dementors Re: unicorns and religious references in HP

[annemehr]

> > Anne:
> > Yes...  but C.S.Lewis is very clear that the characters involved in
> his books chose it (in chosing to reject God).  In Perelandra,
> Weston gave Ransom a very explicit speech in that vein.
> 
> 
> Pippin:
> I remember. But I thought Lewis was just dramatizing what it meant to
> be in a state of  mortal sin. 

Anne again:
Well, it comes to the same thing.  At least, the Catholic definition
of a mortal sin is that it has to satisfy three requriements:
1. It has to be bad enough that it amounts to a rejection of God.
2. You have to know that it's that bad when you do it.
3. You have to have done it of your own free will (i.e. not under
duress, nor as the lesser of two evils as far as you can see).


> > Anne:
> > I don't know.  When Lupin explained the dementor's kiss to Harry,
> > there was no intimation that it mattered who the person was or what
> > they'd been doing lately.
> 
> Pippin:
> 
> Well, that is (ESE!)Lupin talking, after all. <g> 

Anne again:
Tch!  Silly me, re Lupin! :D  Fair point, though. We only have Lupin's
word for it, and his explanation may have been wrong or incomplete. 
After all, his explanation of what a Patronus is for must be
incomplete, if it is true that the Order use theirs to communicate.

> Anne:
> > Now I do wonder, though -- do wizard parents threaten their children
> > with them?
> 
> Pippin:
> Cute! But the dementors were, so the Ministry thought, on the side of
> the angels.

Anne again:
I was thinking of the fact that some parents have been known to
threaten their children with the police and jail if they don't behave...


> Pippin:
> For the purpose of fantasy, JKR may be taking a more old-fashioned
> view of psychiatric problems, psyche being the Greek world for soul.

Anne:
Now we're back to the crux of the matter.

Before I knew anything about JKR or her beliefs, the idea of a
creature who could suck out your soul and make it lost forever was
merely something that jounced me out of my suspension of disbelief.

Next I thought that within the story, the characters believe such a
thing is possible, but that JKR must not, and I wondered how she'd
resolve it.

Now I think there are so many variables that I have no clue what is
meant.  But, I'd like to -- so I'm just hoping we get more information
before it's all over.  Meanwhile, "fate worse than death" it is,
despite the fact that that tidbit came from Lupin. ;)

~Anne