K. Chesterton
K. Chesterton
thoughtful freethinker
Freethinkers are occasionally thoughtful, though never free.
psychology human-nature pity
It seems a pity that psychology has destroyed all our knowledge of human nature.
garden clouds weather
[V]ariety of climate should always go with stability of abode.... an Englishman’s house is not only his castle; it is his fairy castle. Clouds and colours of every varied dawn and eve are perpetually touching and turning it from clay to gold, or from gold to ivory. There is a line of woodland beyond a corner of my garden which is literally different on every one of the three hundred and sixty-five days. Sometimes it seems as near as a hedge, and sometimes as far as a faint and fiery evening cloud.
drinking beer thank-god
We should thank God for beer and burgundy by not drinking too much of them.
leisure
Leisure is being allowed to do nothing.
process aim organisms
Vigorous organisms talk not about their processes, but about their aims.
brain theology
Theology is simply that part of religion that requires brains.
christian believe order
The Christian is quite free to believe that there is a considerable amount of settled order and inevitable development in the universe. But the materialist is not allowed to admit into his spotless machine the slightest speck of spiritualism or miracle.
laughter inspiration pride
Laughter has something in it common with the ancient words of faith and inspiration; it unfreezes pride and unwinds secrecy; it makes people forget themselves in the presence of something greater than themselves.
intelligent thinking going-away
[Consider] a fence or gate erected across a road] The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, "I don't see the use of this; let us clear it away." To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: "If you don't see the use of it, I certainly won't let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it."
practice religion may
I may not practice what I preach but God forbid I should preach what I practice
science technology firsts
The thing that cannot be defined is the first thing; the primary fact.
science law america
Science is the study of the admitted laws of existence, which cannot prove a universal negative about whether those laws could ever be suspended by something admittedly above them. It is as if we were to say that a lawyer was so deeply learned in the American Constitution that he knew there could never be a revolution in America..
temptation too-much noble
The noble temptation to see too much in everything.