The life and thoughts of "atheist priest" Jean Meslier (1664-1729.) Often considered the first true modern atheist Jean Meslier was outwardly a dutiful local priest for over 40 years, but on his death left his flock with a philosophical testament that rejected the dogmas of all religions, denied the existence of God or the supernatural and excoriated the corruption and privileges of the clergy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkB5nYVp7-8

#jeanmeslier #atheism #frenchrevolution #philosophy #anticlericalism

Today is #Tolstoy's birthday. His #politicalthought is radical, #anarcho-#pacifist & #iconoclastic. Here's my book on it: https://sites.google.com/site/christoyannopoulos/publications/tolstoys-political-thought-christian-anarcho-pacifist-iconoclasm

Core chapters explore T’s
#pacifism, #anarchism,
#anticlericalism, #asceticism &
#nonviolent #activism. Each time first systematising T (with plenty of poignant quotes), then discussing criticisms of his views, then reflecting on relevance since.

Today's the 9th 🎂 of my article on #LeoTolstoy's #anticlericalism, looking at both what he said then and how some of it still applies today. Freely available here: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/7/5/59

🪦#DorothyDay died today in 1980. Here's a free article exploring the extent to which she was influenced by #LeoTolstoy: https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Leo_Tolstoy_s_impact_on_Dorothy_Day_and_the_Catholic_worker_movement/13667594?file=26231840 #anarchism #pacifism #anticlericalism

Core chapters explore T’s #pacifism, #anarchism, #anticlericalism, #asceticism & #nonviolent #activism. Each time first systematising T (with plenty of poignant quotes), then discussing criticisms of his views, then reflecting on relevance since.

#Tolstoy died today in 1910. His #politicalthought is still relevant & alive today. Here's my book on it: https://sites.google.com/site/christoyannopoulos/publications/tolstoys-political-thought-christian-anarcho-pacifist-iconoclasm #anarchism #pacifism #anticlericalism

Today is #DorothyDay's birthday. Here's a free article exploring the extent to which she was influenced by #LeoTolstoy: https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Leo_Tolstoy_s_impact_on_Dorothy_Day_and_the_Catholic_worker_movement/13667594 #anarchism #pacifism #anticlericalism

Today's the 8th🎂of my article on #LeoTolstoy's #anticlericalism, looking at both what he said then and how some of it still applies today. Freely available here: https://mdpi.com/2077-1444/7/5/59

1st section recounts evolution of T’s views on #religion & #church, & briefly describes T’s peculiar #metaphysics. 2nd outlines main charges against church, discusses common objections, & considers continuing relevance of those anticlerical arguments

🪦#DorothyDay died today in 1980. Here's a free article exploring the extent to which she was influenced by #LeoTolstoy: https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Leo_Tolstoy_s_impact_on_Dorothy_Day_and_the_Catholic_worker_movement/13667594 #anarchism #pacifism #anticlericalism

🪦#Tolstoy died today in 1910. His #politicalthought is still relevant & alive today. Here's my book on it: https://sites.google.com/site/christoyannopoulos/publications/tolstoys-political-thought-christian-anarcho-pacifist-iconoclasm #anarchism #pacifism #anticlericalism

Core chapters explore T’s #pacifism, #anarchism, #anticlericalism, #asceticism & #nonviolent #activism. Each time first systematising T (with plenty of poignant quotes), then discussing criticisms of his views, then reflecting on relevance since.

🎂Today is #DorothyDay's birthday. Here's a free article exploring the extent to which she was influenced by #LeoTolstoy: https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Leo_Tolstoy_s_impact_on_Dorothy_Day_and_the_Catholic_worker_movement/13667594 #anarchism #pacifism #anticlericalism

Short summary: Day frequently mentioned Tolstoy, but almost only his #fiction. Paper explores extent of Tolstoy’s influence beyond just fiction based on close reading of #archivalsources.

Demonstrates Tolstoy’s #political & #religious views did leave significant impression on Day & #CatholicWorkerMovement

Today's the 7th 🎂 of my article on #LeoTolstoy's #anticlericalism, looking at both what he said then and how some of it still applies today. Freely available here: https://mdpi.com/2077-1444/7/5/59.

1st section recounts evolution of T’s views on #religion& #church, & briefly describes T’s peculiar #metaphysics.

🪦#DorothyDay died today in 1980. Here's a free article exploring the extent to which she was influenced by #LeoTolstoy: https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Leo_Tolstoy_s_impact_on_Dorothy_Day_and_the_Catholic_worker_movement/13667594 #anarchism #pacifism #anticlericalism

Short summary: Day frequently mentioned Tolstoy, but almost only his #fiction. Paper explores extent of Tolstoy’s influence beyond just fiction based on close reading of #archivalsources. Demonstrates Tolstoy’s #political & #religious views did leave significant impression on Day & #CatholicWorkerMovement. Notably: D had early (if discreet) passion for T; T’s helped cement D’s #anarchism & #pacifism, & T (through #Hennacy) helped inspire CW’s embrace of #civildisobedience

🪦#Tolstoy died today in 1910. His #politicalthought is still relevant & alive today. Here's my book on it: https://sites.google.com/site/christoyannopoulos/publications/tolstoys-political-thought-christian-anarcho-pacifist-iconoclasm #anarchism #pacifism #anticlericalism

Core chapters explore T’s #pacifism, #anarchism, #anticlericalism, #asceticism & #nonviolent #activism. Each time first systematising T (with plenty of poignant quotes), then discussing criticisms of his views, then reflecting on relevance since.

Hardback expensive, paperback and ebook cheaper, but also shorter chapter-length summary #free (#openaccess) & available here: https://www.stockholmuniversitypress.se/site/chapters/e/10.16993/bbb.c/

Born Oct 22 1919, novelist Doris Lessing (née Doris May Tayler) was born in Persia (now Iran) to British parents. She moved with them to the British colony of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1925. Her childhood, a mixture of idyllic and difficult, ended prematurely when she was sent to a convent school, where she was terrified by the nuns and their tales of sin and damnation, according to a Reader’s Guide to The Golden Notebook and Under My Skin (1995).

A temporary attraction to Catholic ritual was dispelled when her mother described the horrors of the Inquisition, at which point Lessing “quit religion,” according to literary critic John Leonard. Her formal education ended when she dropped out of an all-girls high school at age 13. She left home at 15, married Frank Wisdom at 19 and had two children before divorcing in 1943. She then married Gottfried Lessing and had another son before divorcing in 1949. She never married again.

Her first novel, The Grass is Singing, was published in 1949, the year she moved to London with her son. Her famed “Children of Violence” series (1951-59) features her heroine, Martha Quest, in a series of four coming-of-age novels. In 1956 she was named a “prohibited alien” by Southern Rhodesia and South Africa. The Golden Notebook (1962), with heroine Anna Wulf, was hailed as an early feminist classic. Her autobiographies were published in two volumes, Under My Skin, and Walking in the Shade (1997). She also wrote a series of science fiction books that were panned by some critics.

In analyzing a human propensity to dogmatism, including her own previous communist conversion, Lessing said, “There are certain types of people who are political out of a kind of religious reason. I think it’s fairly common among socialists: They are, in fact, God-seekers, looking for the kingdom of God on earth. … If you don’t believe in heaven, then you believe in socialism.” (New York Times, July 25, 1982.)

She was awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize for Literature at age 88, the oldest person at the time to ever receive the prize. The Swedish Academy called her “that epicist of the female experience, who with scepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny.”- - - - - -


Fuck Yeah! Religion Pigeon