Harsh Morality

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 121074


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "nrenka" <nrenka at y...> wrote:
> 
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> 
> wrote:
>
<snip>
 
> Do we want to consider courage to be a form of love, as it's the 
> virtue that JKR has said she values most highly? 

Renee:
You're definitely on to something here, I think. To quote the New 
Testament (1st Epistle of John, 4:18, King James version): "There is 
no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear." As courage has 
to do with overcoming fear - casting it out as opposed to never 
having it to begin with - it very much looks like John is making a 
statement about courage as well. 

And as JKR values the virtue that remains after fear is cast out 
most highly... well, let me say I'm among the people who thinks "JKR 
is a Christian writer telling us a story with deep moral meaning," 
as Tonks (the list member) put it.    

Nora:
> Fear is crippling, and it's one of Voldemort's prime weapons.  It 
> drives people to do things they would not normally do.  In some 
way, 
> it's behind many of the essentialist (but clearly wrong) pureblood 
> ideas.  It is definitely not a moral positive, in the Potterverse, 
> to be feared--I think fairly categorically, really.

Renee:
It's almost as if the opposites courage vs fear function the same 
way as good vs evil and right vs wrong in the Potterverse.