Pynchon as propaganda

[s~Z]

>>>In the other snips posted, Calvin also uses the term in a negative sense
to
denounce the vanity of any assumption that humans possess free will (and
Wesley follows him in that usage),<<<

Calvin and Wesley use nothingness in the way it is most commonly used in
Christian theology, as a description of the individual's nothingness in
comparison to God. The free will interpretation works for Calvin, but Wesley
would cringe at such an accusation, being an Arminian. Both Calvin and
Arminius did agree that one of the central tenets of Biblical teachings was
the individual's nothingness vis a vis God, though. This usage fits well in
the army-chaplains' list.

>>>while Eckhart is somewhat more idiosyncratic in using it synonymously
with "God's infinity"<<<

Close enough. Eckhart is a mystic. Nothingness = Abyss = Void.

>>>I can see very concrete reasons
for why they would be talking about the other four things, which are central
tenets of Christian theology.<<<

They are about to die. Their nothingness vis a vis almighty God will result
in eternal damnation if they do not surrender to His will and receive the
hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen. Selah.

>>>All that aside, I'm more than happy to acknowledge my error and
dissociate myself from any assertion that it is a term which has *never*
been used in Christian theology,<<<

Yeah, that and saying it derives from Sartre and Heidegger. It's been around
a few hundred years longer than that. The context in the text is
army-chaplains, so forcing an existentialist interpretation pretty much
points to Tillich, which doesn't really fit with the other four terms. The
more traditional use in Christian theology fits fine.

>>>and am appreciative of the effort that's been put into disputing this
very minor point.<<<

You're too hard on yourself. I thought your point was important enough to
shoot the shit about.

>>>I am surprised, however, that no-one else sees the term as out of place
in that list of things which the chaplains talked to the soldiers about in
the novel. It certainly did stand out to me, and still does, and I'd
re-emphasise that it is a term and concept which is most commonly and
typically associated with Sartre and Heidegger.<<<

Perhaps you can add a question about the term 'nothingness' to your poll of
two hundred English speaking individuals. I'll do a comparison poll of
Ebonics speaking individuals.

>>>And, still, the poignant tone and irony of the passage does reside in
that
disconnect between what the chaplains preach to the men, the pathos of the
soldiers "holding on to what they could", and the cold, hard finality of
death, death envisaged from an overtly atheistic standpoint: "There were
actually soldiers, dead now .... "<<<

Even when a theist I realized people died.