tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38413397.post813931851565578216..comments2023-12-19T15:10:02.866-08:00Comments on ex cathedra: Enantiodromia, continuedUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38413397.post-66480688742532353132011-03-24T16:05:09.293-07:002011-03-24T16:05:09.293-07:00Ivan K. 'believes' (as the devil 'beli...Ivan K. 'believes' (as the devil 'believes' acc to letter from James), but he refuses his entrance ticket to real presence at the banquet since he won't-can't accept karmic complicity in the abuse of the "child" (à la Those who walk away from Omelas, by Ursula Le Guin).<br /><br />Alyosha agrees that he too can't accept real presence, and commends belief in the One who can accept the guilt karma transfer.<br /><br />In any case, Ivan K sees no problem in participation in routine evils, unPickwickian slaughter of unPickwickian innocents — the forced-labour camps, the gulag, the liquidation of kulaks and their children, as Flannery refers to.<br /><br />Ordinary atrocities and whatnot incur no difficult karmic penalty, especially if they were done for a good cause (sc had leftwing thus well-intention'd rationales). Real presence at the banquet is the toughie.<br /><br />Too bad Flannery O'Connor doesn't read as well as she writes! ... But she prefer'd the doctrine-less daimonic presences in Southern Prot "Gothic" Culture, and only read Aquinas to put her self to sleep at night.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com