Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: MarMema
any Doestoevsky?

Crime and Punishment in college. Can't remember much about it. Somehow, it just didn't grab me. Kind of a depressing read.

...The Grand Inquisitor...

Oh, dear. Have I perhaps been too outspoken again?
535 posted on 01/03/2003 8:06:43 PM PST by George W. Bush
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 532 | View Replies ]


To: George W. Bush
Oh, dear. Have I perhaps been too outspoken again?

LOL. No, in the Grand Inquisitor Christ returns to earth in the midst of the Spanish Inquisition. And the head inquisitor imprisons Christ and chastizes him.

One of my favorite lines is when the (roman catholic) grand inquisitor tells Christ, "Everything has already been handed over from you to the pope. You may as well not come at all now." I am not quoting exactly here, just close.

Doestoevsky, you may or may not know, was far from fond of the RC church. A favorite quote of his I cannot find right now but it is about atheism being better than Roman Catholoicism because in the latter the throne of Christ has been usurped by er, the pope, which I seem to recall he describes as depraved among other things...
"Roman Catholicism, which long ago sold out Christ for earthly rule, has compelled mankind to turn away from itself; thus she is the prime cause of Europe's materialism and atheism"
""the Pope will go to all... on foot and barefoot, and he will tell them that everything the socialists teach and strive for is contained in the Gospel; that up until now the time had not been ripe for them to learn about this, but that now the time has come and he, the Pope, will surrender Christ to them," saying: " 'What you need is a united front against the enemy. Unite, then, under my power, since I alone among all the powers and potentates of the world --am universal: and let us go together!"

The idea of religious freedom is a main theme in the book itself, with the general idea that many men prefer to be ruled by another (the pope) than be free to make their own religious choices.
Er, Doestevsky was an Eastern Orthodox Christian, btw.

And if you think that last "prediction" of Feodor's is kind of eerie you are not alone.

543 posted on 01/03/2003 8:32:35 PM PST by MarMema
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 535 | View Replies ]

To: George W. Bush
In the grim person of the aged and bloodless Spanish cardinal Inquisitor, Dostoevsky has reduced the Catholic Church to a Christless institution that delivers bread to its faithful only in exchange for a surrender of their freedom.
544 posted on 01/03/2003 8:41:10 PM PST by MarMema
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 535 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson