Thomas Merton

[catholicinsd]

While I enjoyed The Seven Storey Mountain, I can't get over the fact that Merton was a draft dodger, and the Abbey almost encouraged it.  

[linate]

there are also rumors that he knocked a woman up and was unfaithful to his vows with her. these are all just rumors though. and merton still has some stellar writings regardless 

[Guest]

For sure, Thomas Merton had his faults - both small and big.  He was a very human human being and he claimed it.  Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater because he had much to state that needed stating and worth taking on board.  That does not mean all he said or all he wrote.

A prayer of hope you will be able to move beyond your hangups over Tommy M. and his human defects  

[SJforlife]

What good is there in passing on rumors?  Not much, I think.

 

[islander]

In fact he broke every Vow he made. That has been known for many years.  We have a saying in England, "Fine words butter no parsnips."  Hollow his words and his suicide  

[Guest]

Speechless for once.

[Ash Wednesday]

The fact that Merton fathered a child is public knowledge at this point. He disclosed it to his superiors and was frank about it in an early draft of his autobiography, but it was censored out by publishers. 

45 minutes ago, islander said:

In fact he broke every Vow he made. That has been known for many years.  We have a saying in England, "Fine words butter no parsnips."  Hollow his words and his suicide  

But we have no business claiming his death was a suicide without any facts or autopsy to speak of. It can even be a mortal sin to do this.

Merton's writings from the 50s are well regarded, I remember reading a few of his early works and enjoying them very much. But I'd say any of his work after the 50s, going into the 1960s strays into grey areas and should be read with some caution.