[HPforGrownups] Ron WAS: Re: DH reread CH 4-5

[k12listmomma]

No: HPFGUIDX 186368

From: "lealess" <lealess at yahoo.com>
> I have no religious affiliation, which is probably why I don't "get" the 
> concept of redemption.  What is its purpose: to lift the burden of sin and 
> grant entrance into the kingdom of heaven?  If that is so, then, within 
> the context of the books, heaven must be the accepting embrace of the 
> Wizarding World, or maybe Harry's forgiveness.
>
> I'm not sure how important a theme redemption really is in the books. I 
> don't even see the Wizarding World being redeemed for its sins, frankly.

Shelley:
I agree with you in that the WW is not redeemed of its sins. But, I disagree 
about the redemption theme in general- redemption is a restoration to an 
ealier time. You redeem someone who has been sold into slavery- you pay 
their fee so that you buy their freedom. Harry, through his actions, buys 
back the freedom of all of the WW.

In an earlier post, I tried to illustrate this concept. I will copy it here:
" I said you missed the point of sin/salvation in the Christian story, and I 
said that in specific reference to Harry being a Christ figure in DH, in 
particular. If you know that the point of having one's sin's removed is 
restoration and freedom, then you understand what Harry was dying for as a 
Christ figure, what he was giving back to the WW. He wasn't dying for 
anyone's sins, but the restoration of the WW back to a time when they didn't 
live in terror of one Wizard, back to a time when they were all free to have 
relationships, marry and have kids, have shops and open commerce without 
manipulation, control or bondage from Voldemort. He was dying for 
reconciliation. Rowling didn't have to explain all that post-Voldemort 
liberation, because if you understand that liberation from sin, you 
understand the JOY that would have been the WW's without Voldemort. Rowling 
then didn't have to fill in all those details for us- they would have been 
easily understood."

For a Christian, it's not the sin that necessarily that is bad- it's the 
separation it causes that is bad. Sin separates us from God, and from 
fellowship with our fellow man. Sin caused Adam and Eve to be afraid of God, 
to hide from Him, when previously they had an open, free relationship with 
Him without any fear. They walked with Him, talked with Him, and had 
fellowship. When sin entered, they cowered in fear at just hearing His 
voice. Fellowship had been broken. Following this line of thought, it was 
Voldemort who was the sin- separating families, causing people to fear one 
another. Removing Voldemort would have caused the WW to be able to come 
together again, without fear. A common word picture for sin is to say that 
removing it is to be freed from bondage- sin is often compared to slavery in 
the New Testament. Voldemort kept the whole WW in bondage. We see Luna's 
father willing to betray Harry out of fear for his daughter, we see families 
running underground out of fear of being separated, we see people abandoning 
livelihoods and businesses out of fear. All of the WW fell into darkness and 
suspicion of their fellow man because of Voldemort. I guess that is why 
Harry offered a hand to Voldemort, to say that he could be forgiven, too, 
that he could be restored into a right relationship with other Wizards, but 
Voldemort rejected that redemption and reconciliation with other people. As 
a result, it would take longer for the other wizards who had sided with him 
to have redemption too.

No, in the practical sence, the WW is not redeemed for it's sins, as we 
think of them in a religious context. The Wizards still make wrong choices, 
might still abuse Muggles, and so forth. Heaven, and the acceptance into 
heaven is not the question placed to us in this series, nor was that the 
choice given to Harry. Harry is only a Christ figure in that he is the key 
that brings recociliation with other Wizards once Voldemort is removed, that 
he restores freedom of choice and relationships and lack of fear for all the 
WW. And he would have done that whether or not Voldemort had "repented" or 
not.

Shelley