Enduring Beauty

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  “Beauty is the quality which makes to endure. In a house that I know, I have noticed a block of spermaceti lying about closets and mantel-pieces, for twenty years together, simply because the tallow-man gave it the form of a rabbit; and, I suppose, it may continue to be lugged about unchanged for a century. Let an artist scrawl a few lines or figures on the back of a letter, and that scrap of paper is rescued from danger, is put in portfolio, is framed and glazed, and, in proportion to the beauty of the lines drawn, will be kept for centuries. Burns writes a copy of verses, and sends them to a newspaper, and the human race take charge of them that they shall not perish.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson. (1803–1882).   Essays and English Traits.

3. How to be a Practical Humanist

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If you've not read the previous two blogs, please do so now (they are not long, but will help makes sense of this post).

I confessed it. I am a practical humanist. I told God He is insufficient by supplanting Him with me. I told God that all He has done for me is not enough by relying on my own strength and methods. I draw my resources from the prosperity of America and not from provisions of my Father, who knows how to give His children all good things. I satisfy myself with the glories of the physical realm and have no regard for the heavenly. I presume on the grace of God instead of depending on the grace of God. I confuse earthly successes with heavenly blessings.

I live as if God was not necessary.

Here are 10 steps to becoming a practical humanist:

1) Swap out God for another, cheaper, more economic one;
2) Model your new god after anything that works for you—you will worship it when you are alone, mostly;
3) Wear the name of God proudly, but don’t associate yourself or your idol with it;
4) Set your schedule for what works for you—freetime and leisure are yours, be a “play”-er, not a “pray”-er;
5) Live according to your rules, your way. Get out of the house as soon as you can and as often as possible;
6) Don’t let anyone get in your way.
7) Live like an animal. Self gratification is instinctual, so “go for it”;
8) Take it. You deserve it;
9) Bending the truth is fine, if it serves your purposes;
10) If it belongs to you, it is yours. If it belongs to someone else, it is yours.

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