tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615058926640211306.post991060249008750156..comments2024-03-20T18:36:39.816-07:00Comments on Philip K. Dick and Religion: Criticism of McKee from Rossi's reviewMr. Handhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00308380761257083577noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615058926640211306.post-85699399939892522772011-10-27T17:58:29.508-07:002011-10-27T17:58:29.508-07:00Thanks for contributing to my humble blog! I absol...Thanks for contributing to my humble blog! I absolutely agree with you that Christ is central to Dick's experience, although I think this tends to make problematic your emphasis on Dick's eternal theory spinning and "ontological uncertainty." Either Christ was indeed central, or he was just another theory. Of course, I might argue that Gnosticism (not to mention the Neoplatonism of Plotinus, considered as a branch of philosophical theology) is central to Dick as well, and not necessarily in a way that conflicts with the Christology.Mr. Handhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00308380761257083577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615058926640211306.post-80867724186974959522011-10-27T15:24:21.633-07:002011-10-27T15:24:21.633-07:00Oops -- for "Christ is a central do Dick'...Oops -- for "Christ is a central do Dick's experience" above, read "Christ is central to Dick's experience".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615058926640211306.post-66701453298000077312011-10-27T15:22:29.012-07:002011-10-27T15:22:29.012-07:00On the first point, Umberto and I respectfully dis...On the first point, Umberto and I respectfully disagree. The further I've read in the Exegesis, the more I feel confirmed in my belief that Christ, for PKD, is not a theory-- like, say, Soviet scientists, Palestinian hallucinogenic mushrooms, or satellites from Albemuth-- but an assumption, like 2-3-74 itself. Part of the disagreement, I think, stems from my vagueness about what I mean by "Christian" in this context-- I imply no specific doctrines or denominational ideas, but rather simply the belief in Christ as savior-- whatever else one might think. So if Dick is to be called gnostic-- fine, but he is a *Christian* gnostic-- if a Taoist, less compellingly, then a *Christian* Taoist. (Not that I'd necessarily call him either, mind you). Back when I wrote _Pink Beams_ as well as now, I believe that Christ is a central do Dick's experience and his many understandings of it. <br /><br />On the second point, however, Umberto is 110% spot-on correct. I was definitely selling Dick's political ideas short, and I hope to someday revisit _Pink Beams_ in some capacity and correct that error. The intersection of religion and politics has been an area of increasing interest for me, both in general and in the area of PKD theology in particular. And indeed, many of my annotations on Harcourt-Brace's _Exegesis_ (out next week!) pertain to PKD's affinity with Christian anarchist thought.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com