The Pardoner's Tale...

I feel the Pardoner's Tale is one of the most realistic human tales I'd ever read in my life. I'd understand that it can be conflicting to one's mind in terms of the way he tells his story. On the one hand, the Pardoner knows he is doing what is considered unethical behavior(s), but he is constantly doing the same things again and again. There is something courageous about it, though. I don't think that someone I know that would be brave enough to tell others all of the unethical things he/she has done or does. I am not saying that he is excused from all of the bad things he does. However, I do feel that he is being 'real' and honest about the things that he does and that probably many others, including church, do as well. This shows all of the kinds of people who are going in pilgrimages!
After yesterday's class discussion, I started to think about one of my classes this semester called Jesus and & the Christian Tradition (Religion 19). One of the main themes within the realm of Christianity is that God created the world in his perfect image and goodness. People then ask the following and logical question: Why are there bad people in this world, then? As the authors of the Gospels in the Bible, including Mark and Paul, say, God's goodness include everything there is in this world (so both good and bad). Therefore, one makes of one's life whatever one wants to make of it based on our choices. Thus, whether the Pardoner's chose to be one of the bad people in this world, he is still part of the diversity and complexity of human nature.