Redemption of Malfoys. WAS:Hiding from Voldemort / Moral Relativism

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 160970

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "taramaya88" <tara at ...> wrote:

Jen Reese:
> > > Writing the Malfoys off misses the point of the series in my
> > > opinion. Dumbledore is saying there is a right side, and that the
> > > Malfoys still have the capacity to choose that side, their actions
> > > have not risen to the level that they are incapable of seeing
> > > right from wrong. The person who no longer has the capacity to
> > > choose is a person whose soul has died.

Alla:
> > Oh, absolutely. Hate them as I am, I totally understand the possibility
> > of Malfoys choosing  the right side later on. The question is for me is
> > where anything to admire about them **right now** 

Tara:
> I can understand why Dumbledore offers the possibility of redemption, 
> and that it must be open to anybody. Presumably EVEN to Vol. But after 
> one has engaged in repeated acts of murder, torture, etc., surely the 
> road back to the right path becomes increasingly difficult.

Geoff:
But hopefully not impossible.

Taking up Jen's observation, I have commented on a number of occasions 
in the past that Lewis provided a perfect example of peopel who have lost 
the capacity to choose are the Dwarves in "The Last Battle" who have spent 
so long convincing themselves that they alone know the truth CANNOT see 
the real events even when they are directly before them.

Regarding Tara's remarks, again, I have argued in more than one previous 
post that a redeemed Draco is not impossible. I have quoted the example 
of Saul of Tarsus who followed the path of persecuting, imprisoning and, 
on occasions, consenting to the killing of the first Christians. However, 
after meeting with the risen Christ, he performed a volte-face and went on 
to become one of the greatest ever champions of the Christian faith.

Geoff
Who has to confess to an inexplicable soft spot for the "dragon"