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Satan’s Self-Vindication

Paradise Lost is an epic like no other. In terms of imagination, language, and insight, I am not sure what can compare to it. I am in the process of slowly reading through it. Book 1 begins with Satan’s “after action report” following his fall from heaven.

The book begins in hell. Satan and his host are considering their loss, and he gives an explanation for his rebellion. It is so compelling that you can easily begin to wonder, “Was Satan right?” After all, there had to be some specious reason for Satan to rebel, did there not? Continue reading “Satan’s Self-Vindication”

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“Oh! That abominable Mr. Darcy!”

Humans rate their own ideas too highly. They hold on to them stubbornly. They defend them valiantly. They stand by them faithfully, even when powerful evidence is brought to bear against them. They do this because these ideas are “theirs” and not because these ideas are correct or even plausible.

But here’s the thing. Humans don’t admit that they do this. They act like they are just following the evidence. In this way, self-deception walks hand-in-hand with pride.

Jane Austen paints a humorous yet tragic picture of how pride and self-deception go together in the character of Elizabeth Bennett in her classic work, Pride and Prejudice. Her description of it contains powerful lessons that can help us think through how our own prejudices keep us from seeing the truth, all the while deceiving ourselves that this is not happening. Continue reading ““Oh! That abominable Mr. Darcy!””

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Karen & the Subtlety of Pride

According to Wikipedia, the pejorative name “Karen” means, “a woman perceived as entitled or demanding beyond the scope of what is appropriate or necessary.” It is somewhat ironic that one of the best analyses I have found of Karens is from a woman named Karen.

Dr. Karen Horney (September 16, 1885–December 4, 1952) was a psychoanalyst. She was one of the pioneers of psychoanalysis. This is especially remarkable in that this field was dominated by men at the time.

What Dr. Karen noticed was that low self-esteem and self-loathing were not what they seemed to be. She asked, why do people have such low self-esteem? She suggests it begins with an idealized image of oneself: “Gradually and unconsciously, the imagination sets to work and creates in his mind an idealized image of himself. In this process he endows himself with unlimited powers and with exalted faculties: he becomes a hero, a genius, a supreme lover, a saint, a god” (Neurosis & Human Growth, 22). Continue reading “Karen & the Subtlety of Pride”

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Luther on the Great Value of Good Works

Some beautiful quotes from Martin Luther on the value of good works:

  1. Outside the article of justification we cannot sufficiently praise and magnify these works which are commanded by God. For who can sufficiently commend and set forth the profit and fruit of only one work which a Christian does through faith and in faith? Indeed, it is more precious than heaven or earth.
  2. We teach that to reconcile God, to make righteous, to blot out sin, is so high and great and glorious a work that alone Christ, the Son of God could do it and that this is indeed such a pure, special, peculiar work of the one true God and His grace that our works are nothing and can do nothing. But that good works should be nothing or be worth only a penny, who ever heard of such a thing, or who could teach such a thing except the lying mouth of the devil? I would not give up one of my sermons, not one of my lectures, not one of my treatises, not one of my Lord’s Prayers, nay, whatever small work I have ever done or am doing, for all the riches of the world (Cited in Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953), 3:59–60
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I Swam Outside Every Day in September

I swam outside every day in September. For the most part, this wasn’t inconvenient. I have an 18 foot pool in my backyard. It was traveling that made it a challenge.

On September 8, I left Sevierville to travel to Indian Boundary campground in the Cherokee National Forest. No problem there. I swam in one of the most beautiful lakes in one of the most beautiful settings I have ever experienced (the picture above is of that lake).

I was able to swim at Indian Boundary before I left on Thursday, and then I stayed that night in Cleveland, TN. The next day, I traveled to my parents’ home in NC. I met my Dad at a lake where we often walk together so I could swim afterwards. One problem: no swimming allowed. Now, some people might have jumped in anyway, but I tend to be a rule follower so I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

It turns out that there was a beach a half hour north of where my parents lived. We decided to go there. As we went down the road to the beach, we came to a checkpoint and a fence with a sign that said Dominion Energy. There may be a beach somewhere on that peninsula, but I have no idea how to get there. Continue reading “I Swam Outside Every Day in September”

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