Lin was born in 1895 in the town of Banzai, Fujian. His father was a Christian minister. His journey of faith from Christianity to Taoism and Buddhism, and back to Christianity in his later life was recorded in his book From Pagan to Christian (1959).
How refreshing. A seeker not a believer. A man w/o reified beliefs who was open to experience. Willing to change his mind as he grew and acquired valid experiential knowledge. I suspect this gentleman realized exactly what Dao, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, and many other mystics and spiritual leaders have recognized throughout time.
We need not worry MAGA will ever acheive this realization.
Uselessness has its own usefulness. It is peace and quiet. I've learned to live well by mastering the art of doing nothing, while never being bored. It means being comfortable with your own mind while leaving it open.
Fundamentalism, Trumpism and other extremist beliefs fail in this regard. They nurture a state of certainty that ironically requires tribal groupthink with constant reassurance and validation.
Lin certainly absorbed the wisdom in Taoism and Buddhism, to live in the here and now.
"In joining the church I have the assurance that God’s in his heaven and the world’s all right, that’s true. But a churchgoer who looks on going to church as a kind of private home-insurance is beneath contempt. God doesn’t need our prayers; he won’t do us favors for them. Christianity is a power—and a living force to help us live to the full here and now. It is affirmation of life.”
Evangelicals would still see him as a pagan for saying, "God doesn’t need our prayers; he won’t do us favors for them."
The Italians have a word for what Lin Yutang said: "Dolce fare nient!"
It's sweet to do nothing! It's a citation from Plinus the Younger's Epistolae and it's used to mean how sweet is to do nothing at all, to stay in full relaxation, no mental or phisycal activity, only rest.
"Sono pieno di cose da fare, non ho un momento per rilassarmi, quanto mi piacerebbe un po' di 'dolce far niente' "
In a society where constant doing is the expected and the norm, it is not suprizing that the quote arose from a gentleman of the east.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea - don't tell my Mrs!
ReplyDeletelol!
ReplyDeleteLin was born in 1895 in the town of Banzai, Fujian. His father was a Christian minister. His journey of faith from Christianity to Taoism and Buddhism, and back to Christianity in his later life was recorded in his book From Pagan to Christian (1959).
How refreshing. A seeker not a believer. A man w/o reified beliefs who was open to experience. Willing to change his mind as he grew and acquired valid experiential knowledge. I suspect this gentleman realized exactly what Dao, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, and many other mystics and spiritual leaders have recognized throughout time.
ReplyDeleteWe need not worry MAGA will ever acheive this realization.
Uselessness has its own usefulness. It is peace and quiet. I've learned to live well by mastering the art of doing nothing, while never being bored. It means being comfortable with your own mind while leaving it open.
ReplyDeleteFundamentalism, Trumpism and other extremist beliefs fail in this regard. They nurture a state of certainty that ironically requires tribal groupthink with constant reassurance and validation.
Lin certainly absorbed the wisdom in Taoism and Buddhism, to live in the here and now.
"In joining the church I have the assurance that God’s in his heaven and the world’s all right, that’s true. But a churchgoer who looks on going to church as a kind of private home-insurance is beneath contempt. God doesn’t need our prayers; he won’t do us favors for them. Christianity is a power—and a living force to help us live to the full here and now. It is affirmation of life.”
Evangelicals would still see him as a pagan for saying, "God doesn’t need our prayers; he won’t do us favors for them."
BB-Idaho, Les, Joe, Dave D.,
ReplyDeleteThe Italians have a word for what Lin Yutang said: "Dolce fare nient!"
It's sweet to do nothing!
It's a citation from Plinus the Younger's Epistolae and it's used to mean how sweet is to do nothing at all, to stay in full relaxation, no mental or phisycal activity, only rest.
"Sono pieno di cose da fare, non ho un momento per rilassarmi, quanto mi piacerebbe un po' di 'dolce far niente' "