Greetings, Kalessin. It's good to see you again.
It is interesting that you mention Salman Rushdie as well as Rowling and Bradbury and Tolkien. At the risk of pejorativeness, the root problem here is Fundamentalism. I apologize in advance to those of you who call yourselves this; and I am aware that there are open-minded Fundamentalists. More on that below. Nevertheless, Fundamentalism, whether Islamic, or Christian, or Hindu, seems to always carry with it an intolerance born of fear of "the Enemy". It seems to be less prevalent in Britain than in America, probably for sociological reasons. It is common understanding amongs historians and sociologists that people who leave a homeland for a new one tend to remain more conservative in their beliefs than those they left behind. That explains American fundamentalism in part, but what of Islamic? Perhaps being a have-not religion in terms of cultural influence for the last few centuries has something to do with that; but I'm only guessing.
As to why Tolkien's acceptable and why Rowling is not, that's a difficult one. My supervisor at work subscribes precisely to this view, and he is charismatic fundamentalist - very generous of spirit and mind in general, but when it comes to Rowling, he slips into the party line. It's scarey. The only reason he gives is that Rowling's work is demonic and full of sorcery, while Tolkien's supposedly isn't.
I have scanned a book in a Christian bookstore that condemned Tolkien and Lewis along with all other fantasy writers, declaring them to be the most insidious because they mixed Christianity with demonism. At least that book was consistent.
But why is Tolkien accepted and Rowling and others condemned? I'm afraid it's probably as simple as this: Tolkien has been widely acknowledged as Christian by most Christians, welcomed with open arms (thanks in large part to C.S. Lewis) among American Evangelicals for years. The high level of artistic quality of the works, and Tolkien's self-proclaimed faith, probably play into this as well. Also, Tolkien's acceptance among Christian Fundamentalists amounts to Received Doctrine. Everybody knows Tolkien's okay, because my (fill in the blank authority) says so. Nobody, of course, will state it quite that baldly, but it's what goes on behind the scenes.
I'm sorry, Kalessin, if this does not help much, or casts a rather negative view, but it is the way it looks from my vantage point.
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