Slavoj Zizek - In Defence of Christianity

Slavoj Zizek provides a concise summary of his thoughts about Christianity, the relationship between Jesus, God and Humanity, and the significance of Christianity as a whole.

[@iwouldprefernotto49]

If you want to get Zizek's 'I WOULD PREFER NOT TO' t-shirt you can do so here: i-would-prefer-not-to.com

[@cigance91]

I'm gonna get 5!

[@joanabug4479]

nah that's pretty sus. I would definitely prefer not to.

[@will-ellington]

Does Zizek get a cut? Or is this pure exploitation?

[@criticismandtheory]

This is an old Melville House shirt. WTF. Pfft.

[@jnl8081]

“what we really need is to believe someone who believes.” Ironically, this is the heart and soul of what it means to believe in Christ. In our faithless, godless moments, we love and trust Christ, and his love and sacrifice for us to God. It is through Christ’s faith, that we can have faith, even though we don’t sometimes. I believe this is what makes me a true, strong Christian. What a tremendous insight from Zizek.

[@danielvictor3262]

not necessarily Christ but also people who just have tremendous faith in God you know Like a Christian single mother of three who prays for the health and success of her kids despite extreme poverty, she inspires strength of willpower to go through hardships in life. That's what Zizek meant by Holy Spirit: just a community of believers helping and loving each other through faith.

[@Hadoken.]

@@danielvictor3262Man, you just described my mother, me, my two brothers, our circumstances growing up and my mom’s belief. And that’s what got us through the hardships. Awesome. Thank you for that.

[@elCamaradaR]

It is really dumb man

[@nickca6104]

I’m happy you gave a real answer. I’m Christian too, but many Christians seemingly just comment “praise God” and things like that. But it is much more powerful to share your story.

[@thejamesmcgrath]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@dailyDorc]

Zizek saying "my beloved Chesterton" was the surprising highlight of my day

[@Epiousios18]

That ending suggestion about the film "Life is Good" is actually genius.

[@sacredartsource8297]

Actually, despite the stinkers in the Catholic Church, take the time to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, with a highlighter, one page at a time. Incredible, transformative read.

[@DoctorDewgong]

The doctrine of the Catholic Church was compiled by some of the greatest minds in history, so that makes sense.

[@PlutoTheGod]

How I’ve viewed and studied all religions is through one of philosophy. It’s some of the best philosophical ideas and literature of all time & a large amount of it due to it being masked in stories and wordplay remains relevant because just like vague song lyrics, you can apply them to your own situation for it to help you instead of having it word by word explained the exact reason it was written. There’s a reason there’s so many denominations and split offs of the same books! Everyone translates it a little different and it transforms them in their own direction.

[@AveChristusRex789]

⁠@@PlutoTheGodI’d argue that’s certainly the case for Protestantism. As for Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy however, it’s a bit more complicated than that

[@Nb_edu]

Do you have a link to this book or some reference? Im interested in reading it

[@DoctorDewgong]

@@Nb_edu if you Google "Catechism of the Catholic Church," you will find multiple links with the whole book for free

[@farrider3339]

The linkage pointed out by Fidel The Hurricane Zizek between canned laughter and the prayer wheel is the strike of a genius 🛐

[@avtaras]

Or just a weirdo schizoid

[@djsjdh-hoahdi]

There's more of that in his how to read lacan

[@posteador]

Stand-up material... very creative link. 😆

[@guitarmusic524]

Zizek generated real laughter. "Anyone can make them cry, but it takes a genius to make them laugh." -Charlie Chaplin

[@scally9341]

totally off base but I give non-trademarked permission for someone to make the band: "canned laughter and the prayer wheel". Goes hard.

[@adamc436]

Zizek is one of my favorite authors, philosophers, psychoanalysts, and speakers. I’m not aligned ideologically, but he is one of the greats of our time.

[@carlmarston1687]

That shirt was skin tight at the beginning of this event

[@alexandrosrizos5149]

😂

[@amridinsirojidinov1846]

Hahahahahahah

[@kennethshort2016]

I actually think he might be a little dyslexic and has a bit of ADD.

[@DoctorDewgong]

As a practicing Catholic, this was still pretty interesting and entertaining

[@StephenMBauer]

same here

[@radscorpion8]

religion lol

[@DoctorDewgong]

@@radscorpion8 the thing that built western society and is responsible for the advancement of art, music, medicine, literature, science, philosophy, education, and architecture lol

[@sirkermitthefirstoffrogeth9622]

​@@DoctorDewgong as well as a moral laws that were never seen when Jesus spread the gospel. Saying everyone was made in gods image during a time where emperors were embodiments of deities was crazy thing.

[@thepeak5819]

@@DoctorDewgong nice christian propaganda. christianity did nothing but stall progress, in all it's forms.

[@williamisaac3677]

Good to see GK Chesterton getting props in this interview. If there is one writer and thinker who is sorely needed today to cut through this aggressive form of atheism with reason and insight it is him.

[@seangomez2331]

What aggressive form of atheism? What does that mean? And how does GKC cut through it? Perhaps you can elaborate?

[@will-ellington]

He's referring to the so-called "4 horseman" and their gen z accolytes. @@seangomez2331

[@RocketKirchner]

Read GK directly . Start with Orthodoxy .

[@wet-read]

What sean said

[@off6848]

@@seangomez2331he rebukes a lot of Nietzsche works who as you know went beyond scientific atheism , humanism and nihilism/relativism

[@markiegogh2333]

For those who may think that he is talking nonsense, please be patient. It's simply a presentation of concise knowledge. I've also heard that some people believe he has written nothing but nonsense. However, I would argue that for individuals like Zizek, you don't simply absorb lessons directly; it requires your own effort to learn. More specifically, one must engage with idealist philosophies and activate your own cognitive faculties to immerse oneself in this intellectual discourse. This approach not only enables you to grasp the essence of what he is referring to but also frees you from the need to blindly support or criticize Zizek's ideas. In this sense, he isn't merely stating something as right or wrong; rather, he is presenting something that necessitates accomplishment.

[@LepenskiVir]

Thank you Slavoj Zizek.

[@boxofcans461]

Without zizek , earth is boring

[@garymelnyk7910]

@@boxofcans461Best comment!

[@managut]

Many New uploads, much appreciated.

[@michaelwu7678]

Yes, but this is old

[@professorspf]

I would like it if Slavoj would just talk without an interviewer. The whole time he wants to keep going on tangents, and I want him to as well!

[@StephenMBauer]

“what we really need is to believe someone who believes.” -- We Catholics have the saints

[@kennethshort2016]

Exactly. So many people are missing his point. If you stay with him he says some pretty profound things. He's not at all self righteous and that's refreshing

[@awdat]

The impact of Christ is unbelievable !

[@ivanrenic4243]

It's great to hear Žižek praise Chesterton (despite Chesterton being really different in his views from Žižek). Because in many ways, ironocally, both are similar. I once heard someone say how back in the day, even people who sincerely disagreed with Chesterton, just couldn't bring themselves to hate him, because the way he expressed his views was just so witty, charming and simply genius. For me personally, same goes for Žižek. I disagree with so many of the things he says, but I still love listening to him, he is a really funny guy and genuinely has some original and intelligent takes

[@ishmaelforester9825]

The difference is Chesterton was right, because Christianity is true

[@kaasschietermohr]

Grfeat thinkers praise other thinkers when their reasoning is sound, even when they don't agree with them.

[@topercaker2646]

What a sweet, deep insight.

[@guitarmusic524]

I think this is one of the best talks about religion and belief that I've ever heard in my nearly 58 years.

[@siamakga]

It's extraordinary that God lives with us and in us but Zizek's idea of a dead God is not in Christianity. Jesus says "I am The Way, The Truth and The Life. Nobody comes to the Father except through me".

[@inquisitor1984]

He likes doing what Nietzsche did in The Antichrist: make up his own version of who Jesus “really” was and what he “really” meant. Arrogant claptrap and dressed up navel gazing. This is what happens when really intelligent people refuse to submit their intellect to the wisdom of orthodoxy.

[@guitarmusic524]

@@siamakga It's not Zizek's idea, for one. He's taking that older idea that "God is dead" and calls it abdicating. Remember "The Comforter", the "Light Within". I was drenched in scripture as a child, challenged in my youth, fed mother's milk, then weaned. This is bigger than Zizek's own idea, or Hegel's, or your well-intentioned (I'll trust for now) preaching. It's not that God is dead - but rather just the old way of attempting to perceive that which is bigger than perception.

[@siamakga]

@@guitarmusic524 so what is it that you find fascinating abut his talk

[@rod4607]

This is a heartwarming concept that Gregory David Roberts understands very well.

[@charlieshaw1500]

Fun fact: The picture in the thumbnail is not Jesus of Nazereth. It is actually Russell Brand.

[@prinskorvar9331]

lmao

[@john.premose]

He never looked that good.

[@john.premose]

Yeah, you guys would love that too. Bunch of red-pill edgelords no doubt.

[@haso771]

No, that's Mark Hamill

[@NestorMakhno1789]

what would zizek think of brand? nothing good, i'd wager.

[@Francisqolito]

Amazing!!!

[@ThePianoFortePlayer]

When Jesus said "My God My God why have you forsaken me", he was referencing the beginning of psalm 22, I highly recommend people read the psalm in full before making their own dumb interpretations of what Jesus meant. This is the equivalent of giving your interpretation of an article only from reading the headline.

[@thomas.thomas]

I read the psalm and I don't quite understand how exactly this discredits Zizek's view on the topic Could you please elaborate?

[@ThePianoFortePlayer]

That's cool that you're curious. The psalm is showing that while one can feel like God has abandoned them he has always delivers those who trust in him, and thus will deliver the psalmist this time as well. In a way the psalms show us that we can give our raw feelings to God in prayer (sometimes very violent thoughts too) even if they are wrong. Also, there's a few references in there to what Jesus experienced, like in verse 8 "they say "let the Lord deliver him" " and verse 18 "They divide my cloths among them and cast lots for my garments". What's also cool is that the psalm right after, psalm 23, is the one that starts with "The Lord is my shepherd", kind of shows the resolution of the crucifixion in the resurrection, which in of itself shows that Jesus was never abandoned. @@thomas.thomas

[@fredsnyder8841]

Because Jesus wasn't being an atheist in that moment but saying something that would show he was fulfilling prophecy, and as the rest of it says that even in this torture he knows he will be saved. I'm not sure what to make of Jesus, but I think things like this show genius by someone involved, Christ himself actually saying it or whoever wanted to say he did, and shows he was trying to achieve something more complex than those that think he was actually saying Jesus thought he was forsaken.

[@whitebeltjoe4109]

​@thomas.thomas that psalm was written 600ish years prior. It was christ fulfilling the prophecy foretold in it.

[@Chandleresque]

Mark 14:34: “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthami.” Mathew 27:46: “Eli, Eli, lema sabachtan.” The Christian tradition (sans Protestantism) have always relied on BOTH Old and New Testaments. Christ said that he has come not to abolish the Law (laws of the Old Testament) but to “fulfill” the Law. This is why Catholics read from the Old Testament at every mass. The saying came from the Old Testament but it only reached its climax when Christ said it. Spend the new few years and study the interwoven nature of the Old & New Testaments, the foretellings, prophecies of the Messiah will astound you.

[@geradobocanegra6156]

En cuanto dijó 'my beloved Chesterton' le creí todo.

[@carlosdiaz7573]

Chesterton es todo lo que está bien.

[@MrYochai1]

Interestingly enough, as a fully-fledged Chestertonian myself, I've always found that moment of "Christ's Atheism" ln the cross probably his strongest moment. However you would see a lot of that symbolism in a "dark night of the soul experience"

[@zackm5693]

Respect for having an actually unique insight.

[@stewartcohen-jones2949]

Brilliance.

[@radwanparvez]

This is an extraordinary lecture

[@Jaxck77]

Excellent points all around! I’m currently reading Dominion by Tom Holland and it makes a lot of similar points. In particular how Jewishness and later Christianness (remember that they were one and the same until AD 200 or so) completely subverted the cultural backbone of ALL ancient societies but especially Rome. How can slavery or imperium be acceptable if the last shall be first and the first shall be last? The logical conclusion of the theology is a society that values all people and does not place a premium on existing power. This logic flies right in the face of Roman thinking, so much so that the Romans were incapable of actually understanding the ideas. Mr Holland thus presents a compelling logic for why Rome (and later demi-Romes) fail to hold onto power. More power means more restraint is needed, less power means less restraint.

[@john.premose]

They weren't one and the same until 200 ad. And Judaism didn't exist until 150 bc.

[@john.premose]

False. There was nothing whatsoever in Judaism or Christianity which were original or incomprehensible to the Romans. Everything you described was taken from Hellenistic thought and mystery cults that existed long before Judaism. You have it backwards.

[@thomas.thomas]

@@john.premosehow did judaism not exist until 150 bc? what exactly was practiced in the first jewish temple then? the temple was destroyed 587 BCE

[@john.premose]

@@thomas.thomas I didn't say the Jews didn't exist, I said Judaism, the religion we now know. What was practiced in the temple prior to that was a forerunner to it, but not the religion that has existed since around 150 bc. This is all demonstrably provable. You can see videos of Dr Yonatan Adler right here where he explains all of this.

[@john.premose]

@@thomas.thomas so you're just going to ignore that and continue knowing nothing? That's kind of what i thought.

[@colBe-ex9re]

This is amazing. What a find.

[@jgarciajr82]

I think it looks like this....I am not seeking God, God is seeking me. 💯

[@oksanaorlenko6978]

Super agree) we seem to have moved beyond pacts and treats, and need more Conventions - malleable intangible 'agreements', that stay for a while to serve as social glue and security of sorts, but also open enough to change and develop, so they do not trap our development. Some of Catholic attempts to 'integrate' new frames of thought and new 'norms', already well digested by the collective, is that symptom. Well said, perfectly thought) Love it

[@inquisitor1984]

Huh? 🤔 What has the “collective” well digested? Seems like there is a lot of vomit spewing everywhere.

[@AngermanskLaere]

He has few interrupting nervous tics here, unusually easy to follow.

[@anonymoose478]

i thought it was AI lmao

[@ofmonadsandnomads9500]

Yea but he still packs in a bunch of “and so on’s” an impressive number of them

[@AngermanskLaere]

@@ofmonadsandnomads9500 I would have been worried if he didn't display this mannerism

[@iraniandude2899]

The demons are kept at bay by the name of the father😂😂😅

[@wizard-pirate]

It would indicate that something has gone terribly wrong@@AngermanskLaere

[@MrMTeee]

I love this guy !

[@Alceste-Resister]

I'm speechless. Very interesting point of view. I understand why Paul says it is a scandalous belief. Indeed.

[@luciusael]

If that's how that film ended, I would have been balling my eyes out

[@emanuel_soundtrack]

I am proud director of sacred music

[@emmanuelwood8702]

There is a deep comedy to the things he is saying even though he completely serious about what he is saying.

[@kylenmaple4668]

Literally he says that humans can’t exist without belief and faith. And yet, we waiver because of our inherent skeptic nature. An inherent doubt in our own cognition, along with a lack of motivation to truly scrutinize our doubt. Therefore, we need an example of what “believing” and “being faithful” means. We need an human example which we can embody. The “behavior of belief”, rather than an objective example of what to believe. This is what Christ fundamentally represents; the behavior that manifests when beliefs are left intact. It’s literally the blind leading the blind, going around in a circle because it feels good to do so. We are so tired, the mind has been depleted such that all it wants is to mimic.

[@drewp9819]

Love it :)

[@alohaoliwa]

This just converted me

[@aaronbarreguin.4211]

Amen welcome into Christ

[@siamakga]

It's extraordinary that God lives with us and in us but Zizek's idea of a dead God is not in Christianity. Jesus says "I am The Way, The Truth and The Life. Nobody comes to the Father except through me".

[@inquisitor1984]

Converted to what, exactly? Zizek doesn’t even know what he believes, and that’s his point. Or something.

[@spanellaful]

Claudel and Chersterton: Zizek’s references are the same of my catechism teacher when I was a teenager.... funny

[@calskywalker95]

DAMN… that ending would have been BRILLIANT!

[@dalibor8397]

Jesus also had a "conversation" with God in the Gethsemane Garden before the Romans took him... When he asked the God to "remove this cup" referring to a huge stone. So Jesus was also questioning why he must die,he knew he would die but he was afraid that it would not affect us the way God intended. It's perfectly explained in "Jesus Christ Superstar" and I encourage all of you to watch it. After all,Jesus was a man like us,facing the death that he knows is inevitable..

[@RynoLeGrange]

Only Jordan Peterson is like Jesus

[@Goddogyesbiscuits]

It's a really good song.

[@off6848]

If Jesus wanted to die on the cross it wouldn’t have been much of a sacrifice

[@therealkingbaldwin]

Why would anybody read Jesus christ superstar when the holy fathers like St Athanasius already talked about this in great and precise detail over 1000 years ago?

[@stefanmilicevic5322]

@@off6848 It is precisely because he knew his mission would entail excruciating suffering and still accepted it that his sacrifice makes it all the more important.

[@MRjojojoseph]

Full version anywhere? What is this talk from?

[@twistedbydsign99]

Love him or hate him, hes a legend

[@kristiant96]

Some people fail to see how much power there is in Christianity, and i am not writing about spirituality (which is even greater) i am writing if you follow the teachings of the Bible you will be indestructible.

[@inquisitor1984]

Power to negate all other religions and, if inverted, via Protestantism for example, ultimately negate itself. That’s akin to what Zizek is going for here.

[@kristiant96]

@@inquisitor1984 Maybe someday you will understand. God bless.

[@mannurse7421]

I believe

[@guitarmusic524]

I don't know if Zizek realizes it (maybe he does), but he sounds like a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) a bit. Quaker belief fascinates me.

[@mu6768]

Christ is King

[@rgzhaffie]

If I could bring my favorite fantasy dialogue to life, it would be a trio between Ivan Illich, Iain McGilchrist, and Slavoj Zizek.

[@ems4884]

Zizek at his best

[@zacharymathey3901]

I like what he said about modern Hedonism.

[@canalettov]

I pray to God one day this man will convert

[@boskoandjelkovic]

I don't

[@canalettov]

@@boskoandjelkovic so I pray to you as well 👍🏻

[@boskoandjelkovic]

@@canalettov That's very nice of you

[@user-dg2kl7xc1e]

convert to what

[@muffaletta]

His experience of christianity is orthodox christanity, not protestasm, two seperate faiths orthodoxy is life based prot is mind or knowledge based

[@1otterclan]

Brilliant

[@dion1949]

I'd like to hear his take on the movie "Poor Things."

[@emanuel_soundtrack]

for the first time i can hear him for more than some seconds

[@geneticalintrovert226]

Could someone elaborate to me what Zizeks point was in the End? What did he meant by Christian reversal in that Context? Thy in Advance!

[@PierreLucSex]

That we take subjectively on us mortals the responsability to be trusted by God I'd say. That we know that he put Himself in such a vulnerable state as opposed as keeping a fascinated open mouth about His endeavours. Something like that I'd say.

[@Victoriens]

The initial point he made about Christianity being the true atheism, in the sense that even God, for a moment, became an atheist, "Father, Father, why have you forsaken me?" was then linked to the idea of belief without belief, much in the same way that parents do not believe in Santa Claus, but pretend to for the sake of their children, while the children do not believe in Santa Claus, but pretend to for the sake of their parents, which creates a scenario where despite there being no belief in Santa Claus at all, Santa Claus still functions as a belief. In this manner, it would've been a Christian atheistic reversal of the plot of the movie if, instead of the father not believing in the lie he told his child which the child believes, the child actually knew all along that the father was lying and pretended to believe for the sake of their father.

[@geneticalintrovert226]

@@Victoriens Ok thanks alot. I get the point. Dosent find it very convincing tbh. To narrow this whole arc of a story down to that...idk Zizek needs to explain this a little more i guess.

[@7C_J_7]

@@geneticalintrovert226yeah it’s a really cheap way to say Christian’s live in a positive way and deny their faith at the same time

[@geneticalintrovert226]

@@7C_J_7 born and raised in a Christian fundamental Household as well as Culture i can somehow understand why he says that. I dont necessarily believe that Christianity taken as it is provide a ground to life a positive life. It grants you freedom from having to deal with certain Questions which one may or may not would have to deal with if looking at this World through an Atheist viewpoint. And this, for the lack of a better word, "Freedom" makes ground for a more peaceful life within your Culture/family which then Results in a more positive Way of living. But then, in Praxis, Christians may say they are really convinced of their beliefs but that belief, in my Experience, is just for the absence of Knowledge in all kinds of Sciences, Religionstudies and often even History. So what i understand in Zizeks explanation is, that belief itself is not actually knowing nor isit "i think so" - believe. Its pretending. Pretending by acting a certain way, usually in accordance with the teaching of their Holy Scriptured while deep down knowing that its not real. If im right in what Zizek is saying, i do not agree with him. I think most if not basically every "Believer" is actually convinced that the Entity he believes in exists. They have, grounded in the description of they Religious Scriptures, a Model of a different Dimension in which all those Supernaturel Entities exist. They dont pretend. They really think that they know that those things exist. Which in my Opinion is the very definition of "Believing".

[@user-lh1jb2xm3z]

지금 여기에 내가 아닌 주변을 잘 인식하라는 뜻인가요?

[@RTodosSantosTV]

It's so funny to hear the prerecorded laughter when he actually talks about the Hollywood cultural contribution of canned laughter...

[@user-km5sv9ij3d]

"Experiencing the radical absence of any transcendent guarantee." Yeah but the problem is only about 2% of Christians understand this. I've met bishops that don't understand this.

[@ograda3120]

I understand what you're saying. And yet, the 2% wouldn't be able to maintain the idea for over the many centuries without the 'supporting platform' that is the 98%. I liken it to our pedestalization of the Hero (in a Hero's Journey), as if it's something they do by themselves, while in order for the 2% of what is Heroic in humanity come to fruition, it needs the strong support/shell of the 98% status quo, a safety net of sorts for psychological (and other types of) safety. There will always be a status quo, and there is no problem at all.

[@Bio-basti28]

The ego dies and love of and with Community comes

[@Sad-Lemon]

Knowing Christ as He is, is what makes you the partaker of divine nature and son of God. Knowing Christ as Satan sees him, is what makes you heartless and atheistic to the core. Which one, do you think, is connected with hellfire punishment that never ends?

[@user-yn6vw3nx5g]

amen brother. Once I was an athiest but Jesus found me. I must say life after Christ is good and full of love. As an pre-athiest, I know how athiests think and why they do not believe, and it helps me while i preach. God has plans for all of us, lets have faith in god! Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. May we carry our cross and spread the gospel for Christ! ✝

[@Sad-Lemon]

​@@user-yn6vw3nx5gGod bless you brother. May the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ transform your soul as it is written: from glory to glory. Happy Sabbath! 😊

[@oberschneiderlein-ov3vd]

I don't think I understood Zizek's point here: Is it that Christian belief SHOULD be like the beliefs we hold today (that no one actually believes it, but we have to project our belief onto others for them to work, like the belief in Santa Claus) or that Christian belief is the "old" form of "first person" belief?

[@karsten9895]

I was made aware if him like 10 to 13 years ago, by someone posting something about Zizek. I only ever saw a few video clips of him and frankly thought, he's just a weird guy, who has found his niche in the academic world of the humanities, where there are a lot of hot air ballons, who are able to make a comfortable living in pulling a wool over the head of the gullible. But this video makes me think that maybe I was wrong and he may be more profound than I thought.

[@alvareo92]

certainly the most coherent and profound of the leftist intellectuals

[@xandercorp6175]

It took you 10 years, but it looks like you finally paid enough attention to find something worthwhile. Or I suppose you could claim that it took Zizek 10 years to say something worthwhile, but it seems more or less in the same vein as Zizek 10 years ago. I hope you find many more worthwhile things on your journey.

[@karsten9895]

Well, if I remember correctly, the first thing I saw from him, were some ramblings about toilets. He made connections between the forms of toilet bowls that are indeed prevalent in Germany and 'the German national character' and even Nazism. Since, I happen to be German, I just said to myself 'o.k.' and thought: there goes another 'philosopher'. You can cancel his works from your bucket list of books that you need to read, though you didn't even hear from this guy before. Also, as far as I know, he considers himself a Marxist. I consider myself politically on the left, I furthermore think Marx was profound and historically an enormously important thinker. However, having grown up in 'the real existing socialism', I find communism (Marxism-Leninism in the parlor that we were indoctrinated with) ethically despicable and Marxism as such intellectually obsolete in the 21th first century (democratic socialism is another matter). Anyway, his thoughts here surprised me and he astonished as well as impressed me with his admiration for C.K. Chesterton. Simply something that I didn't expect from him.

[@PierreLucSex]

​@@karsten9895 well you are just discovering now that an esteemed thinker cannot be summarized by a meme about toilets in the psychological field. Also Marx is still not only relevent, but appropriate. He paved the metaphysical road for Guy Debord.

[@karsten9895]

@PierreLucSex It was not a meme about him. It were his own stupid words! Also, I'm not going into a ridiculous back and forth of: "Marx is relevant. No he isn't" with you. There are some Videos I watched - not about, but by Zizek, that seem pretty daft to me. His extreme reverence to Freud and his theories seem also rather hilarious than profound to me. But to each his or her own. People are complex. Here he was very insightful.

[@soulie2001]

He says that only in Christianity does God react to Man, and not vice versa. Slavoj's Atheism seems to be closer to Deism than anything else. And he doesn't believe in sexual hedonism.

[@ihavenojawandimustscream4681]

Slavoj's Atheism is actually closer to Pantheism. In that the material universe is the true manifestation of God. And this is why he is fixated to Christianity; here is a religion where God became matter and died, and transformed into the Holy Spirit, whose primary role is to move the Community of Believers. Under Zizek's Christianity, God is taken down from His distant, sacred place, and turned into the Mover of human togetherness and solidarity which ties in to Global Socialism

[@joseamaro3863]

The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by Jose Saramago. Take a look...

[@user-fi4bz1js5m]

"God why have you Foresaken me?" quite possible the most misunderstood line ever....The Christ is not questioning anything with this statement. For it is a quote from Psalms 22. The Christ is teaching us here. He is giving us yet another lesson while his body expires upon the cross. it is not him being human only, or him being "atheistic" for a moment. It is a declaration that is who he says he is. He is the anointed one. Read Psalm 22 and anyone will see that the Christ has fullfilled the prophesy of his crucifixtion(made 500yrs before his birth). My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? 2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.[b] 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.[c] 4 In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. 8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” 9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast. 10 From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. 11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. 12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13 Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. 15 My mouth[d] is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce[e] my hands and my feet. 17 All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment. 19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. 20 Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. 21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. 22 I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. 25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you[f] I will fulfill my vows. 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise him- may your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 28 for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations. 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him- those who cannot keep themselves alive. 30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. 31 They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!

[@TasnimKouti]

Incredible point

[@williamjeffbuckleyjr.2648]

a speech pathologist would have a wonderful time determining his pathology.

[@newglof9558]

zizek is hard to dislike

[@sammiejoyner3532]

Love is the answer and you no that's for sure 33

[@RustCohle123]

What we really need is everybody to shut up. God is silence. In silence you begin to hear and see.

[@nick31111111]

Every time i hear this guy I try and decode one single premise and i cant. Every second statement contradicts the prior

[@janklaas6885]

📍7:00

[@TheWeslej]

I'm probably misunderstanding, but this seems to me a defense of Christianity only insofar as one believes Christianity is a form of atheism (or logically leads to atheism), and Zizek makes a compelling point related to a few other philosopher-theologians who have emphasized a God who becomes flesh (secular). However, a defense outlined this way begs the question. Is Christianity an inherently atheistic religion? Jesus -- and his earliest followers, especially Paul -- bases claims on a transcendent (objective and theistic) reality. Even Zizek has to concede (as he does here) that the atheism supposedly expressed by Jesus on the cross is "temporary," and, as anyone can look up for themselves, the verse quoted by Jesus on the cross is from a Psalm that ends with God's rescue. Then you have to contend with the fact that supernatural resurrection is Christianity's warrant. In what sense atheist? Perhaps secularism is the more appropriate term. After all, Jesus grants authority to humanity via Peter. Is secularism the same thing as atheism? I'm not sure. I don't think so.

[@mariannell]

Watch Kieslowski' s La Double Vie de Véronique...

[@ishiftfocus1769]

Jesus is not only the image of the invisible God but by him all things consist. Everything that was made was made by him and for him. “For by [Jesus] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by [Jesus], and for [Jesus]: And [Jesus] is before all things, and by [Jesus] all things consist.” - Col 1:16-17 Freedom comes from his sinless blood paid on our behalf and given to all those who trust in that payment.

[@HipHopLived]

You know mediation is generally taken to be the role of government (perhaps in self-defense as there is someone who isn't naturally good, but evil, and hence the need for a social contract... though I think in Rousseau it is begun by the evil one but the point is to make it good in a revolution) - but if there is to be spiritual equality, which is true equality, would that require a spiritual government? not of this world, so you know... not the visible this-world government? You know like "Zheng" in Chinese, "Shafat" means both "to judge" (or "to correct") and "to govern". "I do not judge, but save" - the government of Jesus' is Spiritual Anarchism. "Hey man, that guy is just TOO handsome! Let's have him shot!" - the anarchists (yeah right, right???)

[@thomas.thomas]

Where did you get the idea that in Christianity everyone would be spiritually equal? Jesus said that not everyone can just enter heaven

[@HipHopLived]

@@thomas.thomasHe said "Many", as in THE MANY, as in the demon called "Legion". I'm guessing you're one of "them".

[@michtesfa]

8:36 a theme we find in Luther and Kierkegaard

[@pekka1900]

Can someone translate what this guy just said?

[@LordStuba]

watch the video more times , take a pause and think about it, it can not be translated very easily

[@johnniebarker7629]

Marcion gets it right, it’s all about spirit, within the proviso that one has to absolutely acknowledge that the god Jesus prayed to wasn’t Jehovah, in the sense that humanity needs a saviour it’s as zizek analogy of a higher power of needing to be activated within our own selves, Jesus probably won’t be coming back, but what if we are destined to evolve to such higher states of consciousness

[@xavierlaflamme8773]

Slavoj like many atheists will.realize at some point as he is starting to realize that the idea of everything coming from nothing is ridiculous and there is an outside force guiding our progression. Just takes some longer to get there than others . It's ok Slavoj. We will be patient

[@stmartinshirt]

Tillichian basically

[@OzoTenzing]

It takes a very long time to realise Zizek is fighting to save western civilization.

[@timothypeden3516]

Religion, when taken as metaphor, isn't going anywhere anytime soon since the archetypal content we see in it, is seen in everything related to modern pop culture.

[@jub7345]

The bible wasnt written to be a metaphor. It is useless if you throw away the main idea of the whole thing which is the truth and the life of jesus christ. Jesus was either a liar, a madman, or the son of god. Enough of this patronizing nonesense about "the bible has a lot of wisdom and jesus was a really good guy". If he wasnt the son of god, we should throw it all out the window??? Like, those are our only options?

[@jonnyd9351]

Once it becomes a metaphor it loses all value. Your average atheist does not consider christianity in a metaphorical sense in any meaningful way that affects their life.

[@jub7345]

@@jonnyd9351 exactly

[@timothypeden3516]

@@jonnyd9351 I don't know how someone can be an atheist since "is there a God" is one of sciences unanswerable questions, so the scientific method can only go so far. I don't indentify as an atheist or a theist, I am just a "freethinker" trying to learn to live with love while here! I can see, taste, hear, touch, experience with all of my senses the consciousness of Christ when those that go to church choose to treat others as he treated people (golden rule), when others live like Christ they're making the mans message manifest in flesh and become something measurable with science. The "holy ghost" is the message which was left here by Christ's actions and those that wtnessed him doing kind deeds, which we can learn from by reading and learning from others involved in such things or in philosophy or psychology or other disciplines which utilize his message, since we can't see language but it beomes manifest in flesh via actions, it's a bit of a ghost. For myself, metaphor brings the story to life and makes it more accessible to those that aren't Christian because the message doesn't requre one to be a Christian for it to be inspirational. Think of Disney movies which use hidden inuendos, metaphors, etc, they're told through cartoon silly characters and stll have plenty of life changing potential for children and growups alike. Archetypes, and metaphors are eternal, we still put Artemis on our space craft because we understand the content those names possess and the content still holds great value no matter how "evolved" we become.

[@will-ellington]

And yet, as Zizek makes clear here, the holy ghost or spirit or whatever you want to call it, the absent presence, is precisely the enduring metaphor of Christianity and it still has materiality.@@jonnyd9351

[@fran00953]

"Egalitarian community" - "bound by love". Interesting

[@bendewet2459]

You don't have to defend Jesus He can do if for Himself???😮🎉

[@raipe125]

entonces como simon y kamina en tebgen toppa guren lagan??? cree en mi que creo en ti?como paso

[@DouglasHPlumb]

The innovation of Christ was to create a juristic society where the yardstick measuring good and evil is in the minds of the people. This is in contrast to ethical religions where good and evil are coded by the king. He hasn't indicated that he understands Christianity, I suspect he does, even Harrari eludes to his understanding in his description of Christianity as a "religion of conflict resolution" in one of his videos, but in his book he says it's no different from other religions. My free e-book "Assholes and Bullshit" explains why the kings hate Christianity and why people like this have an agenda to destroy it. Anyone with a loud voice on KZbin has been allowed to have loud voice.

[@donquixote8462]

😂 Even though Christianity would be illegal for nearly 400 years after the fact and there are manuscripts from Clement, John, Ignatius, and others in the 1st century. "Yes, we're going to craft a religion to control the masses ... but wait a good 300 years to make it legal."😂 Allen Watts enjoyer spotted.

[@trueblueclue]

You'll get there Zizek. You got time to convert.

[@DoctorDewgong]

Zizek tradcath arc has begun 👀

[@jaimieoxford8212]

God needs to trust us ? With all sincerity and humility no. We need to trust God because He is.

[@xx_HI_xx7]

I will never understand how zizek managed to gain popularity from people listening to him with that insane lisp.

[@ubuntuposix]

Where does Jesus say: "Where there's love between 2 people, I am there"?

[@TheTornCurtain]

He is actually referring to Matthew 18:20: ’For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”‘

[@ubuntuposix]

@@TheTornCurtain I see, but that's not spiritual. It's not like Jesus is a metaphor for human caring (human spirit).

[@donquixote8462]

​@@ubuntuposix😂 Taking what is written 2000-4500 years ago in dead languages and cultures you don't know or understand; at face value is about as ignorant as you can get. You do not understand what you're talking about. Most people who do what you just did do not even grasp how fundementally different Greek is from English, let alone all the nuanced and novel language used in the NT which requires years of soaking in the culture, customs, and language to be able to really grasp what is meant to be conveyed. Trying to take it at face value though since you just don't know any better. 😂 You got it all figured out dude!

[@ubuntuposix]

@@donquixote8462And you know these languages and cultures? If not, why criticize my interpretation, which btw is the standard / accepted interpretation. (that Jesus is not just a metaphor for love). Or is Slavoy an expert, does he know the original languages?

[@SanderBessels]

As a child, Jesus was my hero. He outsmarted the bible scholars with his wisdom, he took it up for the poor and the oppressed and he denounced capitalism by throwing the money exchangers out of a church. He was a rebel! A rebel for the good cause! Far better than the fearsome father. Especially the God from the Old Testament... He punishes curiosity (Eve and the apple), plagues the Egyptians, supports Simsons terrorism, floods his own creation, psychologically tortures Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son… He is a Tyrant and I still don’t like him. Yes, a little fear of not being the best version of yourself is not bad, but He is definitely not very likeable. But as I grew older, I more and more realised that the Holy Spirit is actually the best of the three. It’s what binds and unites all human beings. This feeling that no matter how different we are, we are still all human beings, capable of feeling the same feelings, the same experiences and we have some common ground for a shared idea of what’s good and what’s evil. I’m an atheist, so all these remarks just relate to the story and what we can learn from it. The power of the story and the message does not depend on God’s actual existence. I really think there’s something in it for all of us.

[@JohnD808]

Your post made me realize the trinity is basically Yahweh, Jesus, & Paul

[@bigol9223]

You misunderstand the nature and oneness of all three persons of the Holy Trinity, I wonder if you would be christian if you gained a better grasp of Christian theology.

[@SanderBessels]

@@bigol9223I don’t think so. My atheism is mostly grounded in modern physics and cosmology (and some biology and anthropology as well). It’s just not very plausible that God created the universe. Furthermore, it’s perfectly plausible that humans created God to explain the unexplained, seek comfort, justice and meaning in a seemingly unfair and meaningless world. People have invented many religions over the centuries and millennia. The reason that Chistianity stuck around was that it does very well in binding people together under a common culture, which is beneficial for the survival of that culture. But I have nothing against all of that. It’s just as good as any other story. Good stories don’t have to be true.

[@jub7345]

You missed the mark bud. The point isnt to compare the three because they're one. The trinity is something we cannot understand. Going through and ranking them and saying why is cute but in reality its pointless. They are one and you either accept them or deny them. Jesus is the way the truth and the life my friend. I hope you come back around on your faith.

[@jub7345]

​@@SanderBessels" not very plausible that god made the universe" haha ya ya right, like its more plausible that it all exploded from nothing. Lmao. It takes far more faith to be an atheist.

[@coapa_760]

he said this god abdicates... like those who rule in a democratic society.

[@DrJohannesHartl]

Zizek is a clown and he knows it. But this is actually deep and very funny at the same time.

[@ghostgate82]

1:55 Jesus didn’t become an atheist on the cross. That’s such a ridiculous thing to say. There is a far better and accurate interpretation of the event. 1st century Jews didn’t have chapter and verse numbers in their scriptures, so the only way to allude to or reference a particular verse or section would be to recite the first few words or first sentence of the section. Jesus is saying “hey, guys, I’m the tola worm…I’m doing what it does, get it?” It was foretold and was fulfilled in the moment He became the tola worm.

[@marlobardo4274]

Zizek not so much gnostic as with a g-nose-tic... on a serious note the point he develops about the hypostases can be taken further for if the crucifixion is when the father as the transcendent aspect of the trinity "leaves" the human realm; the ascension is when the son as the immanent aspect of the Godhead leaves earth and merging with our father in heaven allowing for the manifesting of the union of the transcendent and the immanent in the form of the transimmanent age of the Holy Spirit.

[@NoelAndersonhere]

Zizek sounds like a Modalistic Monarchianist.