Monday, April 29, 2019

Some sordid history

Today I learned that Tolkien's eldest son became a Catholic priest who was accused of sexually molesting boys in at least the 1950's.   Said son died in 2003, but claimed in 1994 that he had been sexually assaulted by more than one of Dad's Oxford academic friends, who would sometimes sleep over in the son's bed.  Given that they probably all stank of pipe tobacco (but then again, I bet the whole house did), this was likely an unpleasant experience for a child even without the sexual assault.   

Poor old CS Lewis gets a mention as one of Tolkien's friends, but I think he was likely too busy having an affair with his deceased mate's mother (and later, his wife to be) to be interested in molesting boys.   I sure hope so, anyway.  

3 comments:

not trampis said...

Have you ever read any of his books?

It is very very unlikely

Steve said...

CS Lewis? I think I have read close to every book he ever wrote, save for one or two more academic ones.

Yes, by reputation I understand he was seen as a very man's man sort of bloke, but in a conservative way (thus not one to want to talk about sex at all with other men - and hence the long standing uncertainty as to the nature of his relationship with Mrs Moore.) AN Wilson's biography of him also criticised him for commenting about homosexual men as all being effeminate camp types, when he must have known gay men who did not meet such a stereotype. (He definitely had one long term friend who he knew was gay and it didn't stop the friendship.)

So no, it would seem Lewis would not be one you expect to have any inclination to molestation.

not trampis said...

A N Wilson's book was a travesty.

If he indulged in pedophilia he most certainly would not be a christian of any sort and simply could not write the books he did