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Jesus Potter Harry Christ
"This is probably the first time a book encapsulates the works of contemporary mythicists such as G.A. Wells, Timothy Freke, Tom Harpur, Acharya S., Earl Dougherty, and Robert Price. Murphy bares a scalpel intellect in his first scholarly venture, dissecting the figure of Jesus Christ while peeling open the wonderful tales the other rising-dying godmen that once upon a time captivated pagan audiences across western civilization. Whether one has a basic inkling or a profound knowledge of the syncretic casserole that spawned the world's largest religion, Jesus Potter Harry Christ is a valuable compendium."
—Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio
"My initial response to reading the title was that this was a joke of some sort. But I encourage anyone interested in the gospels and Jesus as literature to read the content below and see that it does seek to be a serious contribution to an understanding of the literary and mythical character of Jesus. Neither is this a slur against Christianity. The author rightly explains that the fictional nature of characters does not detract from the positive influence that character can have on those who love them. The author also answers pertinent questions about his rationale for writing such a book, the status, history and grounds of Jesus-mythicism. I particularly like the main idea of this Our question then is not whether Jesus Christ existed, but whether the literary character recorded in the New Testament was primarily inspired by a historical figure or previous literary traditions and characters. "
—Neil Godfrey, "Vridar"
"Murphy does a brilliant job of keeping his facts and his own opinions separate. He acts as a proctor between the debaters, presenting a wealth of quotes and citations from numerous scholars, reporters, Christians, readers, priests, and more. We get equal opinions from those who support either side and many who support both. Murphy presents a healthy and spiritual look into the lives of two of the world's most popular literary characters and in the end, still leaves you to decide on your own who's right and who's wrong."
—LL Book Reviews
—Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio
"My initial response to reading the title was that this was a joke of some sort. But I encourage anyone interested in the gospels and Jesus as literature to read the content below and see that it does seek to be a serious contribution to an understanding of the literary and mythical character of Jesus. Neither is this a slur against Christianity. The author rightly explains that the fictional nature of characters does not detract from the positive influence that character can have on those who love them. The author also answers pertinent questions about his rationale for writing such a book, the status, history and grounds of Jesus-mythicism. I particularly like the main idea of this Our question then is not whether Jesus Christ existed, but whether the literary character recorded in the New Testament was primarily inspired by a historical figure or previous literary traditions and characters. "
—Neil Godfrey, "Vridar"
"Murphy does a brilliant job of keeping his facts and his own opinions separate. He acts as a proctor between the debaters, presenting a wealth of quotes and citations from numerous scholars, reporters, Christians, readers, priests, and more. We get equal opinions from those who support either side and many who support both. Murphy presents a healthy and spiritual look into the lives of two of the world's most popular literary characters and in the end, still leaves you to decide on your own who's right and who's wrong."
—LL Book Reviews
579 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2011
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492 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 28, 2011
(I won this book through GoodReads First Reads)
A little misleading, I was kind of expecting this book to parallel some of the themes similar between the literary characters of Jesus and Harry Potter, or at least those themes and symbols found in both the Gospels and the Harry Potter series. While the author did go, quite in depth, in the Pagan themes and symbolism, he didn’t really spend a lot of time talking about Harry Potter. In fact, he hardly seemed to mention him, or the series, at all, other than to use it to support his “primary aim” of increasing awareness of the debate over the idea of a historical Jesus. But the lack of focus on Harry Potter isn’t what bothers me, lol, instead it seems to be an over emphasis on Pagan influence on Christianity, and too little application of Jewish understanding to the Christian faith, as well as his assertions of the idea of there being some literal person the idea of Jesus is based on being untrue seemingly merely because it is “unnecessary”….
Now, I’m what many more “traditional” Christians consider “liberal” or “progressive”, and so the idea of Jesus –a s he appears in the Bible – not being a literal being isn’t something that bothers me. I willingly and sincerely reject such ideas about him including, but not limited to, the virgin birth, his divinity, the miracles he is believed to have performed, and the idea of the resurrection, to name a few.
So I won't deny his claims that Christianity would have some influence from Paganism in its development. Understanding that the Jews had been under Pagan rule for centuries, having knowledge of the time period, I do understand the influence on both Judaism, and subsequently, Christianity itself. But I think he doesn’t put enough attention on the Jewish roots of Christianity (perhaps attention isn't the right word, since I understand that the aim of this book is to show the Pagan side, but I think you may understand what I mean), the Jewish influence. For example, he does a very good job of comparing the symbols and themes in Paganism to those in Christianity, but I’m having difficulty remembering any reference to Jewish influence on lasting Christian tradition. In fact, he seems to emphasize that Christianity is more Pagan that it is/was Jewish, pointing out the Jewish reaction (persecution, etc.) to the early Christians as evidence for the idea. After previously reading about the Jewish environment at that time, I feel he is overlooking important details in this. For example, while I understand that Christianity seems to follow the same astrological pattern of Pagan cults did, I think he forgets that Judaism also follows what we could consider an astrological pattern. Their liturgy and calendar (which I will admit may have been influenced by those cultures around them in this way) is meant, from what I understand, to be read through each year, with the same parts of the text falling around the same times of the year. John Shelby Spong, in his Jesus for the Nonreligious, makes a very compelling example of showing how the various Gospels seem to build themselves (each more so as they were written) around this liturgy and calendar, applying those texts that would have been read, and those themes and so forth for each part of the year and text, to the idea of Jesus, claiming that the authors of those texts use the (Jewish) God language available to them to explain their understanding and experience of the person of Jesus. We can’t completely ignore this idea while looking at Pagan influences as well. We have to realize it’s not just one way or the other, and while Murphy does make interesting comparisons and connections between the Christian religion and those Pagan ways of belief, I do believe that he doesn’t do well to look at both sides.
Again, I’m not denying that there would have been Pagan influence on Christianity. Though I tend to think that perhaps what Spong claims in his previously mentioned book could also be considered here… Perhaps we see these symbols and themes in Christianity because those Pagan converts (or even those who were Jews, since they would have had knowledge of the Pagan world) would have used the language available to them at the time to explain what they understood and experienced in the person or message of Jesus. I don’t believe that these commonalities in anyway undermine the idea of a literal person being at the foundation of the faith that rose up around him. I don’t believe it would make the “real” Jesus a plagiarist… Living in a time of religious syncretism, being exposed to the pluralistic and syncretic environment, what is wrong about thinking that Jesus, too, would have perhaps been willing to apply various, external (Pagan) truths or metaphors to his Jewish faith? Could we not believe that there really was a person who taught love and compassion, who may have been put to death by the state and then had his life and message used as the foundation of this new faith? Especially when we consider, as Brian McLaren shows us in The Secret Message of Jesus, the various Jewish responses to Roman rule: the Zealots who wanted to resist or retaliate, the Herodians who wanted to assimilate and cooperate (like the tax collectors), Essenes who preferred to isolate, and the Pharisees who believed what was instead needed was to revigorate the Jewish faith by blaming sin and pushing for more piety. When looking at this, would it really be that unreasonable to think a person – some person, ANY person – came to the conclusion Jesus is seen/claimed to have held in terms of Rome and faith? Can we really neglect to consider these Jewish influences on and understandings they give us of the Christian faith?
Regardless of whether I agree with him or not, though (and while I could continue to present instances where and reasons why I disagree with him on this Jesus issue, as well as on early Christianity, I'll stop, because it's rather besides the point, lol), Murphy has written a very interesting book. The insight into the Pagan beliefs and cults – the symbolism and themes present within them – was very rewarding for me. I enjoyed that part of the book thoroughly. Aside from a little in the first couple of chapters, it wasn’t even really until nearing the end of the book that I started disagreeing with him. I do not deny that he seems to have a very thorough understanding of the Pagan beliefs of that era (and I do believe this book is a good reference for those beliefs, and will most likely continue to return to those sections as needed in my continued readings and discussions), and I reiterate that the section of the book devoted to sharing those beliefs and things was absolutely wonderful. I just disagree with him in what that means for the idea of Jesus (and of Paul and his writings, etc. lol). Even though I do disagree with him, and even though my lengthy display of that disagreement may make it seem otherwise, this book really was an enjoyable read, and I am glad to have read it. It’s not something I would recommend to the more “traditional” Christians, but for those of us who are already willing to consider that Jesus didn’t exist as we see him portrayed in the texts.
A little misleading, I was kind of expecting this book to parallel some of the themes similar between the literary characters of Jesus and Harry Potter, or at least those themes and symbols found in both the Gospels and the Harry Potter series. While the author did go, quite in depth, in the Pagan themes and symbolism, he didn’t really spend a lot of time talking about Harry Potter. In fact, he hardly seemed to mention him, or the series, at all, other than to use it to support his “primary aim” of increasing awareness of the debate over the idea of a historical Jesus. But the lack of focus on Harry Potter isn’t what bothers me, lol, instead it seems to be an over emphasis on Pagan influence on Christianity, and too little application of Jewish understanding to the Christian faith, as well as his assertions of the idea of there being some literal person the idea of Jesus is based on being untrue seemingly merely because it is “unnecessary”….
Now, I’m what many more “traditional” Christians consider “liberal” or “progressive”, and so the idea of Jesus –a s he appears in the Bible – not being a literal being isn’t something that bothers me. I willingly and sincerely reject such ideas about him including, but not limited to, the virgin birth, his divinity, the miracles he is believed to have performed, and the idea of the resurrection, to name a few.
So I won't deny his claims that Christianity would have some influence from Paganism in its development. Understanding that the Jews had been under Pagan rule for centuries, having knowledge of the time period, I do understand the influence on both Judaism, and subsequently, Christianity itself. But I think he doesn’t put enough attention on the Jewish roots of Christianity (perhaps attention isn't the right word, since I understand that the aim of this book is to show the Pagan side, but I think you may understand what I mean), the Jewish influence. For example, he does a very good job of comparing the symbols and themes in Paganism to those in Christianity, but I’m having difficulty remembering any reference to Jewish influence on lasting Christian tradition. In fact, he seems to emphasize that Christianity is more Pagan that it is/was Jewish, pointing out the Jewish reaction (persecution, etc.) to the early Christians as evidence for the idea. After previously reading about the Jewish environment at that time, I feel he is overlooking important details in this. For example, while I understand that Christianity seems to follow the same astrological pattern of Pagan cults did, I think he forgets that Judaism also follows what we could consider an astrological pattern. Their liturgy and calendar (which I will admit may have been influenced by those cultures around them in this way) is meant, from what I understand, to be read through each year, with the same parts of the text falling around the same times of the year. John Shelby Spong, in his Jesus for the Nonreligious, makes a very compelling example of showing how the various Gospels seem to build themselves (each more so as they were written) around this liturgy and calendar, applying those texts that would have been read, and those themes and so forth for each part of the year and text, to the idea of Jesus, claiming that the authors of those texts use the (Jewish) God language available to them to explain their understanding and experience of the person of Jesus. We can’t completely ignore this idea while looking at Pagan influences as well. We have to realize it’s not just one way or the other, and while Murphy does make interesting comparisons and connections between the Christian religion and those Pagan ways of belief, I do believe that he doesn’t do well to look at both sides.
Again, I’m not denying that there would have been Pagan influence on Christianity. Though I tend to think that perhaps what Spong claims in his previously mentioned book could also be considered here… Perhaps we see these symbols and themes in Christianity because those Pagan converts (or even those who were Jews, since they would have had knowledge of the Pagan world) would have used the language available to them at the time to explain what they understood and experienced in the person or message of Jesus. I don’t believe that these commonalities in anyway undermine the idea of a literal person being at the foundation of the faith that rose up around him. I don’t believe it would make the “real” Jesus a plagiarist… Living in a time of religious syncretism, being exposed to the pluralistic and syncretic environment, what is wrong about thinking that Jesus, too, would have perhaps been willing to apply various, external (Pagan) truths or metaphors to his Jewish faith? Could we not believe that there really was a person who taught love and compassion, who may have been put to death by the state and then had his life and message used as the foundation of this new faith? Especially when we consider, as Brian McLaren shows us in The Secret Message of Jesus, the various Jewish responses to Roman rule: the Zealots who wanted to resist or retaliate, the Herodians who wanted to assimilate and cooperate (like the tax collectors), Essenes who preferred to isolate, and the Pharisees who believed what was instead needed was to revigorate the Jewish faith by blaming sin and pushing for more piety. When looking at this, would it really be that unreasonable to think a person – some person, ANY person – came to the conclusion Jesus is seen/claimed to have held in terms of Rome and faith? Can we really neglect to consider these Jewish influences on and understandings they give us of the Christian faith?
Regardless of whether I agree with him or not, though (and while I could continue to present instances where and reasons why I disagree with him on this Jesus issue, as well as on early Christianity, I'll stop, because it's rather besides the point, lol), Murphy has written a very interesting book. The insight into the Pagan beliefs and cults – the symbolism and themes present within them – was very rewarding for me. I enjoyed that part of the book thoroughly. Aside from a little in the first couple of chapters, it wasn’t even really until nearing the end of the book that I started disagreeing with him. I do not deny that he seems to have a very thorough understanding of the Pagan beliefs of that era (and I do believe this book is a good reference for those beliefs, and will most likely continue to return to those sections as needed in my continued readings and discussions), and I reiterate that the section of the book devoted to sharing those beliefs and things was absolutely wonderful. I just disagree with him in what that means for the idea of Jesus (and of Paul and his writings, etc. lol). Even though I do disagree with him, and even though my lengthy display of that disagreement may make it seem otherwise, this book really was an enjoyable read, and I am glad to have read it. It’s not something I would recommend to the more “traditional” Christians, but for those of us who are already willing to consider that Jesus didn’t exist as we see him portrayed in the texts.
April 24, 2011
Gosh where to start?... An impressively heavy tome, it reads like an academic paper. Its divided into three parts, then subdivided. The subdivisions work as part of a cohesive narrative, but also allow you to pick and choose the parts you're most interested in. As a result it is easy to follow Murphy's logic and makes for fuss free reading.
A lot of research and effort have obviously been expended in writing this book, but at no point does it feel laboured or like Murphy has an axe to grind (an impressive achievement considering the subject matter). In fact Murphy presents the evidence and leaves the conclusions to the reader. Having said this there are points at which you do hear Murphy's own voice, in little asides to the main narrative. I should add however that these are delivered with such brilliant sarcastic wit that they only add to the experience, rather than detracting from his academic credibility. For example:
In response to the Biblical story of Genesis (1:1-31) "Everything was made perfectly in accordance to [God's] plan, and he announced that it was all very good. In the world He created, there was no death and no suffering, which suggests that the time and the basic laws of physics hadn't yet been installed" (226)
This was not the book I was expecting. From the title I thought there would be more about the similarities between Jesus and Harry, with some interesting facts about both thrown in for good measure. It is not, although the first chapter Sacrificial Half Breed Warlocks: Harry Potter as a Christ Figure does (obviously) focus on the two characters similarities, the rest of the book is a fairly detailed look at the roots, and development, of Christianity.
There are some fascinating tit-bits to be gleaned, and Murphy makes much of the pre christian ear and its belief systems, in particular Sun-myths which, is Murphy is to be believed, forms the basis of all alter religions, not to mention literature. He makes a very persuasive argument.
The titles of each chapter allude to popular culture enough that you can join the dots up yourself, without having to have things spelled out (Jesus, the Lion King: Astrological Foundations). This also allows you to muse on things uninterrupted, and go off in your own direction of thought. Conversely the subject matter of some, Meeting Satan Again: Draco and Creation Myth, appear predictable and yet will totally surprise you (although there are some familiar names that Potter fans will pick up on).
An understanding of classical culture helps whilst reading some of the more academically meaty bits, or maybe its just that those who have an understanding of Classics clearly have an interest in the subject, and will get more enjoyment from these bits... who knows?! Either way I thought it was a brilliant book, and highly recommend it.
If nothing else it makes for interesting dinner table debating, and is most certainly thought provoking.
A lot of research and effort have obviously been expended in writing this book, but at no point does it feel laboured or like Murphy has an axe to grind (an impressive achievement considering the subject matter). In fact Murphy presents the evidence and leaves the conclusions to the reader. Having said this there are points at which you do hear Murphy's own voice, in little asides to the main narrative. I should add however that these are delivered with such brilliant sarcastic wit that they only add to the experience, rather than detracting from his academic credibility. For example:
In response to the Biblical story of Genesis (1:1-31) "Everything was made perfectly in accordance to [God's] plan, and he announced that it was all very good. In the world He created, there was no death and no suffering, which suggests that the time and the basic laws of physics hadn't yet been installed" (226)
This was not the book I was expecting. From the title I thought there would be more about the similarities between Jesus and Harry, with some interesting facts about both thrown in for good measure. It is not, although the first chapter Sacrificial Half Breed Warlocks: Harry Potter as a Christ Figure does (obviously) focus on the two characters similarities, the rest of the book is a fairly detailed look at the roots, and development, of Christianity.
There are some fascinating tit-bits to be gleaned, and Murphy makes much of the pre christian ear and its belief systems, in particular Sun-myths which, is Murphy is to be believed, forms the basis of all alter religions, not to mention literature. He makes a very persuasive argument.
The titles of each chapter allude to popular culture enough that you can join the dots up yourself, without having to have things spelled out (Jesus, the Lion King: Astrological Foundations). This also allows you to muse on things uninterrupted, and go off in your own direction of thought. Conversely the subject matter of some, Meeting Satan Again: Draco and Creation Myth, appear predictable and yet will totally surprise you (although there are some familiar names that Potter fans will pick up on).
An understanding of classical culture helps whilst reading some of the more academically meaty bits, or maybe its just that those who have an understanding of Classics clearly have an interest in the subject, and will get more enjoyment from these bits... who knows?! Either way I thought it was a brilliant book, and highly recommend it.
If nothing else it makes for interesting dinner table debating, and is most certainly thought provoking.
August 6, 2011
Was Harry Potter molded in the form of Jesus Christ? This book touches on the similarities between Jesus and Harry, but only as a surface introduction and running theme floating above a much deeper topic. The meat of the book is in its serious research into Jesus as a nonhistoric figure, a developed myth. Like our favorite little wizard.
This idea of a nonhistorical Jesus greatly disturbs most Christians. Murphy takes a stab at explaining our unease: “If Jesus was not historical, he would have been no different from other myths and fables … he would be meaningless, and it is impossible for him to be meaningless, because he is meaningful to me. Therefore he is historical.” He’s right, the idea of Christ as a myth is more than a bit disconcerting; it hits at the very heart of many of us.
Yet Murphy’s intent is not to demote Jesus to the role of an ordinary fictional being, or even an ordinary god. Jesus was never meant to be the same as other contemporary figures of mythology; to his storytellers, he was the epitome of such. “Jesus would be something entirely new simply by virtue of his being an assimilation of the best features of each. Jesus is the culmination and combination of all other religious traditions of his time.”
Murphy sifts through various mystery religions and myths of a dying and resurrecting god, and their possible influence upon the Gospel story. For once, it’s done tastefully and without sensationalism. Maybe you’ve read works by Freke, Dougherty, and Harpur. While I don’t want to take anything away from those researchers—their books are interesting in their own right—I found Murphy’s tempered treatment much more to my taste. Without trying to foist a Gnostic version of Christianity on me, and without succumbing to overzealous scholarship, Murphy gently yet forcefully introduces the strong similarities between Christianity and other first-century religious philosophies and mystery cults, concluding in the strong likelihood that Jesus was a mythical savior.
I cannot help but add my two cents. Part of Murphy’s argument seems to be that it’s unreasonable to expect first-century writers to knowingly attribute mythical qualities and stories to a historical person. Ergo, Jesus must have been understood mythically. I must confess that my area of research biases me in favor of a historical Jesus. I’m a hard sell, because for years I immersed myself in the topic of divine attributions awarded to real, historical persons in the Imperial Cult (the cult of the Caesars) and I recognize much of the New Testament as a response on the same playing field; Christians lifting up their guy in the same manner. I find nothing strange about honoring a man such as Jesus in supernatural story and find it a quite plausible explanation for the plethora of Jesus’ similarities to pagan gods and heroes.
Additionally, in order for Murphy to prove Jesus was never a real person, so much hinges on Paul, our earliest Christian writer, and Paul is an enigma. Murphy points out many interesting similarities between the teachings of Paul and the mystery religions, where the central rite, it appears, was a symbolic death of the initiate, followed by rebirth into a new life. Sounds a lot like Paul, doesn’t it? Murphy argues that Paul recognized Jesus’ crucifixion metaphorically, and expected his converts to experience the same death. Unquestionably, Gnostic strands of Christianity did worship Jesus in the form of a mystery religion, and such groups did embrace the writings of Paul. But would such an understanding of Jesus drive Paul to such great suffering and imprisonment? Would it leave him absolutely convinced that the world was ending—quite literally and quite rapidly—and that believers in Christ would be swept up to heaven? Remember, Paul was so convinced the end of the world drew near that he even encouraged abstinence, telling his readers that the time grew so short that they needn’t bother marrying.
So, even though it’s hard for me to fully embrace Murphy’s conclusion, I loved the book, and found it to be a fascinating and scholarly contribution to a very hot debate. It should be welcomed as such.
This idea of a nonhistorical Jesus greatly disturbs most Christians. Murphy takes a stab at explaining our unease: “If Jesus was not historical, he would have been no different from other myths and fables … he would be meaningless, and it is impossible for him to be meaningless, because he is meaningful to me. Therefore he is historical.” He’s right, the idea of Christ as a myth is more than a bit disconcerting; it hits at the very heart of many of us.
Yet Murphy’s intent is not to demote Jesus to the role of an ordinary fictional being, or even an ordinary god. Jesus was never meant to be the same as other contemporary figures of mythology; to his storytellers, he was the epitome of such. “Jesus would be something entirely new simply by virtue of his being an assimilation of the best features of each. Jesus is the culmination and combination of all other religious traditions of his time.”
Murphy sifts through various mystery religions and myths of a dying and resurrecting god, and their possible influence upon the Gospel story. For once, it’s done tastefully and without sensationalism. Maybe you’ve read works by Freke, Dougherty, and Harpur. While I don’t want to take anything away from those researchers—their books are interesting in their own right—I found Murphy’s tempered treatment much more to my taste. Without trying to foist a Gnostic version of Christianity on me, and without succumbing to overzealous scholarship, Murphy gently yet forcefully introduces the strong similarities between Christianity and other first-century religious philosophies and mystery cults, concluding in the strong likelihood that Jesus was a mythical savior.
I cannot help but add my two cents. Part of Murphy’s argument seems to be that it’s unreasonable to expect first-century writers to knowingly attribute mythical qualities and stories to a historical person. Ergo, Jesus must have been understood mythically. I must confess that my area of research biases me in favor of a historical Jesus. I’m a hard sell, because for years I immersed myself in the topic of divine attributions awarded to real, historical persons in the Imperial Cult (the cult of the Caesars) and I recognize much of the New Testament as a response on the same playing field; Christians lifting up their guy in the same manner. I find nothing strange about honoring a man such as Jesus in supernatural story and find it a quite plausible explanation for the plethora of Jesus’ similarities to pagan gods and heroes.
Additionally, in order for Murphy to prove Jesus was never a real person, so much hinges on Paul, our earliest Christian writer, and Paul is an enigma. Murphy points out many interesting similarities between the teachings of Paul and the mystery religions, where the central rite, it appears, was a symbolic death of the initiate, followed by rebirth into a new life. Sounds a lot like Paul, doesn’t it? Murphy argues that Paul recognized Jesus’ crucifixion metaphorically, and expected his converts to experience the same death. Unquestionably, Gnostic strands of Christianity did worship Jesus in the form of a mystery religion, and such groups did embrace the writings of Paul. But would such an understanding of Jesus drive Paul to such great suffering and imprisonment? Would it leave him absolutely convinced that the world was ending—quite literally and quite rapidly—and that believers in Christ would be swept up to heaven? Remember, Paul was so convinced the end of the world drew near that he even encouraged abstinence, telling his readers that the time grew so short that they needn’t bother marrying.
So, even though it’s hard for me to fully embrace Murphy’s conclusion, I loved the book, and found it to be a fascinating and scholarly contribution to a very hot debate. It should be welcomed as such.
January 6, 2021
If you're looking for an amusing little 60- or 70-page book on the obvious similarities between Jesus and Harry, you're in for a shock. That's what I was looking for since I'm a fan of both. This book is an extensive research project into the ancient mythologies far beyond the familiar Greek and Roman gods and their parallels in Christianity. Miracle births, resurrections after 3 days, baptisms--they're all there. The author delves into numerology, astrology, geometry (Did you know there is a connection between Jesus and Pythagoras?), and the earliest church history. The author is not Christian, but he is very much a seeker of knowledge. He's not going to persuade Christians away from their faith, and he's not trying to do so, but he will cause Christians and non-Christians to ponder and question. This book is a challenge, but well worth the effort.
The book needs one more editorial read-through to correct some spelling errors and sentence fragments. I could have used a glossary, also!
The book needs one more editorial read-through to correct some spelling errors and sentence fragments. I could have used a glossary, also!
May 6, 2011
Derek Murphy's Jesus Potter Harry Christ opened my eyes.
Murphy begins his adventure by noting that the first Harry Potter novels drew scorn from some Christians for seeming to endorse witchcraft and magic. And since those books appeared to be written for children, they were especially malign. Murphy further notes, though, that the later Harry Potter novels silenced some of the criticism when it was alleged that J. K. Rowling was writing an allegory of the Jesus Christ story in the manner of The Chronicles of Narnia of C. S. Lewis.
Murphy then asks the huge question that his book answers, in this reader's opinion: Is the Harry Potter story more fictional that the Jesus Christ story?
Although I was raised as a Christian, I began doubting in my early teens that the virginal birth, miracles, raising of the dead, fulfilling of the prophecies of the Old Testament, and resurrection were true. I assumed that 2,000 years ago the Romans had indeed crucified or otherwise executed a Jewish rebel whom the ordinary, non-ruling people of the time loved.
I also assumed that the supernatural aspects of the story were later add-ons, meant to persuade credulous believers that Jesus Christ was more than just an appealing renegade, by introducing the claim that he was also divine. For example, the loaves-and-fishes story could've depended upon nothing more than the miracle of Adam Smith's capitalism. Jesus Christ drew crowds—who drew entrepreneurs who could profitably cater to a hungry market when they saw one.
Jesus Potter Harry Christ, however, convinced me that there probably was no historical Jesus Christ. He was undoubtedly a cleverly wrought amalgam of pagan gods, especially the sun gods. His birth to a human mother and a god father at the winter solstice, as well as his death and return at the spring equinox, are clearly religious stories revised and retold in the centuries before the establishment of Christianity.
The early Christians, though, needed to insist that there had been a historical, in-the-flesh Jesus who lived, died, and rose to heaven. Otherwise, he was nothing more than yet another pagan myth or allegory.
Murphy explains something else. Why did the Christians succeed while their competing cults, notably the Gnostics, failed? Because the Christian message was simplicity itself. In order to gain immortality, one had only to state one's belief in a historical Christ who died and rose to heaven.
The intolerance, based upon the idea that there was no other worthy idea, began then. The wars and genocides would come later. Would a mythical, allegorical Jesus Christ have served the world and his followers better? Murphy implies yes—asserting that a non-historical Jesus could still be "profoundly meaningful."
Regardless of one's opinion on this matter, Jesus Potter Harry Christ is a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Murphy begins his adventure by noting that the first Harry Potter novels drew scorn from some Christians for seeming to endorse witchcraft and magic. And since those books appeared to be written for children, they were especially malign. Murphy further notes, though, that the later Harry Potter novels silenced some of the criticism when it was alleged that J. K. Rowling was writing an allegory of the Jesus Christ story in the manner of The Chronicles of Narnia of C. S. Lewis.
Murphy then asks the huge question that his book answers, in this reader's opinion: Is the Harry Potter story more fictional that the Jesus Christ story?
Although I was raised as a Christian, I began doubting in my early teens that the virginal birth, miracles, raising of the dead, fulfilling of the prophecies of the Old Testament, and resurrection were true. I assumed that 2,000 years ago the Romans had indeed crucified or otherwise executed a Jewish rebel whom the ordinary, non-ruling people of the time loved.
I also assumed that the supernatural aspects of the story were later add-ons, meant to persuade credulous believers that Jesus Christ was more than just an appealing renegade, by introducing the claim that he was also divine. For example, the loaves-and-fishes story could've depended upon nothing more than the miracle of Adam Smith's capitalism. Jesus Christ drew crowds—who drew entrepreneurs who could profitably cater to a hungry market when they saw one.
Jesus Potter Harry Christ, however, convinced me that there probably was no historical Jesus Christ. He was undoubtedly a cleverly wrought amalgam of pagan gods, especially the sun gods. His birth to a human mother and a god father at the winter solstice, as well as his death and return at the spring equinox, are clearly religious stories revised and retold in the centuries before the establishment of Christianity.
The early Christians, though, needed to insist that there had been a historical, in-the-flesh Jesus who lived, died, and rose to heaven. Otherwise, he was nothing more than yet another pagan myth or allegory.
Murphy explains something else. Why did the Christians succeed while their competing cults, notably the Gnostics, failed? Because the Christian message was simplicity itself. In order to gain immortality, one had only to state one's belief in a historical Christ who died and rose to heaven.
The intolerance, based upon the idea that there was no other worthy idea, began then. The wars and genocides would come later. Would a mythical, allegorical Jesus Christ have served the world and his followers better? Murphy implies yes—asserting that a non-historical Jesus could still be "profoundly meaningful."
Regardless of one's opinion on this matter, Jesus Potter Harry Christ is a thoroughly enjoyable read.
November 6, 2011
So! This was quite a surprise!
I knew this book was written to spotlight the parallels between Harry Potter and Jesus Christ, but I did not at all expect it to be so interesting and amazingly written! I was so impressed with the amount of work the author of this book has put into it. The research was very thorough. Derek Murphy talked about things that have never even crossed my mind. I think this book makes a fascinating read for any Harry Potter fan, regardless of your religion beliefs.
I actually lent my copy to one of my friends, who happens to be a hard-core Harry Potter fan. She LOVED it! She was absolutely fascinated by it. I think she appreciated this book far more than I ever could, me not being a HP fan (not yet at least!).
Jesus Potter Harry Christ is in my opinion a book that every Harry Potter fan should have on his/her shelf. It's worth checking out.
Thanks to Goodreads Giveaways and Derek Murphy for sending me a copy!
I knew this book was written to spotlight the parallels between Harry Potter and Jesus Christ, but I did not at all expect it to be so interesting and amazingly written! I was so impressed with the amount of work the author of this book has put into it. The research was very thorough. Derek Murphy talked about things that have never even crossed my mind. I think this book makes a fascinating read for any Harry Potter fan, regardless of your religion beliefs.
I actually lent my copy to one of my friends, who happens to be a hard-core Harry Potter fan. She LOVED it! She was absolutely fascinated by it. I think she appreciated this book far more than I ever could, me not being a HP fan (not yet at least!).
Jesus Potter Harry Christ is in my opinion a book that every Harry Potter fan should have on his/her shelf. It's worth checking out.
Thanks to Goodreads Giveaways and Derek Murphy for sending me a copy!
May 19, 2011
Hands down, this is the most interesting book I've read so far in 2011. Murphy made a very strong case for a literary Jesus. An incredible amount of research must have gone into the writing. I'm impressed.
May 19, 2011
I won this book as a first read winner...
and honestly this is not at all what I expected. Murphy has indeed done a lot of research in both Christ and HP.
just keep your mind open and i think you will truly enjoy this book like I did!
and honestly this is not at all what I expected. Murphy has indeed done a lot of research in both Christ and HP.
just keep your mind open and i think you will truly enjoy this book like I did!
noway-josé
March 6, 2014As Jerelyn says, "Someone is going directly to hell! LOL"
April 7, 2012
awesome.
March 13, 2013
A very interesting read. I don't want to spoil it, but it's well worth the buy ! Will definitely elaborate more as soon as I'm done reading !
September 28, 2017
There is no doubt that HP is choke full of religious symbolism, mythological references and relationships to even older mystery cults. This book brings forth the idea of a relationship between JC and HP in a unique thought=provoking manner.
August 9, 2017
Wow... This was wonderful. Definitely a must read for those interested in the topic of whether the character of Jesus is pure fiction or truly existed as a human.
September 24, 2011
The parallels between Jesus Christ and Harry Potter are actually closer than most people may realize. The book also looks at where Jesus in the Bible came from, an actual person, or a collection of stories?
When the first Harry Potter book was released, does anyone remember the uproar from the religious community? The lawsuits and book burnings came about because the book supposedly promoted witchcraft. By the time the last book was released, the attitude was very different because of the Christ-like images and things that happened to Harry. Many people considered Harry as a Christ-like figure (which J.K. Rowling freely acknowledges).
The assertion that Jesus, as a historical figure, never existed is hardly new; the claim has been made all through out history. A central question to ask is: Which Jesus are we seeking? Are we looking for someone who was born of a virgin, died, rose again and ascended to Heaven? Are we looking for a rebel leader during a time of occupation?
From time to time, an archaeological discovery is made which references a person or place mentioned in the Bible. That would seem to increase the possibility that the Bible is true, since there is now independent evidence that the person or place referenced really existed. Right? Using that line of reasoning, books like The DaVinci Code or the Harry Potter books are just as real as the Bible, because they also mention places that really exist. Another assertion is that Jesus invented ethics and morality; before Him, there was nothing. Really? The various civilizations that existed before Christianity, ranging from Sumeria to Egypt to China, might have something to say about that.
The life of Jesus has supposedly been thoroughly discussed and analyzed in the writings of other historians, including Pliny, Tacitus, and especially Flavius Josephus. The problem is that the total analysis of Jesus amounts to just a couple of paragraphs per author. There has been much controversy over the centuries as to whether or not those paragraphs are real or fakes. The similarities between the life of Jesus and those of people like Dionysus, Asclepius, Mithras and Pythagoras (who was known for a lot more than just his mathematical Theorem) are more than just coincidence.
Large parts of the Bible were taken, or otherwise re-interpreted, from ancient pagan myths and stories. The Great Flood, for instance, came from the Epic of Gilgamesh. The idea of a flood that covered the whole world will mean a lot more to a people who live between two great rivers, like the Tigris and Euphrates, than to residents of an arid place like Palestine.
Why did all the ancient religions, including Christianity, seem to use the same images and shapes? Observations of the constellations in the sky led people to construct myths about them, which truned into stories and eventually became religion.
This is a very fascinating and eye-opening book. It is full of footnotes, so this is more than just some anti-Catholic rant. Those who treat the Bible as a group of stories and parables about the right way to live should not have their faith damaged by this book. It is very much worth the reader's time.
When the first Harry Potter book was released, does anyone remember the uproar from the religious community? The lawsuits and book burnings came about because the book supposedly promoted witchcraft. By the time the last book was released, the attitude was very different because of the Christ-like images and things that happened to Harry. Many people considered Harry as a Christ-like figure (which J.K. Rowling freely acknowledges).
The assertion that Jesus, as a historical figure, never existed is hardly new; the claim has been made all through out history. A central question to ask is: Which Jesus are we seeking? Are we looking for someone who was born of a virgin, died, rose again and ascended to Heaven? Are we looking for a rebel leader during a time of occupation?
From time to time, an archaeological discovery is made which references a person or place mentioned in the Bible. That would seem to increase the possibility that the Bible is true, since there is now independent evidence that the person or place referenced really existed. Right? Using that line of reasoning, books like The DaVinci Code or the Harry Potter books are just as real as the Bible, because they also mention places that really exist. Another assertion is that Jesus invented ethics and morality; before Him, there was nothing. Really? The various civilizations that existed before Christianity, ranging from Sumeria to Egypt to China, might have something to say about that.
The life of Jesus has supposedly been thoroughly discussed and analyzed in the writings of other historians, including Pliny, Tacitus, and especially Flavius Josephus. The problem is that the total analysis of Jesus amounts to just a couple of paragraphs per author. There has been much controversy over the centuries as to whether or not those paragraphs are real or fakes. The similarities between the life of Jesus and those of people like Dionysus, Asclepius, Mithras and Pythagoras (who was known for a lot more than just his mathematical Theorem) are more than just coincidence.
Large parts of the Bible were taken, or otherwise re-interpreted, from ancient pagan myths and stories. The Great Flood, for instance, came from the Epic of Gilgamesh. The idea of a flood that covered the whole world will mean a lot more to a people who live between two great rivers, like the Tigris and Euphrates, than to residents of an arid place like Palestine.
Why did all the ancient religions, including Christianity, seem to use the same images and shapes? Observations of the constellations in the sky led people to construct myths about them, which truned into stories and eventually became religion.
This is a very fascinating and eye-opening book. It is full of footnotes, so this is more than just some anti-Catholic rant. Those who treat the Bible as a group of stories and parables about the right way to live should not have their faith damaged by this book. It is very much worth the reader's time.
May 6, 2012
I reviewed this book for ReadersFavorites.com.
Jesus Potter Harry Christ by Derek Murphy is a scholarly journey through ancient mythology, cosmology, astrology, early church history and modern metaphor to demonstrate how our spiritual beliefs spring from the stories we tell ourselves—and have always told ourselves—about life, the physical world we observe, and the nature of humankind. Murphy posits that Jesus of Nazareth, like Harry Potter, is a purely literary character. He examines Harry Potter as a Christ figure and then goes on to examine Christ as an assimilation of Gilgamesh, Dionysus, Pythagoras, Orpheus, Asclepius, Osiris, Adonis, Attis, and Mithras into an incoherent story of a supposedly real person. Murphy finds insufficient historical evidence to either prove or disprove his theory conclusively. Instead, he calls modern Christianity to task for its unwillingness to consider the supposition that Jesus is the only purported savior to have truly lived in human form. The book includes an extensive bibliography, index and endnotes.
The emphasis on Christian theology may disappoint the average Harry Potter fan, and the premise itself is enough to offend most Christians. Nevertheless, those who enjoy the writing of Joseph Campbell, Richard Dawkins and Robert Pirsig will find the book fascinating. Murphy writes clearly and objectively, summarizing extensive materials from western civilization. In a postscript entitled “Spread the Word,” Murphy explicitly states, “This book is meant to generate discussion.” There is certainly ample substance to discuss and debate for those willing to question some of our culture’s underlying assumptions. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in exploring the role of mythology in modern literature and belief.
Jesus Potter Harry Christ by Derek Murphy is a scholarly journey through ancient mythology, cosmology, astrology, early church history and modern metaphor to demonstrate how our spiritual beliefs spring from the stories we tell ourselves—and have always told ourselves—about life, the physical world we observe, and the nature of humankind. Murphy posits that Jesus of Nazareth, like Harry Potter, is a purely literary character. He examines Harry Potter as a Christ figure and then goes on to examine Christ as an assimilation of Gilgamesh, Dionysus, Pythagoras, Orpheus, Asclepius, Osiris, Adonis, Attis, and Mithras into an incoherent story of a supposedly real person. Murphy finds insufficient historical evidence to either prove or disprove his theory conclusively. Instead, he calls modern Christianity to task for its unwillingness to consider the supposition that Jesus is the only purported savior to have truly lived in human form. The book includes an extensive bibliography, index and endnotes.
The emphasis on Christian theology may disappoint the average Harry Potter fan, and the premise itself is enough to offend most Christians. Nevertheless, those who enjoy the writing of Joseph Campbell, Richard Dawkins and Robert Pirsig will find the book fascinating. Murphy writes clearly and objectively, summarizing extensive materials from western civilization. In a postscript entitled “Spread the Word,” Murphy explicitly states, “This book is meant to generate discussion.” There is certainly ample substance to discuss and debate for those willing to question some of our culture’s underlying assumptions. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in exploring the role of mythology in modern literature and belief.
July 8, 2014
This is certainly not an introductory text to Christian mythicism, nor an easy read. This is in part due to the large number of similar gods that preceded Jesus, as well as the difficulty in tracing aspects of Jesus back to these earlier gods. And in many ways I think the title is unfortunate; while the author makes a compelling case that Jesus is no more real than Harry Potter, the somewhat silly title doesn't really do justice to this well-researched tome. And sadly I don't think many Christians will feel compelled to read this book and do their own research; the ideophobic characteristic of some early Christians that led them to believe Jesus was a real person is only magnified in 21st century Christianity. Murphy's case that Jesus never existed is, as I said before, very strong, with arguments from reason, examples from earlier dying and rising gods, and background from a historical period that churned out these savior figures until one of them rose up (figuratively) and crushed the rest. Murphy concludes by comparing Jesus as a god to Harry Potter (guess which is better) and suggests that perhaps we are ready to move on to a newer concept of spirituality. It's good to see research like this being done, but I'm afraid the presentation and arcane nature of ancient religions will be a turn off to many potential readers (not to mention a premise that won't sit well with most people).
September 4, 2011
Living in Oklahoma, it's easy to be taken in by those who say that if you don't subscribe to the story of Christianity, you are a sinner who has only the fires of Hell to look foward to. For those of us who are constantly questioning the nature of actual reality, along comes Jesus Potter Harry Christ. This book lays out in a very readable format all of the world's religions and mythologies. Everything from Anubis to Dionysus is covered, and pretty soon the conclusion is reached that Jesus Christ is most likely an amalgamation of several different creation myths.
At around 400 pages, this book is very thorough in the complete story of the Christian Church's uprising. It's a very liberating book. Any heathen will have a good time with it, any Christian may find some of the truths uncomfortable. At the end of the book Murphy comes to the truthful conclusion that the actual evidence of Jesus existing is very shaky, and that if we were to just acknowledge this, we could even upkeep some of the messages in the Bible. Good luck with that, haha. But at the end of the book we acknowledge that Jesus is fictional, and that Harry Potter actually is a far better role model. Something I definitely can't argue with. Read this book!
At around 400 pages, this book is very thorough in the complete story of the Christian Church's uprising. It's a very liberating book. Any heathen will have a good time with it, any Christian may find some of the truths uncomfortable. At the end of the book Murphy comes to the truthful conclusion that the actual evidence of Jesus existing is very shaky, and that if we were to just acknowledge this, we could even upkeep some of the messages in the Bible. Good luck with that, haha. But at the end of the book we acknowledge that Jesus is fictional, and that Harry Potter actually is a far better role model. Something I definitely can't argue with. Read this book!
August 10, 2015
The author uses comparative mythology, historical critique and Biblical exegesis to support his hypothesis that once the historicity of Jesus Christ is removed, all that is left are recycled myths, folklore and misdirected fanaticism.
He draws parallels between pagan folklore, sun-worship and mythology (Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek and others) and Christianity. He shows that similar myths and ideas predate Judeo-Christian thought and that the Biblical story of Christ bears striking similarities to numerous narratives that came before it.
He then argues that proof of a historical Jesus Christ that actually existed is scant and unreliable at best.
His argument is well-formed and compelling.
On a side note, the title of the book is sort of tongue-in-cheek. While the author does compare Jesus Christ and Harry Potter (of which there are several similarities), this book is a scholarly examination of the authenticity of a historical Jesus Christ and the circumstances surrounding the Christ narrative.
He draws parallels between pagan folklore, sun-worship and mythology (Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek and others) and Christianity. He shows that similar myths and ideas predate Judeo-Christian thought and that the Biblical story of Christ bears striking similarities to numerous narratives that came before it.
He then argues that proof of a historical Jesus Christ that actually existed is scant and unreliable at best.
His argument is well-formed and compelling.
On a side note, the title of the book is sort of tongue-in-cheek. While the author does compare Jesus Christ and Harry Potter (of which there are several similarities), this book is a scholarly examination of the authenticity of a historical Jesus Christ and the circumstances surrounding the Christ narrative.
October 19, 2012
Thus far (pg. 178), entertaining though I find my skeptical inner voice isn't happy. Murphy writes about Attis, citing Robert Turcan. Turcan cites Thomas Doane. Doane cites Charles Dupuis. Dupuis may have an original source, I have no idea. Am I supposed to accept the parallels between Attis and Jesus because a french scholar in the late 1700s wrote about them? For me, this a serious flaw for Jesus Potter and I must consider the remainder of the book with a very large grain of salt.
Update: Enjoyable, however as mentioned above, the connections need to be taken tentatively. In summary, the Christian scriptures did not develop in a cultural vacuum. To say circulating stories, traditions, and politics had no influence shaping the Jesus narrative would be incredibly naive. Just how much was borrowed (besides the obvious Hebrew scriptures) versus actual people and events, this book offers possibilities and is worth mulling over.
Update: Enjoyable, however as mentioned above, the connections need to be taken tentatively. In summary, the Christian scriptures did not develop in a cultural vacuum. To say circulating stories, traditions, and politics had no influence shaping the Jesus narrative would be incredibly naive. Just how much was borrowed (besides the obvious Hebrew scriptures) versus actual people and events, this book offers possibilities and is worth mulling over.
May 17, 2011
I have been reading and annotating this book daily, and have to say that it is simply amazing! Bart Ehrman is a former professor of mine as well as a mentor who covers the historical Jesus issue quite thoroughly, and Derek Murphy is lock step with all of the research that I have done and have been privy to....I have been singing the praises of Jesus Potter Harry Christ to all of my colleagues.
The author has indeed done his homework and does a fine job of presenting the facts and sides of the arguments. I am not paying false flattery when I say that this book is easily one of the best that I have read on the subject of the historical Jesus.
-Pastor Chris G., Pacific Haven Liberation Ministries
The author has indeed done his homework and does a fine job of presenting the facts and sides of the arguments. I am not paying false flattery when I say that this book is easily one of the best that I have read on the subject of the historical Jesus.
-Pastor Chris G., Pacific Haven Liberation Ministries
September 18, 2011
This book provided an informative history of how religion developed based on astronomy and astrology, as well as an inventive comparison between the literary lives of Jesus Christ and Harry Potter. The latter chapters dealt with Christian and pagan history. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and came away with much more knowledge than I had when I started reading it. I would recommend this book to those interested in history of religion and those who enjoy literary analysis.
October 17, 2011
An argument with much supporting evidence for Jesus as a literary/mythical figure rather than as a historical person, holding that he was later considered historical by Christians ignorant of the inner mysteries of the new faith. His discussion of the flaws in the pagan texts often cited as supporting the historicity of Jesus is particularly clear.
September 25, 2013
An examination of the jesus christ figure with comparisons to harry potter, and other literary characters (mostly ancient) as well as an substantial amount of history of early christianity. I would have liked more harry potter and literary criticism with less jesus christ and history but it's a good book on jesus and the formation of christianity.
March 18, 2012
Not done with this yet, but right now one of the things that is annoying the SHIT out of me is his use of the word "esoteric." It's almost literally on every page. If I see it one more time I'm going to make a noise like a tea kettle.
September 21, 2012
Very interesting and informative work, but there's a surprising lack of Harry Potter. The author delves into so many other things, though, that it's still very worth the read. It's just that if you're expecting a long run of Christ-Potter comparisons, you're kind of out of luck.
no-thank-you
February 8, 2013Give away if anyone is interested...
January 15, 2016
A good look at all the various stories and legends on the basis of Christianity. Would have liked, and expected to see more comparison to Harry Potter.
Want to read
March 4, 2013the synopsis of this book must be the longest synopsis in the history of long synopses.
October 9, 2014
Needless to say the cover and the title grabbed my attention and the entire premise that Jesus like Harry Potter is a fictional character was fascinating.
February 1, 2014
Tells it like it is. In a thousand years mankind will probably be worshiping Harry Potter.
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