Born and died in modern-day Algeria in northern Africa
Augustine has been discussing how all men desire the happy life, as if they remember it from a past time, and long to regain it. All men want to be told truth and not deception, and find joy in truth, which is the happy life they seek. Then he continues,
"Why is it, then, that 'truth begets hatred'? Why is your man who preaches truth to men become an enemy in their eyes, even though there is love for the happy life, which is naught else but joy in the truth? Can such things be except because truth is loved in such wise that men who love some other object want what they love to be the truth, and because they do not want to be deceived, they refuse to be convinced that they have been deceived? Therefore, they hate the truth for the sake of that very thing which they have loved instead of the truth. They love the truth because it brings light to them; they hate it in as much as it reproves them. Because they do not wish to be deceived but wish to deceive, they love it when it shows itself to them, and they hate it when it shows them to themselves." (emphasis mine)
Ouch. This is an indictment on all of us to some extent, but particularly on this generation of men. The men of this age are deceived by their own loves, their own desires. They have been taught the lie that anything they love, they may label as "truth" and "good." They've been taught thus to trust their own loves entirely. Why do we trust something which so regularly betrays us?
Read Augustine. The man's a genius.
3 comments:
It takes at least a lifetime for us to give up all our foolishness.
"Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Him."
My favorite Augustine quote.
I know this is an old post but I ran across it today. I believe this brilliant quote is more applicable today than ever. When you look at the political / ideological divisions in this country it is evident. Either side truly believe their own truth and gets enraged when anyone challenges what they beleive to be true.
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