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Ales Rarus
A Rare Bird, A Strange Duck, One Funky Blog
random thought of the moment:
The mounting burden of taxation not only undermines individual incentives to increased work and earnings, but in a score of ways discourages capital accumulation and distorts, unbalances, and shrinks production. Total real wealth and income is made smaller than it otherwise would be. On net balance there is more poverty rather than less.
— , The Conquest of Poverty [1973]
John Climacus
The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Vainglory and Pride
Thisentryis part 6 of 8 in the series The Ladder of Divine AscentFrom John Climacus: The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus:
Like the sun which shines on all alike, vainglory beams on every occupation. What I mean is this. I fast, and turn vainglorious. I stop fasting so that I will draw no […]
The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Insensitivity
Thisentryis part 5 of 8 in the series The Ladder of Divine AscentFrom John Climacus: The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus:
The insensitive man is a foolish philosopher, an exegete condemned by his own words, a scholar who contradicts himself, a blind man teaching sight to others. He talks about healing a wound […]
The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Avarice and Poverty
Thisentryis part 4 of 8 in the series The Ladder of Divine AscentFrom The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus:
"Do not say that you are interested in money for the sake of the poor, for two mites were sufficient to purchase the kingdom of heaven (cf. Luke 21:2)."
[…]
"The pretext of almsgiving is the […]
The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Chastity
Thisentryis part 8 of 8 in the series The Ladder of Divine AscentFrom The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus: "Do not imagine that you will overwhelm the demon of fornication by entering into an argument with him. Nature is on his side and he has the best of the argument. So […]
The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Talkativeness and Silence
Thisentryis part 4 of 8 in the series The Ladder of Divine Ascent From The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus: "Talkativeness is the throne of vainglory on which it loves to preen itself and show off. Talkativeness is a sign of ignorance, a doorway to slander, a leader of jesting, a […]
