Quotes of the Moment

[hummingwolf]

Belief, as I use the word here, is the inistence that the truth is what one would like it to be. The believer will open his mind to the truth on condition that is fits in with his preconcieved ideas and wishes. Faith, on the other hand, is an unreserved opening of the mind to the truth, whatever it may turn out to be. Faith has no preconceptions; it is a plunge into the unknown. Belief clings, but faith lets go.
--Alan Watts


We would rather be ruined than changed.
We would rather die in our dread
Than climb the cross of the moment
And let our illusions die.
--W.H. Auden


If I were called upon to state in a few words the essence of everything I was trying to say both as a novelist and a preacher, it would be something like this: Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and the pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.
--Frederick Buechner

Oh, and for me, the picture of the day would be the one attached to this post. (Picture originally from this site, linked to by vidicon.)

Comments

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

very good quotes. i used to love buechner, and i liked watts too. the photo, though, is verrrrry odd. ;)

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

Haven't actually read the books these came from--ran across the quotes elsewhere, as is generally the case when I post a selection of quotes. :-) So Buechner's good? I'll have to keep that in mind whenever I start focusing well enough to read books again.

::crosses daisydumont off the list of potential babysitters::

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

haha! i'm the meanest babysitter in the world, so best you do cross me off the list. :D

i have a big paperback that contains a 4-book series of comic novels he wrote, all in one volume called The Book of Bebb. it's great stuff. i'll lend it to you sometime, if you'd like to try it. the rev. mr. leo bebb is a faith-healing evangelist, but you end up loving him.
about the novel -- page down to customer reviews

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

Ooh, maybe I will borrow that from you one day. It'll have to be after I get done with these Charles Williams novels, of course!

[skygypsy.livejournal.com]

wow i love these quotes.

each one is great, but the buechner one really struck me. wonderful!

i'm so glad you are posting more like when we first "met" - nifty and thoughtful things. you must be getting good sleep!! i'm so glad!! (for the nifty stuff AND the good sleep :D )

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

Well, these are other people's nifty and thoughtful things. If I can get some more nights like last night, maybe I can start to be nifty & thoughtful myself. :-)