curious

[Jessica]

most curious about this:
"to a defense of the emancipatory legacy of Christianity against New Age spiritualism"

[Brendan]

Yeah, that really is not the most substantial part of the book.

[T.]

I have read many books of Zizek, but not this one. Yet i know that he sees the emancipatory dimension of Christianity, despite he is an atheist. Christianity in the beginning was challenging norms and cutting through identities up to the degree of claiming people were not Romans vs Barbarians or Easterners vs Westerners, etc. but Christians vs non-Christians. Zizek thinks, today, we should think in a similar manner: those who are in favor of emancipation of humanity and those who are not. All other idendities are nonsense in this regard. Also he thinks, philosophically, Christ was an atheist for a moment at least. He (God) knew there was no God (no Big Other) actually.

On the other hand, New Age spiritualism makes people obedient and accepting the injustice in the world by saying: 'it is not the exterior world, but your perception of it! Change your perception and be happy!' Thus people are pacified.