[HPforGrownups] Re: Religion in the Wizarding World. (Was: Re: Halloween Toasts)

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 191407

On 11/7/2011 12:20 PM, peter kersbergen wrote:
> I don't think "Godfather" means there has taken place a baptism at which the godfather promisses to take care the godchild will not wander from god's ways.
> the term Godfather is more widely known as the guy takes care of things, as it is used in the movie the Godfather is more or less derived from the old Roman patron-client relation, the patron provided fysical care in the form of food, money and jobs, the client supported the patron in his political career. A patron with a lot of clients could generate a lot of political clout.
> The HP godfather's sort of protect their godchild from spiritual or moral harm.
>

Bart:
     Traditionally, in the Roman Catholic Church and its offshoots, 
while the godparents were formally responsible for the child's 
education, it was understood that they were also assuming the 
responsibility of taking care of the child should he or she be orphaned. 
Godparents were kind of controversial in the Church of England, but they 
are still used, and they do assume responsibility for the child's 
spiritual upbringing. As such, even if they do not take charge of the 
orphaned child (usually because a family member takes on that 
responsibility), they have the implied responsibility to look out for 
the child's well-being (as part of being in charge of the child's 
spiritual upbringing).

     Note that Padfoot was not thinking of this responsibility in his 
guilt over the deaths of the Potters; he probably felt that he could not 
be trusted in the job, anyway (as has been pointed out here many times, 
it is extremely improbable that Sirius protested his innocence to anybody).

     Bart