Pynchon as propaganda

[Paul Mackin]

On Sat, 2003-04-05 at 18:00, jbor wrote:

> I think the hopeless situation of the soldiers and the poignancy of the
> passage hinges primarily upon a recognition of the futility of religious
> faith (which is the original interpretation I offered, along with the
> observation that it seems to be about the futility of war in general). If
> what the chaplains were preaching about God and death and redemption and
> salvation is taken as "true" (if that was the ontology endorsed in or by the
> text, if it is Pynchon's or the reader's belief), then the prospects ain't
> really so bad for the soldiers. Sure most of them'll die, but then their
> souls will all be carried off to heaven and everything will be hunky dory.
> So off you go boys and fight with Glory of God in your hearts etc etc. In
> that light the passage loses much of its force, and the tone of incredulity
> in the last two sentences is very much out of place.


Who sez any of it is true? The chaplains themselves may not believe it
literally but their chore is to ease the pain of the soldiers who just
might believe or would like to believe it and who may just have enjoyed
their last breakfast. Why should we care or Pynchon care that the myth
is just a myth.The dead will be dead and will be beyond care. The alive
can go out and get good and drunk.

I don't believe. You don't believe. The text neither believes nor
disbelieves I don't imagine Terrance believes but I'll let him answer if
he thinks the question is worth bothering with. Belief here is a
complete non-issue.Not the point of the passage at all.The point of the
passage is frightened men dying. 
> 
> Don't know of any Christian religion which endorses "nothingness" as its
> central tenet, which is why it really stands out for me in that list.

Nothingness is the state of non-being one finds oneself in immediately
upon having had one's head blown off. (Or in more peaceful times upon
dying abed.) It it weren't for this deplorable state of mortal  affairs 
there would be no point to the Christian promise of resurrection of the
body. To be passed over is the condition of remaining in the state (or
non-state) of nothingness. What else could you call complete
obliteration but nothingness. Don't blame me. That's what they believe
or at least would like to believe.

> I realise that even suggesting that atheism might be a driving force within
> Pynchon's texts is tantamount to treason here, and not open for civil
> discussion, but it seems to me that the possibility that a "God" or gods
> don't exist is consistently excluded by some when in fact it is the basis of
> belief systems held by many people across all cultures. Such intolerance
> does make a mockery of claims to pluralism and respect, of course.

Huh? Do you mean me? Terrance? 

P.