"...if an ass peers into it, you can't expect an apostle to peer out" --georg christoph lichtenberg

Do you think I am trying to weave a spell? Perhaps I am; but remember your fairy tales. Spells are used for breaking enchantments as well as for inducing them. And you and I have need of the strongest spells that can be found to wake us from the evil enchantment of worldliness which has been laid upon us for nearly a hundred years.
C. S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory"

A very famous writer once said, "A book is like a mirror. If a fool looks in, you can't expect a genius to look out."
J. K. Rowling on NBC's 'Today Show', 10/20/00

Should non-Christians parents prevent their children from reading Harry Potter because of hidden proselytization? What a thought! What a blow to Conservative fundamentalists hell-bent on condemning Harry Potter for promoting witchcraft and devil worship! But that's what Austin Cline, "Guide to agnosticism/atheism," in an article on About.com suggests non-Christian parents should do if making Christianity more palatable is what's behind Rowlings best-loved fantasy series. "J.K. Rowling’s intentions will also be important to non-Christian readers. If her goal all along has been to create a Christian allegory that lays the basis for adopting Christianity itself or to make Christianity more psychologically appealing, then non-Christian readers may want to adopt the same cautious attitude towards the books that some Christians have now. Non-Christian parents may not want their children to read stories designed to convert them to another religion." But then he concludes by saying that if Rowling uses Christian themes or symbolism, it could just be a by-product of our "Christian culture" and then it would be okay for atheists to allow their children to read the series--perhaps with a good lecture about how the themes of death and resurrection, self-sacrifice, faithfulness and commitment to a good, righteous authority (or king-figure), and laying down your life for him, are just really psychological patterns and can be explained in evolutionary and materialistic terms. I can hear the atheist parents now: "Whatever you think, my son, do not let the desire for a good, loving King who would lay his life down for you, or the longing for the breath of Aslan, the approving tears of Dumbledore, the life-blood of Lily Potter willingly shed for her son's protection, trick you into thinking there is any substance behind these myths! All that is true in life is you and me and our god-like minds! These are mere psychological symbols. We do not need saving." Or, "Matter is what it is and matter is all that matters" [the words of Nate Fleming summarizing Philip Pullman's--another famous children's author--philosophy written in a recent email to me].
"Is Harry Potter a Christian Allegory? Does Harry Potter Teach Christianity?"


I am on a Harry Potter kick. I finally read the sixth installment. I wept, I laughed (and wept in my laughter), I felt the presence of God as I have not felt in a while. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince called me to deeper holiness. It awoke in me a deeper desire to be a whole-hearted servant of the risen Christ. Prior to reading this book, I had considered the possibility of J.K. Rowling being a Christian a number of times. After reading this book, I could no longer deny it. Either she was a Spirit-informed Christ follower, or she was the best pretender and usurper of Christian truth for her own malicious (and as yet to be seen) ends since, well, since Lucifer. In conversation recently, I admitted that, yes, by common grace, perhaps the laws of God (and therefore the inherent medieval Christian symbolism and themes?!?!) are embedded into her imagination without her even knowing it, but truly, no author (especially one so clever and far-sighted as Rowling) would use the themes and symbols she does without first carefully considering all of their implications. I never really went searching in depth for her thoughts on Christianity...before now. I had always believed that the series would, in the end, speak for itself (and part of me was perhaps scared that she would be, as Right-wing rumour has it, staunchly anti-Christian and using Christian morality in a subversive way, perhaps like Philip Pullman, and the full truth of her betrayal would be revealed only in the last novel). But now, I've found some solid evidence of my intuitions (and logic). The following is from an interview in the Vancouver Sun (from 2000). Rowling: "Yes, I am [a Christian], which seems to offend the religious right far worse than if I said I thought there was no God. Every time I've been asked if I believe in God, I've said yes, because I do, but no one ever really has gone any more deeply into it than that, and I have to say that does suit me, because if I talk too freely about that I think the intelligent reader, whether 10 or 60, will be able to guess what's coming in the books." (Wyman, Max. "' You can lead a fool to a book but you can't make them think': Author has frank words for the religious right," The Vancouver Sun (British Columbia), 26 October 2000.) This intriguing interview with Rowling has led to "at least one book by a pro-Potter evangelical Christian: Looking For God in Harry Potter by John Granger." Granger is described by the internet writing journal as "a strict father and devoted student of classical literature" (http://www.internetwritingjournal.com/aug05/rowling2.htm). In the tizzy of evangelical anti-Potterism that was so prevalent a few years ago, he purchased the first Harry Potter book to prove to his daughter how satanic--just how blatantly evil--it was! "But when he started reading, he said he was startled to find so many classical references to the gospels and to the Christian faith. The more he read, the more he believed he has discovered the secret to what Rowling is doing: under the guise of wizarding, she is sneaking in the gospels [sneaking past those ever-watchful dragons!--in C.S. Lewis's words]. He believes the series is the greatest stealth Christian literature since the Narnia books." His book examines some of the Potter books by "exploring the recurring themes of resurrection, the power of love over death and the fact that Harry always must ask for help from a higher power when he is most in trouble."

Rowling is a member of the Church of Scotland (the Presbyterian Church!!!!)--who shine in my books (at least many PCA-ers do) for redeeming culture and the arts! It doesn't really surprise me. But I cried when I read it. The Spirit in me rejoiced. I think I may have posted the following website once before:
John Granger on the Christian Meaning of Harry Potter.

Five years ago, I thought John Granger may have been pushing his luck (and his reading), but now, I think he he may have just been speaking truth. Amen! WHAHOOOO!!!! 29 DAYS UNTIL HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS!!!!

Oh, and please do check out Ms. Rowling's personal website. She is a delight (and so kind and patient with her fans! She often responds personally to them). J.K. Rowling's Personal Website.

transformers on the table

this one might be more potent. it's one of the poems from my (last semester's) independent study in poetry. Professor Cook loved it, if it's any consolation ;-).

The Myth of the Male
or
Transformers on the Table


Odysseus hardened by the salt
and the sun on the seas
all those ten years. All the women
who want him. Bond, James Bond
and all his harem, leggy chicks
perfect for lusty Dicks.
(Dick Tracys of course.)

Mom:
"Joey stop crying and get your
transformers off the table;
go have a battle with your brother
in the yard or something while
I get dinner ready.
Remember your hockey practice
tonight; tomorrow soccer.
Real boys don’t cry anyway
look at that Ravage, he
would never whine over a little bruised
ego. Take him with you when you
go and turn him into that machine you
know is in his heart."

Dad:
"Cybertron, Wolverine, Mecannibals, Death’s Head,
those are the guys you want to emulate.
Indiana Jones—he’s got it together too.
Big-muscled men to ward off
the bad guys. Better ward off those bad
guys and save Lil’ Red from the Big Bad Wolf.
Otherwise you’re a puss, a wus.
And you don’t want to be labeled
cunt. (All you want the puss for is the conquering.)"

All the men together now:
To the gym we go to beef it up
(we’re beef you know; the meaty ones
cause we are what we eat and beef is for us.)
The art studio, the pottery class
is enemy territory. Only homos
and metro-what-the-shit-do-you-call-ems
walk upon that feminized ground.
Kill the infidel! Crush the weak!
The weakness is not in us. It must not be in us.
Pump it out with testosterone.
Pump the chicks full of sperm.
Chase it out with subwoofers’
throbbing bangs.
That will make you a man.
A machine of a man.
Able to transform in a second
to the Ubermensch of every
girl’s dream. We are the
Ubermensch.

Don’t question it.

Or the metal might rust
and the flesh might peek
through and you might prick us.

We might bleed emotion
and show you who
we really are:
waiting to be loved.
Waiting to be known.
Waiting to be made flesh by

the sound (or touch) of flesh
the touch of a voice
on our metallic chests.

barbie in the bathroom

i feel like being controversial. this may not be strong enough...so i will wash it down with its companion poem. re: the one that appears above.

The Myth of the Eternal Female
or
Barbie in the Bathroom

Her blue-shadowed eyes,
eat up half her face,
pried open lidless
lashless. All the hair
that should be on her legs,
her arms, her underarms,
the area reserved for reproduction,
down-hair revealed by lamplight
on chin, arms, toes,
is transplanted, has migrated
to her egg-like head.
Flawless shell of a woman.
Every man’s poster dream
love stimulant
for boys taught not to feel
(hands beat the feeling out of them.)

Girls hands caress the curves
they want for themselves so bad.
Stuff the first trainer bra to make
the soft pink chest flesh round
faster. Maybe then the boys will chase
them at recess; want to peek
down their shirts when they
swing upside down on the monkey
bars. Pray that they don’t get acne
or moles. Please God don’t let me
grow those black spots like my mom
has. Slather on the sunscreen.
Block life out.
Please God don’t let me have that
fat around my back and middle
or those jiggling thighs.
Don’t let my stomach bulge when
I sit or bend, Dear God forbid it!
I want legs to wrap around the world
not functional ones to carry babies with.

Soft fingers of soft girlies
combing the platinum plastic hair
loving the dolls
making the dolls love the Kens.
One day when Ken in flesh
incarnate comes they too
will love the Kens.
The Kens will caress
their oblong shapes
lopsided breasts
kiss blemished faces
faces with moles, pocks
from zits popped prematurely
in high school.
Even hug the creasing, bulging
bulbous middles that won’t
go away no matter how many
Pilates tapes accumulate
on the video shelf.

Maybe one or two will
refuse to shave her legs.
Because the hair grows naturally
there. And maybe she will find a
Ken who will like to rub
his hands up and down her hairy
legs because he prefers live flesh;
because she is not an egg-head
coated with thick plastic hair
with eyes that eat up half her face
makeup painted perfectly in place
everyday without fail.
And though the hair on her head is thin
and brown he will run his
fingers through it when they make love.
Because she doesn’t want to pollute
the earth with all those plastic
razors or fill the flowers and leaves
with scented shaving cream.
Hell, because that’s the way
God made her.

Because she feels like Venus without being hairless.

hippie theology, a poem.

At a fair
one time I met
a hippie man.
He had long
greasy hair
and a long
straggly beard.

He played the bodhran
and sang a song
that went
“Bring em all in
bring em all in
bring em all in
bring em all in
bring em all
into my House.”

And then it listed
a bunch of rejects.
Gays and transvestites
were on the list;
pornographers
and used-car salesmen too.

The hippie-man
also told me
about the trees.
—God in the trees.
And how they’re all
—everything, in fact,
you, me,
the Hindu
Muslim,
Buddhist
Wiccan,
Sikh—
are all created
in His image.
We all share
the spark divine.

He didn’t deny
that we are bent
—just look at Germany in the 1930s
or the ever-newsworthy Iraq—
bent, but not beyond
recognition
or recall of our
former state.

“I wish more
people could see it”
he said, “then maybe
there would be less
hate.”

I think a lot
of churches
and preacher-men
—especially from the States—
would have problems
with this hippie
and his very
Christ-like
theology.

gender theory

I did a presentation on Gender Theory for Contemporary Critical Theory this past week, and I think I'm still being affected--to the very core of my being--from it. The topic is so interesting; I was incredibly excited about doing it, once my partner and I began the research (previous to actually reading up on it I was dreading it). Gender Theory is pretty much Queer Theory, but it also has a lot to do with Feminist theory. Each of these schools of literary theory were made possible by Poststructuralism (which began with Derrida's Deconstruction movement). I have so much to say about these things, but I really need to finish a paper that was due last week.

Mostly, I just really need some prayer. I have such a heart for justice and equality. I can't stand that in setting up structural "norms" one by default also sets up a power imbalance--one automatically creates the category of abnormal or "Other" (and therefore in some measure sub-human). The Other could be someone with a different sexual orientation, someone of a different nationality, ethnicity, culture, skin colour, religion, denomination, biological gender, etc. My presentation partner and I came into contact with some interesting magazines and articles that related to first, the trend in high fashion toward androgynous models as the epitome of beauty, and unisex clothing as the ideal; and second, the supposed fact that greater numbers of children at younger and younger ages are declaring that they are either homosexual or transgendered (meaning that girls at two years old are declaring that they are boys, and boys at three years old refuse to be considered anything but girls). Now, I am trying not to take this for absolute fact, but even if it is partially true, it is frightening. I feel bad even calling it frightening though! Is this because the world is going to Hell in a handbasket? Are sin and chaos taking over? Are the New Agers right in predicting the supreme form of the human being is the hermaphrodite? Is Satan influencing this evolution? Or is this happening because of all the estrogen-mimicking PCBs we are leaching into the environment? Is it because of all the birth-control hormones women's bodies expel into the water system and thence into the biosphere? Is it a consequence of all the hormones injected/fed to animals destined for the slaughterhouse and thence to the dinner table? What if the society around me told me that loving my male husband was wrong when biologically that's all I want to do? What if homosexual/transgendered human persons are CREATED THAT WAY?!!?!?!?--obviously because of sin, but HOW COULD WE TELL THEM THEY ARE GOING TO HELL FOR IT? FOR THE WAY THEY WERE FORMED IN THEIR MOTHER'S WOMB--be it through environmental toxicity or not?!?!?!? How DO I RECONCILE the conservative Christian teachings of my upbringing regarding homosexuality with the love and forgiveness of Christ I find in the Gospel--or with the unifying and category-destroying blood of Jesus in which male and female, slave and free, barbarian and civilized are are ONE in Christ Jesus?

Deuteronomy 10:12-22
12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
14 To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. 15 Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. 16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. 20 Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. 21 He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. 22 Your forefathers who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

P.S. I was 22 as of 2:22 in the morning 2 days ago on November (the 11th month) 2nd, 2006. My favourite number is 2.

this is a lovely picture of my husband..."o, robin, back from the crusades! o no! you've lost your arms in battle, but you've grown a nice set of boobs." notic the words on the strainer's tag on his head? (in case you can't see it, it reads: "Feel it.") (i already posted this pic, but in order to see it, you have to click on the september archives, and no one seems to remember to do that, and since it's the funniest one, it's going to be first and last.) 

HAi YA!!! i'm overwhelmed by reading and schoolwork. so, as per tradition, i'm procrastinating by playing on my bloggie blogger bot head. here are some pics from our honeymoon and after it. mmm...i need to laugh. 

feeding a racoon in Vancouver's Stanley Park. it was disturbingly unafraid of humans. and very greedy. 

it stole it out of my hand. it jumped up to get it and i got scared. this is me being scared. 

posing with a tree (in Cathedral Grove).