De Sade's "dialog Between A Priest And A Dying Man"

[Foxy Methoxy]

I recommended this short story to someone a couple of years ago on the original Ex-C board as an example of literature containing an Atheist argument versus a Christian argument. I just noticed its English translation has an online home. Keep in mind that it was written in 1782 and because of his writings, the author spent much of his life in prisons and asylums. Here is the link:

 

Dialog Between a Priest and a Dying Man

[pandora]

Thanks for posting that. I have a peculiar interest in the freethinkers and athiests of the past.

 

It is incredible that he spent time in an asylum because of his thoughts.

[Vigile]

Just great. I wanted to comment on a few passages but couldn't figure out how to copy from Adobe after selecting the text. He really handed that old priest his lunch.

[Foxy Methoxy]

I wanted to comment on a few passages but couldn't figure out how to copy from Adobe after selecting the text.

 

Me too. Unfortunately, I'm clueless when it comes to Adobe.

 

Regarding the text and the author, I've always been amazed of the misconceptions people have about the Marquis de Sade and his writings. The man was a staunch atheist even in the face of the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, and the rise of Napolean. He was a pre-Darwin proponent of the survival of the fittest and a pre-Frued examiner of the psychopathology of sex. Yet, he is often casually dismissed as a French fluff writer of kink and also as a pervert. If the word Sadism were accurately derived from de Sade's beliefs, it would mean to stand up against tyranny, capital punishment, and religious corruption.

[pandora]

I think you have to buy the full Adobe pdf program to be able to manipulate pdf files... copyrighted materials are often in pdf format so that they cannot be easily altered, at least that is my understanding of its primary purpose.

[Taphophilia]

Donatien Aldonse Louis de Sade's sexual interests, although perverse by today's standards, were not particularly unusual for young aristicrats in the 18th century.

 

Due to its objectionable nature, de Sade's literary work was a constant thorn in his side throughout his life, requiring him to alternately deny and claim authorship.

 

While his writings were considered appalling under Louis XVI, they were held up as a shining example of aristocratic debauchery after the revolution and distributed as the propaganda of the new democracy.

 

After a mishap with a prostitute, who had gorged herself on Spanish Fly laden candies and became quite ill. de Sade fled to Italy with his wife's youngest sister.

 

It was de Sade's mother in law who blew the whistle on him. She was pissed that de Sade was corrupting her youngest daughter and a cannoness to boot. Another reason the mother in law wished to see her son in law imprisoned was that she was obliged under the custom of the time to continue to finance his dissolute lifestyle, or risk family dishonour.

 

de Sade was spending her money like water. He spent thousands on expensive clothes, trips, and prostitutes. She found out where he was holed up, and prevailed upon the Duke D'Aiguillon to ask the King of Sardinia's ambassador to issue a Royal order to arrest the unfortunate Marquis. She was nothing if not a woman with contacts.

[Foxy Methoxy]

It was de Sade's mother in law who blew the whistle on him. She was pissed that de Sade was corrupting her youngest daughter and a cannoness to boot. Another reason the mother in law wished to see her son in law imprisoned was that she was obliged under the custom of the time to continue to finance his dissolute lifestyle, or risk family dishonour . . . . She was nothing if not a woman with contacts.

 

He also was forced into an asylum during the rule of Napolean because of his book Justine. And was nearly beheaded during the French Revolution due to "moderatism." He had many enemies in addition to his evil mother in-law.

 

 

He spent thousands on expensive clothes, trips, and prostitutes.

 

He certainly loved prostitutes. He believed them to be the most noble and honest women in society. Of course, during his time, most women were either required to be subserviant to their husbands or were vowed to celibacy in a convent. Therefore, he considered prostitutes to be one of the few women in society permitted to think as an individule and to act upon her own passions.