Thanks - I agree with you on what you say about Rowling as a cultural Christian, actually. She doesn't strike me as an atheist, but rather as a shallow and surfacey thinker who is quite ignorant of what Christianity reallya is, and what it implies. And I'm lucky not to have met self-professed Christian Snape-haters of the sort you describe. Really - if the poor man didn't 'earn' redemption, who did in those books? Dumbledore?!! But, as you say, redemption isn't something anyone can earn, anyway, and it's more than a bit shocking that Christians can put themselves on pedestals and look down on other people they consider sinners. That's missing the point - in a big way!

And yes, Amyd is a hoot. I wish I'd had more time to talk with her.There were a lot of great people at the conference - it was really fun!