Good-humor is a philosophic state of mind; it seems to say to Nature that we take her no more seriously than she takes us. I maintain that one should always talk of philosophy with a smile. - William James
Wherever you are, it is your friends who make your world. - William James
Good Morning Digital Neighbors! The last of the William James quotes for this series of morning posts. He has some good insights into the wide world of humanity and its antics. I have written often on humor, that after faith it is probably the best stabilizer in my life. A sense of humor does not mean that I lack any serious side of dealing with reality, but I begin by finding humor in myself, then my neighbor and our interactions. Life is funny. It balances out the fact that life is often tragic. I guess there is a reason the Greeks had those two mask together. In addition to anger those are the three most primal reactions of humanity. Anger makes an appearance on the ancient masks, but not nearly as much as comedy and sorrow.
Few things enrage the overly serious, the morally raging than laughter at their extremes or finding something funny or humorous about their precious. It can happen to all of us, whatever you hold precious or dear can become the subject of laughter. God knows (and He does) that there is plenty to laugh about in the history of Christianity. I suspect that balances the sorrow that comes when one knows history and the failures & scandals of Disciples of the Master. No pedestals for the living as I often tell my flock.
As to friendship, choose wisely. They are the aquarium or terrarium of your personal state. You will be as emotional or rational as your circle of friends often encourages. You may be more emotional or rational than some of the members of that circle of mutual influence, but there are unspoken limits that the circle finds acceptable or questionable. Good circles ask questions of the those moving beyond the circle of communion, unhealthy circles punish those who break the boundary or fail to uphold the norm. Good circles have a common foundation and will allow for some healthy variations of expression and experience, but they also recognize that there are mutually exclusive realties or attitudes which will likely break the circle.
The "About" section of the Locals communities we have joined spell out some of the basics of the circle of friendship that these communities might fosters among its members. There are the 5 basics of Locals and then whatever the hosts adds to that list of mutually understood guidelines. Good stuff.
Well enough Saturday morning rambling, I hope you have good people in your life. You don't need many, but a few good ones can make all the difference. I am glad to count a number of fine souls I have met here among the members of my circle of friendship. Happy Saturday ADD Irregulars, Refugees, Phamily & Triggeratti! Too all the rest of your good Localites, Localians or Localese have a great weekend. The Daily Far Side - usually just reserved for the Beautiful Bigots at the Nometry but shared with all of you this fine morning. Enjoy!
Today marks the three hundred and thirtieth birthday of the Frenchman François-Marie Arouet, better known by his nom de plume, Voltaire (1694-1778).
Born into a bourgeois family during the reign of Louis XIV, the “Sun King” (r. 1643-1715), Voltaire suffered tragedy at a young age when his mother died. Never close with his father or brother, Voltaire exhibited a rebellious attitude toward authority from his youth. His brilliant mind was fostered in the care of the Society of Jesus, who introduced him to the joys of literature and theater. Despite his later criticisms against the Church, Voltaire, throughout his life, fondly recalled his dedicated Jesuit teachers.
Although he spent time as a civil servant in the French embassy to the Hague, Voltaire’s main love was writing—an endeavor where he excelled in various genres, including poetry, which led to his appointment as the royal court poet for King Louis XV. Widely recognized as one of the greatest French writers, and even hyperbolically referred to by ...
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XIII
The Proud Minister
One day there came into the Garden a man in torn clothes badly bruised and cut, who said to the Lover, “In the name of the Beloved I demand your help.”
So the Lover and the Disciple let him in and dressed his wounds and prepared the best of the vegetables from the Garden for him to eat. When his wounds had been dressed and he had eaten and rested the Lover asked him how he had fallen into this plight, to which the man replied, “I was Minister of the Beloved in a city near this place, where I preached His gospel and expounded His doctrine to the people. I pointed out to them how their sins had made them wholly hateful to the Beloved and how therefore they were utterly beyond the range of His love and He would condemn them to eternal torments, whereon some fell into despair and wept bitterly but many were angry. One day the magistrates called me before them and begged me to leave the city and preach elsewhere for they said I had made many people so angry and desperate that they feared there might be a riot and they might not be able to protect me but that I might suffer some injury. I, however, very zealous for the Beloved and believing that the magistrates only feared that their own sins might be proclaimed, preached the more vehemently, denounced the magistrates and made it abundantly clear that the whole wicked city was foredoomed to eternal punishment by the just provision of the Beloved. Whereon a mob, stirred up no doubt by the corrupt and venal magistrates, fell upon me with sticks and stones, nearly killing me and driving me out of the city in the state in which I came to you.”
“My friend,” said the Lover, “this was not a good deed of yours, for besides denying the unfathomable compassion of the Beloved, you have by your obstinacy caused these people to commit a grievous sin, and this cannot be pleasing to the Beloved, that through you who profess to be His minister the people should become worse. Surely you remember that He Himself said, ‘If they persecute you in one city flee to another.’”
Therefore the man was very angry, and cursing the Lover, said, “I see that I have had a very false report of you and I do not believe that you are a servant of the Beloved at all. When I came to you so injured for the Beloved’s sake you set before me only herbs and fruits although the garden is full of birds which you could have killed to make me a worthy meal. I shall proclaim everywhere that you are no true servant of the Beloved but a mere falterer who dares not suffer in the cause of the Beloved. Be sure that you are foreordained to eternal torments who suffer nothing here.”
For the man was so blinded by his own pride that he could not perceive the scars on the hands and feet and the brows of the Lover nor how the cloth beneath the armpits of his tunic was dyed with a red dye. So he went out of the Garden cursing and shouting.
But the Lover looked sad and said, “A man like this does much harm to the cause of the Beloved, for by thus speaking falsely about the Beloved he may bring men to fear Him but none to love Him, and by love alone can any man approach the Beloved.”
