Dostoevsky Redux

I found a few passages from Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Devils quite thought-provoking.

The last is from a pamphlet, handed out by the revolutionaries condemned by the author, of "five or six lines addressed the whole of Russia without rhyme or reason":

"'Hurry up and close down your churches, abolish your God, break your marriage vows, do away with the rghts of inheritance, arm yourselves with knives."

The Left may be a bit subtler these days, but its goals are the same.


The second is from a heated conversation between two of the revolutionaries, one of whom has betrayed the cause:

"'All I wanted to know is whether you believe in God yourself.'

"'I believe in Russia. I believe in the Greek Orthodox Church. I - I believe in the body of Christ - I believe that the second coming will take place in Russia - I believe -' Shatov murmured in a frenzy.

'But in God? In God?'

'I - I shall believe in God.'"

Shatov's beliefs seem to mirror those of the author.

I wonder, is it possible to begin with a faith in the nation and its people and end up with faith in God? Could faith in the Church be a priori to faith in God?


And here is an earlier exchange in the same conversation:

"'But didn't you tell me that if it were mathematically proved to you that truth was outside Christ, you would rather remain with Christ than with truth? Did you say that? Did you?'"

This last exchange is very similar to something the author wrote in a letter to a friend:

"To believe that there is nothing more beautiful, more profound, more sympathetic, more reasonable, more manly and more perfect than Christ. And not only is there nothing but I tell myself with jealous love that there can be nothing. Besides, if anyone proved to me that Christ was outside the truth and it really was so that the truth was outside Christ, then I would prefer to remain with Christ, than with the truth." (from Sermon Illustrations: Dostoevsky)