Harry’s Last Stand: A Faith Based Look at The Deathly Hallows

In anticipation of the release of the two part film version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, I decided to post my review of the book that was featured on RelevantMagazine.com. This is more of a Christian, faith based look into the world of Harry Potter and his last journey. I hope you enjoy it!

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As the last book opens, we learn that war has broken out in the wizarding world, and Harry finds himself facing the forces of evil with only the company of his friends Ron and Hermione. Wizards who do not support Voldemort are forced into hiding, murders are happening every day and Harry and his friends are being stalked ruthlessly by Death Eaters. With a mark on his head and filled with doubt about his only guide Dumbledore, Harry races to find the last of the Horcruxes and defeat Lord Voldemort once and for all.

Reading the final installment in the much beloved series, I began to see many similarities to our own lives as Christians. As the world came tumbling down around Harry with a government overrun by evildoers, I saw historic similarities of World War II. In the novel, dark wizards take over the government and begin to seize “Mudbloods” (wizards and witches born from Muggle, or non-wizards). Propaganda was distributed declaring that the Mudbloods were dangerous. Money was offered to anyone who turned in a Muggle-born. These Mudbloods were then imprisoned, tortured and murdered, all in the hope of creating a “pure” magical race. All of this echoed what happened in Germany to the Jews as Hitler tried to realize his dreams of a “pure” Aryan race. There were also similarities in the story to what some Christians think the “end times” might be like if the anti-christ came to power and began to fight and exterminate believers. Harry, his band of followers and their adventures reminded me that no matter what, we as Christians should never lose faith and continue to fight for what we believe in.

Not all the similarities to history and Christian life were dark and terrifying. The main theme that weaves its way through the series is that of unfailing, unfaltering love; the love of a mother who sacrificed herself to save her son, the same love that protected Harry from Voldemort many times in the past. This idea, pointed out in John Granger’s Looking For God in Harry Potter, is universal because it stems from the greatest story of all time, the story of a God of love dying for our sins.

The one thing I found the closest to my own heart were the issues raised with Harry’s struggle to trust in Dumbledore (Harry’s mentor throughout the series). Throughout the Deathly Hallows, Harry is plagued with questions about Dumbledore’s methods and motives. Why did Dumbledore not explain everything more clearly to Harry? Why did Dumbledore not give Harry more answers? I could not helped but be reminded of the lack of answers we get from God. We must trust Him so much of the time with no proof (at least proof that we can see with our own eyes). When a loved one dies, when we are hurting and troubled, sometimes we feel that we are left alone to fight to believe and do what is right in a harsh world.

Harry was searching for answers to defeat Voldemort very much the way we, as Christians, try to find answers to defeat Satan. Dumbledore wanted Harry to figure out things on his own, which seems similar to the way our God operates, not spelling everything out to us. He doesn’t tell us why terrible things happen when we ask. But neither does God leave us alone and without hope. After a time, we are able to look back at the bad that has happened in our lives and see the good that God was working out of these events to make things better in the end, similar to the way Dumbledore was working from the beginning to save and protect Harry from Voldemort.

Throughout Harry’s journey in this book, he struggled with many doubts about Dumbledore. Was he really the saint Harry thought he was? Had he been truthful to Harry? These questions and doubts are not far from the many distractions and doubts we have about our Lord. Like Harry, we are plagued with doubt at times that our mentor and protector might be untrue or unjust. There are people and circumstances that encourage our doubt. We try to cling to our hope and faith in Christ, fighting the temptation to give in to these doubts. But even when we, like Harry, are lead astray and lose our faith for a time, in the end our loving God leads us back to Him, just as Harry’s faith is renewed in Dumbledore.

The story holds nothing back, giving the reader a glimpse of struggles many of us have to face each day, be it the death and mourning of a loved one, the doubt of a mentor or the forgiveness of someone who has wronged us. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has become my favorite book because of all the love and truth that subtly flows through it.

“You Never Got A Chance To See How Good I’ve Done…”

If you watched American Idol this week you know that it was Mariah Carey week. And let me tell you that girl can sing!!

Through out the years I’ve been a fan of her songs – some not even knowing that it was her singing. Those were mainly when I was younger and didn’t know who was singing the song unless it was Britney Spears (Don’t worry, I don’t like her anymore. Haven’t in a long time) or the Backstreet Boys or *N-sync.

So after I was reminded of the good songs she sings, I went and listened to her new album on iTunes. Found a few good songs that I absolutely love.

First off was Bye Bye, which is the song she sang on Wednesday night. This song speaks so much to me. A lot of it says the same things that I have felt over the few years since I lost my grandfather. If you know me he was very important to me and was more of a dad to me then I’d ever known then.

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(Am I) Lost & Found By Saving Grace

I just finished watching the season finale of Saving Grace. I must say there is just something about this show that is just so honest and pure, but gridy and edgy at the same time.

This is the kind of stuff I would like to write one day when I’m an established author. It’s raw, true-life kind of stuff. The show is non-apologetic about being very realistic. It doesn’t try to sugarcoat some of the realities that life throws at you.

But the great thing about this show is the writers have taken a gridy drama and put faith, God and angels in the center of it. It’s so refreshing to see something so good – in many different ways – on tv today.

The last episode really hit a cord with me. The performances were just out of this world. I have to give it up to the writers and actors of this amazing show. They did an excellent job with the sexual abuse story line.

For me those parts of the show were really hard to watch. Especially the scene with just Grace and Rhetta – It was just pure emotion. In that scene Holly Hunter reminded all of us that she is a true actor that has claimed the academy award.

To be so honest with your writing like that seems so hard to me right now. I wish I had that kind of courage to tackle something like that.

There are of course a few things I don’t like about the show; one of them being the fact that it feels the need to have a few graphic scenes of the sexual nature.  That I could really do with out. But other then that the show is outstanding.

The one thing I hate about novels is that it’s so hard to really show the true raw emotion a character is feeling and going through. You really have to work the words of a novel to really jerk the emotion strings of the reader. But I think I also love that about novels. It gives you a challenge. I know, the irony.

If you decide to watch this outstanding show, I must warn you that there are a few graphic scenes of the sexual nature and they do exercise the right of free speech to express themselves. Meaning questionable language. I thought I needed to point that out, being this is a Christian oriented blog.

Desperate For Some Faithful Housewives

So Desperate Housewives was all-new tonight and as a fan I was reminded of how much I love this show.

First they’re housewives, second they’re desperate and third they’re hilarious. Now for the slow, let me repeat that. They’re housewives, they’re desperate and they are so hilarious!!

Tonight’s episode was a little shocking to me. And not for the reasons you might think. The episode was entitled, “Sunday.” And as you can guess it revolved around church, God and the number one Jesus.

Lately I’ve noticed a lot of Christian themed elements in prime time network television. You know what I mean if you saw last weeks American Idol results show that opened with the final eight singing “Shout To The Lord.” Yes, a worship song – one that if you’ve been to worship service you’ve probably heard this song a few times. This shocked me. I couldn’t believe it. They even kept in the Jesus parts. I saw again, I was shocked. Then I remembered the week before when they had Dolly Parton on a couple contestants sang songs with Jesus mentioned several times.

Well anyway, back to Desperate Housewives. When the episode started and I learned it was going to center around church and God, I figured it was going to be another mocking, put down episode you see so often on television. As I said before I was shocked to find that they did an excellent job.

Lunette, one of the housewives gets an urge to go to church because of many troubling events that have just happened. They go to another housewife’s church and once the minister was done giving his sermon, Lynette raised her hand. Now in most churches you don’t raise your hand to ask a question. I don’t know maybe it’s different at your church.

Anyway, the minister calls on her and she stands up and says he lost her at some point and she didn’t understand something. He addresses it as well that’s just how it is. Well Lynette doesn’t accept that.

Her statement went something like this, “I just don’t understand how God’s love can be seen in the sunlight. I mean every other month some dumbass goes into a school and shoots it up. Where is God’s love there?”

Haven’t you ever just wanted to ask that to someone? I thought the whole ordeal was just hilarious. And for me, a believer, I already knew the answer to these statements, but I loved how they went about it so a non-believer could understand and maybe be curious to ask more questions.

And I’m sorry, but you have to admit, standing up in a church you’re not supposed to stand up in and address the preacher and say the word “dumbest” is just hilarious. Of course if you’re familiar with DH this is pretty normal stuff for the wives to do.

All in all, I was reminded of how much I love DH and that there is still hope for Hollywood and network television. Who knew?

One Emotional Love Story

So I’ve been watching One Tree Hill on DVD and let me tell you this show is a guilty pleasure.

First off I love the story between the two brothers. It’s so interesting to see the emotion from these two and the tension that they have, mainly put there by their evil, egotistical, jackass of a dad, Dan Scott. I know you can tell I like this guy.

I love watching the relationships grow between all of these people that are at times so completely different, but at the same time are on the same emotional rollercoaster ride as the other.

I must say the relationship between Haley and Nathan is so magical. They have this chemistry that you just don’t see much of on tv. They are just the perfect couple. They look so good together and they are both good for the other. Haley makes Nathan a better person and Nathan gives Haley the courage to follow her dreams. I just love them as a couple. I also hated the fact that they split for awhile. I was actually screaming at the tv for Nathan to go after her. But I’m just glad they’re back together.
Payton is my kind of girl. She’s into music and the arts and just does her own thing. She’s head strong, but can also let herself be swept off her feet. She also defies the stereotype of cheerleader. I mean you just wouldn’t picture her as a cheerleader, but she does it because her mom was one and I give her props for that.

I would also have to say Brooke is also my kind of girl. She is funny and out going, but at the same time she can be sweet and loveable. She knows what she wants and goes out and makes it happen. I guess I relate to Lucas having a thing for both Brooke and Payton.

Of course Haley is also my kind of girl. I don’t know where to begin on that one so I’m just going to skip that.

I think I love this show because it’s an ongoing love story. One emotional love story. There are a lot of sad moments but there are a lot of moments that just warm your heart. I also love the fact the show doesn’t tip toe around the big issues teens face today and that’s exactly what I want in my writing. Something that makes you cry, laugh and even mad. After awhile you get so wrapped up into the lives of these people.

Well I’m going to stop writing and listening to Halo by Haley James Scott (aka Bethany Joy Galeotti) and watch some more One Tree Hill. I know it’s addictive.

Talk to you later.

Worth The Wait

This is the first edition of Speaker Box. It’s basically me reviewing new albums and artists and of course ranting about music news.

Jordin Sparks’ new self titled album just dropped last Tuesday and let me just tell you this entire album is just absolutely amazing. I can’t stop listening to it.

You know, normally I’m not real into R&B. I mean I like a few of the more popular R&B songs but it’s just not my taste, but Jordin’s album is just outstanding. It has so much to offer.

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