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Miscellaneous Writings, Page 2

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 Every biological organism is created from within itself. This has been remarked upon since ancient times. The notion that a living organism can be created and formed from a location outside the organism, by an entity present only in some place where the organism is not, is both ridiculous and impossible, at least so far as humans are able to perceive. But if an entity other than ourselves did create us, and if the entity is divine, then one implication must be that our own nature is itself in this degree also divine. It would be easy for anyone to say that that which is within us is us, and that, therefore, the entity which has created us is we ourselves; but the reverse is more true: That entity which created us is within us, and we are an aspect of that. How far this entity extends, and what its forms and manners are, is a legitimate subject of human interest and concern.

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 Man is not separate from nature, he is a consequence of it.

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 If people are all the same, that is not diversity, but uniformity. To have diversity people must be different. If we don't know what our differences are, that is ignorance. So, to have multiculturalism, and to omit to be ignorant, we must all be different, and we must know what our differences are.

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 If you are walking in a jungle -which is what you're doing all the time- and if you encounter a group of chimpanzees, there is nothing you can do that will turn the chimpanzees into Englishmen. But there are many things that you can do which will turn Englishmen into monkeys.

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 When I am good I am very good, and when I am not good I am not anything.

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 Ideas are inventions, and the gods are metaphors that men create to explain the nature of existence.

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 If a man dislikes people, maybe it is because he knows himself.

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 It is sometimes said that things are clearer in retrospect. But things often are not clearer in retrospect. What they are is certain. Often things are no less clear when looking forward. Not all things are clear when looking forward, but it is those things which are said to be clearer in retrospect that are no less clear when looking forward. It is the established certainty of past events, however, that causes them to be seen without ambiguity. That is often mistaken for clarity.

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When you first begin to realize exactly what sort of creature you actually are, what your true nature is, you might find it extremely disturbing. Just remember that every objection that you raise against it will be resolved satisfactorily in terms of that nature, and the more objections you raise, the greater the degree your aspect of that nature will become, when they are all resolved. This is as it should be, because the more objections you are able to raise, the more intelligent you are, and, the more intelligent, the more effective consistent with your nature potentially. Therefore do not be disturbed, because that is unnecessary, but raise all the objections that you can. For in this way, you will become more what you potentially are, than if you do not raise them, and therefore more satisfied eternally.

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 A man who loves truth must sometimes accept being unpopular.

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 Life is a form which matter takes.

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 Among some lawmakers it is taken for granted that every principle can be adequately stated in verbal expressions; Among experienced bureaucrats it is generally understood that no verbal expression of law can be totally complied with, no matter how completely it may be expressed; Competent composers know absolutely that words are capable of stating only a very few descriptions accurately, and that almost all of these are profoundly limited both in scope and in number.

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 It is a terrible power that teaches talent.

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 It is not possible to judge without being able to condemn, but it is possible to condemn without being able to judge.

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 When playing the violin, one's facial expressions are totally unimportant. The way in which they are actually most important is in the fact that energy is used in forming them, which would be better applied to the actual playing of the violin.

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 When someone wants to dislike you, any reason will do. When someone wants to like you, few things will stop them.

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 Complication is easy to create. Simplicity is extremely difficult to achieve.

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 Dogma is not a form of reason. Its purpose is to reinforce belief. But belief is not knowledge. It is conviction formed in the absence of knowledge. Necessarily therefore, belief is formed in ignorance. A belief may be correct. And what is believed in may be true. But it is not true necessarily. What is necessary to all belief is that it be a conviction formed without knowledge. For when something is known, it is not believed; It is known.

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 In their quest to achieve justice and ensure the rights of man, enthusiasts are willing to do anything, even commit injustices and violate people's rights.

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 Jesus and Hitler both taught us the same thing, that no matter how good or bad your idea is, you will have both adherents and detractors.

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[New postings are added to the final page.]

© Copyright by Robert Hampton Burt.