tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31521339.post7074262021259109409..comments2024-03-20T10:16:21.352-04:00Comments on Pilgrims' Daughter: Finished part one of 'Seven Storey Mountain'Jenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17126868703568627388noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31521339.post-46177657680907187482010-10-29T20:32:53.918-04:002010-10-29T20:32:53.918-04:00He doesn't seem to have seen the real body of ...<b>He doesn't seem to have seen the real body of Christ at work in protestants, only nominal ones. </b><br /><br />I'll grant you that, a bit. Maybe if he'd toured Germany and Scotland instead of France and Italy and England?<br /><br />But Merton was at least as influenced by what he read as by whom he met. And, well, if the acquaintance was also an author, like Mark Van Doren, even better.<br /><br />So we aren't confined to "chance meetings" - we can seek out influences in books. I think Merton saw himself as predisposed towards Catholicism from childhood.Moonshadowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11277057132720569896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31521339.post-74311472600581706792010-10-29T19:35:43.159-04:002010-10-29T19:35:43.159-04:00I think he writes in a way that anyone can easily ...<i>I think he writes in a way that anyone can easily relate to their own life experiences. His style of writing and his integrity are just two of the things I so love when I read him. His story and journey to his unfortunate electrocution is always interesting regardless of where one comes down on his religious beliefs.</i><br /><br />Merton does write in a way one can relate to; and I do see his integrity and honesty. I wish he had seen the kind of protestantism of people that really know Christ and love God and one another. He doesn't seem to have seen the real body of Christ at work in protestants, only nominal ones.Jenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17126868703568627388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31521339.post-31425983205044288562010-10-29T19:29:57.692-04:002010-10-29T19:29:57.692-04:00Teresa,
I'll keep reading, knowing that the st...Teresa,<br />I'll keep reading, knowing that the story will get more interesting and uplifting, even if I don't agree with Merton on many things. <br /><br /><i>Merton's appeal is how human he is. Thankfully, one hears more and more these days that being a Christian makes one more, not less, human. More as God intended us. We ought to find that attractive.</i><br /><br />I agree that being a Christian makes one more human, in the sense of being what God intends humans to be as they come into right relationship with Him. I think that's always been understood by Christians, though some may lose sight of it.Jenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17126868703568627388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31521339.post-6335676643438962352010-10-29T10:30:26.618-04:002010-10-29T10:30:26.618-04:00"Merton's appeal is how human he is."..."Merton's appeal is how human he is." Exactly. That, and I think he writes in a way that anyone can easily relate to their own life experiences. His style of writing and his integrity are just two of the things I so love when I read him. His story and journey to his unfortunate electrocution is always interesting regardless of where one comes down on his religious beliefs.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15188632219211162350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31521339.post-76101533849744865802010-10-29T00:13:32.344-04:002010-10-29T00:13:32.344-04:00I liked Part II very much so I hope you continue r...I liked Part II very much so I hope you continue reading.<br /><br /><b>insights that were interesting ... from a human standpoint. ... isn't necessarily a spiritual insight</b><br /><br />"A coward dies a thousand deaths ..." - Shakespeare<br /><br />Merton's appeal is how human he is. Thankfully, one hears more and more these days that being a Christian makes one more, not less, human. More as God intended us. We ought to find that attractive.Moonshadowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11277057132720569896noreply@blogger.com