Bamboozled

[poliphilo]

Channel 4 boldly, and in the teeth of protests, gave over their prime-time Christmas slot to a show about how the Bible was written and edited by a succession of power elites and how anybody who thinks it's the unmediated word of God is stupid and/or dangerous.

I was taught this stuff at theological college thirty years ago, but it seems to be no more common knowledge now than it was then. The churches give the information to their clergy (fore-warned is fore-armed) but they don't encourage them to pass it on to the folks in the pews.

I find this mildly scandalous. It's nearly a hundred and fifty years since scholars first began to take the Bible apart. Their conclusions ought to be as much a part of the common culture as Darwin or Dickens.

And so should their methods. If we're awed by one text we'll be awed by others- and politicians, leader writers, newscasters, gurus and advertisers will continue to be able to manipulate and bamboozle us.

Comments

[besideserato.livejournal.com]

Oh, it is indeed. As well as many other books she showed me, many interpretations unveiled. All the while she told me that her choice to be celibate was her own and not one that equated sanctity, for sex had nothing to do with being close to god if you could not open your eyes.

Heretic or... saint?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's one of the most unfortunate things about the Christian tradition that it was largely created by misogynistic old men.

The Bible is, on the whole, fairly positive about sex. You would hardly think so from the way the preachers carry on, but Jesus has almost nothing to say about it. He is much more concerned with issues of justice.

And, of course, he notoriously prefered the company of prostitutes and low-lifes to that of the religious elite.

[besideserato.livejournal.com]

Indeed, the issue of sex, I think, has been largely mis-represented by (some of) the Catholic church. Fortunately for some of us, there are many renegades in South America and I was able to come out unscathed from the episode of my religious instruction.

I keep thinking that as a writer I should do something about this issue, but I still do not know how. Although I have had my chats with Mary on the issue. That is a story in itself: a few months ago, when I was desperate and weeping, I ran into the cathedral without regard for those present and threw myself at her feet, I screamed--in Spanish because we always come back to our essences when we are distressed, that I would give her everything if she gave me sanity.

She did: three weeks later, the tests for incurable horrors came back negative. And I went back and asked a friend, a history professor, how to make something immortal, how to give it the whole world and he told me, "write about it."

She is in my book. In her own strange way. But not just as I want it. How does a historian re-write history? How does one explain the difference between story and truth when one is also an author of fiction?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Well, you can't force it.

If Our Lady wants it to be written She will send the inspiration.

And maybe it will turn out to be the work of a lifetime.

Do you know the work of Luis Bunuel? Deeply catholic, deeply erotic. I have a feeling you'd love him (if you don't already.)

[besideserato.livejournal.com]

Heard and wanted to read, have not done so. You just sold him to me. I shall go on and get him. A proper Christmas present from you! What lovely things your recommendations, dear!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Excellent. He was a Spaniard, but he did much of his work in Mexico. He made his first movie in 1929 and his last in 1977- and there are great things at every stage of the journey.

[besideserato.livejournal.com]

Ah, sweet delight! Thank you for this gracious boon!