A serious question has been posed to me. I recently posted an article on the last Harry Potter book. I mentioned that there are many members of the religious right who denounce the books as nothing more than promotion of the occult. My friend and fellow blogger, Larry at Simple Thoughts, took issue with my statement and asked me to define the term “religious right”.
Says Larry in the comments section of the blog: “I was serious about finding your definition of the “religious right”. You have made a box that with (sic) ‘the majority of the religious right condemn the book’ and I want to know if I am supposed to get in it or not.” He didn’t pose the question to me by private email. He posted through my comments section, twice. So my response is also public, although I think I would have preferred the whole discussion in private first, seeing that we are friends.
INCOMING!
Larry, to quote Dr. Phil: It’s not about you. The story was not about your personal box. I think you are taking personally a statement that had nothing to do with you. You may very well fit into the category of “religious right” or you may not. You asked me if you are “supposed to get in it or not.” I’m not exactly sure that I am the one to decide if the label of “religious right” or “Christian right” is the label into which you fall. It could be that some of your views do, indeed, place you into that category. On the other hand some of your beliefs may be counter to the label. It’s really up to you to opt into the category of “religious right” or not. If your beliefs happen to place you there, then you should embrace the term and the box.
I stand by my statement that most of the members of the religious right see Harry Potter as a way to induct Americans, through its children, into the occult. Take notice here. I did not say “all”. A quick Google search will result in tons of articles on the evilness of Harry Potter. Watch the religious programs on Sunday morning. Pat Robertson, Jim Hagee, Jerry Faldwell, et. al have denounced Potter as the work of the devil. The religious right has had such an effect, that most elementary teachers do not read Harry Potter books aloud to their classrooms. It is not the liberal Christians and it is not the un-churched who have the problems with Harry Potter. Who is left?
Here is a partial list of criteria that one might use to determine if he or she is indeed a member of the religious right. This is not the DSM-IV. There are no “x out of x numbers” here to officially put someone into the religious right movement. It is a subjective term.
You Might Be a Member of the Religious Right
So there we are. I have some questions for you. Do you oppose the Harry Potter books? Are you a member of the religious right? Rather than asking me where you fall, why don’t you tell all of us if you meet this label. For an official definition, I point you to Wikipedia to look up both “religious right” and “Christian right”. If you really want me to try and label you, Larry, I will do so only in person.
I will tell you that I am a liberal Christian. Politically, I consider myself a Demublican because I have some beliefs that are both liberal and conservative. For instance, I am a gun owner and securely fall into the category of “from my cold dead hands” perspective. I lean toward the liberal side more than I lean toward the conservative. I think most people that know me, consider me a liberal. I am fine with that label even though I know that is not a perfect fit. You see, I tend not to support abortion, although I am not black and white about it.
Says Larry in the comments section of the blog: “I was serious about finding your definition of the “religious right”. You have made a box that with (sic) ‘the majority of the religious right condemn the book’ and I want to know if I am supposed to get in it or not.” He didn’t pose the question to me by private email. He posted through my comments section, twice. So my response is also public, although I think I would have preferred the whole discussion in private first, seeing that we are friends.
INCOMING!
Larry, to quote Dr. Phil: It’s not about you. The story was not about your personal box. I think you are taking personally a statement that had nothing to do with you. You may very well fit into the category of “religious right” or you may not. You asked me if you are “supposed to get in it or not.” I’m not exactly sure that I am the one to decide if the label of “religious right” or “Christian right” is the label into which you fall. It could be that some of your views do, indeed, place you into that category. On the other hand some of your beliefs may be counter to the label. It’s really up to you to opt into the category of “religious right” or not. If your beliefs happen to place you there, then you should embrace the term and the box.
I stand by my statement that most of the members of the religious right see Harry Potter as a way to induct Americans, through its children, into the occult. Take notice here. I did not say “all”. A quick Google search will result in tons of articles on the evilness of Harry Potter. Watch the religious programs on Sunday morning. Pat Robertson, Jim Hagee, Jerry Faldwell, et. al have denounced Potter as the work of the devil. The religious right has had such an effect, that most elementary teachers do not read Harry Potter books aloud to their classrooms. It is not the liberal Christians and it is not the un-churched who have the problems with Harry Potter. Who is left?
Here is a partial list of criteria that one might use to determine if he or she is indeed a member of the religious right. This is not the DSM-IV. There are no “x out of x numbers” here to officially put someone into the religious right movement. It is a subjective term.
You Might Be a Member of the Religious Right
If you are a Christian and you believe the Harry Potter books are the spawn of Satan … you might be a part of the religious right.
If you are a Christian and you think God directed the US to fight the war in Iraq … you might be a member of the religious right.
If you are a Christian and support the Nation of Israel … you might be a member of the religious right.
If are a Christian and you oppose homosexuals having same rights under the law as heterosexual couples … you might be a member of the religious right.
If you are a Christian and you do not support stem cell research … you might be a member of the religious right.
If your pastor ever supported the election or re-election of George W. Bush from the pulpit (either directly or indirectly) … you might be a member of the religious right. (True liberal Christians would never use the pulpit to endorse or oppose any political candidate.)
If you are a Christian and you think Republicans are God’s chosen party … you might be a member of the religious right.
If you are a Christian and you think sex education in schools promotes teen sex … you might be a member of the religious right.
If you are a Christian and you think that liberals love killing babies … you might be a member of the religious right.
If you are a Christian and you believe that liberals want to teach 5-year-olds to have sex … you might be a member of the religious right.
If you believe that a middle school dance is evil because of the “sinful gyrations of the woman’s bosom” … you might be a member of the religious right.
If you are a Christian and you believe that all Hispanics are illegal immigrants … you might be a member of the religious right.
If you are a Christian and you oppose the “mixing of the breeds” (interracial marriage) … you might be a member of the religious right.
If you watch Pat Robertson, Jerry Faldwell, or Jim Hagee and buy their books or send them money … then you might be a member of the religious right.
If you believe Tinky Winky is gay … you might be a member of the religious right.
So there we are. I have some questions for you. Do you oppose the Harry Potter books? Are you a member of the religious right? Rather than asking me where you fall, why don’t you tell all of us if you meet this label. For an official definition, I point you to Wikipedia to look up both “religious right” and “Christian right”. If you really want me to try and label you, Larry, I will do so only in person.
I will tell you that I am a liberal Christian. Politically, I consider myself a Demublican because I have some beliefs that are both liberal and conservative. For instance, I am a gun owner and securely fall into the category of “from my cold dead hands” perspective. I lean toward the liberal side more than I lean toward the conservative. I think most people that know me, consider me a liberal. I am fine with that label even though I know that is not a perfect fit. You see, I tend not to support abortion, although I am not black and white about it.
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3 comments:
Jack,
Have you seen "Jesus Camp" documentary? They mention "Harry Potter" in it. What you mention is so true. I believe God would want us to "think" for ourselves about things going on in this world. Would we really want to be treated the way some people are treated by others in this world? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Jill
Jack,
Thanks for humoring me. If I had really taken offense to your statement, I would have e-mailed you privately. I did not have my feathers ruffled or my preverbal panties in a wad. I knew it was not about me.
I was attempting to open the dialog so everyone understood your definition. You are talking about the right wing whackos and not about the run of the mill Christian that is conservative. Just like there is the wacko extreme of the Christian Left but it does not represent most Christians that are liberal.
I have known some left wing wacko preachers that do preach who to vote for from the pulpit but I don’t believe that they would meet your definition of a True liberal Christian. "True liberal Christians would never use the pulpit to endorse or oppose any political candidate."
It appears that I fit in a couple of your qualifications but not the majority. I guess I will stay out of your box. I had no plans of getting into it anyway. I am not a fan of boxes.
By the way, your explanation is better than the one on Wiki.
Also, you have no room to complain that I am goading you when you wrote the post “Vote YES on the Litle Anti-Fornication Law”
Jack:
I think your list was a little unfair because it paints someone who has similar issues with the "religious right" (or perhaps religious FAR right would be a better term) in a light that makes them appear to be extremists.
Christians can have views against stem cell research or support Israel without being on the far fringe of saying Harry Potter indoctrinates children into the occult or that Republicans are the party of God. Would you think it was fair if someone posted a "you might be a lunatic liberal if" list that lumped in funding for early childhood education with support for drive-thru abortion clinics?
I laughed a little at your list and there's a lot of truth in that many on the far-religious right feel that way on a number of issues. However, I think if you really looked at the true religious right and not Karl Rove's version of it you might see that many of us aren't in that extreme minority.
Two years ago, I wouldn't have said that...but Bush, Rove and company don't have the wool pulled over as many eyes anymore.
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