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Ales Rarus
A Rare Bird, A Strange Duck, One Funky Blog
random thought of the moment:
When such a critic says, for instance, that faith kept the world in darkness until doubt led to enlightenment, he is himself taking things on faith, things that he has never been sufficiently enlightened to doubt. That exceedingly crude simplification of human history is what he has been taught, and he believes it because he has been taught. I do not blame him for that; I merely remark that he is an unconscious example of everything that he reviles.
— G.K. Chesterton
The Ladder of Divine Ascent
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: 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 […]
The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Placidity, Meekness, Malice, and Slander
Thisentryis part 3 of 8 in the series The Ladder of Divine AscentFrom The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus:
"You wish, or rather, have decided, to remove a splinter from someone? Very well, but do not go after it with a stick instead of a lancet for you will only drive it deeper. […]
