truisms

Ekaterina · Post by **Ekaterina** » Tue 19 December 2006 4:45 pm

A woman confesses to the Elder Zossima that she is struggling with doubts regarding her faith, she is having trouble because she cannot prove her religion to herself and she begs the elder to teach her how to convince herself. The Elder responds:

...there's no proving it, though you can be convinced of it. By the experience of active love. Strive to love your neighbor actively and indefatigably. In as far as you advance in love you will grow surer of the reality of God and of the immortality of your soul. If you attain to perfect self-forgetfulness in the love of your neighbor, then you believe without doubt, and no doubt can possibly enter your soul. This has been tried. This is certain.

Dostoevsky on Doubt/ The Brothers.

Ekaterina · Post by **Ekaterina** » Wed 20 December 2006 8:34 am

A precedent embalms a principle.

Benjamin Disraeli

Ekaterina · Post by **Ekaterina** » Wed 20 December 2006 8:35 am

Change is inevitable. Change is constant.

Benjamin Disraeli

Ekaterina · Post by **Ekaterina** » Wed 20 December 2006 8:36 am

Conservatism discards Prescription, shrinks from Principle, disavows Progress; having rejected all respect for antiquity, it offers no redress for the present, and makes no preparation for the future.

Benjamin Disraeli

Ekaterina · Post by **Ekaterina** » Wed 20 December 2006 8:38 am

Despair is the conclusion of fools.

Benjamin Disraeli

When we are in trouble or despair or have lost hope, we should do what David did: pour out our hearts to God and tell Him of our needs and troubles, just as they are (cf. Ps. 142:2). It is because He can deal with us wisely that we confess to God: He can make our troubles easy to bear, if this is for our benefit, and can save us from the dejection which destroys and corrupts.

St. Hesychius the Priest, Philokalia, Vol. I.

Ekaterina · Post by **Ekaterina** » Wed 20 December 2006 8:39 am

Duty cannot exist without faith.

Benjamin Disraeli

Ekaterina · Post by **Ekaterina** » Wed 20 December 2006 8:41 am

Fear makes us feel our humanity.

Benjamin Disraeli

In his humility, the further he advances through the acquisition of the virtues, the more he fears. This is natural; for everyone who possesses wealth greatly fears loss, punishment, dishonor, and the consequent fall from his high estate...The sign of the first kind of fear is hatred of sin and anger towards it, like someone wounded by a wild beast. The sign of perfect fear is the love of virtue and the fear of relapsing, since no one is unalterable.

St. Peter of Damaskos
(Book 2: Twenty-Four Discourses no. 3,
The Philokalia Vol. 4 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pgs. 217-218)

Let the fear of a danger be a spur to prevent it; he that fears not, gives advantage to the danger.

Benjamin Disraeli