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> "In a secular age, I suspect that reading fiction is one of the few remaining paths to transcendence, that elusive state in which the distance between the sel

> "In a secular age, I suspect that reading fiction is one of the few remaining paths to transcendence, that elusive state in which the distance between the self and the universe shrinks." Wow. I have thought about this, too. It has helped me understand and empathize with people loving and embracing Gods. It is common to love Harry Potter even if he doesn’t exist. If some people starts loving a God based on scriptures, even if that God doesn’t exist in the physical plane, the love isn’t non-existent. It might be pure, too. I am Indian, and we have rich mythologies somewhat like the Greeks and the Nords. And, I felt that if people begins to love physically non-existent being, that love might help in tough times, give people peace, etc.

graemep 2y ago
I think there is a difference though. For most people love of God assumes the existence of God. Its far more important than any feelings about a fictional character can be. I understand your point, of course, I just want to clarify that there are important differences too. Love of books themselves gives people help and peace too - it is a sort of healthy escape. You can immerse yourself in a book. I suppose books are like religious comfort in that sense.
- richie_adler 2y ago
  > For most people love of God assumes the existence of God. Its far more important than any feelings about a fictional character can be. And that's actually a problem. For them, that love for a fictional character that for them is real is, in many cases, more important that the love for real people. For whatever reason.
- __rito__ 2y ago
  I agree. But I commented because there is a significant overlap between the two. For Indian mythology, many, many people believe that their Gods are historical characters, too. And I have seen plenty of non-zealous, non-fundamentalist, hatredless, kind people who believe in this way, and the peace they derive from it to see it as fully bad. I know the other side of the coin, too. But you should know that such people exist. I read some basic "Bible for Kids" kinda stuff before it, but the first time I felt something for Jesus Christ was through the novel Ben Hur. When fiction and living religion is mixed in a good way, with zero ill-intent, the differences fade to a significant degree.

graemep 2y ago

I think there is a difference though. For most people love of God assumes the existence of God. Its far more important than any feelings about a fictional character can be. I understand your point, of course, I just want to clarify that there are important differences too. Love of books themselves gives people help and peace too - it is a sort of healthy escape. You can immerse yourself in a book. I suppose books are like religious comfort in that sense.

richie_adler 2y ago
> For most people love of God assumes the existence of God. Its far more important than any feelings about a fictional character can be. And that's actually a problem. For them, that love for a fictional character that for them is real is, in many cases, more important that the love for real people. For whatever reason.
__rito__ 2y ago
I agree. But I commented because there is a significant overlap between the two. For Indian mythology, many, many people believe that their Gods are historical characters, too. And I have seen plenty of non-zealous, non-fundamentalist, hatredless, kind people who believe in this way, and the peace they derive from it to see it as fully bad. I know the other side of the coin, too. But you should know that such people exist. I read some basic "Bible for Kids" kinda stuff before it, but the first time I felt something for Jesus Christ was through the novel Ben Hur. When fiction and living religion is mixed in a good way, with zero ill-intent, the differences fade to a significant degree.