Before the Blue Brothers there were the Brothers Karamazov

You've probably heard of the expression: "Don't judge a book by its cover." Well, I would like to introduce a new aphorism: "Don't start a book without looking at how many pages it has."

A church member and I swapped books the other day. I lent him a previously borrowed submarine book; he lent me The Brothers Karamazov (don't ask me how to pronounce it-I hear different pronunciations every time someone brings it up). Without looking at how many pages, I commenced reading this book. And when I start something, I have to finish it. All 776 pages of it. 

So while Amy is reading Baby This or Baby That (not real titles), I, the good husband, am reading Dostoevsky. Well, I finally finished that beast a few nights ago and will be reading Babywise next, and chasing that down with another baby book or two. 

But I do have some thoughts on The Brothers Karamazov that I feel are worth sharing with you: my loyal, semi-regular, or first time blog reader. Dostoevsky brings up several issues in the book that prove to be quite prophetic, as well as pathetic (both for Russia).

One of the main characters in the book departs from a Christian worldview (that many of the characters embrace) and embraces Atheism. But at least he is consistent with that worldview. His mantra becomes "Everything is permissible." Without the existence of God, there is nothing inherently wrong with actions one would normally consider wrong: stealing, murder, lying, etc......It may be against the law, but no one can argue that it is truly, essentially, right or wrong.

Unfortunately for that main character, another character actually bought into that atheistic, nihilistic system of thought, and followed through with a terrible crime. A severe backfire. And of course there was no remorse. Then he followed through even further with that and did the only logical thing left (according to Camus)-kill himself. 

Fortunately many folks today don't live consistently with their atheistic view. However some do, and some did. As the person who lent me the book suggested, this thought was only the harbinger to the dictatorial communism which took over Russia some years later.