Spiritually uplifting musings for Tooly,
or anyone :

By a blogger(not me) :
http://newgreatbooks.blogspot.com/2008/07/spiritually-uplifting-story-learning-to...
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
A Spiritually Uplifting Story: Learning to Trust in Something More

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is one of the most successful in modern
times. With over 121.5 million copies in print, it is almost impossible to find
someone who has not read the books. If you do, they probably have some argument
about how they are “above” the books; they were written for young adults
anyways. But what do you do when you are not allowed to read the books for
religious or moral reasons? Is there really something bad contained within the
books that would make them forbidden on some families reading lists? The recent
book by author Donald James Parker brings up this intriguing question: Reforming
the PotterÂ’s Clay.

Introducing us to the Morales family, Parker carries us through the process of
spiritual and moral discovery as EJ and Pedro read the tale of Harry Potter and
the Sorcerers Stone. As they do, they begin to question the simple logic of good
and evil that has been presented to them.

“Ok, gang, let’s review. What bad things did we find in this book?” Sal asked.

“Dudley, the Malfoys, Voldemort, Uncle Vernon, and Professor Quirrell,” EJ said.

“And Professor Snape and vomit-flavored beans,” Pedro added.

“Wait. Those are bad guys… except for the beans. Any interesting book is going
to have bad and good guys.”

“Right,” EJ said. “So Harry and his friends are the good guys. They were
fighting against evil. The magic they used was for good and not to hurt good
people.”

“Well, to be truthful, I don’t see much of anything here that is really
objectionable. LetÂ’s withhold judgment until we read the next one. Maybe things
get worse there.”

This reading of the Harry Potter series brings up in Pedro an inner wondering.
Does he have magical skills? Or are miracles only acts of God? Complicating this
inner quest is the arrival of Adam and his “gang” known as the God Squad. Moving
in next door, Adam and his family bring further questioning into the MoralesÂ’
family quest to understand good, evil, and how these fit into modern society.
Through the community power of the God Squad, however, Pedro learns one of the
most powerful lessons a person can: belief in self and in something greater then
self.

Reforming the Potter's Clay is not your standard book. Nor is it what some
classify as “Christian Writing.” No, that would not be doing it justice, for
although the story is built around a family who happens to believe in God, the
overall message of the book transcends any particular dogma or singular world
view. Rather, it is the universal message told over and over again, albeit in a
contemporary and well written story. That universal message is one of inner
strength and eternal faith.

I really enjoyed reading Reforming the Potter's Clay. Although I was a little
skeptical at first, as I delved deeper into the story of Pedro, Adam, EJ, and
the others, I came to see how this inner process of spiritual development and
trust has taken place in me. Using the Harry Potter series as a starting point
was literary genius, and I commend the author for bringing in such a timeless
quest into the modern day. An exceptional read for families or young adults,
Reforming the Potter's Clay is a book that all those who are at a pivotal point
in their life should read.

Buy Secure from the Publisher's Website.
http://www.donaldjamesparker.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=419
--
Frederick Martin McNeill
Poway, California, United States of America
mmcneill@fuzzysys.com
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"I never cease being dumbfounded by the unbelievable things people believe."
- Leo Rosten
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