74. The Riddle of Death as a Riddle of Life

It is so dismal when you see how short-sighted people are! I said to our friends in Hamburg some time ago how one could even see outwardly, from external documents, that people still had correct views of the spiritual world a relatively short time ago, views such that they knew: there is the spiritual world behind it. At that time they were atavistic views. Now it has to develop consciously. But think how impressive it is when something like the following can be experienced: Let us remember the biblical image of the Luciferian seduction of man. If a painter today paints this, naturalistically, futuristically or cubistically, impressionistically or expressionistically ... (somehow “istic” has to be painted today too, doesn't it) ... but in any case he paints in such a way that he paints the snake - as a seducer figure on a tree. He thinks he is being quite realistic. But just imagine that a modern-day snake could seduce a woman! Even Eve would not be able to seduce a modern-day snake! At most, today's snake as a real animal can only be an image of what is meant. Or do you believe that those who cling to the mental image are thinking in real terms? The serpent of paradise must be imagined as a present-day serpent.... and paints that? - He thinks just as little realistically as the critic, doesn't he, who accuses anthroposophy or theosophy of being full of fantasists. There is a review about myself (I think it appeared in “Hammer”): There's a long story about how all that is presented is fantastic. And then such fantasy is condemned, and then the person in question shares some notes about me: 'It's pure fantasy! It's all just drawn from the imagination! About where I was born, how I was born, who I'm descended from - it's all pure fantasy! Yes, that's how consistent people are!