DH reread CH 8

[Zara]

No: HPFGUIDX 186383

> DH (cited by Alla): 
> "Did Doge really think it was that easy, that Harry could simply choose not to believe? Didn't Doge understand Harry's need to be sure, to know everything?" - p.127
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Something just does not sit well with me about this quote, psychologically speaking, if that makes sense.
> 
> Is it even possible to choose not to believe something? How do you choose faith? Oh I know there is a saying that people often believe only that they want to, meaning that people will only see good and ignore bad things, even if it stares them in the face.
> 
> But this is not exactly what Doge is saying, no? He wants Harry to force himself to ignore bad things, right? Is it even possible?

Zara:
Whether it is or is not possible, it is an existing strand in Christian philosophy about religion. Blaise Pascal, for example, in his "Thoughts"  (Pensees) proposed that as we cannot by reason ascertain whether or not God exists, we ought to choose to believe anyway. (Basically, for probabilistic reasons, it maximizes our chances for a positive outcome).

Pascal goes on to stress that faith, real faith, is still important, and provides advice to the person who has taken his suggestion and is endeavoring to believe in God:

> Pascal, "Thoughts":
> Endeavour then to convince yourself, not by increase of proofs of God, but by the abatement of your passions. You would like to attain faith, and do not know the way; you would like to cure yourself of unbelief, and ask the remedy for it. Learn of those who have been bound like you, and who now stake all their possessions. These are people who know the way which you would follow, and who are cured of an ill of which you would be cured. Follow the way by which they began; by acting as if they believed, bless yourself with holy water, have Masses said, and so on; by a simple and natural process this will make you believe, and will dull you—will quiet your proudly critical intellect... 

Zara:
I'm not saying Albus=God in the Potterverse, but I feel that Harry's doubts about Albus throughout the book are addressing the problem of a would-be believer who has trouble with it. This is a problem Rowling has stated in interviews she herself experiences. So anyway, Doge is, I feel, giving Harry the same advice as Pascal gives the non-believer, and Harry attempts to act on it not by saying Masses, etc. but by following the plan ALbus has made. 

I don't think it works for Harry, though. The doubts never go away and then of course it seems that Harry;s doubts were fully warranted.