Warning: a lot longer than expected and I jumped from thought to thought.
Alright, so I'm not a Harry Potter fan... never read a book, but I have listened to books 2&3 on tape while driving from MI to NY. However, I heard this on the news:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/10/20/harry.potter.ap/
Personally I wonder why it matters. I find it somewhat sickening that an entertaining book is being reduced to a statement on sexual orientation (at least in my mind and some of the articles I've read). It is of course, no coincidence that the beloved headmaster, the influence for good is gay... even in public schools today, teachers who are homosexual are still viewed as an "evil influence."
I mean, this is sort of a touchy thing. From the gospel standpoint, we know that homosexuality is not the Lord's way and that acting on such instincts is a violation of God's law but that people who struggle with same gender attraction are not loved less by the Lord. But at the same time, it is SO widespread and accepted as a great thing. People are applauded for being a hero when they come out about their orientation. Don't get me wrong, I have lots of friends from H.S that were attracted to their same gender.. heck! I live in Ithaca - a city that by city ordinance gives benefits to "domestic partners" (they get the same benefits that I get as a spouse) and so I'm around a diversity of people everyday. I have no problem loving those with different standards than I. And no problem associating and being friends with such. But I know what the gospel teaches. http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b3bc55cbf541229058520974e44916a0/?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=3e05c8322e1b3110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1
Of course there is freedom of speech, and there is freedom of expression, but how are we supposed to react? How are we supposed to explain to our kids who read Harry Potter and about the exalted Head master and ask about his love and life and why he didn't marry or have kids. Obviously, teach the truth, but it's difficult (and scary) to, once again combat, those who call good evil and evil good and to raise our kids in such a world. And how, when it comes time to vote on proposals to legalize same sex marriage, do we explain our position without offending? Of course, we just tell the truth, but how do you say that to a friend who is homosexual and engaged and wants to marry? And wants all of the benefits of marrying someone they love?
I think this post ended up being a rant more than anything, but I would love to hear our thoughts about Harry Potter and everything else. But it makes me sad and sick to think of what is accepted out there. And happy and SO grateful that I have the gospel to arm myself and my children with!
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7 comments:
I kind of chose not to react to the Dumbledore thing. It doesn't change anything for me with the books and I think it's just an annoying thing in the news. I love the Dumbledore character, but by the end of the series you realize he had weaknesses and made mistakes whereas in the beginning I thought he was all perfect and wise.
I usually avoid talking about this subject because it's so hard. I know that's not noble of me, but I'm just being honest. In the school systems you are taught to accept everyone. You have conferences with two moms or two dads, and they are wonderful people. In life, I have had gay friends who I love. But what I struggle with is that I wish that there was not going to be so much exposure to being gay as my children grow up.
I don't expect this issue to go away in this lifetime. The good news (and I'm stealing words from someone who recently gave me this awesome pep talk about parenting) is that we have soooooooo much hope in the gospel. I choose to focus on that.
This is a tough subject. But I don't think it is any tougher than other sins. Why should we single out homosexuality as one we find difficult to talk to our children about? Aren't fornication and adultery bad, too, but even more present in our media and culture? Do we feel as sickened or saddened when we see reports of that in the media, or do we just brush them off? Perhaps it is because culturally we aren't quite desensitized to homosexuality as we are to heterosexual promiscuity.
Acting on homosexual desires is a sin - that is clear by gospel standards. I really appreciated the article in the Ensign this month about homosexuality by Elder Holland. I think it has always been hard to separate the sin from the sinner - and Elder Holland eloquently described how we can and need to do that.
I really don't think I'll have a hard time teaching the gospel standards to my children. I think my challenge will come in teaching them what I need to improve in myself: living the gospel standards fully!
I agree with Linz - the gospel gives us SOOOOOO much hope!
I felt like it was unnecessary for her to add those details but I know there's a whole world that J.K. Rowling hasn't shared in her books that these characters have created. I agree with Linz that it doesn't change my views of the HP books and I will continue to think in my head that obviously all the teachers have dedicated their lives to education rather than family life! :)
I have had the same struggles mentioned. I have a dear friend who I work with who is gay. I adore her and her partner, however if they ask me outright, I will be honest in what I believe about homosexuality. I don't think i'm good at it yet, but I'm trying my darnedest to love her while upholding what I believe to be true. It became a lot easier though when I likened it to my other coworker who lives with her boyfriend. I think Cramster's right, we're just desensitized to heterosexual promiscuity.
On the flip side, I remember an institute teacher quoting a general authority saying something like first we abhor a sin, then we tolerate it, and then we embrace it-that's how Satan works. And while I don't want to be "lulled away" by Satan, I DO want to learn to love those who I don't agree with.
Okay...I'm going to try to make this short...because I could probably write a lot about this.
First of all, I read a great article about the whole Dumbledore situation and I really liked what the author of the article said. He was talking to J.K. Rowling and he said (not an exact quote), "We understand that you created these characters and they totally live in your mind. However, you wrote 7 books and told us exactly what you thought was important for us to know about each of these characters. When you finished that seventh book...you then opened the rest of their world to our own imaginations. Those characters than became ours (the readers). You have no right to go and take away what we ourselves could create with our own imaginations." And I really liked that. He mentioned in the article that it wasn't even about Dumbledore being gay...because he has no bias in that area. He just doesn't like the fact that what is so special to him about books -- the stuff left to the imagination -- has been taken away from him. I'm with him. I like imagination in books--that's what makes them so much better than movies. So...I'm sticking to what was actually written in the books as fact (well...fiction, because its not real) and letting my mind determine what the rest of the characters are and feel. And I'll let my children do the same thing.
Okay, wow...this is already long and I've only talked about the books. Sorry. I agree with the rest of you in that I usually try to avoid this subject because it is a touchy one. I, too, have friends who have chosen a gay lifestyle. Two of my very best friends from high school are gay in fact. Now, I can't honestly say that I was happy for them when I found out. But, it didn't change how I felt about about them at all. But I remember having a hard time trying to figure out what was the best way for me to deal with the situation as a member of the Church. And I actually talked to my bishop about it because I was trying to figure out the best thing to do. And he told me that the very best thing that I could do was love them and pray for them. And so that's what I did. And I know that Heavenly Father loves them too and wants to help them make it through this trial in their lives.
I took a class in college called Multicultural Education (I was an elementary education major). In the class we read this book called The New Tolerance. It was very interesting. It was talking about the gay movement in particular (other movements too), but it said that the sad thing in the world these days isn't that we are being asked to tolerate people with different beliefs than us. Because we can do that. We can say, "I respect your decision to believe that way, just as I hope that you'll respect my decision to not believe that way." The author of the book talked about how tolerance doesn't seem to be enough for the leaders of these movements anymore. If you even believe that something is wrong, even if you respect other people's decisions, than you're considered intolerant. And that book really made me think. It's true. We should feel fine knowing that we respect other people and their decisions...but the world is trying to make us feel bad that we don't lovingly embrace decisions that we don't agree with. And in the end, its the leaders of these movements that are intolerant of people with basic Christian values. That's the truly hard thing with schools these days. The leaders of these movements are making and passing laws that are making the schools "tolerant" of all beliefs. I just read an article about California public schools that says that a bill was just passed that outlaws the discussion of "Mom and Dad" in class or in books in class unless there is equal representation of same-sex marriages in the books or discussion. Also, to not discriminate against transexuals, boys are allowed to go into the girls' restrooms and locker rooms and vice versa. I could hardly believe it when I read that! It didn't seem to me like they were just trying to be fair to people with other beliefs...but that they were catering to them and forgetting that some people still believe in a traditional family. I don't know...the bathroom thing really got me. I wouldn't want to go in a public restroom/locker room and see some boy undressing...and I wouldn't want my daughter to be subject to that either.
Anyway, this is SOOO long and I'm so sorry. But, I just really think that its sad that we have to feel bad for not accepting something that we don't believe in. I think that it should be enough to respect people's decisions and to pray for them (we probably shouldn't tell them that we're praying for them...because they'll probably be offended) and to pray for Heavenly Father to help us know what He would have us to do raise our children in the world today. And be very, very diligent in teaching our children the gospel in our homes...because we'll have to be combating what they're learning every second they're out of the home. I'd like to end with two quotes by general authorities talking about 3 Nephi 12:44, where we're told to love our enemies. The first is Brigham Young. He said, "Christ never told a man or woman to love their enemies in their wickedness, never. He never intended any such thing." And then Joseph F. Smith: "I love them so much that if I had it in my power to annihilate them from the earth I would not harm a hair of their heads...I do not love them so that I would take them into my bosom, or invite them to associate with my family, or that I would give my daughters to their embraces, nor my sons to their counsels...I do not love them well enough for this, and I do not believe that God ever designed that I should; but I love them so much that I would not hurt them, I would do them good." And I'm not saying that gay people are our enemy AT ALL...I think that being told that we have to accept and believe everything that others teach is sort of like our enemy. And I just think/know that we can and should love all people and accept and tolerate all people...we just don't have to accept what they believe. Maybe this doesn't make much sense...but I just really like how the prophets put it. We should love all people...just not "in their wickedness." Or in other words, love them...just not their choices. Anyway...I guess I didn't succeed at making this short. But I agree with all of you that we're so lucky to have the gospel in our lives. We just need to continue to build on the rock so that we can be protected against the hails and fiery darts of the devil. :)
Cramster, amen.
I don't see how this is different from all of the characters drinking mead. There is a fair amount of murder in the book too. Everyone in Harry Potter breaks the word of wisdom and some murder people.
It doesn't matter that Dumbledore is gay. There is not a speck of sex in th entire series. Dumbledore is an imaginary person. By the time your kids read it, I doubt it will be a top story on cnn.com, and they will undoubtedly know REAL people that are gay and have questions about that...worry about that, not Dumbledore and his non-sexual imaginary life in the pages of Harry Potter.
I definitely agree with you Kage! It's not entirely different, which is why I stopped supporting anything Harry Potter after listening to two books and I don't watch the movies. It's that same reason that I filter out just about all media from our home. I feel that I get enough exposure to "real life" just by living, so why add to it? Harry Potter was just a high profile example
And thanks for posting that quote Tiffany, I read the same thing. And I took issue with the same thing. It just doesn't matter and and like you said, she ruined the purpose of reading vs. watching. When you read you get to make the characters your own. You control what they look like and what experiences they may have had.
I can also relate to the experience you shared Tiffany. This recent experience is actually what brought on the post. Harry Potter just added to it. One of my dear friends in High School told me the other day that she is engaged to another girl I went to high school with. Normally when someone tells you they are engaged there is a natural reaction that follows "Oh, that's great!" "I'm so happy for you!" I didn't know how to respond. I can't say I was happy. Of course I still love her! But I just said I was happy she was happy and that was it and hopefully sufficient. But it is so hard to respond!
However, I do believe there is one big difference between homosexuality and other sins. If someone has premarital sex, they don't announce publicly that they are "premarital sex doers" or if someone drinks they don't say they are drinkers. If I say that I'm against drinking or premarital sex they know I'm just against the action and not them. However, people who are gay USUALLY define themselves by being attracted to the same sex. They state their sexual orientation as part of their inborn identity. People make a big deal of saying "I'm gay." It's a big event for someone to "come out." And such characteristic usually defines not only what gender they are attracted to, but how they dress, talk and act. So when I say I'm against homosexuality, or against homosexual marriage, most take it as I'm saying "I'm against you" "I'm against your life" "I'm against the deepest part of you" "I'm against you finding any true source of happiness in this life."
Good point, Jen L. I hadn't thought about the whole "make a big deal out of it and advertise my sin" kind of behavior. One more way that satan makes it "cooler" or "more special" to sin!
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