J.k. Rowlings Is One Crazy Lady!

[judy]

I'm sorry Angie, but I'm glad that the HP series is over. I know how sad you were when it ended. I just finished the 6th book and am going to listen to the last when I finish the book I'm in the middle of now.

I love the HP's. They're wonderful stories, the characters are like my friends, they're beautifully written and she has talent beyond belief.

But - at a recent press conference, she "outed" Dumbledore. She told everyone there that he was gay. Of course, the media picked it up.

Now, I have no problem with anybody's sexual preference, but she made him up.
In her mind, he may very well be gay, but this book is written for everyone from young children up. What are we all supposed to do with that bit of information?
Even I started to wonder if he had tried anything with Harry. I can't imagine what a young child would do with that fact.

Anyway, I see no reason for her to make that statement and I really have no respect for that kind of egotistical craziness. It served no good purpose except for her. for whatever reason.

[AngieDoogles]

I was shocked by that news Judy. It doesn't even fit his character AT ALL! That's the disturbing part. Luckily, there was never any mention of that anywhere in the books, so I still think it's alright for children to read. I mean, if even as an adult I didn't pick up on it (and neither did my husband or any other adult I know who loves the series), then I doubt a child would think "Oh, he's gay" unless someone told him. For me, Dumbledore is not an amazing heterosexual wizard, he's not an amazing homosexual wizard. He's just an amazing wizard. I never thought of him as having romantic feelings for anyone and that is how I continue to see him, regardless of any new information.

As for the series as a whole...it teaches many wonderful values that I think children and adults alike can benefit from--love, friendship, sacrifice, death, that authority is not always right, to stand up for what you believe in, to speak the truth at all costs, that good can triumph over evil...etc, etc, etc.

I recently read another interesting article about the series and it's Christian themes. I won't post the link because it contains countless spoilers for the last book, but here is a nice little quote:

On his parents' tombstone he reads the quote "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death," while on another tombstone...(info taken out so as not to spoil book 7)...he reads, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

While Rowling said that "Hogwarts is a multifaith school," these quotes, of course, are distinctly Christian. The second is a direct quote of Jesus from Matthew 6:19, the first from 1 Corinthians 15:26. As Hermione tells Harry shortly after he sees the graves, his parents' message means "living beyond death. Living after death." It is one of the central foundations of resurrection theology.

Judy, after finishing book 7, you'll see just how big the themes of Christianity are in the series. I can't tell you what I mean, because it would give way too much away.

[judy]

You're so right about the books. They do teach wonderful values and the characters are so interesting. There is nothing sexual in any of the books, and I'm sure not in the last either. Even when Harry and Ginny hook up, it's not sexual. I'm sure Ron and Hermione are also in love.

That's what upset me when I heard her announcement about Dumbledore. It was so unnecessary and totally inappropriate. I'm a fan of her writing, but don't ever want to meet her.

[judy]

For anyone else who might even care, here are a bunch of article summaries about
this.

http://tailrank.com/3397226/Dumbledo...ls-amazed-fans

[katepoet]

I realized when I saw the longer clip that it seemed she had just slipped as part of a conversation about the characters, but what a big slip! Thing is, children really shouldn't be seeing their teachers and principals as sexual - married, yes, even to the same sex, fine, but not sexual. It's different. The way her comment was taken out of context and blasted by the media - which she should have expected - created something sexual in my view. So sad. And it gave ammunition to those who dislike the magic in the books, who feel it is anti-religious. I imagine the companies that produce the books and films were not happy with her.

Such a shame that she had to muddy the waters.

[judy]

Originally Posted by katepoet

I realized when I saw the longer clip that it seemed she had just slipped as part of a conversation about the characters, but what a big slip! Thing is, children really shouldn't be seeing their teachers and principals as sexual - married, yes, even to the same sex, fine, but not sexual. It's different. The way her comment was taken out of context and blasted by the media - which she should have expected - created something sexual in my view. So sad. And it gave ammunition to those who dislike the magic in the books, who feel it is anti-religious. I imagine the companies that produce the books and films were not happy with her.

Such a shame that she had to muddy the waters.

I'm not sure it was an accidental slip. I think she created him as gay, which is fine.
I think she just doesn't care or even realize that it might impact people in a way they don't need in the context of the HP series. It adds nothing.

She's a brilliant author, and you know what they say about geniuses!