try to comprehend that which you'll never comprehend

[dragonladyflame]

In an amazing followup to recent conversations about face-macing, Housemate Abby actually maced herself in the face at dinner recently. Apparently, she thought the mace distribution mechanism was a flashlight

Comments

[alanajoli]

An interesting thing about Charles Williams's novels: they have rational characters who make rational decisions that seem emotionally untrue. In several of his novels, a main character decides to believe in God. He doesn't find faith. There's nothing mystical about his decision (aside from the mystical events surrounding him). It's a rational decision in light of the evidence.

It feels *weird.*

I love Williams's books, and I think the rational decision to believe in God is incredibly interesting, if only because it's such a foreign approach from not only most characters, but I think most *people,* because religion tends to be one of those truly emotional--and often disconnected from rationality--issues.

[dragonladyflame]

Wow, it's been so long since I even thought about Charles Williams. I last read and discussed one of his books ... it must have been my junior year in college.

When you put it that way, his fiction definitely strikes me as a lot odder. One wonders what he was trying to, for lack of a better word, accomplish.

Can you think of any books you've read that you think have done a really good, compelling job encapsulating irrational religious emotion?

[alanajoli]

Absolutely--the book I just read, Souls in Silocon, by Jeff Duntemann. It's essentially about artificial intelligence dealing with concepts of faith. The stories are really fascinating (though largely missing the presence of the feminine).

It's available on Lulu both as a paperback and as an e-book. If you've got time to read and download it (or get a paper version), you should definitely check it out.

[dragonladyflame]

I'll try to convince my dear friend who really loves robots to buy it, and then read his copy. :grin: