Forgiveness - and Accountability

[bboyminn]

No: HPFGUIDX 188681



---  "SteveE" <winterfell7 at ...> wrote:
>
> ....
> 
> Steve, who also wonders if LV had shown remorse, and had given himself up and apologized for all his evil whether or not he would ever have been forgiven by anyone?
>

bboyminn:

If Voldemort had repented, that doesn't necessarily mean we
forgive or forget. Even if, in his repentance, he made us
understand the motivation for his behavior, our understanding
still does not equal absolution. 

Even criminals who truly and honestly feel remorse for their
crimes are still punished, and rightly so. And, most who
TRULY repent understand that there needs to be a price paid
for their crimes, and they gladly pay that price. 

So, in repenting and showing remorse, Voldemort may save himself
in the afterlife, but he still pays societies debt in his current
life. There is no escaping that. 

Understanding and repentance does not equal absolution here on
earth.

As to the aspect of Voldemort having some type of uncontrollable
mental illness. In law, and in society, we hold that all people
who commit calculated murder are mentally ill. However, the
test of whether we will hold them accountable is not based in 
the existance of mental illness, but on the ability to know
and understand right and wrong.

Not matter how extreme your complusions, no matter how uncaring
for you fellow man, if you know what you do is wrong, then you
are held accountable.

In extreme cases, such as Hitler and similar, clearly these 
people aren't playing with a full deck. But they do understand
what they are doing, even when they are able to justify it and
ignore the morality of it, because they've hid it behind some
overblown philosophy or doctrine. Keep in mind there is a huge
difference between Rational and Rationalize. A rational person
can still create the most twisted illogical rationalizations to
justify unconscionable acts. 

In some cases, it is society who decides if the person was
able to understand and capable of taking a stand against the
actions he is being asked to commit. The decision is not 
purely a psychological matter.

So, even if Voldemort repented, even if he was a clear sociopath,
I believe he would have still been held accountable for his
actions.

Steve/bboyminn