Re:Dracula's Biggest Mistake
by jackjeff on Tuesday February 27, 2024 @10:06PM
(#39533457)
It’s really Dracula vs Modernity. There’s nothing in the blog post that justifies the usage of the “Catholic” epithet. London is the seat of Anglican faith after all and using type writers and records are secular endeavors.
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But the sacramentals used against him are Catholic (and in Romania Orthodox).
I didn't read all of it, but the first two pages of [1] demonstrate how the book is "Catholic" as opposed to Anglican, with the protagonist feeling awkward, as an Anglican, at the icons and crucifixes used as (in the book effective) protection.
Keep in mind, for the purposes of the book Catholicism and Orthodoxy can be considered the same as we both believe in icons, consecrated sacraments, apostolic succession, transubstination, etc
But Dracula was defeated by being decapitated and stabbed in the heart. I do hope religion isn't claiming those as their own!
FWIW, I like the concept in the book 'I Am Legend' where the vampires are repelled by religious symbols that are meaningful to them, rather than any religion in particular.
In https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula_(2020_TV_series) the writers decided to basically write religion out of the Dracula story, and made it that he is afraid of sunlight, and the only reason he cowers from the big bronze cross is because it is reflecting sunlight at him.
Re:Dracula's Biggest Mistake
by pavel_lishin on Wednesday February 28, 2024 @12:37PM
(#39541183)
I enjoyed Dracula's origin in the "Dracula 2000" film; not going to say what it is to avoid spoilers, but it's very religion-centric and explains in great detail why Dracula is affected by the things he's affected by.
In Blindsight, vampires have epilepsy triggered by right angles. That explains both the aversion to crosses and the inability to go through a door uninvited.
Re:Dracula's Biggest Mistake
by pavel_lishin on Wednesday February 28, 2024 @12:36PM
(#39541167)
> But the sacramentals used against him are Catholic (and in Romania Orthodox).
Sure, but they sure ain't modern.
That's really splitting hairs. Crucifixes, holy water, and communion wafers are symbols from formal, organized Christianity, of which Catholicism is the most prominent example.
It's also a sneaky, underhanded way to make a point. The shell game of argument tactics.
Re:Dracula's Biggest Mistake
by PhasmaFelis on Tuesday February 27, 2024 @11:18PM
(#39533940)
Dracula vs. Christian Modernity, maybe, but you can't really argue that religious items weren't crucial and powerful weapons in the the story.