Brian’s Reflection: Wednesday, September 12, 2007


All government, of course, is against liberty.

Adultery is the application of democracy to love.

Archbishop - A Christian ecclesiastic of a rank
superior to that attained by Christ.

Criticism is prejudice made plausible.

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective
wisdom of individual ignorance.

For every complex problem there is an answer that
is clear, simple, and wrong.

Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise
and free than Christianity has made them good.

- H. L. Mencken, gadfly, born on this day, 1880


Ok, ok, so I am being lazy today! I am doing this deliberately (of course) so that all of you can feel the reassuring confirmation that I am just as unreliable, slacker-off (well, as a rabid INFP, would you be surprised??), quirky human beings as we all can be. There is a pleasant solidarity in human weakness!

I did, however, pause when I pondered Mencken’s comment about Christianity not making people good. The parable Jesus is reported to have told about the Sheep and the Goats being separated at the end of time popped into my mind. The “goats”, you may remember, seemed shocked to find themselves on the “wrong” side of the Kingdom fence. “But WHEN did we see you and not feed you, visit you in prison, clothe you when you were naked …..etc”??

And I thought of the words from 1 John, that no ne can say that they love God and hate their neighbour.

Mencken always invokes some serious thought. But, for the most part ….. have a laugh with the old Curmudgeon!!

Brian+