Calvinism

[prefectmarcus at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 23600

> Marcus wrote,
> 
> > No, I don't think so.  Two statements of Dumbledore spring to 
mind.
> > The birth versus what-you-become at the End of GoF.  Even more
> > telling, his statement about choices versus abilities in CoS.  
Before
> > you can make choices, you have to have free will.  That kinda 
puts the
> > kaboosh on Predestination.
> 
> Not so fast! The CoS passage actually has some of the 
most "Calvinistic"
> passages in the canon. 

No so fast, my friend.  You skipped right over the first Dumbledore 
quote I mentioned:  
"You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but 
what they grown to be! Your dementor has just destroyed the last 
remaining member of a pure-blood family as old as any -- and see what 
that man CHOSE to make of his life."  (GoF CH 36.  Emphasis mine.)

Choice once again.  

> Marcus wrote,
> 
> > When Sirius Black was discussing Snape's history he stated words 
to
> > the effect that Snape hung around a group of Slytherins that 
almost
> > all turned out to be Death Eaters.  That implies that not all
> > Slytherins are evil.  If they were, the Sorting Hat would not have
> > seriously considered putting Harry there, AND insist later that 
Harry
> > would had been successful there.
> 
> Now that's a stronger argument. If we can just prove that some 
Slytherins
> turn out to be good, the question is answered. But is not ending up 
a DE the
> same as being good--or is it just a sign of that particular variety 
of
> prudence Voldemort calls cowardice?
> 

"Not Slytherin, eh?  Are you sure?  You could be great, you know, 
it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to 
greatness, no doubt about that -- no?"  
   The Sorting Hat.

"I stand by what I said before -- you *would* have done well in 
Slytherin --"
   The Sorting Hat.

"Each house has its own noble history and each has produced 
outstanding witches and wizards."
   Prof. McGonagall.

We know that Harry would have done well there, and that it does 
produces great, noble, and outstanding witches and wizards.  So I am 
not of the opinion that getting sorted to Slytherin predestines <g> 
one to evil.  You can *chose* different.

Marcus