JOHN ADAMS TO THOMAS JEFFERSON ON POWER

"Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak; and that it is doing God's service when it is violating all His laws."

John Adams, letter to Jefferson, 1816

H/T to Rmj at Adventus, who also quotes Reinhold Niebuhr:

In any event we have to deal with a vast religious-political movement which generates more extravagant forms of political injustice and cruelty out of the pretensions of innocency than we have ever known in human history.

Rmj notes that Niebuhr wrote the words in 1959, and says, "Good to know there's been some progress....."

How sad to see it spelled out plainly that, on certain issues, such as economic justice and equality, we have not come a long way, baby. Rmj's entire post is surely worth a read.

HOPE, FAITH, LOVE, AND FORGIVENESS

Reinhold Niebuhr:

“Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope.

“Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith.

“Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we must be saved by love.

“No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint.

“Therefore we must be saved by the final form of love which is forgiveness."

H/T to Rmj at Adventus.