Snape's punishment a "moral" issue? Was "Two Scenes..."

[colebiancardi]

No: HPFGUIDX 144074

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "leslie41" <leslie41 at y...> wrote:
>
<snipping large amounts of leslie4's post - which I agree with totally) 
 
> Sometimes, in my experience, the only way to thaw another human 
> being is by complete and utter sympathy and understanding, whether 
> or not they deserve it. 

<big snip again>
> 
> Is this a lot to ask?  Sure.  But as I said, Harry is a far more 
> evolved person than Snape is.  Snape is ossified emotionally, and 
> deeply bitter, and cannot come to this understanding without being 
> led to it by someone willing to be incredibly generous with him.
> 
> Again, does Snape necessarily "deserve" this?  No.  By no means.  
> Absolutely not.
> 
> But again, people don't always get what they deserve.
>

colebiancardi:  

I would like to add that people who seem not to deserve redeemption or
forgiveness are the ones who should get it.  Forgiveness & compassion
given to those people who *deserve* is the easy way out.  It takes a
much bigger person to give that compassion, forgiveness, love, respect
(whatever one wishes to call it) to those that don't "seem" to deserve
it and this is what I believe Harry will do in book 7.  

This is very important:  The ones who should get absolution are the
ones who do not *deserve* it, but they are the ones in most need of
it.   It is not the other way around. 

I did a search on forgivness and several websites helped me in
producing this list:

Forgiveness is letting go of what you feel is owed to you by another;
forgiveness is an act of will, an act of courage - It entails letting
go of an upset even though there is justification for holding it. 
Forgiveness does not mean that Harry should condone what was done by
Snape.  Forgiveness is not dependent on apology from Snape to Harry. 
 Forgivness does not signify that reconciliation must occur. 
Forgiving is not *losing*.  How is holding on to your resentments
winning? Forgiveness is the process of taking back control - in this
case, Harry's power and focus, which currently, thru his resentment of
Snape existance, he has given to Snape.  Forgiveness is often easier
if the person who has hurt us apologizes or changes their behavior,
but these are not necessary for forgiveness to occur.

Gandhi said: "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute
of the strong."  

And that is how I view the relationship of Harry to Snape in book 7. 
Currently, in Harry's eyes, Snape doesn't deserve anything but to be
killed.  If Snape is DDM!Snape and Harry recognizes this, Harry will
*forgive* Snape of his horrible ways as a teacher - not because Snape
deserves it, but because Snape *needs* it.  And Harry will be the
bigger person for it. Harry doesn't need Snape to apologize for
anything, because Harry & Snape both know what Snape is.  Harry can
change; alas, I don't think Snape can.  But perhaps with giving Snape
what he *needs*, not what he *deserves*, perhaps Snape can then move
on with his life - if he survives book 7, of course.  

colebiancardi