Hope > Recent Status Updates

Outstanding so far

Did not realize that Luther and Thomas Cromwell shared such an unfortunate childhood (cf. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel)

So far, nostalgic sentimentalism prevails over evidence-based argument as to whether and how modernity is measurably worse than the past, and notably whether and how corporate greed is actually a greater vice now than it ever has been. Cf. medieval papacy. Is it an issue of scale? Indulges in Berryan yearning without, as yet, Berryan rationale.

“a commonwealth without a single weak, or selfish, or bad man, is a Utopia” (54)

"The pious 'Puritan Fathers' found it convenient to assume that they were God's chosen Israel, and the pagans about them were Amalek and Amorites.... hence deduced their righteous title to exterminate or enslave the Indians.... The ministers and magistrates solemnly authorized the enslaving of the wives and posterity of their enemies for the crimes of the fathers and husbands in daring to defend their own soil" (37)

"For, unfortunately, the human race is a fallen race—depraved, selfish, unrighteous and oppressive, under all institutions. Out of the best social order, committed to such hands, there still proceeds a hideous amount of wrongs and woe; and that, not because the order is unrighteous, but because it is administered by depraved man." (28)

"subjugated nations ... receive at the hands of their conquerors this crowning woe—a depraved, cringing, and cowardly spirit. The wisest, kindest, most patriotic thing which any man can do for his country, amidst such calamities, is to aid in preserving and reinstating the tottering principles of his countrymen; to teach them ... to abate nothing of righteous convictions and of self-respect."

In the kindest way possible why do people like this book? Anne is a big time yapper and I feel like I have enough of those in my life

One day if I find out I'm pregnant with a girl, my first act as a girl mom will be to bulk buy the AG series. So nostalgic

Chapter 12 is some of the best writing on hell that I've read. Wow.

Didn't love from the jump (the first few chapters seemed like an unnecessary attempt to compact a freshman philosophy course and the past several decades of tired apologetics) but somewhere around chapter 6 Wilson loosened up his critique of Western Phil 101 and freed himself to write his own stuff. I love what he comes up with when he's just observing and describing the world, his family, animals, anecdotes.