The Catholic Book Club discussion

1. Use this topic to discuss questions and issues that come up during your reading, or that don't fit into other questions or topics.

I have finished July’s book, but not yet June’s book about battles.

This is my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This is my review of the July book:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Much of this is so terse as to be difficult to understand.
Why does egalitarianism invite tyranny?
In his mind, what's the difference between democratic principles, which he seems to detest, and a "republican" government?
What is "territorial" in contrast to purely popular?
How does a contractual theory of government entail tyranny? Can't the majority reject despotism, especially if Church and state are seen as separate spheres?

What is Sophiology? (other than generic pursuit of "wisdom")
Soloviev astutely observes than human beings require religion. Bishop Barron's commencement address at Hillsdale poses the graduates three questions: What kind of person will you be (one who inflicts evil or suffers it)? Whom/what do you worship? What audience matters to you?
Reading Kolnai in the Appendix, I wonder if sexual impurity is so central as to deaden all morality.
very telling: Worse than loss of belief in immortality is loss of desire for immortality.
How can he assert that unbelief deadens one's creative imagination? Haven't there been great works of art that embody evil?
I don't understand why opposition to the death penalty must be rooted in secular humanism.

Jill wrote: "I don't understand why opposition to the death penalty must be rooted in secular humanism."

I agree with you. While I'm not a pacifist, I've always opposed the death penalty. I believe in "self defense," but society should be able to defend itself against particular persons without killing them.

Jill wrote: "Haven't there been great works of art that embody evil?"

Jill, can you think of an example of a great work of art that embodies evil?

Jill wrote: "Much of this is so terse as to be difficult to understand.
Why does egalitarianism invite tyranny?.."

Because anybody who is outstanding in any way has to be suppressed, as the mere presence of someone who is better or has different ideas goes against egalitarianism.

Van Gogh?

The majority of the art of the twentieth century. Futurism, Dadaism, ultraism were the inspiration of the totalitarian regime of the previous century. Charles Flyte said in the "modern art it is a modern foolish" now we are celebrating the French Revolution Jacques Louis David, who voted the execution his paintings defending this genocide. I do not agree with Jill Van Gogh despite his suicide it is not a Bad Man. I recognize that i felt a big weakness for the artists.

Fonch, do you mean Charles Ryder?

Sobre Charles Ryder 😅.

Jill wrote: "Van Gogh?"

Is that in response to my question? If so, do you really think Van Gogh's extraordinary art embodies evil?

The unique Bad of Van Gogh is his suicide. I do not know that it was truth but the movie played by Kirk Douglas, and Anthony Quinn offered a good image of Van Gogh, even he looked a religious Man with a bad luck. It was based in a book of Irving Stone the same author the Agony and Ecstasy

With respect, Fonch, my question was directed to Jill who identified Van Gogh as an artist who embodied evil in his art.

In the event that is what Jill is referring to, although Van Gogh's suicide was of course sin, and an evil act, that is different than saying evil is embodied in his art.

Serrano's Piss Christ qualifies as embodying evil, but I would argue strenuously that it is not art in any way, let alone great art, rather vulgar trash. It is frankly scandalous that Serrano was recently welcomed to the Vatican by Pope Francis with no evidence of any conversion or repentance by the "artist." Scandalous, but in keeping with Maloney's criticism that this pope is not adequately alert to the difference between Christianity and humanitarianism and the malign influence of the latter on the former.

I wasn't saying Van Gogh was a bad person (only God can judge) but that one might see an embodiment of evil in his tortured art, a counter-example to the assertion that creative imagination is limited to believers.

Jill wrote: "I wasn't saying Van Gogh was a bad person (only God can judge) but that one might see an embodiment of evil in his tortured art, a counter-example to the assertion that creative imagination is limi..."

And I would disagree that there is an embodiment of evil in his art and you don't even seem certain of the claim. So I don't think it is a good counter-example.

John wrote: "Jill wrote: "I wasn't saying Van Gogh was a bad person (only God can judge) but that one might see an embodiment of evil in his tortured art, a counter-example to the assertion that creative imagin..."

I can't see an embodiment of evil in "The Sunflowers" :-)

I do not agree with Jill that the art was tortured it does not mean that it was evil. W. Somerset Maugham and my admired Juan Manuel de Prada says that the art is born the suffering. I hate the the suicide, but Van Gogh suffered a lot.