Not all killing is murder - separation from Soul

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 143715

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Bruce Alan Wilson"
<bawilson at c...> wrote:
>
> Ophelia writes:
> 
> If Grindewald was killed, the matter deepens. Because we are 
> told that killing fractures the soul, it would clarify some 
> of the moral questions roaming the list lately concerning 
> Harry's insistence to take as many DE's down as he can in HBP 
> (sorry, I don't have the source material readily available).
> 
> 
> I respond:
> 
> IIRC, the fracturing of the soul is MURDER, not killing. Not 
> every killing is murder. ... That is why the law recognizes 
> other terms for killing than murder---manslaughter 
> (voluntary or involuntary), homicide (justifiable, negligent, 
> depraved indifference)---and different degrees of murder--
> capital murder, first degree murder, second degree murder.
> 
> Bruce Wilson
>

bboyminn:

You have a valid point, but when we are talking about the soul, are we
dealing with legal issues or spiritual issues? 

First, I think everyone is making too big a point of killing/murdering
tearing the soul. The real heinous crime is not so much the 'causing
of death' as it is the subsequent separation of the torn soul from the
rest of the soul and from the body. It is this separation from the
soul piece that has caused Voldemort to physically and morally
deteriorate to such an extreme. I believe our real emphasis should be
on separation from soul pieces and not on the creation of the soul
pieces themselves.

I personally believe that virtually every causing of the death of
another person damages the soul. Soldiers in wartime are forced to do
things, like kill people, that go against everything they believe;
that violates them to their very core. 

But they do it. They do it partly because they don't want to die. When
places in a 'kill or be killed' situation, most of us choose our own
life over that of others. Keep in mind that I'm talking about soldiers
in war. Those solidiers do themselves spiritual damage. If you don't
believe me, just ask them. 

>From another perspective, soldiers do what they do because they know,
or at least believe, they are acting for a great good. They believe
that the evil they fight is worse than the evil they commit. 

Further, as a society, knowing that war is an evil thing that sadly
sometimes must be done, we forgive them for their actions as long as
those actions don't stray to far into the realm of heartless cold
calculated evil. Of course, the distinction I am making here is the
difference between normal acts of war and war crimes; in a sense,
crimes against humanity.

However, while that soldier's soul may be damaged by his actions, his
soul, and all of his soul, is still there with him. In time, the
damage may heal, or at least in some spiritual way, be resolved. 

If that soldier were to remove the damaged pieces of soul from
himself, he would gradually lose his humanity. He would no longer be
able to make rational and reasonable spiritual choices. He could make
the distinction of 'crimes against humanity' because he would no
longer be able to recognise humanity. This is exactly the circumstance
we see Voldemort in; in a sense, he has traded his humanity for
immortality.

So, while all causing of death damages the soul, even accidental
death, all 'causing of death' does not damage the soul equally. Minor
damage can be repaired, probably with scars, but none the less
repaired. However, cold, uncaring, unfeeling, heartless, calculated,
unconscionable murder damages the soul severly, and this damage is
only repaired under the most extreme and unusual circumstances, and
even when repaired, the scaring is deep and the damage will always
remain. 

So, as long as the soul and its damaged pieces remain together, there
is hope for redemption, salvation, and healing. Once you have
separated yourself from your soul, or your soul pieces, that healing
and redemption can never take place. That is why I say, that the
separation of soul is of far greater consequence, both in life and in
this story, that the mere damage to the soul. 

So, while I actually agree with your primary point, that not all
killing is murder, I think we are placing the emphasis on the wrong
point. The true moral and spiritual crime against humanity, the true
unforgivable crime, is separating oneself from his soul.

Just passing it along.

Steve/bboyminn