Quote of the Day 7/29/08

"Asher, if you had a choice between aesthetic blindness and moral blindness which would you choose?"

I said nothing.


in Chaim Potok's My Name is Asher Lev

6 comments:

JPB said...

I will add that as for myself there are several very good, theologically robust, important reasons for saying nothing to this question -- whether or not they are what Asher had in mind.

Eyes_Wide_Open said...

I remember that line in the book. I don't think I could answer the question if sprung on me like that...or perhaps I couldn't answer it at all.

I believe that God wants us to be lovers of beauty, reveling in it and giving thanks to Him for it. Being made in His image, we are creative beings. How could we choose aesthetic blindness?

And yet, how could we choose moral blindness? Would we see beauty in the same way without morality? Would our view of the aesthetic be as full?

Yet I guess there are plenty of moral people who don't follow Christ.

I dunno.

This whole discussion reminds me of battle of wits in THE PRINCESS BRIDE...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EkBuKQEkio

Keep the discussion going. ;)

JPB said...

I think it's a false dichotomy. You can't have aesthetic clarity without moral clarity and vice versa.

Eyes_Wide_Open said...

I agree.

JPB said...

If I have time someday I'll write a post or two on theological aesthetics. It's really tough to boil down what I've learned from studying in that field, but in very brief it has widened my vision of what it means and how important it is to receive, perceive, apprehend beauty -- not only in a painting or in nature but in the work of God in creation, incarnation, salvation, etc. To behold the glory of the Lord is as important as anything.

Eyes_Wide_Open said...

Looking forward to your future posts.