Hi,this is from Allan from the free world. I have completed my halfway house time in Kentucky and now back in Memphis, TN. Thanks for all who read my blog and left comments. You can reach me at lummusallan@gmail.com. Peace.
I have been reading these blogs for a few weeks now and I seem to keep coming back to your writing. In all seriousness, you are a great writer! I'm not sure why you are unsure of that, because it is so clear to me that you have talent. You seem to be very reflective and insightful... and thoughtful of your word choices. I feel the pain and hurt and longing in your writing. Not everyone is good at conveying how they really feel with words on a page left to someone else's interpretation. Don't give up. You never know where life could take you!
Thank you very much for your post, and I hope my transcription is OK. I found your writing very interesting! I hope your "bad feeling" re. your friend was unfounded.
You note the connection between being pharisaical and being self-righteous. As it seems, being pharisaical is incompatible with being perfectly virtuous or ethical, since it involves the vice of self-righteousness. Here is a question for you, William: What is the precise relationship between righteousness and self-righteousness? Is self-righteousness a form of righteousness? Or is self-righteousness incompatible with righteousness? On the one hand, the name “self-righteous” suggests righteousness. On the other hand, self-righteousness is a blameworthy defect, whereas righteousness is often considered a perfectly praiseworthy state.
I liked your side-by-side definitions of “demagogue” and “Pharisee”. Defining these concepts side-by-side helped me better understand their connections and potential differences. Have you ever met anybody whom you considered both a demagogue and a Pharisee? Whom in history do you consider an example of both a demagogue and Pharisee? Whom do you consider a demagogue but not a Pharisee? A Pharisee but not a demagogue? Or would you argue that all demagogues are Pharisees, or vice versa?
Alright, that’s all for now, William. As always, it’s a pleasure to discuss these stimulating and vital issues with you. Take care, and good luck on your further intellectual and spiritual endeavors.
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Thank you very much for your post, and I hope my transcription is OK. I found your writing very interesting! I hope your "bad feeling" re. your friend was unfounded.
You note the connection between being pharisaical and being self-righteous. As it seems, being pharisaical is incompatible with being perfectly virtuous or ethical, since it involves the vice of self-righteousness. Here is a question for you, William: What is the precise relationship between righteousness and self-righteousness? Is self-righteousness a form of righteousness? Or is self-righteousness incompatible with righteousness? On the one hand, the name “self-righteous” suggests righteousness. On the other hand, self-righteousness is a blameworthy defect, whereas righteousness is often considered a perfectly praiseworthy state.
I liked your side-by-side definitions of “demagogue” and “Pharisee”. Defining these concepts side-by-side helped me better understand their connections and potential differences. Have you ever met anybody whom you considered both a demagogue and a Pharisee? Whom in history do you consider an example of both a demagogue and Pharisee? Whom do you consider a demagogue but not a Pharisee? A Pharisee but not a demagogue? Or would you argue that all demagogues are Pharisees, or vice versa?
Alright, that’s all for now, William. As always, it’s a pleasure to discuss these stimulating and vital issues with you. Take care, and good luck on your further intellectual and spiritual endeavors.
Peace,
Calhoun25