Dreaming the same dream (morals, paradise, Eden, preaching, morals)

[doppelgänger]

Are we all inspired to preach our own personal evangel by dreaming the same dream? Is it merely that the dream cannot be put into words universal enough to convey its universal meaning?

The following is an excerpt from Dostoevsky's short story Dream of a Ridiculous Man, which I read last night:

But how establish paradise - I don't know, because I do not know how to put it into words. After my dream I lost command of words. All
the chief words, anyway, the most necessary ones. But never mind, I shall go and I shall keep talking, I won't leave off, for anyway I have seen it with my own eyes, though I cannot describe what I saw. But the scoffers do not understand that. It was a dream, they say, delirium, hallucination. Oh! As though that meant so much! And they are so proud! A dream! What is a dream? And is not our life a dream? I will say more. Suppose that this paradise will never come to pass (that I understand), yet I shall go on preaching it. And yet how simple it is: in one day, in one hour everything could be arranged at once! The chief thing is to love others like yourself, that's the chief thing, and that's everything; nothing else is wanted - you will find out at once how to arrange it all. And yet it's an old truth which has been told and retold a billion times - but it has not formed part of our lives! The consciousness of life is higher than life, the knowledge of the laws of happiness is higher than happiness - that is what one must contend against. And I shall. If only everyone wants it, it can be arranged at once.

[jacquie4000]

I will read the whole story first, I have it online. Did you also read Notes from the Underground? It says it is a Supplement to this story.

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by jacquie4000

I will read the whole story first, I have it online. Did you also read Notes from the Underground? It says it is a Supplement to this story.

I recommend reading both. They sort of "supplement" one another. I never really thought of that, but I think "Notes" is the realistic shadow of the idealism expressed in "Dream." They are both written in the same literary style. An unidentified character who seems to dwell on the edge of society gives us an impassioned account of his vision of life.

[jacquie4000]

Ok I am going to give the story a shot. He is ask to save a life yet refuses. In his dispair in life he falls asleep. He dreams of an Eden where life is perfect. Yet he himself is the downfall of this Eden. He gives them knowledge. With this knowledge comes ethics and laws, that create a false sense of morality.

So he Corrupts Eden yet brings them to humanity.

In this dream which he thinks could be reality he is reborn.

Knowledge can bring you to good yet it can bring you to evil.

Why choose to live a moral life? Yet most of us do.

It is a good story.........Do I have it correct?

Here is a link
http://www.kiosek.com/dostoevsky/lib...iculousman.txt Is is a translated link.

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by jacquie4000

Ok I am going to give the story a shot. He is ask to save a life yet refuses. In his dispair in life he falls asleep. He dreams of an Eden where life is perfect. Yet he himself is the downfall of this Eden. He gives them knowledge. With this knowledge comes ethics and laws, that create a false sense of morality.

So he Corrupts Eden yet brings them to humanity.

In this dream which he thinks could be reality he is reborn.

Knowledge can bring you to good yet it can bring you to evil.

Why choose to live a moral life? Yet most of us do.

It is a good story.........Do I have it correct?

Here is a link
http://www.kiosek.com/dostoevsky/lib...iculousman.txt Is is a translated link.

I would add that this vision inspires him with a feeling beyond words to preach "love" and transcending laws and morals and ethics to everyone despite the fact that he knows paradise will never be a reality. That's the part that I excerpted. It's from the end of the story.

How would you answer my two questions posed in the OP?

[jacquie4000]

Why choose to live a moral life? Yet most of us do.

That is why I put why do most of chose to live a moral life...if one would know they would not reach paradise. At least in his mind I should say.

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by jacquie4000

That is why I put why do most of chose to live a moral life...if one would know they would not reach paradise. At least in his mind I should say.

But a "moral life" is not really a substitute for Love. Indeed, as the Paul and the author of "Mark" tell us, it is more often an impediment to Love.

[jacquie4000]

Love others Like yourself.

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by jacquie4000

Love others Like yourself.

But if Love is a Dream and not a Law, isn't the above a paradox when imagined as a "commandment"? Perhaps that is why grace can only be considered a gift.