Two opening matters

[Everyman]

Two opening matters concerning the Paradise Lost discussion.

1. We are generally very strict here about spoilers, in order that people who read along with the schedule don’t get any hints about where a book is going. But with PL, the basic story is well known, so I’ll be a bit more relaxed about mild spoilers. We still want to keep each week’s discussion focused on that week’s book (and the books leading up to it), but Milton assumed that his readers knew the events and circumstances he was writing about. There’s not much mystery about what Satan will do when he gets to the Garden of Eden, or what Adam and Eve will do. So referring to those events in your posts about the early books, for instance, won’t be considered a spoiler problem.

2. On a somewhat more serious note, Paradise Lost, as I’m sure we all know, is based on the Biblical accounts in Genesis, Revelation, and elsewhere, and includes various points about theological positions and issues. I want everyone in this discussion to be and remain aware that we have posters here of many different points of view about religion or lack of religion. I want to make absolutely sure that everyone on this thread feels comfortable participating in the discussion no matter what their personal views.

It’s certainly appropriate, even necessary, to discuss Milton’s religious beliefs, what he might have meant theologically by certain passages, and the role and importance of religion in Milton's world. It may occasionally be appropriate to discuss how one’s personal beliefs do or do not relate to the text. However, it will not be acceptable to post in a way that states or implies that any particular belief or lack of belief is better than any other, or to post in a way that seems to be claiming one religious point of view as true and others as false. Such posts are likely to make posters with strong contrary beliefs either uncomfortable or defensive, to the detriment of an open, healthy discussion.

And on the other side, people who do have strong religious beliefs will need to understand that some points of view will be expressed that they disagree with, and must be willing not to take offense at posts which contain ideas which clash with their strongly held beliefs.

With sensitivity and tact we can have a robust and rich discussion which doesn’t shy away from discussing serious theological issues raised by the poem, but also remains welcoming to people of any point of view. I realize that there is a sometimes challenging line to draw between the sort of open, vigorous discussion that we cherish here and making points which will seem to challenge deeply held beliefs, but I am counting on the posters here to walk that fine line. If Laurel or I, as group moderators, find posts that we think inadvertently step over that line and find it necessary to edit or delete such posts, I ask people not to take offense. If you accept private messages, we will advise you by PM of what we have done and why, and will be very open to private discussion of whether we went too far (or not far enough). And if others see posts which they think we should edit, they should bring them to our attention privately.

I certainly don’t want to discourage people from a vigorous discussion of the text. It’s more a matter of how you say things than what you say. I frankly hope that this issue never arises, but I want the group to be aware of this concern and the possible intervention of the moderators if they deem it in the best interests of the group.

[[deleted user]]

Well stated Everyman. Perhaps it is appropriate for me to repost a quotation from Areopagitica here.


Truth indeed came once into the world with her divine Master, and was a perfect shape most glorious to look on. But when he ascended, and his apostles after him were laid asleep, then straight arose a wicked race of deceivers, who, as that story goes of the Egyptian Typhon with his conspirators, how they dealt with the good Osiris, [the wicked deceivers:] took the virgin Truth, hewed her lovely form into a thousand pieces, and scattered them to the four winds. From that time ever since, the sad friends of Truth, such as durst appear, imitating the careful search that Isis made for the mangled body of Osiris, went up and down gathering up limb by limb still as they could find them....

We have not yet found them all, Lords and Commons, nor ever shall do, till her Master's second coming. He shall bring together every joint and member, and shall mould them into an immortal feature of loveliness and perfection.

[Betty]

Everyman wrote: "Two opening matters concerning the Paradise Lost discussion.

1. We are generally very strict here about spoilers, in order that people who read along with the schedule don’t get any hints abou..."

This is a very fair approach, but a person should not have someone else delete her/his writing. Private discussion ought to inform a person why her/his post was unacceptable in an open-minded forum. The writer will hopefully see that the post was abridging someone's right to speak and will then edit it or she/he will otherwise convince the moderator of its appropriateness.