtic celebration of Samhain (actually, All Saints' is November 1, but as with all Christian solemnities--including Sundays--observance begins on the evening before). Samhain, supposedly, was a day of the blurring of lines between the spirit world and the physical world; appropriate, then, for the placement of the day meant to celebrate the Communion of the Saints, which is (partly) the idea that in Christ, we who live in the world now have a living union with "those who have gone before".
I'm still not sure how I feel about Halloween itself. You won't find me--a Christian--celebrating Samhain, naturally, despite the fact that the word itself fascinates me (it's pronounced SAH-ween--gotta love those old Celtic words.) All Saint's Vigil I am delighted to keep. Mostly, I think Halloween is just an overcommercialized nothing-holiday itself, but gives the kid in all of us a good excuse to have some fun. I can respect the decisions of people to either celebrate it or not.
But for those who love the world of goblins and fairies, on Halloween or otherwise, this piece by Michael Spencer ... er, The Great Pumpkin ... speaks eloquently about the glory of fantastic imagination. Enjoy. And Happy Halloween :-)
Over the past few years I've looked a little more into the holiday itself, and according to my understanding, what we have today is derived from the placing of the Christian holiday "All Hallows' Day" or "All Saints'" to coincide with the Celtic celebration of Samhain (actually, All Saints' is November 1, but as with all Christian solemnities--including Sundays--observance begins on the evening before). Samhain, supposedly, was a day of the blurring of lines between the spirit world and the physical world; appropriate, then, for the placement of the day meant to celebrate the Communion of the Saints, which is (partly) the idea that in Christ, we who live in the world now have a living union with "those who have gone before".
I'm still not sure how I feel about Halloween itself. You won't find me--a Christian--celebrating Samhain, naturally, despite the fact that the word itself fascinates me (it's pronounced SAH-ween--gotta love those old Celtic words.) All Saint's Vigil I am delighted to keep. Mostly, I think Halloween is just an overcommercialized nothing-holiday itself, but gives the kid in all of us a good excuse to have some fun. I can respect the decisions of people to either celebrate it or not.
But for those who love the world of goblins and fairies, on Halloween or otherwise, this piece by Michael Spencer ... er, The Great Pumpkin ... speaks eloquently about the glory of fantastic imagination. Enjoy. And Happy Halloween :-)
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Good Thoughts
Worthwhile reading: this excellent piece by John Mark Reynolds. Here are a couple of clips:
"When J.K. Rowling announced that the Harry Potter books had intentional Christian images, I was getting ready to write on the topic. It was interesting to hear her thoughts, but she had already written seven books full of Christian images.... she was confirming what anyone could have known (or at least very strongly suspected) who reads a great deal of mythic or magical literature."
Also, in regards to the statement that Dumbledore was gay (given in response to a 19-year-old woman's question as to whether Dumbledore had ever been in love):
"No.
He is not, at least in the books.
He is also not heterosexual. As a reader and interpreter of the text, I am given no textual reason to care or to identify his sexual preference."
Bingo.
Thanks to the Hogwarts Professor, who is liable to grow weary of my being grateful, for the above link and for introducing me to the quote below.
"Do you think I am trying to weave a spell? Perhaps I am; but remember your fairy tales. Spells are used for breaking enchantments as well as for inducing them. And you and I have need of the strongest spells that can be found to wake us from the evil enchantment of worldliness which has been laid upon us for nearly a hundred years."
C. S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory"
"When J.K. Rowling announced that the Harry Potter books had intentional Christian images, I was getting ready to write on the topic. It was interesting to hear her thoughts, but she had already written seven books full of Christian images.... she was confirming what anyone could have known (or at least very strongly suspected) who reads a great deal of mythic or magical literature."
Also, in regards to the statement that Dumbledore was gay (given in response to a 19-year-old woman's question as to whether Dumbledore had ever been in love):
"No.
He is not, at least in the books.
He is also not heterosexual. As a reader and interpreter of the text, I am given no textual reason to care or to identify his sexual preference."
Bingo.
Thanks to the Hogwarts Professor, who is liable to grow weary of my being grateful, for the above link and for introducing me to the quote below.
"Do you think I am trying to weave a spell? Perhaps I am; but remember your fairy tales. Spells are used for breaking enchantments as well as for inducing them. And you and I have need of the strongest spells that can be found to wake us from the evil enchantment of worldliness which has been laid upon us for nearly a hundred years."
C. S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory"
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Rowling's Revelations
Ten years and seven books, and as far as controversy goes, Joanne Rowling kept as quiet and mysterious as the fabled sphinx that turned up in Goblet of Fire. This week, she has set her fandom spinning twice--and in two very different directions.
I'm not breaking news to many people here, but there are people reading this blog who will probably not have heard either bit of news anywhere else. For anyone who doesn't know, then, Rowling claimed a few days ago that yes, there are Christian themes in her books, and claimed even more recently that the Hogwarts headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, was homosexual.
In response to B, who has already asked my thoughts, and to those who read this who will be very concerned by the latter news, here's my take on things.
Not long ago, I posted these words on this blog:
"I do feel it important not to make J.K. Rowling out to be a champion of evangelical Christianity in the way evangelical Christianity usually proclaims its heroes. Her claims to faith in Christ I will gladly respect and acknowledge; likewise the symbolism and ideas she has incorporated in her stories. But to demand of her a specific set of convictions or political principles is asking quite a lot of someone who has been rather reticent about the details of her faith."
Of that, I retract nothing, nor would I have even if she had never commented on Dumbledore's sexual preferences. She wrote a superb story that--it seems obvious to me--appeals to what could be called 'the Christian in all of us'. It has also seemed obvious to me (more by what I hear of her life than from her books) that she does not necessarily interpret her faith in the most orthodox manner. But when I speak of orthodoxy, I refer to something much more longstanding and Biblically-founded than the evangelical mood as represented by Laura Mallory.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a section on homosexuality, which seems to me both strongly Biblical and beautifully compassionate:
"Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex.... Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that 'homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.' They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection."
--The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 2357-2359, emphasis mine
I couldn't add to that in expressing my beliefs about homosexuality itself; nor would I dare take away from it. In case anyone thinks my beliefs too hard on homosexuals themselves in claiming that they should never act on those desires, I can only say that I have--no, not I, the Church itself has--an equal problem with heterosexual acts either prior to or outside of marriage. Now that I've offended just about everybody, let me go on :-P
As far as Dumbledore himself is concerned: while I am sure the slash-fiction crowd will have a heyday with this, I am grateful that Rowling didn't make a big deal out of it in her books. It is not appropriate matter for young children, despite the fact that of necessity discussions of sexuality can't be held off for too long in this world. We know Harry was not treated as an object by Dumbledore; Rita Skeeter hinted at a "sinister" aspect to the Harry-Dumbledore relationship, and Harry felt dirty and defiled just by her insinuations. And while Rowling could come out next week and tell us that Dumbledore had regular liaisons down in Hogsmeade, we see no hint in the books that Dumbledore was anything other than celibate. I have no problem with celibacy.
Dumbledore is one of my top 5 favorite characters, in which list he is joined by Harry, Lily, Hermione, and Dobby. He has a sense of humor that rivals Mr. Bennet's [from Pride and Prejudice] in brilliance and supersedes it in innocence. He is also both capable and guilty of wrong moral choices, and Rowling has herself described him as "Machiavellian"--but I will still defend him against those who think of him as too cold and manipulative.
As to whether the Harry Potter books are suitable for Christians, even Christian children, the answer is yes. Certainly there will be those who disagree, but I firmly believe that the general objections are based on a failure to understand the purposes and meanings of literature and also a failure to either a) read the books, or b) read them without a vendetta.
In response to Rowling's comments about Christianity in the Harry Potter books, I have been journalistically trumped by Johnny over at Sword of Gryffindor, who did a beautiful job with this post. But to leave a note of my own on the subject: I both believe and agree with Rowling when she claims that to her "the religious parallels have always been obvious" and that "those two particular [Bible] quotations he finds on the tombstones at Godric's Hollow, they sum up — they almost epitomize the whole series." As B said in the comment box of my last post, "Myth, religion, mystery and brilliant storytelling are abundant [in the books]." There is Christianity there, but it is revealed symbolically, not allegorically or didactically; as someone who has wrestled long with the literary and evangelical failings of most "Christian fiction", I am really grateful for a series of books that comes at faith with more than zeal and good intentions.
Joanne Rowling's worldview may not match my own on every single point; more than that, it may fail in some aspects to meet the standards of the Bible and the Church. What the Catechism calls "Christian perfection" is, however, a goal to work toward with desperate faith and conscious humility, not something that humans are liable to come upon naturally. While humans will be imperfect, so will their books be. But her books point at Christ, at truth; not perfectly, but certainly better than most.
I'm not breaking news to many people here, but there are people reading this blog who will probably not have heard either bit of news anywhere else. For anyone who doesn't know, then, Rowling claimed a few days ago that yes, there are Christian themes in her books, and claimed even more recently that the Hogwarts headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, was homosexual.
In response to B, who has already asked my thoughts, and to those who read this who will be very concerned by the latter news, here's my take on things.
Not long ago, I posted these words on this blog:
"I do feel it important not to make J.K. Rowling out to be a champion of evangelical Christianity in the way evangelical Christianity usually proclaims its heroes. Her claims to faith in Christ I will gladly respect and acknowledge; likewise the symbolism and ideas she has incorporated in her stories. But to demand of her a specific set of convictions or political principles is asking quite a lot of someone who has been rather reticent about the details of her faith."
Of that, I retract nothing, nor would I have even if she had never commented on Dumbledore's sexual preferences. She wrote a superb story that--it seems obvious to me--appeals to what could be called 'the Christian in all of us'. It has also seemed obvious to me (more by what I hear of her life than from her books) that she does not necessarily interpret her faith in the most orthodox manner. But when I speak of orthodoxy, I refer to something much more longstanding and Biblically-founded than the evangelical mood as represented by Laura Mallory.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a section on homosexuality, which seems to me both strongly Biblical and beautifully compassionate:
"Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex.... Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that 'homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.' They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection."
--The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 2357-2359, emphasis mine
I couldn't add to that in expressing my beliefs about homosexuality itself; nor would I dare take away from it. In case anyone thinks my beliefs too hard on homosexuals themselves in claiming that they should never act on those desires, I can only say that I have--no, not I, the Church itself has--an equal problem with heterosexual acts either prior to or outside of marriage. Now that I've offended just about everybody, let me go on :-P
As far as Dumbledore himself is concerned: while I am sure the slash-fiction crowd will have a heyday with this, I am grateful that Rowling didn't make a big deal out of it in her books. It is not appropriate matter for young children, despite the fact that of necessity discussions of sexuality can't be held off for too long in this world. We know Harry was not treated as an object by Dumbledore; Rita Skeeter hinted at a "sinister" aspect to the Harry-Dumbledore relationship, and Harry felt dirty and defiled just by her insinuations. And while Rowling could come out next week and tell us that Dumbledore had regular liaisons down in Hogsmeade, we see no hint in the books that Dumbledore was anything other than celibate. I have no problem with celibacy.
Dumbledore is one of my top 5 favorite characters, in which list he is joined by Harry, Lily, Hermione, and Dobby. He has a sense of humor that rivals Mr. Bennet's [from Pride and Prejudice] in brilliance and supersedes it in innocence. He is also both capable and guilty of wrong moral choices, and Rowling has herself described him as "Machiavellian"--but I will still defend him against those who think of him as too cold and manipulative.
As to whether the Harry Potter books are suitable for Christians, even Christian children, the answer is yes. Certainly there will be those who disagree, but I firmly believe that the general objections are based on a failure to understand the purposes and meanings of literature and also a failure to either a) read the books, or b) read them without a vendetta.
In response to Rowling's comments about Christianity in the Harry Potter books, I have been journalistically trumped by Johnny over at Sword of Gryffindor, who did a beautiful job with this post. But to leave a note of my own on the subject: I both believe and agree with Rowling when she claims that to her "the religious parallels have always been obvious" and that "those two particular [Bible] quotations he finds on the tombstones at Godric's Hollow, they sum up — they almost epitomize the whole series." As B said in the comment box of my last post, "Myth, religion, mystery and brilliant storytelling are abundant [in the books]." There is Christianity there, but it is revealed symbolically, not allegorically or didactically; as someone who has wrestled long with the literary and evangelical failings of most "Christian fiction", I am really grateful for a series of books that comes at faith with more than zeal and good intentions.
Joanne Rowling's worldview may not match my own on every single point; more than that, it may fail in some aspects to meet the standards of the Bible and the Church. What the Catechism calls "Christian perfection" is, however, a goal to work toward with desperate faith and conscious humility, not something that humans are liable to come upon naturally. While humans will be imperfect, so will their books be. But her books point at Christ, at truth; not perfectly, but certainly better than most.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Corrections, Congratulations, and St. Hedwig
This past Tuesday marks the feast day of St. Hedwig of Silesia, after whom Harry's owl was named. I enjoyed coming across her name in the church calendar.
One brief correction to my Podcasts post is worthy of note: Kim from SpinnersCast tells me that do like to get into theorizing and have done so in their past episodes. Other than Fr. Roderick's, they were my most recent discovery, so I haven't had the chance to experience much of their work yet! I am, however, beginning to catch up with the back episodes as I really enjoy their show.
Finally, I would like to offer my congratulations to John Granger, Travis Prinzi, and the others who caught the Christian content all the way through the Harry Potter books and have this week been openly vindicated by J.K. Rowling. I just finished Looking for God in Harry Potter (by John Granger), and am thoroughly ashamed to admit how much I missed. Jo Rowling practically had to hit me in the face with it: it took Deathly Hallows for me to realize that Harry Potter was more than just a great good-and-evil story that couldn't help aligning to Christian ideals now and again. Granger's book explained the depth of her intentionality with this series. His books are well worth the read; and so, if anyone reading this has the slightest doubt, are hers.
One brief correction to my Podcasts post is worthy of note: Kim from SpinnersCast tells me that do like to get into theorizing and have done so in their past episodes. Other than Fr. Roderick's, they were my most recent discovery, so I haven't had the chance to experience much of their work yet! I am, however, beginning to catch up with the back episodes as I really enjoy their show.
Finally, I would like to offer my congratulations to John Granger, Travis Prinzi, and the others who caught the Christian content all the way through the Harry Potter books and have this week been openly vindicated by J.K. Rowling. I just finished Looking for God in Harry Potter (by John Granger), and am thoroughly ashamed to admit how much I missed. Jo Rowling practically had to hit me in the face with it: it took Deathly Hallows for me to realize that Harry Potter was more than just a great good-and-evil story that couldn't help aligning to Christian ideals now and again. Granger's book explained the depth of her intentionality with this series. His books are well worth the read; and so, if anyone reading this has the slightest doubt, are hers.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Podcasts and Working Internet
This post comes to you from my very own computer, which to my utter delight is finally back online. Addiction or not, I really missed the internet connection, and despite shivering in this little room, I'm clam-happy blogging and listening to Ministry of Magic off Myspace.
A little recording, a little copyrighting, and hopefully someday I'll have my own wrock up. Three songs in, I find it thoroughly fun to write.
From wizard rock to another online enjoyment I've discovered lately: podcasts. My job allows for quite a bit of headphone time, depending on the complexity of whatever I'm working on, and I find podcasts a little less exhausting than music and not generally more distracting (though I might have to listen to a segment a couple of times to understand its point). Here are my favorite Harry Potter-related 'casts:
The Hog's Head Pubcast, hosted by Travis Prinzi of the Sword of Gryffindor, is both very well produced and the most intellectually interesting that I've come across; it is, therefore, my favorite. It also helps that I agree with him most of the time, which is not necessarily true of most of the others. Travis spoke at Prophecy this year and posted a couple of his talks; the one on Voldemort was especially good. If anyone ever wondered if details matter, I can answer that by saying that one of the very coolest things about Travis's program is his introduction: "... Aberforth will pour you the drink of your choosing, and let's talk Potter." I do love talking Potter. But it isn't just the details that make the 'cast; the professionalism, interesting topics, and well-reasoned thoughts mean that I really look forward to finding an update from the Hog's Head on my iTunes.
Father Roderick's The Secrets of Harry Potter, now hosted by Br. Giles Baker, also gets into hidden meanings of the story. I thoroughly enjoy this cast, despite the fact that it often follows the movies more closely than the books and I--ahem--hate the movies. The information priest and monk present is intriguing and the hosting quite good. Fr. Roderick's The Daily Breakfast is one of my non-Harry staples; how can anyone not like listening to a Dutch Catholic priest who would podcast and videocast at the same time while watching Alec Baldwin pull a car-parking-wrecking stunt in front of the Letterman studios?
Greg and Penny, over at Harry Potter Prognostications, run a very likeable theory-based podcast in which they often bicker lovingly, like Ron and Hermione. Most of the time I find myself wanting to stand up and argue with them too (all in good fun of course). Their latest post covers everybody's favorite snake-slayer, Neville Longbottom.
SpinnersCast devotes itself in a lot of ways to wizard rock. The more I listen to them, the more I enjoy their show; the crew there doesn't seem to get too much into the deeper side of Harry Potter thought, but they have fun and play good music.
The final two, MuggleCast and PotterCast, run by MuggleNet and the Leaky Cauldron respectively, were clearly designed to appeal to the sort of fan who expresses enthusiasm by screaming and jumping up and down. I am not that sort of fan, nor was I even in my teens, but both podcasts keep me well amused. The casts of both shows have their pop-culture facts down and Melissa from PotterCast recently did an intriguing interview with Laura Mallory, which deserves its own post. I do wish Jamie Lawrence's school had better internet, because he was the one on MuggleCast with whom I generally agreed most often; Jamie also introduced me to Oliver Boyd's music, for which I am very grateful.
That covers my main contingent, and I now need to go spend some time with my non-internet-related life. Happy listening, to all who are so inclined.
A little recording, a little copyrighting, and hopefully someday I'll have my own wrock up. Three songs in, I find it thoroughly fun to write.
From wizard rock to another online enjoyment I've discovered lately: podcasts. My job allows for quite a bit of headphone time, depending on the complexity of whatever I'm working on, and I find podcasts a little less exhausting than music and not generally more distracting (though I might have to listen to a segment a couple of times to understand its point). Here are my favorite Harry Potter-related 'casts:
The Hog's Head Pubcast, hosted by Travis Prinzi of the Sword of Gryffindor, is both very well produced and the most intellectually interesting that I've come across; it is, therefore, my favorite. It also helps that I agree with him most of the time, which is not necessarily true of most of the others. Travis spoke at Prophecy this year and posted a couple of his talks; the one on Voldemort was especially good. If anyone ever wondered if details matter, I can answer that by saying that one of the very coolest things about Travis's program is his introduction: "... Aberforth will pour you the drink of your choosing, and let's talk Potter." I do love talking Potter. But it isn't just the details that make the 'cast; the professionalism, interesting topics, and well-reasoned thoughts mean that I really look forward to finding an update from the Hog's Head on my iTunes.
Father Roderick's The Secrets of Harry Potter, now hosted by Br. Giles Baker, also gets into hidden meanings of the story. I thoroughly enjoy this cast, despite the fact that it often follows the movies more closely than the books and I--ahem--hate the movies. The information priest and monk present is intriguing and the hosting quite good. Fr. Roderick's The Daily Breakfast is one of my non-Harry staples; how can anyone not like listening to a Dutch Catholic priest who would podcast and videocast at the same time while watching Alec Baldwin pull a car-parking-wrecking stunt in front of the Letterman studios?
Greg and Penny, over at Harry Potter Prognostications, run a very likeable theory-based podcast in which they often bicker lovingly, like Ron and Hermione. Most of the time I find myself wanting to stand up and argue with them too (all in good fun of course). Their latest post covers everybody's favorite snake-slayer, Neville Longbottom.
SpinnersCast devotes itself in a lot of ways to wizard rock. The more I listen to them, the more I enjoy their show; the crew there doesn't seem to get too much into the deeper side of Harry Potter thought, but they have fun and play good music.
The final two, MuggleCast and PotterCast, run by MuggleNet and the Leaky Cauldron respectively, were clearly designed to appeal to the sort of fan who expresses enthusiasm by screaming and jumping up and down. I am not that sort of fan, nor was I even in my teens, but both podcasts keep me well amused. The casts of both shows have their pop-culture facts down and Melissa from PotterCast recently did an intriguing interview with Laura Mallory, which deserves its own post. I do wish Jamie Lawrence's school had better internet, because he was the one on MuggleCast with whom I generally agreed most often; Jamie also introduced me to Oliver Boyd's music, for which I am very grateful.
That covers my main contingent, and I now need to go spend some time with my non-internet-related life. Happy listening, to all who are so inclined.
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