Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Sunday, November 5, 2023

YOUR SUNDAY MOMENT OF ZEN

 



From Eric Hoffer's book, "The True Believer:" 

 “The impression somehow prevails that the true believer, particularly the religious individual, is a humble person. The truth is the surrendering and humbling of the self breed pride and arrogance. The true believer is apt to see himself as one of the chosen, the salt of the earth, the light of the world, a prince disguised in meekness, who is destined to inherit the earth and the kingdom of heaven too. He who is not of his faith is evil; he who will not listen will perish.” 

“A doctrine insulates the devout not only against the realities around them but also against their own selves. The fanatical believer is not conscious of his envy, malice, pettiness and dishonesty. There is a wall of words between his consciousness and his real self.”

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Existence is empty of any perceived unchanging concrete self.

Howard Brazee said...

Obviously, the creator of the vast universe cares more about our planet than others. Then animal life, then mammals, then humans, then my culture, then my sect, then my family, then me.

Because I do.

-FJ the Dangerous and Extreme MAGA Jew said...

Zizek has a better term for it: "Fundamentalist". A person without a skeptical distance from his belief's. He's "too near and dear" to them. It's what makes him "dangerous" as there is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3). Like Major's Burns and Hoolahan" in MASH (vs. Hawkeye) or Private Pyle (vs. Joker) in Full Metal Jacket.

-FJ the Dangerous and Extreme MAGA Jew said...

Another analogy, the Jungian "Shadow" self. Psychic Break time!

-FJ the Dangerous and Extreme MAGA Jew said...

Self-righteous virtue-signalling "Wokesters" beware!

Mike said...

Amen.