Re: confession

From: Patrick Monaghan (Tpmonaghan@AOL.COM)
Date: Fri Aug 24 2001 - 11:14:39 EDT


Wade,

The testimony cited was most interesting...sort of from  the 'you've got to
be taught' school, although we don't always have to be taught to kill and
when we do, we seem to learn rather easily.

Just a thought from your observations, and I realize your reference was not
to this position...

If someone would say most Russians were materially better off under Communism
than under the present regime, would they say the same about the Germans
being better off under the National Socialists in 1937 than under the
occupying forces in 1947?  And then so what?  I wouldn't make either
statement, given the downside of living in a police state.  I personally
would say the people were better off when the totalitanians were gone period.
 I'll take unemployment over gulags and camps.

Unfortunately, I think there is a school of thought that would take someone
else being in the gulag or camp as long as they had employment.

Percy's treatment of analysis and confession are completely different.  Both
are treated humorously, but there is respect toward confession and a
good-natured disdain for analysis.  They are very different.  Analysis rests
in part on the process, which can be good.  Confession has that element, but
it's ultimate effectiveness is in absolution.  The words,  "...your sins are
forgiven,"  are radical.  Making the lame walk, we can take, but who is this
that forgives sins?



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