  Well, today I read a bit more of the book, and Dorian has continued along his path of self-indulgence. These days, more and more people have a dislike for him but no one else is quite sure why – women who used to adore him quiver in fear and go white in shame when he enters a room. Several young men, previously close friends of his, have committed suicide, gone insane, or had their gentlemanliness thrown into doubt by all. But whoever speaks with Dorian Gray can’t help but note that his face is free from deceit or the stain of sin, and could not believe a bad word about him. However, he himself is not truly free, as he can no longer leave town for fear of someone breaking into his room and seeing the painting. He gets up suddenly and leaves parties to rush home and check on it. Finally, he is just about to show the painting to the painter, who has come around to chastise him on account of the rumours circulating town about him and his friend’s married sister. I wonder if he will really show it, and if the showing of the painting will set him free from the terrible shadow that it has over him – once someone knows what he truly is, will he be free from hiding?
Will he reform? Or will he just kill the painter afterwards… Anyway, it got me thinking about a verse in 2 Corinthians, Chapter 4, about looking not at what is seen but what is unseen, for what is seen is only temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. In the context, it is in the positive sense – that is, what is seen (the suffering we face in this world) is only for this life, but what is unseen (the transformation of our souls through that suffering) is eternal.
I think The Picture of Dorian Gray makes me wonder whether the reverse is true: what is seen is fake, but the corruption of the soul is unseen, and is eternal. A young Vietnamese man asked me last night whether I thought sinning was like putting salt in a glass of water, even if you repented of it, you could never separate the salt out again – you had to live with the corruption.
Another young Taiwanese man said possibly if you put the water in the strong light (of the Truth) it would evaporate (ascend) and the salt would be left behind. A glass of water doesn’t look any different with salt in it, but it can no longer refresh. I don’t think the analogy can be taken too far though, it can’t express concepts such as grace or justice. I wonder if we indulge in our religious and academic discussions much the same way as Dorian Gray indulges himself, or whether some good will come out 
