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Quote by Willa Cather

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My Mortal Enemy

My Mortal Enemy is a novel by Willa Cather that delves into the psychological dynamics of a relationship between a man and a woman, focusing on the gradual erosion of love and the emergence of deep-seated animosity. The story follows the couple through their life together, revealing how initial passion gives way to bitterness and conflict. Cather's narrative examines themes of pride, sacrifice, and the often-unspoken tensions that can define intimate partnerships, offering a poignant reflection on the human capacity for both devotion and enmity within the closest of bonds. more

Author

Willa Cather
Willa Cather

American author known for her depictions of the American Midwest. Cather's works often feature female protagonists, showcasing their resilience and growth in challenging environments. Her notable works include 'My Ántonia' and 'O Pioneers!' more

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“In a now-familiar paradox of punishment it was explained again and again that all these physical attacks were a kindness. The Church persecutes, Augustine said, in the spirit of love. Jerome, the biblical scholar and saint, concurred: it was not cruel to defend God’s honour – in the Bible sinners suffer punishments up to and including death. Chrysostom agreed: if he were to punish your earthly body, he reassured his listeners, it was only to protect your eternal one so that ‘you may be saved, and we may rejoice, and God may be glorified now and always, for ever and ever without end. Amen.’ Those receiving such salvation might, not unreasonably, have felt otherwise. One monk in Shenoute’s care was saved with beatings so savage that he died of his injuries. And what if people, disinclined to rejoice, became frightened by the fact that their neighbours were spying on them, reporting on them, hounding them in their homes? Well, fear too had its benefits. Better to be scared than to sin. ‘Where there is terror,’ said Augustine, ‘there is salvation . . . Oh, merciful savagery!’ The intellectual foundations for a thousand years of theocratic oppression were being laid.”

LoveFearSinChristianityKindnessPunishmentCrueltyAfterlifeMonotheism
Book:The Darkening Age: The Christian Destruction of the Classical World
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