Knowing and Holding

“In ancient times only a few people knew the truth, but now everyone knows it; but the conviction with which it is held is inversely proportional to the number of people holding it.”
-Soren Kierkegaard

Need of God

“Pity the poor person who boldly tries to love God without needing Him!”
-Soren Kierkegaard

Death and Spirituality

“The outflow of the Spirit depends upon death to self.”
-Donald Gee

"They Are What They Are"

“It’s unsettling that in the end there’s only so much you can teach a child. And finally, they are what they are.”
-Searching for Bobby Fischer

Spiritual Despair

“Desolation is when we are bogged down in spirit, in mental darkness or turmoil, inclined to earthly things, restless and agitated in temptation. This leads to loss of faith, hope and love. One is completely listless, tepid, and unhappy and feels separated from our Creator and Lord…. One should never make a change during a time of desolation… For just as the good spirit guides and counsels us in times of consolation, so it is the evil spirit who guides and counsels us in times of desolation. We will never reach the right decision by following his counsels.”
-Ignatius of Loyola

"May I always be punished"

“O my God, if through ignorance or self-will I should ever desire anything but Your will, may I always be confounded and punished, not because of Your justice, but because of your pity and great mercy.”
-Jean-Pierre de Caussade

Need and Greed

“The world has enough for everyone’s need. It does not have enough for everyone’s greed.” -Gandhi

Convictions and Otherness

“The people who are good at being civil often lack strong convictions and people who have strong convictions often lack civility” –Richard Mouw

"We Are Not Our Own"

“We are not our own: therefore let neither our will nor our reason determine what we plan and do. We are not our own: therefore let us, as much as we can, forget ourselves and everything that is ours. On the contrary, we are God’s: therefore let his wisdom and will rule all that we do.”
-John Calvin

The Moral Requirment of Freedom

Freedom is that which we must give to others. Should God give each human sovereignty, then so should we. But freedom is that which we must not allow for ourselves. For the sake of others’ freedom, let us be without rights. For the freedom of God’s love, let us be chained. For the freedom of the gospel, let us be killed.

Freedom is the best...

...and worst thing to happen to any of us. In freedom, we can serve God and live the life we ought to live. In freedom, we choose to rebel against God and pursue a life of self-destruction. This is why the best life to live is a freely-given slavery to God, to choose to give up our own life and to live the life of Jesus.

The Foundation of Love

The foundation of all good and all rationality is the fact that life is foundationally chaotic and perverse. It is when we realize that rationality and righteous must be built on top of this wobbly foundation that true good can be done. God did not send his son because there was chaos on top of the righteousness—he loved the world despite its irrationality and self-deception.

Is There Any Such Thing As A Slave?

No one is a slave to another human. Most people are a slave to fear—ultimately death.