Sayings St. John Kronstadt ~ Confession and the terrible judgement-seat of Christ

 

   He who is accustomed to give account of his life at confession here will not fear to give an answer at the terrible judgment-seat of Christ. It is for this purpose that the mild tribunal of penitence was here initiated, in order that we, being cleansed and amended through penitence here below, may give an answer without shame at the terrible judgment-seat of Christ.

~ St. John of Kronstadt (My Life in Christ: Part II, Holy Trinity Monastery pg. 280):

thanks to:

http://theodorakis.net/orthodoxquotescomplete.html

Sayings St. John Cassian ~ Carefully Weigh Thoughts

 

   If our thoughts suggest something to us to be done we must handle it with the utmost scrupulosity. It must be placed on the scales of our heart and weighed with the most exacting care. Is it filled with what is good for all? Is it heavy with the fear of God? Is it genuine in the feelings which underlie it? Is it lightweight because of human show or because of some thrust toward novelty? Has the burden of vainglory lessened its merit or diminished its luster? This prompt testing will be done as something public. That is, it is measured against the acts and the witness of the apostles. If it looks to be whole, complete, and in conformity with these latter, then let us hold on to it. Or if it seems defective, dangerous, and not of equal weight with these, let us cautiously and carefully reject it.

~ St. John Cassian (Conferences, Conf. One sect. 21; Paulist Press pg. 57)

Thanks to:

http://theodorakis.net/orthodoxquotescomplete.html

The Founding Fathers of the (Great Experiment) United States of America ~ God & Religion, Virtue and Liberty

 

   No human society has ever been able to maintain both order and freedom, [and] both cohesiveness and liberty apart from the moral precepts of the Christian religion applied and accepted by all the classes. Should our republic ere forget this fundamental precept of governance, men are certain to shed their responsibilities for licentiousness and this great experiment will surely be doomed.

~ John Jay (1745-1829)

 

      Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks--no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea.

~ James Madison (1751-1836)

   He knows that morality overthrown (and morality must fall with religion) the terrors of despotism can alone curb the impetuous passions of man, and confine him within the bounds of social duty.

~ Alexander Hamilton (1757-1804)

   We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other.

~ John Adams (1735-1826)

   God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever.

~ Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)

   As to Jesus of Nazareth, my Opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the System of Morals and his Religion as he left them to us, the best the World ever saw, or is likely to see....

~ Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

   It is impossible to account for the creation of the universe, without the agency of a Supreme Being. It is impossible to govern the universe without the aid of a Supreme Being. It is impossible to reason without arriving at a Supreme Being.

~ George Washington (1732-1799)

   No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffused and virtue is preserved. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauched in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders.

 ~ Samuel Adams (1722-1803)

   

 John Jay (December 12, 1745 – May 17, 1829)^[1] was an American statesman, patriot, diplomat, Founding Father, abolitionist, negotiator, and signatory of the Treaty of Paris of 1783. He served as the second governor of New York and the first chief justice of the United States. He directed U.S. foreign policy for much of the 1780s and was an important leader of the Federalist Party after the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1788.

James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751^[b] – June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, expansionist, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the 4th president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. He is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. He co-wrote The Federalist Papers, co-founded the Democratic-Republican Party, and served as the 5th Secretary of State from 1801 to 1809 under President Thomas Jefferson.

Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757 – July 12, 1804) was an American statesman, who was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was an influential interpreter and promoter of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the founder of the nation's financial system, the Federalist Party, the United States Coast Guard, and the New York Post newspaper. As the first secretary of the treasury, Hamilton was the main author of the economic policies of the administration of President George Washington. He took the lead in the federal government's funding of the states' American Revolutionary War debts, as well as establishing the nation's first two de facto central banks (i.e. the Bank of North America and the First Bank of the United States), a system of tariffs, and friendly trade relations with Britain. His vision included a strong central government led by a vigorous executive branch, a strong commercial economy, support for manufacturing, and a strong national defense.

John Adams (October 30, 1735^[a] – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who was the second president of the United States, serving from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency, he was a leader of the American Revolution that achieved independence from Great Britain, and he served as the first vice president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Adams was a dedicated diarist and regularly corresponded with many important figures in early American history, including his wife and adviser Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743^[a] – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He had previously served as the second vice president of the United States under John Adams and as the first United States Secretary of State under George Washington. The principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was a proponent of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights, motivating American colonists to break from the Kingdom of Great Britain and form a new nation; he produced formative documents and decisions at both the state and national levels.

Benjamin Franklin FRS FRSA FRSE (January 17, 1706 [O.S. January 6, 1706]^{[Note 1]} – April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and political philosopher.^[1] Among the leading intellectuals of his time, Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, a drafter and signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, and the first United States postmaster general. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove, among other inventions.^[2] He founded many civic organizations, including the Library Company, Philadelphia's first fire department,^[3] and the University of Pennsylvania.^[4] Franklin earned the title of "The First American" for his early and indefatigable campaigning for colonial unity, initially as an author and spokesman in London for several colonies. As the first United States ambassador to France, he exemplified the emerging American nation.^[5] Franklin was foundational in defining the American ethos as a marriage of the practical values of thrift, hard work, education, community spirit, self-governing institutions, and opposition to authoritarianism both political and religious, with the scientific and tolerant values of the Enlightenment. In the words of historian Henry Steele Commager, "In Franklin could be merged the virtues of Puritanism without its defects, the illumination of the Enlightenment without its heat."^[6] Franklin has been called "the most accomplished American of his age and the most influential in inventing the type of society America would become."^[7]

George Washington (February 22, 1732^[b] – December 14, 1799) was an American soldier, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of the Continental Army, Washington led the Patriot forces to victory in the American Revolutionary War, and presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which established the Constitution of the United States and a federal government. Washington has been called the "Father of the Nation"^[10] for his manifold leadership in the formative days of the country.

Samuel Adams (September 27 [O.S. September 16] 1722 – October 2, 1803) was an American statesman, political philosopher, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was a politician in colonial Massachusetts, a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, and one of the architects of the principles of American republicanism that shaped the political culture of the United States. He was a second cousin to his fellow Founding Father, President John Adams.

The Forgotten Triangle of Freedom? (Virtue-Faith-Freedom)

 

The Forgotten Triangle of Freedom?

Our system of government was supposed to be more than just laws. The character of its people plays a role that is impossible to ignore.

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April 20, 2018

If you were asked what the most important moment in American history was, what do you think you would say? The Battle of Yorktown? The end of World War II?

There is a moment in our history that is largely overlooked by history teachers today: At the end of the American Revolution, the Continental Congress was in financial trouble. Many disgruntled revolutionary soldiers didn’t think they were going to be paid, and many began contemplating that this new country would be better off with a monarchy.

The title of “King” was first offered to General George Washington: “King George I of the United States.” However, without a second thought, Washington refused. They had just won a battle for freedom from an oppressive monarchy, and he was not about to return this new country into the hands of such a system.

Washington’s refusal astonished many. England’s King George III himself said that if Washington did not take the offer, “he would be the greatest man alive.”

Why didn’t Washington take this offer? Most men given such an opportunity would say yes. The difference between him and most men today is his character and the virtue that makes up his character.

THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE

When the Founding Fathers began writing the Constitution and forming a new system of government, many aspects of politics, philosophy, and human nature were taken into account. What emerged was our Constitution and its system of checks and balances.

However, built into the Founders’ vision was a compliment to the Constitution, a formula described later by scholar Os Guinness, in his book A Free People’s Suicide, as the Golden Triangle of Freedom:

“Freedom requires virtue, which requires faith, which requires freedom.”

More formulaically, it might read:

Freedom requires virtue.

Virtue requires faith.

Faith requires freedom.

What happened since then? Over time, but especially accelerating during the 20^th Century, the American legal system began to take a more secular approach to its functionality. “Virtue” and “Faith” began to wane. Where character, trust, and virtue had been prevalent, the importance of legal contracts took their place.

As Guinness wrote, “Legal contracts were strengthened and sharpened to take the place of weakening moral considerations such as character and trust.”

#1 — FREEDOM REQUIRES VIRTUE

Liberty and freedom don’t “just happen.” History is largely a tale of tyranny. All men were created equal and have certain unalienable rights, as recognized in the Declaration of Independence. However, the freedom and liberty Americans experience comes from more than just laws and regulations. They come from the virtue of the citizenry.

Virtue is the only internal characteristic that supplies the self-restraint necessary to balance the risk to the social order of giving people a large amount of liberty.

Without virtuous leaders and virtuous citizens, there is no reason to follow laws. The Republic has an interest in the virtue of its people, as much as the people have an interest in the character and virtue of its leaders.

#2 — VIRTUE REQUIRES FAITH

The Founders were clear in their view that the virtue necessary to allow maximum liberty required a solid foundation: and that foundation was religion. Even the Founders with the least affinity to orthodox Christian views of their day believed this.

Benjamin Franklin made it very clear that he would never be a Christian, however, he stated that “as to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion…I think the System of Morals and his Religion, as he left them to us, the best the World ever saw or is likely to see.” It was Franklin who initiated prayer during a crisis moment in the Constitutional Convention. It was Franklin who saw the immense cultural value of the work of his friend, the renowned evangelist George Whitfield. 

And Thomas Jefferson, an alleged deist, stated, “The Christian religion is the best religion that has ever been given to man.” Many critics forget that men like Jefferson were no secularists; they clearly believed in God. Jefferson, as a statesman and as president, was clear that without faith there is very little reason to be virtuous. The Jefferson Memorial itself displays famous quotes by Jefferson connecting freedom to the moral laws of God.

#3 — FAITH REQUIRES FREEDOM

Faith is voluntary in America. Americans may choose to believe or not to believe. We have the ability to exercise our faith without coercion, and participation is by choice.

As the Williamsburg Charter, a 1988 document on religious freedom signed by over 200 leaders from various backgrounds, stated:

“No longer can sword, purse, and sacred mantle be equated. Now, the government is barred from using religion’s mantle to become a confessional state, and from allowing religion to use the government’s sword and purse to become a coercing Church. In this new order, the freedom of the government from religious control and the freedom of religion from government control are a double guarantee of the protection of rights. No faith is preferred or prohibited, for where there is no state-definable orthodoxy, there can be no state-definable heresy.”

Yes, faith can flourish in totalitarian states. But the record of history demonstrates that lowering the walls to faith often allows an expansion and all the benefits of a public tolerance of open religious practice.

WHY IS THIS NECESSARY?

In many of the writings of the Founders, the importance of character and faith are heavily discussed. They understood that the system they designed was best for self-government by a virtuous citizenry. The checks and balances created by the Constitution are to be complemented with leaders of high virtue and character, those who can be trusted to place the importance of the people ahead of their personal gain.

Today, the character and virtue of both average citizens and leaders are being more and more privatized, just as religion is. Many believe that whatever a person believes, and how they behave, the decision is private with little consequence beyond that individual.

Is it any surprise, then, that religious liberty has come under growing hostility? If virtue requires faith, and virtue is devalued, then it follows that faith—and the freedom to express that faith—will also be devalued.

And is it any surprise that such a system will also begin to value competence over character in leadership—whether public or in business—a dangerous choice? Leaders need skills and abilities necessary to do well in leading our country; however, the Founders believed that character should be equally, if not more, important.

The Founders believed that liberty and freedom could be maintained through the system they designed. However, without the influence of virtue and faith—all of which are enhanced by religious freedom—how long can the Golden Triangle of Freedom, and freedom itself, be maintained?

Thanks to:

https://firstliberty.org/news/the-forgotten-triangle-of-freedom/

Sayings St. John Cassian ~ Origins of our Thoughts

 

... we should realize that there are three sources for our thoughts - God, the devil, and ourselves.

~ St. John Cassian

thanks to:

http://theodorakis.net/orthodoxquotescomplete.html

Sayings St. Dionysius ~ God is all that is beautiful and good

 

...we must all offer up a hymn of praise to the God... who is 'Lord of lords' (Deut. 10:17, Ps. 136:1, I Tim. 6:15, Rev. 17:14, 19:16)... Lordship is not simply a matter of being superior with respect to inferiors but a complete possession of all that is beautiful and good, and is furthermore a true and unshakable stability.

~ St. Dionysius

thanks to:

http://theodorakis.net/orthodoxquotescomplete.html