GR 'Streets'

[Otto]

>
> I don't think the novel is anti-christian or anti-religious.
>

Hi Terrance,

I knew that you would say something like this sooner or later.

Why then there are so many negative examples of Christian behaviour in the
novel?

Why the army chaplains, why garrison-churches and not just simply soldiers
praying? What's their "function" in the novel if not for pointing out how
the "system," how "They" use the believes of simple people for sinister
purposes?

I am deeply convinced that the novel is as anti-Christian as it is, for
example, anti-Marxist or anti-astrological:

"For God's sake, next you'll be consulting horoscopes."
"Hitler does."
"Hitler is an inspired man. But you and I are employees, remember.  .  .  ."
(33.8-12)

The novel is against any ism, any ideology and any belief and it shows that
all these meta-histories the preterite believe in and the elect are abusing
are just fiction, just fairy-tales who make believe that there's a happy
ending (as classical fairytales always have). But the novel says that in
reality there's no happy ending, just death when it's over. There will be no
miracle or any Deus ex machina (which are narrative devices only). The army
chaplains are serving to the only purpose of fooling the soldiers. Instead
of going AWOL (which would be a natural and healthy reaction) these are
"going to die" (693.13) which is something the text is very definite about.
Your Milton-example just shows that resurrection isn't a Christian
invention.

Otto