What's wrong with being bad ?

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 101919

Del wrote:
> I've found myself those days defending the bad character (namely
> Snape), which goes completely against my own beliefs, as I'm a 
> Christian.
> 
> But I'm deeply aware that it is *because* I'm a Christian that I
> believe that bad is wrong. It's because I believe there's a God out
> there who will punish those who do bad and reward those who do good
> (simplified verson, but that will do for now). And I'm also deeply
> aware that those who don't believe in a Higher Force like me have NO
> reason to choose good over bad other than their own decision and
> preferences.
> 
> Snape seems to be one of those people. He grew up in the Dark Arts 
> and seems to have adopted early on a "Dark Outlook" on life so to 
> speak. He doesn't seem to like niceness and sweetness and light, 
> and seems to prefer darkness and cruelty.
> 
> And I'm wondering : what's wrong with that ? Isn't he entitled to
> choose as he wants ? It makes his and others' lifes harder, but so
> what ? Isn't it still his right as a human being to live as he 
> chooses? If others disagree (and many do), it is their right to 
> fight him and prevent him from hurting them. But if he likes 
> darkness rather than light, and cruelty rather than niceness, what 
> Higher Rule is he breaking, if he doesn't believe in a Higher 
> Force ?


SSSusan:
Interesting thoughts, Del.  Knee-jerk reaction from me 
is "citizenship."  That is, I don't believe one has to believe in a 
Higher Force in order to believe that one should behave in "good" 
or "moral" ways.  (I work w/ someone who *wishes* she could believe 
in a Higher Being but just can't...but she's certainly a very "moral" 
person and upright citizen, "doing good" where she can and trying 
never to harm others.)  There may not be the same COMPULSION or the 
same RATIONALIZATION for being good, but there may well be an 
alternate moral structure based on...who knows what? The golden 
rule?  Good citizenship?  

I'm sure there is sniggering & eye-rolling out there at that 
word "citizenship," but seriously, I mean it.  If all people simply 
watch out for themselves only and no one else, aren't we close to 
anarchy?  Even people with a "dark outlook" may not want that.  
Anarchy is absolute freedom to some people's way of thinking, but 
it's also absolute "on your own"-ness; there's no protection for you 
or yours beyond what you can provide.  I think many people who don't 
believe in a Higher Being *do* believe in a civilized world and in 
doing "what's right."  

It's true that ol' Snapey doesn't seem a happy, cheerful, do-good 
kind of guy, but he also DOES do good things:  saving Harry; leaving 
Voldy; helping the Order; cooperating with DD.  Yes, I know, we can 
argue about his MOTIVATION for that--maybe he's not "doing good" so 
much as watching his own butt--but I'm not totally convinced of 
that.  I think he has a moral compass and is interested in both self-
preservation AND in doing good/right when it's something he believes 
to be important.

Clearly, being nice to students isn't one of those "being good" 
things that he believes to be important. ;-)

Siriusly Snapey Susan...who's setting off for the beach for a week 
tomorrow a.m.  Woo hoo!