DD as spiritual leader? (was:Canon for BADD ANGST)

[jwcpgh]

No: HPFGUIDX 81267

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff Bannister" 
<gbannister10 at a...> wrote:
 In relation to the Dumbledore/Harry relationship, I  am 
> > > reminded of some of the teacher/student pairings which existed 
> with the disciples in the early church and are mentioned in the New 
> > > Testament. <snip> > 

Laura:
> > 
 <snip>But do you think that DD is supposed to be divine?  Or 
something more than a mere human?  
> 
> 
> 
> Geoff:
> You missed my point. I said that I saw Dumbledore/Harry in an 
> analagous position to pairing in the NT between the disciples where 
a younger one was being mentored by an older one.

Laura responds:

Oh, now I see.  Thank you for the clarification.  I don't know a heck 
of a lot about Christianity-it's hard enough figuring out what the 
house I belong to believes.  :-)
> 
> 
> Laura:
> > What I was trying to get at is that JKR seems to be very 
> consciously 
> > avoiding any overt spiritual framework in the Potterverse.  
> 
> 
> 
> Geoff:
> Also a point I made re Tolkien/Lewis. Lewis veers towards being 
overt 
> but Tolkien's agenda is there for those who look for it but can 
> otherwise be overlooked.
> 
Laura responds:

By overt spiritual framework, I didn't mean an identifiable set of 
beliefs so much as identifiable spiritual practices.  There aren't 
any set times for prayer or contemplation, no holidays celebrating 
the creation of the WW or that kind of thing, no formal ethical 
training with reference to a code or set of beliefs that is accepted 
throughout the WW.  Even Halloween is just another albeit lavish and 
fun) feast!

> Laura:

 There doesn't seem to be any kind of coherent ethical system 
> in the WW-or am I missing it?  
<snip
> 
> Geoff:
> How about the difference between Dark Magic and "Light" magic for 
> want of a better term)? It would seem that the behaviour of "moral" 
> people in the Wizarding World is to avoid the path of Dark Magic. 
> Look at the sharp intakes of breath which occur when Voldemort's 
name 
> is mentioned.... In Christian terms, this is the avoidance of 
sinful 
> behaviour, ie behaviour which flouts the two great commandments. I 
do 
> not find this an easy path to tread, even after 40 years as a 
> Christian but it is one which I seek to follow. It doesn't 
> necessarily make me a spiritual leader though.

Laura responds:

Well, maybe, but the lines seem pretty vague and don't seem to carry 
a whole lot of weight with them.  Good people use dark magic (the 
aurors, for instance, during LV's first campaign), people who are 
morally weak use dark magic any time they can convince themselves 
they need to (Fudge, Umbridge).  Sometimes neutral magic is used to 
inflict harm (Snape and James hexing each other for 7 years at 
school).  We have had a lot of discussion about such things as 
legilimency and the pensieve, but no one in the books ever refers to 
an existing moral code that explains when and how these powers are 
properly used.  

Two great commandments?  You get off easy-we have 613 (really!)  
*smiles but feels inadequate*

Thanks for explaining your views, Geoff, and please forgive my 
ignorance.