Critical Thinking

Little Red Book Shelf
At Loaves and Fishes
in Berryville, AR

“Worthy persons deserve to be called so because they are not carried away by the eight winds: prosperity, decline, disgrace, honor, praise, censure, suffering, and pleasure. They are neither elated by prosperity nor grieved by decline.” This quote by Nichiren grabbed my attention, mainly because of the phrase “elated by prosperity”. There seem to be too many people in charge of the world who are delirious over money. Andrew Carnegie was very wise in telling us: “Surplus wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound to administer in his lifetime for the good of the community.” Mr. Carnegie created 1,689 libraries in the United States. Information is power, and it’s apparent today that many would rather have an uninformed electorate rather than an informed citizenry who can ascertain truth from fiction. I’m currently reading a novel called “The Giver of Stars”, and it is about the women in Appalachia who rode horses, carrying backpacks full of books, delivering them to those who otherwise would not have had them. I guess we feel that the information freeway called the internet takes care of our educational needs. To me, nothing replaces falling into a good book. I think it's necessary to develop critical thinking, don't you?

"Recalling Jefferson's words about slavery, 'I tremble when I remember that God is just,' the author trembles whenever she sees a man for the petty consideration of money, teaching his slight knowledge of Mind-power, -- perhaps communicating his own bad morals, and in this way dealing pitilessly with a community unprepared for self-defence." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 445:29