Utopia

All of man’s problems can be traced back to his stubborn instance that utopia is attainable. If only we would consider why Sir Thomas More chose this particular term to describe his fictional society, it would become clear why our Utopian hopes are ill-founded. The word Utopia can be literally translated as “No place,” which … More Utopia

Avoiding Misery

Man is a miserable creature. He lives his life–which is really nothing more than a slow death–in a valley of tears. He lives in a state of banishment where his passions would rule over his intellect. He is in a constant struggle to avoid being enslaved by his own creation, sin. Truly, man lives a miserable … More Avoiding Misery

The Misery of Man

“Thou art miserable wherever thou art, and which way soever thou turnest thyself, unless thou dost turn thyself to God.” Every man naturally seeks to avoid misery and enjoy happiness, but our methods of doing so are all too often entirely off-base. For do we not seek to avoid misery and enjoy happiness by indulging … More The Misery of Man

Compunction

“There is no such thing as an unhappy saint,” my mother once told me. How, then, to reconcile happiness with the absolute necessity of compunction? It would appear on the surface the two sentiments are at odds, but let us see if this idea holds true. Happiness flows naturally from peace, and compunction is the … More Compunction