[HPforGrownups] Re: (Corrected) right & wrong in the Potterverse

[shall at sfiweb.demon.co.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 25506

>Now, as an atheist, you may say that good is what the majority of 
society will agree is good.  Unfortunately, the majority of two 
>recent societies thought that the mass execution of Jews and the 
arbitrary enslavement of Africans was okay, so majority rule cannot 
be the standard if minorities are to have any rights at all 
>(remember "Blacks today, Blondes tommorrow!").

You *may* say that but there is absolutely no reason why as an atheist one *should* say that.  In fact, both the societies referred to considered themelves Christian, and, indeed, pointed to *sound* Biblical reasons for their repugnant practices.  Those within those societies who protested those practices and indeed suffered persecution for protesting might have been Christian, Atheist or anything else (and, historically, no one group has had a monopoly on acting rightly in the face of injustice - or even consistency in carrying through intensely righteous acts in one sphere into other aspects of their personal morality).  The fear of punsihment  argument does not stand up as a explanation for individual acts of conscience against the prevailing orthodoxy.  To bring this back on topic, why does Hermoine join in with Harry and Ron in the plot to get rid of Norbert?  The "fear" factor is all on the side of standing back from it; what causes her to choose differently is that she has a number of possible 'good" actions and chooses to elevate loyalty to her friends and avoiding pain to Hagrid above the framework of the orthodox school moral code.
Susan