Freedom of Philadelphia

I am a huge fan of the Terry Goodkind Sword of truth series. Well, the first 4 books of it anyways (the last several are ‘meh’… But the first 4 are fantastic).

Well, I came across one of the rules that screamed out at me. Its obvious that Goodkind has read Atlas Shrugged. In ‘Faith of the Fallen’ Goodkind writes:

The only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason. It is not only the most important rule, but the simplest.

Nonetheless, it is the one most often ignored and violated, and by far the most despised. It must be wielded in spite of the ceaseless, howling protests of the wicked.

Misery, iniquity, and utter destruction lurk in the shadows outside its full light, where half-truths snare the faithful disciples, the deeply feeling believers, the selfless followers.

Faith and feelings are the warm marrow of evil. Unlike reason, faith and feelings provide no boundary to limit any delusion, any whim. They are virulent poison, giving the numbing illusion of moral sanction to every depravity ever hatched.

Faith and feelings are the darkness to reason’s light.

Reason is the very substance of truth itself. The glory that is life is wholly embraced through reason. In rejecting it, in rejecting reason, one embraces death.

What a very straightforward statement that holds ALOT of truth. You can apply this to the loonie left, Islamists, the far Christian right… Anyone that uses faith and feeling in the place of reason and logic. The statement “faith and feeling provide no boundary to limit any delusion, any whim” especially applies to the Islamist terrorists. Instead of using reason to think about everything, they only use faith and feelings. There’s nothing wrong with having faith, or having feelings, but you CANNOT allow them to govern your life. You must use reason in your day to day life or you will be a part of your own destruction, and the destruction of all you hold dear.

I would add more, but Goodkind really put it perfectly. Kudos to Terry Goodkind on this tidbit of truth(I suppose its apt, since it IS the Sword of Truth series, eh?)

And let me end with “It must be wielded in spite of the ceaseless, howling protests of the wicked.” Meaning no matter how loudly or angrily the left and those that fund them howl and cry, you MUST use reason and logic and stick to whats right and good.

-Merlyworm