Arquivo de philosophy | Page 111 of 121

Evangelical Pastors

Capitalism is full among evangelical pastors. I am not saying that it constitutes any demerit, but capitalizing on God’s name sounds to me too aggressive marketing. Why do I go back where I could avoid it? In all times and in various religions, the spiritual leader was an ascetic: denying the pleasures of the flesh, he paid for the title of spiritual authority. Exactly with the evangelical church this has changed, and today the pastor wears full costume, has wife and drives luxurious cars. Is it strange only for me? I perceive, disconcertedly, the obsession of pastors with the Pharisees: I see them condemning, in one package, knowledge and greed. But I have never seen, nor have heard, in all my life, of a single middle church pastor in financial difficulties: more, preaching pays them like successful businessmen. I think we need a redefinition: what is greed? Above all, who always represented greed in ancient times?

I go on — and I shudder at the obsession: — only those who turn their backs on money can speak about greed. And if I see an evangelical pastor with more money than his acolytes, I consider him a hypocrite. Patience, a lot of patience with my generalizations… But it is not me preaching that we are all brothers. Why does not the pastor lead by example? He could willingly begin by sharing his wealth and keeping to himself only what is necessary for life — and to spread his word as a messenger of God. But is the pastor content with so little? Absolutely not! The pastor wants luxury apartments and cars, wants to travel around the world and considers himself the son of God, that is, he thinks he is able to enjoy, too, the pleasures of capital. All right, all right… And each one dealing with your own greed and looking at the hypocritical face in the mirror.

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Psychological Particularities

I find it incredible how my absolute disenchantment with the world has not reverted into morbidity. In general, I am always in a good mood, laughing in thoughts, even though the experience already appears to me as exhausted. It is true: I am not humorous to many more than myself, but I judge it as almost a miracle to see me smiling, to desire an absolutely mediocre life from the point of view of the men of my time. Such incompatibility of tastes, habits, interests and temperament could more logically flow into sadness, anguish, apathy and despair.

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More Lines About Love…

What is called “love” necessarily requires an active attitude of the beloved. This to me is so obvious that sometimes I wonder where the forgery is: if in the word, in the concept, or if precisely this generation subverted the feeling that for centuries was called “love”. Modern love, above all, presents itself as a necessity, a desire of being the target of an effort of others, to feel valuable, accompanied, stroked by someone who undertakes to please. If the beloved takes his apathy, then “love” fades. Petty this non-literary love, whose suppression — whether by distance or disruption — hurts only by the finding of the lack of pleasures (effect) generated by the active attitude of the beloved… I know, I know… I am exaggerating, but as I said: in my sparse and brief experience, I have never seen a lover who loved a tree, nor a a stone…

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Love: Highlight of Selfishness

In my limited and brief experience, I have never seen anything that came close to the selfless conception of love. On the contrary, the examples that life tried to provide me have always enhanced love as a highlight of selfishness. Moreover, I easily identify love when I see it converted into hatred, in a very natural process, when pride, wounded, dispenses with the scruples and shows up in greatest vigour.

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