Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) is another in the immensely popular and immensely trite series about the coming of age of a young sorcerer, possibly the sorcerer. The stories in the series are filled with numerous and very obvious stereotypes. The content is appropriate for this forum because sorcery is a form of religion. (An aside: Yes, I do know the differences between the historical view of witchcraft and satanism, sorcery, Wicca, modern Satanism, and neo-paganism.)
As I was watching Order of the Phoenix I had a strong feeling of deja vu. I've seen this before. What I was seeing was a clearly discernable liberal or left wing message. The members of The Ministry of Magic are in denial about the return of the ultra-evil Lord Voldemort and interpret warnings of his return as attacks on their leadership. To squelch dissent, they send in a new representative, Dolores Jane Umbridge, to clamp down on the Hogwarts School. She is sweet and fuzzy on the outside but she clamps down on the students like the authoritarian bureaucrat she is. The Ministry is practicing "the politics of fear" and fails to see "the real threat."
This politicization of what is ostensibly a children's film is further shown in the name of Dolores Umbridge. "Umbrage" comes to us from Middle English by way of French,and, ultimately, from the Latin word "umbra" which means "shade" or "shadow." "To take umbrage" is to resent or be angered by some imagined insult. The idea which I believe is intended in Order of the Phoenix is somewhere along the lines of the Scandinavian perjorative "morkemann." (See my post for 24 October 2009 in the Labels List under the label: "morkemann." )
Showing posts with label morkemann. Show all posts
Showing posts with label morkemann. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The Manhattan Declaration
All Christians should read and consider signing The Manhattan Declaration. The Declaration was issued on 20 November 2009, signed by more than one-hundred fifty Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant Evangelical leaders. Fifteen days later, on 5 December 2009, it had been signed by over 250,000 people. When I first read it on 21 December 2009, the total number of signers was 306,402. Today the number totals 307,164.
What has so solidly united leaders and Christians of such divergent religious traditions? The perception that Christianity is increasingly under assault and put on the defensive. The repeated attempts to override conscience clauses allowing medical workers to refuse to participate in medical procedures they believe to be immoral. Christian clergy in Canada and Europe being prosecuted for hate crimes because they affirmed the Biblical denunciation of homosexuality. The fact that, in Scandinavia, one who adheres to the ideas stated in the Declaration is derisively called a "mprkemann" (man of darkness). Things like that.
On what could Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical leaders agree? Their three points, expanded in the Declaration, are: 1. "the sanctity of human life," 2. "the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife," and 3. "the rights of conscience and religious liberty."
Read the Declaration but don't just impulsively sign it. Think about it first because it is not just a statement. The document asks for a commitment also. When you sign, you agree to the following statements.
What has so solidly united leaders and Christians of such divergent religious traditions? The perception that Christianity is increasingly under assault and put on the defensive. The repeated attempts to override conscience clauses allowing medical workers to refuse to participate in medical procedures they believe to be immoral. Christian clergy in Canada and Europe being prosecuted for hate crimes because they affirmed the Biblical denunciation of homosexuality. The fact that, in Scandinavia, one who adheres to the ideas stated in the Declaration is derisively called a "mprkemann" (man of darkness). Things like that.
On what could Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical leaders agree? Their three points, expanded in the Declaration, are: 1. "the sanctity of human life," 2. "the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife," and 3. "the rights of conscience and religious liberty."
Read the Declaration but don't just impulsively sign it. Think about it first because it is not just a statement. The document asks for a commitment also. When you sign, you agree to the following statements.
"We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence. It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness, both in season and out of season."
"We recognize the duty to comply with laws whether we happen to like them or not, unless the laws are gravely unjust or require those subject to them to do something unjust or otherwise immoral. ... We will not comply ... nor will we bend. ... We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar's, but under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God's."
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Morkemann
In Norway, an insult word, Morkemann ("man of darkness"),is becoming common when referring to Christians, especially those who oppose abortion rights, homosexuality, and same-sex marriage, and who express support for Israel.
In the United States we haven't quite gotten there yet but it is obvious that we could easily, as a nation, move in that direction. Christians (those not already infected) must stand peacefully against this. They'll hate us for it but that just means we're doing God's will.
"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake." Luke 6:22
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