Daniel Paul Schreber : Beginner's Guide to Memoirs of My Nervous Illness |
||
|
basic language
blessedness devils emasculation examined soul fleetingly improvised men front courts of heaven god irregular world order nerves nerve connection nought-thinking purification rays regular world order soul murder sun transmigration of souls voices wonder © 2009 M. Rautenberg |
god
[aka Gott] Schreber's god is a deist god. After creating the world, god withdrew from it and now rarely interacts with mankind. If he does, however, it is through the sun. Schreber's god is made exclusively of nerves; thus he is unlike man who is composed both of nerves and a body. When god uses his nerves to create worldy things, the term rays is applied to the nerves which are used. Rays are transmitted to earth via the sun. Whenever god emitts rays, a part of his very own substance - the front courts of heaven - is lost in the process. To Schreber, god is a dual entity composed of Ormuzd, the upper god and Ariman, the lower god. According to Schreber, god has limited capabilities and is at risk of losing his power every time he establishes a nerve connection. Therefore, Schreber's god is neither omnipotent, nor omnipresent nor omniscient. When a person dies, its nerves are extracted from the body by god and then subjected to purification. Blessed souls become a part of god's front courts of heaven. |