Putin Laments Death of the Soviet Union

ABC News ^ | Feb. 12

[nickcarraway]

Yes, I read this when it came out. Unfortunately it is so late to discuss something so important.

[MarMema]

Yes, I read this when it came out.

Which?

[Finalapproach29er]

Never trust a ru-skie. Espcially KGB.

[MarMema]

We can take it from here tomorrow, perhaps? Or begin a thread for discussion somewhere? Bring in a few Russians if they are willing, and maybe Formerlib, who may have read much of this since his degree is in Russian.

[MarMema]

Never trust a ru-skie

Ooh. What an earth-shaking thesis, and with such intelligent points too.

Remind me to keep my children away from people like you.

[nickcarraway]

The First Things article.

[MarMema]

In fact, maybe I should generalize too. I will tell my children to never trust people from Minnesota. They're all Russophobes.

[nickcarraway]

The Possessed? I think it is fantastic. I can't say it is less than Karamazov, though I consider Karamazov the best. The Possessed deals with the modern world so well, it could have been written yesterday. Even Camus and existentialist atheists love this book, though it is by a true believer. Because they know All the characters live and breath. I am always rereading it. I need to get the new translation.

I read David Horowitz's memoir Radical Son and thought of it. The same generational story in it played out one hundred years later. In another book, Horowitz uses the same quote from the Gospel that Dostoevsky took his title from- you remember the Gerasene demoniac and Jesus casts it into the swine.

[MarMema]

The First Things article.

It would be interesting to hear your comments.

My uncle is a literary genius and also loves Feodor, and is RC. I have long been intrigued by this, because to me, Feodor is the very essence of Orthodoxy. And to others, such as Berdyaev, Bulgakov, perhaps Solzhenitzyn.

We can meet where for much longer discussion?

[MarMema]

I need to get the new translation.

This was another obstacle in my purchasing. I kept thinking about which translation would be best....

Yes the demons and swine story. Our priest made me collapse in laughter once in a sermon about this.

[nickcarraway]

We can meet where for much longer discussion?

definitely.

[nickcarraway]

I told a Byzantine priest about The Onion from Karamazov and he later used it in a sermon. My favorite parable outside the Gospels.

[MarMema]

Ok I will freep you tomorrow for a place.

Ok to invite some others?

[MarMema]

My favorite parable outside the Gospels.

I adore that story! Again you puzzle me! It is entirely Orthodox in nature, in fact it expresses completely the EO church.

[nickcarraway]

Even when I read Tolstoy, compared to Dostoevsky, he just doesn't shine so much.

[MarMema]

On the Buddhist monk thread, one person posted, speaking of the Buddhists, "It was our church, not theirs". Yesterday or today....

I said it reminded me of Grushenka's onion. Wow, what an insight.

[MarMema]

Tolstoy is not a shiner, for sure. I spent much of last year trying to figure out where he landed before death. Was unable to find much. Read his Confessions, I think it was, and several of his other religious writings.

They say Feodor was tortured....Tolstoy was tortured.

[nickcarraway]

I adore that story! Again you puzzle me! It is entirely Orthodox in nature, in fact it expresses completely the EO church.

Maybe I do puzzle you, but from the time I read that story I was so moved by it. But I saw no disagreement with Catholicism. In fact, I as a Catholic, it struck me as completely appropriate and fitting. The Gospel is the the Gospel and The Onion very much expresses the Truth of the Gospel.

[nickcarraway]

Ok to invite some others?

The more the merrier. The samovar thread, eh?

[MarMema]

The Onion very much expresses the Truth of the Gospel.

This will be a fun discussion. Every single aspect of Grushenka and her fate are so very EO. I will be interested to see what you think and have to share.

You do know we believe in a collective salvation?