Why I love Virginia Woolf

Because of quotes like this:

Writing to a mutual friend of T. S. Eliot in 1928:

I have had a most shameful and distressing interview with dear Tom Eliot, who may be called dead to us all from this day forward. He has become an Anglo-Catholic believer in God and immortality, and goes to church. I was shocked. A corpse would seem to me more credible than he is. I mean, there’s something obscene in a living person sitting by the fire and believing in God.

Endquote. Anyone who takes such offense at believing in God and being a Christian understands the issues at stake. This is serious atheism. I love it. Of course, a convinced atheist will meet a believing Jew with the same disdain.

Either believing Jews and Christians are humanity’s best friend, or they are her worst enemies. Serious atheists have no choice but to think the latter. At least, I can’t find a gap in Woolf’s logic.

HT: Ron Dart

Comments

[James Pate]

I liked Nicole Kidman playing Virginia Woolf.

[Alan Lenzi]

>>Either believing Jews and Christians are humanity’s best friend, or they are her worst enemies. Serious atheists have no choice but to think the latter. At least, I can’t find a gap in Woolf’s logic.<<

If these are the choices, then humanity is in trouble. Your bi-polar view in this matter is disheartening. Yes, believers have very different ideas from their non-believing fellow humans. And yes, unbelievers may think belief is irrational. But we need not respond with contempt for one another. All of us have a common humanity. Differences have characterized our species for as long as we can see back. Religion is a MAJOR difference and presents a HUGE challenge for human civilization on this globe--however you conceive that challenge. It is proper for us to hash it---hopefully without resorting to violence. But we need not demonize one another. Wolff's logic is flawed because she failed to rise above the obvious polarity and see the options for civilized co-existence. The quote sounds more like emotional vituperation than reasoned cogitation. She sounds like an atheistic St. Paul, who was equally polarizing.

[JohnFH]

Alan,

Thanks for that. I really appreciate your ability to disagree and disagree strongly, without demonization.

In line with that, I was trying not to demonize Woolf though she seems to demonize those she disagrees with at times.

[Alan Lenzi]

I got that, John. I don't think you demonize her. But you give her too much credit. To say believing in god is obscene is so over-the-top! Obscene?! Granny sitting next to the fire talking about Jesus is obscene? What a laugh!

[Manlius]

Virginia Woolf? I'd have to admit I'm not exactly a fan.

Check out this devastating analysis of Woolf by Theodore Dalrymple (who, btw, is himself an atheist).

http://www.city-journal.org/html/12_3_oh_to_be.html

[JohnFH]

Hi Manlius,

There is something about Woolf's bitter honesty that I respect though I do not share her worldview.

[Chris]

John - I was searching Google for this quote and came upon your post (first entry, actually). I thought you might be interested in an essay I wrote back in 2003 after an "incident' in which this famous passage was cited. http://targuman.org/blog/2008/07/29/whos-afraid-now-academic-intellectualism-and-the-rejection-of-god/

[JohnFH]

Thanks very much for the link, Chris.