The serious and sometimes satirical reflections of a priest, poet, and pilgrim — who knowing he has not obtained the goal, presses on in a Godward direction.
January 2, 2008
Thoughts for 1.2.08
Assumptions unchallenged soon become beliefs; habits indulged become customs, then traditions. Testimony not given or not heard lies bleeding at the roadside.
Old Chesterton was surely correct in this. The problem arises when one discovers exactly why a particular fence was put up, and the reason for it no longer holds, or never really did -- the "reason" having been a false assumption to start with. That, it appears, is where we stand with much of our discussion these days.
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On the other hand, as GKC noted, it can be very foolish to take down a fence when you don't know why it was put there in the first place.
ReplyDeleterick allen
Old Chesterton was surely correct in this. The problem arises when one discovers exactly why a particular fence was put up, and the reason for it no longer holds, or never really did -- the "reason" having been a false assumption to start with. That, it appears, is where we stand with much of our discussion these days.
ReplyDeleteWhat have we long said?
ReplyDeleteOnce is an unacceptable innovation.
Twice is a cautious experiment.
Three times is an unchangeable tradition....