Are Jews Fighting a Losing Battle?

Once, after having spoken about some of these ideas someone came up to me and said, “I appreciated your words. But don’t you think you are fighting a losing battle?” It was a good question. . . . What I replied, though, was this: “Yes, the Jewish fight is a losing battle. It always was. Moses lost. Joshua lost. Jeremiah lost.  We have striven for ideals just beyond our reach, hoped for a gracious society just beyond the possible, believed in a messianic age just over the furthest horizon, wrestled with the angel and emerged limping. And in the meanwhile those who won have disappeared, and we are still here, still young, still full of vigor, still fighting the losing battle, never accepting defeat, refusing to resign ourselves to cynicism, or to give up hope of peace with those who today as in the past, seek our destruction.  That kind of losing battle is worth fighting, more so than any easy victory, any premature consolation.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Future Tense. Cited by Os Guinness, Impossible People, pg.18

Man’s Power Over Nature?

Man’s power over nature is really the power of some men over others with nature as their instrument.

C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man. Cited by Os Guinness, Impossible People, pg.16

Judgment on Those Who Think Themselves Gods

Judgment in history falls heaviest on those who come to think themselves gods, who fly the in the face of Providence and history, who put their trust in man-made systems and worship the work of their own hands, and who say that the strength of their own right arm gave them the victory.

Herbert Butterfield, Christianity and History. Cited by Os Guinness, Impossible People, pg.16

Irreligion is the Opium of the People

It is only by believing in God that we can criticize the Government.  Once abolish God, and the Government becomes God.  The truth is that irreligion is the opium of the people.  Wherever the people do not believe in something beyond the world, they will worship the world.  But, above all, they worship the strongest thing in the world.

G. K. Chesterton, Christendom in Dublin. Cited by Os Guinness, Impossible People, pg.14

Basic Biology is Not "Transphobic."

Back when Adam took his first home-school anatomy course, science long ago revealed that there are only two sexes: male and female.  There is no such thing as a "gender spectrum."  Any sentient adult telling you that such nonsense exists should have his grown-up card revoked and be required to repeat kindergarten at an approved location.  What's more, contrary to LGBT propaganda, basic biology is not “transphobic."

Trevor Thomas, How Do Liberals Flunk Science? Let Us Count the Ways

Socialism Equals Communism

There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism by vote.  It is merely the difference between murder and suicide.

Ayn Rand

Watch Out for What Your Children Learn

Let [children’s] ears be ever kept from all immodest stories, and from wanton songs, from riddles and puns with double meanings and foul intentions: let them not be suffered to read wanton jests or amorous romances; and due care should be taken to remove all books out of their way that may defile their imagination, or teach them the language or the sentiments of impurity.  Nor let their eyes be entertained with lewd and unclean pictures, and images of things or actions that are not fit to be exposed. . . .  Even the common necessities and actions of nature should be always expressed before them in the most modest forms of speech that our mother-tongue can furnish us with.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.342

Some Excellent Accomplishments of Youth

But among all accomplishments of youth, there is none preferable to a decent and agreeable behavior among men, a modest freedom of speech, a soft and elegant manner of address, a graceful and lovely deportment, a cheerful gravity and good humor, with a mind appearing ever serene under ruffling accidents of human life: add to this, a pleasing solemnity and reverence when the discourse turns upon any thing sacred and divine, a becoming neglect of injuries, a hatred of calumny and slander, a habit of speaking well of others, a pleasing benevolence and readiness to do good to mankind, and special compassion to the miserable; with an air and countenance, in a natural and unaffected manner, expressive of all these excellent qualifications.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.340

We Need Better Songs!

I am sorry that the greatest part of our songs, whereby young gentlemen and ladies are taught to practise this art, are of the amorous kind, and some of them polluted too.  Will no happy genius lend a helping hand to rescue music from all its defilements, and to furnish the tongue with a nobler and more refined melody?

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.338

Importance of Self-Control

I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.

Aristotle

Prudence

Prudence consists in judging well what is to be said, and what is to be done, on every new occasion; when to lie still, and when to be active; when to keep silence, and when to speak; what to avoid, and what to pursue; how to act in every difficulty; what means to make use of to compass such an end; how to behave in every circumstance of life, and in all companies; how to gain the favor of mankind, in order to promote our own happiness, and to do the most service to God and the most good to men, according to that station we possess, and those opportunities which we enjoy.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.330

Rules of Prudence

All children should have some instruction given them in the conduct of human life, some necessary rules of prudence, by which they may regulate the management of their own affairs, and their behaviour towards their fellow-creatures. Where all other sorts of knowledge are conferred upon children, if this be wanting, they make but a contemptible figure in the world, and plunge themselves into many inconveniences.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.328

Spelling is Important

True spelling is such a part of knowledge as children ought to be acquainted with, since it is a matter of shame and ridicule in so polite an age as ours, when persons who have learned to handle the pen cannot write three words together without a mistake or blunder; and when they put letters together in such an awkward and ignorant manner, that it is hard to make sense of them, or to tell what they mean.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.323

Do NOT Overfeed Children!

How many graves are filled, and funeral vaults crowded with little carcases which have been brought to untimely death by the foolish fondness of a parent, or a nurse, giving the young creature leave to eat everything they desire! Or if they happen by strength of constitution to survive this pestilence, how often do they grow up young gluttons, and place their happiness in the satisfaction of taste!  They are deaf to all the rules of virtue and abstinence all their lives, because they were never taught to deny themselves when they were young.  O it is a mean and shameful thing to be a slave to our taste, and to let this brutal appetite subdue reason, and govern the man! But if appetites must be gratified in the child, they will grow strong in the years of youth, and a thousand to one but they overpower the man also.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.316

The Foundation for Education

The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion.  Without this, there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments.

Benjamin Rush, 1806

Teach Children Self-Control

Children should be instructed in the art of self-government.  They should be taught, as far as possible, to govern their thoughts; to use their wills to be determined by the light of their understandings, and not by headstrong and foolish humor; they should learn to keep the lower powers of nature under command of their reason; they should be instructed to regulate their senses, their imagination, their appetites, and their passions.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.314

The Origin of "Hate Crime"

Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought?  In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.

George Orwell, 1984

The Evil of Gambling

Suppose you would convince a gamester that “gaming is not a lawful calling, or business of life, to maintain oneself by it,” and you make use of this argument, namely, “That which doth not admit us to ask the blessing of God, that we may get gain by it, cannot be lawful employment; but we cannot ask the blessing of God on gaming, therefore,” &c.  The minor is proved thus: “We cannot pray that our neighbor may lose; this is contrary to the rule of seeking our neighbor’s welfare, and loving him as ourselves; this is wishing mischief to our neighbor.  But in gaming, we can gain but just so much as our neighbor loses; therefore in gaming we cannot pray for the blessing of God that we may gain by it.”

Perhaps the gamester shrugs and winces, turns and twists the argument every way, but he cannot fairly answer it; yet he will patch up an answer to satisfy himself, and will never yield to the conviction, because he feels so much of the seat influence of gaming, either towards the gratification of his avarice, or the support of his expenses. Thus he is under a strong prejudice in favor of it, and is not easily convinced.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.27

A Trait of a Good Teacher

Labour as much as possible to make the person you would teach his own instructor.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.253

The Importance of Studying History

History is a necessary study in the supreme place for gentlemen who deal in politics. The government of nations, and distressful and desolating events which have in all ages attended the mistakes of politicians, should be ever present on their minds, to warn them to avoid the like conduct. Geography and chronology, which precisely inform us of the place and time where such transactions or events happened, are the eyes of history, and of absolute necessity in some measure to attend it.

But history, so far as relates to the affairs of the Bible, is as necessary to divines as to gentlemen of any profession. It helps us to reconcile many difficulties in scripture, and demonstrates a divine providence.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.212

Principle of Self-Defense

The defense of one’s self, justly called the primary law of nature, is not, nor can it be abrogated by any regulation of municipal law. This principle of defense is not confined merely to the person; it extends to the liberty and the property of a man … it extends to the person of every one, who is in danger; perhaps, to the liberty of every one, whose liberty is unjustly and forcibly attacked.

James Wilson (1791)

Be Careful About Handling Opinions

In reading philosophical, moral, or religious controversies, never raise your esteem of any opinion by the assurance and zeal wherewith the author asserts it, nor by the highest praises he bestows upon it; nor, on the other hand, let your esteem of an opinion be abated, nor your aversion to it raised, by the supercilious contempt cast upon it by a warm writer, nor by the sovereign airs with which he condemns it. Let the force of argument alone influence your assent or dissent.  Take care that your soul be not warped or biased on one side or another, by any strains of flattering or abusive language; for there is no question whatsoever but hath some such sort of defenders and opposers. Leave those writers to their own follies, who practise thus upon the weakness of their readers without argument; leave them to triumph in their own fancied possessions and victories: it is oftentimes found, that their possessions are but a heap of errors, and their boasted victories are but overwhelming noise and clamour to silence the voice of truth.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.190

Are You Violating the Spirit of the Law?

When we watch sex on the silver screen, we are asking unbelievers to behave in ways we would never tolerate among ourselves. Yet we tolerate it so we can enjoy entertainment we otherwise couldn’t enjoy. We outsource our depravity so we can live within the letter of the law, even while violating the spirit.

Tim Challies, Sex on the Silver Screen – Outsourcing Depravity

Watch For the Errors of Men

Remember this short and plain caution of the subtile errors of men.  Let a snake but once thrust in his head at some small unguarded fold of your garment, and he will insensibly and unavoidably wind his whole body into your bosom, and give you a pernicious wound.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.102

Don’t Be Afraid to Admit Error

Make it appear to your friends that it is no hard task for you to learn and pronounce those little words, I was mistaken, how hard soever it be for the bulk of mankind to pronounce them.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.89

When Among Other People

In mixed company, among acquaintance and strangers, endeavor to learn something from all.  Be swift to hear, but be cautious of your tongue, lest you betray your ignorance, and perhaps offend some of those who are present too.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.81

Maintain a Virtuous and Pious Spirit

Ever maintain a virtuous and pious frame of spirit: for an indulgence of vicious inclinations debases the understanding, and perverts the judgment.  Whoredom, and wine, and new wine, take away the heart, and soul, and reason of a man.  Sensuality ruins the better faculties of the mind; an indulgence to appetite and passion enfeebles the powers of reason; it makes the judgement weak and susceptive of every falsehood, and especially of such mistakes as have a tendency towards the gratification of the animal; and it warps the soul aside strangely from that steadfast honesty and integrity that necessarily belong to the pursuit of truth.  It is the virtuous man who is in a fair way to wisdom.

Isaac Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: A Supplement to Logic, pg.15