SIN and Karenina

[Barb Hiner]

I have not read this book yet. I heard it being recommended by Oprah and am at the library checking it out. The reviews seem to say how great it is. Why is the subject of adultry and sin so fasinating to people? Why not just read the story of David and Bathsheba in the Bible. The judgement of God is harsh, but there is or will be judgement, sooner or later. We cannot get by with sin, either in this life or the next. I have found stories like The Great Gatsby and Mice and Men to be very disturbing when they are "required" reading in our schools yet the Bible is frowned upon. Why is this? Yes, we have come a long way, but not necessarily for the better. Thank you for aloowing me to express myself. Mrs. Hiner of 44 years, 6 children, 15 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. That should give me a little experience in life.

[Rata]

First of all, I agree that frowning upon reading the Bible is something to be a bit scandalized at. I read it when I got to college (I study literature and a had a whole class dedicated to reading the Bible, one of the best classes I´ve ever had actually...); however, Anna Karenina isn´t really about sin, or rather, not just about sin. Part of what the book questions is precisely the dogma by which so many christians lived and live to-day. The true question of the book lies in freedom and the right to choose versus the rules of society (which includes religion). Tolstoy had quite a conflict about this himself, constantly questioning if it was better to be free or to obey. The true questioning of the book lies precisely in this question, and in the desire of man to be free versus the need of man to live in organized society.
As for what is so fascinating about adultery and sin: humans will always be drawn to those parts which are precisely "off-limits". The limits are marked only by society and dogma so the precise aspects vary from culture to culture, society to society. Despite this, there is a fascination with that which is prohibited or out of reach for us. We must acknowldege these parts somehow, even if it is only through a macabre fascination.
Also, a part of art is precisely to "rattle the cage", that´s why it seems to be so disturbing. No selection of school readings will ever truly reflect all art, and most selections will seem atrocious to some people, but it is important to realize that just because it is disturbing, it does not mean it is wrong. The Bible is frowned upon because it is seen as solely being dogma, which is wrong because it´s not just that. A closer look at the Bible also reveals some pretty disturbing stories as well as some of the most artistic passages ever written. To view the Bible purely as dogma and to view texts which are disturbing as wrong is making the exact same mistake twice. In any case, the contents of most school programs should be severly questions and even though I am not a cristian (I adhere to no religion, actually) it wouldn´t be quite so bad to read the Bible every now and then, and not as the Book of Law set down by God, or as the church would have you see it: pure dogma.