This is an editorial published yearly by the Wall Street Journal on a yearly basis. It was originally written, and published, in 1949 by Vermont Royster, and I’ve seen it reposted here and there on the Internet, so I believe it is okay to repost it here, as well.
While they normally print this at Christmas, it seems particularly appropriate for Easter.
When Saul of Tarsus set out on his journey to Damascus the whole of the known world lay in bondage. There was one state, and it was Rome. There was one master for it all, and he [...]
This essay was originally published in 1883, as part of the book What the Social Classes Owe Each Other, and was written by William Graham Sumner. The phrase “the forgotten man” was popularized by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, although, ironically, he used the phrase in exactly the opposite way the original author intended. This is one of those essays you need to reread every now and again, so you don’t forget the line of argument, or the problems uncovered in the thought process.
The type and formula of most schemes of philanthropy or humanitarianism is this: A and B put [...]
I stood at the side, watching as the potter reached down, gathering lumps of clay from a barrel, streaked with white and grey, in the corner of his shop. The walls around me were a testament to his art, pots, vases, pitchers, and jugs scattered along the walls, in nooks, some crooked, some straight. All with a purpose.
The potter walked, slowly, turning the clay he had pulled from the barrel in the corner, to the center of the shop, where there stood a wheel. As he walked, paying no mind to where he was going, having travelled that [...]
Some time in the past/future…. “Good day, Sophias. I trust you have been good since our last meeting?” “Yes, Peter, so I have been. I have increased in intelligence and wealth, and I have done good for my fellow man.” Ahhh…. So Sophias, you yet think increasing your intelligence is good? I would not argue with your conclusion, but I would know why you think this.” “Intelligence is the highest life has to offer, Peter, and when the masters come again, they will be most curious to know how their original work on our behalf has fared.” “So what [...]
The old man shuffled up to the linen gateway, bright red material marking the opening out from the rest of the white curtains setting off the outer court of the Tabernacle. He examined the seraphim and pomegranets worked into the red cloth along either side of the opening. The old man waited as a priest approached, turning into the opening, saying: “Shalom.” The old man pointed to the lamb, the cord around the ram’s throat rough in his hand.
A younger man, in a different time and age, leans heavily against the wall to his side. How had it [...]
The man sat on his son’s bed, considering the words he was about to say. He tossed the soccer ball back and forth in his hands, running through the last five years in his head. Johnny, the boy laying in the bed on which he was sitting, had started out strong. He had gone to all the practices, and had worked his way around the various positions on the field, learning how to play under varying conditions. His coaches had been impressed with his growing ability to sense the play coming, and react. In the last year, however, Johnny [...]
“Hello, Bridget.” “Hi, Rodney, the doctor will see you in just a minute….”
A few minutes later….
“Hi, Rodney! Come on in….” “Hey Doc.” “What’s new, Rodney? How are things?” “Fine…. Doc, I’ve been thinking about what you said the last time I was here, and….” “About which part?” “About being reasonable. I’ve decided to turn over a new leaf, Doc, no more of that fundamentalist stuff for me!”
“Great, Rodney! That’s great news! What made you decide?” “Well, our pastor had this great quote from the guy he gets most of his sermons from, Rick Warren. In [...]
“So, we have a new crop of students this week?” “Yep, we’re going to start them with putting in faucets, replacing those old worn out ones.” “Shouldn’t you teach them a little bit about how to read blueprints, and how a house works?” “If you want to get a lot of new students every week, you have to cater to their felt needs.” “Hmmm… Well, you need to move them into the blueprints at some point.” “Enough about blueprints, lets work on how they feel for a while.”….
“How are those students coming, now that they’re in their fifth [...]
In an open glade at twilight we met. The being sitting on the throne said: “I’ve called you all here because I notice there is a good bit of dissension among my followers. I’ve called this meeting to iron some of those differences out, to produce a mission statement, and give the newer members of our group some idea of how we proceed.” Heads nodded around the glade, and beaming faces gave away who was the newest. I was silent. They couldn’t seem to see me. While several looked my way, they seemed to look through me, rather than at me; it was an eery feeling.
I recognized some of those around the clearing, though mostly from their clothes and symbols. On my right was an important Bishop from the Catholic Church. Across the way there was a Hindu priest of some type. Chanting softly in one corner was a Shaman of the New Age movement, well known, with thousands of books sold. Off to one side was a man with a turban I took to be a radical Muslim. And there was also a man well dressed in a suit, who seemed to be the leader of some Christian sect (or so he said). There were others, of course—witches and witch doctors, traditional shamans from various regions, and some I didn’t recognize the religion of at all. » Continue reading All Roads Lead to God?
So, the question so many bloggers ask is–will anyone read my blog? I’ve no idea the answer to this, but it’s worth a try, I suppose. My goal? Just to chat about Christian life, technology, and the current culture. You might find things posted here that you think are odd, or speculative, or even crazy–but that’s okay, because it’s important to be a little counter now and again.
Russ
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