“The causes of struggle were two: doubt, and lust. And always they came together. He took them for two distinct foes; but actually, both were one.”

Have you ever read a book that made you ask your own faith? And go further with telling subtly how the urge to be better ourselves has brought pride to us. This is what Tolstoy wrote in Father Sergius. This work of classics were published after his death and written some time in 1890. With this story, Tolstoy had radically shakes the foundation of dogmatic theology.

It began with the story of Stepan Kasatsky, once was a handsome military cadet, which then changed his life after knowing the love of his life was the mistress of Russian’s Tsar. He then avoiding temptations and fully putted himself to be a monk with the vision was to be a better person than anybody else, even the Tsar himself. He changed his name and then was known as Father Sergius. In the monastery life, he found all human’s temptations were easy to be avoided yet he didn’t find his inner peace. Later on he lived on a solitude life, determined to found the peace he had seeked so far. Yet he wondered in solitude for why doubt and lust came to him again and again as if they were two demons when they’re actually one temptation. Deep down, he felt doubt to God, yet those seek were getting further from him because he then was known as “the healer” and deep down he was glad to be known as this.

His vainglory was followed when he met a girl and the lust jumped back to him, yet his failure somehow brought a new hope for him. Felt ashamed for sin he had done, Father Sergius then searched for a girl that once in his boyhood was bullied by him and his friends. The woman seemed to had a fail life in human’s eyes, yet Kasatsky understood that she was better than him, because when of all his life he was only doing it for men and pretending to do it for God, the woman had pretending to lived for the men while she actually lived for the God. From then on Kasatsky found his inner peace and had a better relationship with God.

Salvation and hypocritical life had been the theme of this book. Salvation does not belong to those who look down for others or being faithful only to feel better than anyone else. Salvation came to anyone that accept theirselves. ( )

Konti Leon Tolstoi (1828-1910), ishte një ushtar rus që u kthye në pacifist, ambjentalist, shkrimtar, korrespondent lufte dhe autor i kryeveprës Lufta dhe Paqja, i parë nga disa si romani më i shkëlqyer i botës dhe gjithashtu si një punë e shkëlqyer historike, politike dhe ushtarake.

Lindur në pronat e familjes në Yasnaya Polyana, 160 kilometra në jug të Moskës, Tolstoi nisi studimet në Universitetin Kazan në moshën 19 vjeçare. Në rini, kishte fuqi të mëdha fizike dhe zhdërvjelltësi, me uri të pakufishme për vodka dhe femra. Për rrjedhojë, nuk qe shumë i mirë si student.

"Në dhjetëvjeçarin e viteve '40, ndodhi në Petersburg një ngjarje që i shtangu të tërë: komandanti i regjimentit të kalorësve me parzmore të perandorit, princi i pashëm të cilit të gjithë ia kishin parathënë fatin e të qenit adjutant i perandorit Nikolla I, me një karrierë sa më të shkëlqyer të pritshme në oborrin e Madhërisë së Tij, një muaj para datës së caktuar për martesën e vet me një zonjushë të shumë nderuar, rioshe me një bukuri të theksuar, e cila gëzonte mbështetjen e veçantë të perandoreshës, dha dorëheqjen, u nda nga e fejuara e tij, duke ia dhuruar pronat e veta të vogla motrës së vet, dhe u ndry në manastir me synimin për t'u bërë murg," - pjesë nga libri.

Great study of how to be a good person, if depressing in its conclusion that you have to luck into it. Love Tolstoy.

Like it even better the 2nd time around. ( )

Great study of how to be a good person, if depressing in its conclusion that you have to luck into it. Love Tolstoy.

Like it even better the 2nd time around. ( )