Something to Think About:

For those of you who have wondered what I do when I'm up at all hours of the night, here is a sample of some literature my English Prof. suggested I read. I find it funny when I think about the stuff I'm reading now, as opposed to what I use to read. I read a lot, but I don't think I would have chosen to read something from Rousseau. However, it is good to be exposed to some of the old Literary Authors, you discover how much they understood and how that knowledge has withstood the test of times, making it relevent for today. If you are interested in this author's literature, just look him up on the web. there are many sites to choose from.

Warning: Don't read his literature before you go to bed, it'll keep you up with your brain whirling in circles as you try to comprehend what he has written and how it applies to today. What I wrote after reading Emile was my response to his message. I couldn't just shut down the computer, or my brain, and go to bed without expressing my reaction. This seems to happen often after I read something which stimulates the intellect.

"If matter in motion points me to a will, matter in motion according to fixed laws points me to an intelligence; that is the second article of my creed. To act, to compare, to choose are the operations of an active, thinking being, so this being exists. Where do you find him existing, you will say not merely in the revolving heavens nor in the sun which gives us light, not in myself alone, but in the sheep that grazes, the bird that flies, the stone that falls, and the leaf blown by the wind." (Jean-Jacques Rousseau).

I read the above quote in Emile, (1755). Everyman Edition, 1911; excerpt: Creed of a Savoyard Priest. I can see how the author’s literature could be used as a resource to recommend for reading to someone who struggles with the idea of whether or not God exist. Rousseau attacks the intellect with steps of logical deduction. I can’t imagine reading this right before going to sleep; it stirs up some deep thinking. Anyway, as I read it I wondered, do we still have philosophers, those who really apply thinking? Or, has man just laid down to mindless acceptance of whatever they are fed, asking no questions, thinking no deep thoughts, finding no satisfaction in seeking truth. A frightening thought when you consider the consequences; who or what then has power over what we are learning and how it affects our thinking and the way we perceive and interact with the world around us. I for one will fully accept the existence of God and yield to His direction, His truth and laws, as He dictates to me how and what I should be thinking and doing. It is by faith that I actively seek knowledge, not with mindless neglect as some are doing.