Faith question about Holmes & Watson.

[lolryne]

Okay, so here the matter, I was just doing something really boring and distracted myself with re-playing Sherlock Holmes in my head, the scene when Holmes hired a bohemian to make predictions at Watson (yeah), and something hit me. I'm not sure if it is very pertinent but I don't think I saw it discussed anywhere before, so I take the chance to ask

Comments

[lonely_hunter]

Book-verse Holmes seems to believe in God. In this speech he asserts not only that there is a God but that this God is good, providing us with extras beyond our basic needs.

"Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its colour are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers. "
-from The Naval Treaty

[faebee_fic]

If I may direct your attention to this fascinating little essay that posits that Holmes is actually Catholic! The author offers a lot of very good evidence and reasoning to support her case and, whether you buy it or not, it does make for a pretty interesting read.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1397694/1/Sacramentally_My_Dear_Watson

I, myself, think Holmes is probably more a diest than anything. He does believe in a Christian God, but I don't think he believe that this God has much of a direct influence over everyday life or the petty matters of mankind. Someone up there mentioned the 'God as a Watchmaker' idea and I think that belief fits Holmes very well. There is a God and an afterlife, but there's no need to throw yourself into a religious fervor over it. That sort of this clouds one's judgement, you know.

[snycock]

In the movie, Holmes decries "this modern religious fervor" (or something like that) in the scene after he's been found handcuffed to the bed. From what he says, it sounds like the chambermaid took offense to his statement and his lack of clothing and called the police. So it sounds like he's got a pretty relaxed view towards what most deeply religious people would consider vice or sin.

(And I just have to add, that's one of my favorite scenes, when Clarkie tells Holmes his wife is a chambermaid, and then says he's kidding. The look on Holmes' face during that...)

And Watson, just before they meet Flora, is talking to Holmes about having had experiences he can't explain (the man he knew in India who predicted his own death), so he seems at least open to the belief that there are supernatural causes for things in life.

[gaedhal]

I just have to comment about the fortuneteller being a "bohemian."
She's not. She's a "gypsy" -- or more probably an Irish traveler
(her accent is certainly Irish).

Bohemians, as the Victorians would understand them, were artists,
writers, anyone who was unconventional in his thinking or living.
Watson says that he has a certain Bohemian streak in him (although
this is compared to the extremely uptight conventional Victorian
manner), while Holmes is outright Bohemian in his manner and
way of life. In the film this is really underlined, with Holmes
dressed in a very "theatrical" manner -- the Trilby hat, the
tie of cravat, the waistcoats, the unconventional style of
his coats. He dresses more like Sir Henry Irving or Sir Herbert
Beerbohm Tree than an upper middle class gentleman, although
not as extreme as Oscar Wilde or the other Aesthetes, with their
bright colors and green carnations!

[alittlebrighter]

Having not read the books I couldn't comment on what Holmes believes in canon based on much evidence. However, from a general impression of the character from fic, +the movie, I'm inclined to think he is athiest (to the point that unless evidence pointed to the existance of a God he will live his life based on the pretext that one does not exist.)

I can only base this on his supremely logical, evidence based mind that I think would abhore the superstition and emphasis on unquestioning faith in the Church of England. I think that Holmes would believe himself simply to smart to need to believe in a God. And as for him being agnostic, can you really see Holmes not having an opinion on something?!?!

However, from the fact from one of the commenters above that he apparently takes a lot of cases from the Pope, he does perhaps have familial ties to the Catholic church.

As for Watson, I get the feeling that he's one of those men that attends church for the sake of social appearance, but is not a strong believer. Agnostic perhaps?