Tolstoy the Spiritual Anarchist: On "A Confession"

[@FingersKungfu]

I am inspired by Tolstoy's spiritual teaching too. And I am a Buddhist. Those who wrote about him were literary critics who were annoyed with his spirituality believing that it spoiled his art. That's why his religious view has been marginalized even unto this day.

[@monika1234ify]

My soul was hit, alone, on a back porch... encapsulated by the voice of Tolstoy's confession.

[@Cosyhead]

I'm excited to have discovered him as he appears to express thoughts that i have but struggle to articulate. Hopefully reading his work will bring much clarity to my understanding. Thank you for this; you did an amazing job on this teaching. :)

[@marksnow9438]

+Lisa I agree exactly with what you said - he appears to express what I feel inside but haven't been able to formulate or express properly. It's quite special. He was an amazing man, not to mention one of the best writers of all time (literally).

[@chinojarjos]

There is a group on KZbin who try to follow his teachings on the 4 gospels that could be interesting to some people. It could get a little extreme they are called "a voice in the dessert" worth looking into specially if tent into radical Christianity. I am not necessarily in complete agreement but it is definitely a needed look.

[@bleedfreeproductions958]

Thank you sosososo much I am just now coming out of the evangelical cult. I am weeping as I listen. It’s a comfort and a wonder the things in my heart are deeply hidden within history. 🙏 thank you so much. Hope overflows in me in this dark time . Best regards, from the Deep South of trumpland Tennessee. 🙌🏼

[@yahqappu74]

Congratulations for excommunicating from the hopeless churches...

[@kimberlygreenland3785]

Some of us came into "trumpland" (some of us are anti anti-trump) as staunch liberal democrats. Keep seeking and point your ire toward those in power no matter the party.

[@steviedee4491]

in other words he is no different to all of us but he expresses it really well

[@cargotrailerkenny]

I completely agree with you on your portrayal of Tolstoy. He's a source of inspiration for me as well in living the simple life of compassion and kindness towards our fellow humans and all life.

[@danielsullivan8146]

Great video brother, your Tolstoyan beard is amazing

[@cantodecantos5308]

Thank you for the lecture Paul Griffin. It is really a good introduction to the Tolstoy's great late work 'A Confession'. Just a ratification on 'Epicureanism': it really was a philosophy - or a way of living - which found happiness in pleasure and the good life. However, it does not consider 'all' and 'every' kind of pleasure acceptable or a path to happiness, but only the very 'simple' pleasures like 'have a good friend or eat a piece of bread'. Happiness for the father of 'Epicureanism', Epicurus, was simply the lack of pain.

[@raewynurwin4256]

Recently I've left religion 68yrs along and found philosophy to be more pleasing to me individually as opposed to religious dogma, that being fear based and full of fluff that cant be substantiated totally.The one statement in the bible no religion adheres to is Matthew 5.39 Do not resist evil. Life would be a different journey for sure.

[@iachtulhu1420]

Yes, this is the common misconception about Epicureanism. Historically, it was rather ascetic by our own today standards, no big spending, parties and the like. While Epicureanism is hedonist philosophy it certainly isn't reckless sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. That would be Cyreniacs, the rival school or Greek hedonist philosophy and what people usually associate with term "hedonism". I'm not sure how much Tolstoy knew about real Epicureans through their writings and how much from Church propaganda.

[@DJK-cq2uy]

@Raewyn Urwin needed to know your personal details!!!! Yawn

[@heekyungkim8147]

I am in deep existential crisis at the moment….. this analysis is very interesting… thank you.

[@AsifKhan-bv3iu]

Fantastic presentation.

[@moniqueclarke8415]

Excellent video Paul. I did't think I would leave this video with a smile on my face. Thank you for sharing.

[@LoverOfTruth2010]

Hey man, I really enjoy the content you present on your channel. I am thankful for the profundity of the subject matter as well as what I can tell is your sensitive spirit. Blessings to you.

[@williamjayaraj2244]

Leo Tolstoy is a genius. He has experimented with his own life to under the life in this evil world. He came up with a new finding and called it as a practical religion. Good. Direct contact one has to have with God. No intermediates.

[@raewynurwin4256]

Amen, my sentiments also, thank you.

[@antidepressant11]

This is excellent. Much appreciated.

[@joostvandegoor150]

I am reading this book at the moment, and this video was interesting and helpful. Thank you.

[@salvyy]

Wonderful video. Thank you.

[@omatous]

just read war and peace, and this was great.

[@BoZmD]

Thank you for making this video.

[@panoslianosriga]

Found your clip after I read it, to reinforce what he wrote. Great lecture, thanks!

[@SASTmusic]

He wrote about the Bahá'í - faith in 1904: We spend our lives trying to unlock the mystery of the universe, but there was a Turkish prisoner, Baha'u'llah, in Akka, Palestine who had the key. - Leo Tolstoy. Thank you! Georg Meyeers

[@-moumou-]

Brüder Meyers , sorry, he did not. Re this quote: "Although this purported statement by Tolstoy sounds a lot more credible than the Yates’ version of his commentary on Mormonism, it is neither found in the writings of Tolstoy nor does it appear in any first-person accounts of meetings with him. Rather, this quote is from an account by Martha Root (an early American believer and tireless teacher of the Faith, later given the title of Hand of the Cause of God), relating a conversation she had in 1927 with Tolstoy’s secretary, Valentin Bulgakov. While there can be little doubt that Ms. Root accurately quoted Mr. Bulgakov, and it is quite likely that the latter’s recollection reflected, at least in spirit, the sentiments of his late master, nevertheless due to the degrees of separation and the passage of time - nearly two decades since Tolstoy’s death - we should be careful not to treat it as a direct quote."

[@Zeal_Faith_Humanity]

Brilliant analysis good sir!

[@edward9862]

Great video! Thanks for the info! ☮️

[@briansalzano9771]

At first, I thought you went on long; but I hung in there and I enjoyed the video; also, I could hear bass in my headphones which I assume was a car driving by :)

[@DJK-cq2uy]

Thanks. Who is this guy? I love his teaching..off the charts

[@shmarkgallagos8255]

Thanks man. I will be sharing The Three Questions with my unknown and anonymous friends. Epicureanism sounds tastes pretty good though.

[@yons6511]

If we didn’t have a meaning to live, we wouldn’t need to discover and explore. Faith supersedes the need for evidence and it’s application.

[@alalarcon3605]

I am not a scholar as you nor a spirital person. But I would say this is a fantastic book but when I finish the book I came up with a different conclusion. You have to ignore your wisdom to keep faith. Which is where I believed where he ended the book. In later books he does become more stable in faith but never sure if this notion goes away. Tolstoy is a fantastic writer and you feel as you are reading it, you have written it yourself, and this book help me though some tough spirital battles but in the end Occam's Razor won out 'darn wisdom'. Wish I could unlearn what I know sometimes but this book and Tolstoy's Slavery of our Times are in my top ten must read. Also I must take note that the use of anarchist is correct here but not the the way people use it now people think anarchy means ever man for himself and i geuss it means what you think it means but for this it is more like the political Ideology of the early 1900s.

[@archangel6415]

We: the church, cannot say who is heaven bound or ‘otherwise’ Hell. The Protestant position, it seems to me is that Tolstoy was a seeker of God, and of meaning & purpose but that does not ‘make’ you a Christian for that to happen is all of God. The theology of the Hymn “Just as I am” is a biblical one and does not rely on us, other than our ascent to the voice of God, either in person but, and always, in His word. This is a most enjoyable summary of a complex man, of which most of us are. The descriptions here mentioned many ordinary, young & old, especially it seems to me, males encounter. Often such human complexities stem from ‘early’ suffering. Or in Tolstoy’s case dissatisfaction within the world of ‘meaningless abundance’, as is evidenced in King Solomon. Will Tolstoy be among the elect? On the one hand, should not matter, other than among those who strive for faith as Tolstoy examples. What I mean is that there are human attempts to find a ‘God’ yet unknown but is hoped exist: Humanism being but one but through which will not find God, for that is equally disqualifying in the attitude Jesus rebuked the Pharisees! For such an approach is based on Human Law & reason, human ideology, making a god in our own image and is based in idolatry. Not that its never existed before but today, with the ease with which information is disseminated cements like minds with the possibility to create our own god, make our own god ‘this way’ and a great many do, even, & perhaps especially within the walls of theology itself with the mega churches promise to physical prosperity & well-being & is the antithesis of what Jesus promised: suffering for testifying to His death and subsequent resurrection for example. Identifying with the ‘poor’. Tolstoy seems to fall between these two somewhat. A complex approach to God is only as complex a life we often make it to be. But, as Tolstoy eventually recognised, a simple minded youngster or adult can truly find God- and necessarily so because God would have all come to Him, meaning it must therefore necessarily be available to all. Complex lives often result from internal conflict that seem to me to cloud and stumble with what the simple employ of the basics God gives to achieve the end Tolstoy may have found, did he not default to the life of the peasant with that purpose at least?

[@AhmedSafaa1]

Thank you!

[@asoggycracker8773]

Iv always felt so alone in my thoughts. I haven’t read much philosophy, political works, nor his works. But I have drawn his same beliefs. Best I can explain it is by taking the teachings of humility and selflessness by Jesus, taking that and building what I consider the ultimate utopia where we all are humble and selfless enough for communal works. I have the belief that our entire existence is to showcase why selfishness is wrong. Sin is based in selfishness. Think of every dystopian world we can think of. Rooted in either enforced selflessness where none wish to participate in, but are forced to, or rooted in selfishness such as cyberpunk2077. I believe that it’s empathy that we are lead to learn. Jesus speaks in near riddle like tones, and I guess that backs my belief of we need to learn ourselves. Iv grown so sorrowful if constantly thinking of sorrows elsewhere back then, now and forward. I believe we give god meaning though existence. And I have pondered infinite life without anything other than yourself. I would embrace my meaning towards god because I completely understand this feeling of complete meaninglessness. The utopian anarcho communist ideals would never come about nor be kept unless we have a social contract to stay in such an ideal. Where violence is just enforcing something. I feel as if Iv lives his life. I really hate my comforts because the needs of those below should instead be tended towards. Iv contemplated ending my own life and I just can’t get over how similar my life is. For the longest time recently Iv felt so lost politically because the anarchist as I have said arnt true anarchist. Iv felt so lost because I’m placed in the same category of those people who are utterly wrong.

[@ribellefinn9420]

I believe it starts with you and me. If we just start taking action and offer help/donate to someone who need it we will have a share in it and maybe inspire someone as a bonus. Even though we may live in a "rich country" that doesnt equate welth inside Greetings and have a nice day!

[@JeremyLasley]

Well done, sir.

[@xsandpathx]

I find a confession depressing. He put into words what Ive thought since young, but his solution does not work for me. I can't arouse these feelings of "faith", he accepts the loss of reason for faith but I don't think I can do that

[@peterlindal3352]

Hi, thanks for your reply, if you still read, i hope that faith becomes a matter of heart and love for you, I personally struggled a lot myself, and still do with faith and reason, i simply know that something about Jesus touches my reason and heart, i know i Will be dead, and that by living for others i can do something more meaningfull than my own evil, i hope God blesses you, gives you peace, have a wonderful week, you are an amazing human being!

[@antun88]

Then you have only one choice. To pursue the way of reason alone to find meaning. It's actually not that hard, because the point is not to find answers but just questions that open door to other realms of possibilities that make our current world view simplistic. For example, consciousness is still extremely mysterious. If you just follow the pure logic on what it is you end up in pansychism or some other weird corner. Basically, we are convinced that by following reasons we only get deeper in the hole of our depressed and pessimistic world view. But if people actually made an effort they would see that reason leads you to stranger conclusions then you might expect.

[@johananputhucheary5527]

Paul ,thank you very much. Was it ,perhaps possible that these beautiful ideas of Tolstoy were constructs of his despondence with life, which eventual came to rest in faith of the kind you quoted. The genius is its his articulation of these thoughts. Did he enjoy his suffering?, so to speak, I wonder..,: Regards joe

[@yahqappu74]

He is my Guru as well...

[@megavide0]

13:49 // As far as I unterstand it, Epicureanism is much more than simple Hedonism. See: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZjCZWqAa9isaaM

[@blueview2you]

Had he lived long enough, perhaps Tolstoy would have come to the realization that if one purges religion of mysticism and dogma, religion would thereby be purged of gods.

[@ZagreusoftheDesert]

Leo’s beard = respect

[@Freaknick0Beatnick]

are you reading off a teleprompter ??? i was so into the video, until you started sounding like a stroke victim.. speak from the heart man, you have the passion to share your love for Tolstoy.. distinguishes oneself from the pseudo intellectuals just regurgitating information.. stating the facts as a matter of fact.. idk.. i rant i think out loud

[@raewynurwin4256]

Nicholas Franco, I beg to differ first time listening to Paul and so enjoy his delivery, the pace, his enunciation was very clear also his personal interest in Tolstoys life palpable. I look forward to reading Confessions.

[@AsifKhan-bv3iu]

I am also Anarchist.

[@tombo3689]

It took several thouthand years for the human mind to create Bitcoin, blockchain tech and Tesla. Step by step - generation after generation. The meaning of life is "the way" not "a goal".

[@petelarosa282]

Jesus loves you.

[@milmac5052]

One view is that, Tolstoy lost his faith in interventionist conventional God and petty Spirituality in his later days. He was struggling to redefine spirituality, as a consequence of the one he once believed in, stopped making sense to him. In modern terms he had turned into an Atheist after muddling with the nonsense of religious spirituality. He circled back!

[@idicula1979]

He lived a very austere life very chaised he was the charicature of your grumpy miserable old man, yet he had such a complete religious ideology, and possibly do to the state his lived in his religion, the kingdom of God being within us was religion can conquer all and could overcome the state eventually, I find his duel nature fascinating.

[@manusmcmanus9330]

Tolstoy was a Born Again? .....who knew?

[@elizabethfitgerald9775]

His view are that teaching of the 1st century Christian's. Not new . But unpopular in religious

[@radvlad1431]

How was he ever Orthodox if he practiced Chastity LATE in life? 🤔 😅😅😅

[@javierborda8684]

I like Tolstoy a lot BUT I wonder what role he could have played against the coming Revolution if he had played a role of constructive influence in favor of the Tsars and the Church, instead of falling for basically revolutionary ideas himself. Imagine having Tolstoi instead of Rasputin. Schopenhauer is of course very useless reference if you want to make any difference, unless you want to write awesome musical dramas, of course.

[@michaelgrimes5588]

AP chemistry is not there by accident..be humble bro!

[@mustafakandan2103]

Tolstoy was a great story teller, but a feeble thinker. His teaching in relation to how we should live our lives is naive at best. His views on sexuality as expressed in the Kreutzer Sonata is repulsive & totally based on ignorance.

[@johnmiller7453]

Tolstoy was a coward and so had to create meaning so he could live with it. He admitted to being a coward or he would have put an end to himself right away. I realize how difficult that would be for most of us as most of us are cowards it seems. However he acknowledges that that is the way to go if you can manage it. He could not and had to live on and so had to create a myth to live with to limit the pain of his melancholia. That's all I can see from reading his Confessions.

[@dorasnop7771]

it takes Giant to admit it

[@radvlad1431]

Without the church there would be no Tolstoy. Too bad in the end he thought he was too smart for it.

[@DiegoLinde]

and without Christ there would be no Church. Too bad in the end the Church wasn't smart enough to remember.

[@radvlad1431]

@@DiegoLinde Eastern Orthodox Christian Church doesn't have that problem

[@DiegoLinde]

@@radvlad1431 Leo Tolstoy didn't have that problem either

[@radvlad1431]

@@DiegoLinde 😂

[@radvlad1431]

@@DiegoLinde ... he did though. if I understand correctly he criticized the Church. Tolstoy did not criticize the fake Protestant or Roman Catholic "church" but the real Orthodox Christian Church founded by Christ.