08/01/2023 – Final post – Appendix Two – “A Dialogue between Stupid and Sensible” / Group Fellowship and Discussion
As a final incentive to get y’all to purchase, read, study and pray from this book, I would like to copy all 12 pages of this hypothetical dialogue between let’s say a mentor and a student, as opposed to “sensible” and “stupid”. haha. But I am going to do roughly 25% of that through three segments between the two people. Besides, I don’t want to bust through copyright law and good practices.
Let’s get started!:
Segment One:
“STUPID: I know some people can become saints, but I’m not one of them. The gap between me and the saints is like the gap between a pebble and a mountain.
SENSIBLE: I have four answers to that. First, a pebble is part of a mountain. It’s made of the same stuff. Second, all the saints started where you are, as pebbles. Third, you’re not a pebble – no one is – but a seed. You’re small; but alive. Your whole industry is to grow. Fourth, you will become a saint because everyone in Heaven is a saint. God will not let you go until you are. (*A). It’s unavoidable. In fact, I think you know that. That’s why you’re reading this book. So stop the false humility.
(*A) – Peter Kreeft is a catholic Christian warrior that believes in purgatory, accounting for this statement.
STUPID: It’s not false humility, it’s honesty. I’m a really stupid, selfish, silly sinner.
SENSIBlE: Of course you are. Everyone is. That’s what Original Sin means. That’s the real equality. We all start at zero. And that’s why you have to change: you have a long road ahead.
STUPID: The road is too long.
SENSIBLE: But there is no other road to Heaven.
STUPID: I’ll make it to Heaven. I’ll just take a long time to get get there, through Purgatory. I’ve got some faith and hope and charity (a little anyway), so I’m not going to Hell.
SENSIBLE: But is that all you care about? Is that what your faith is to you: an eternal fire insurance policy?
STUPID: What should it be?
SENSIBLE: A marriage to God. To God! How dare you be content with the minimum?
STUPID: I told you: I’m very stupid.
SENSIBLE: But He will never be content with that. And He’s the boss, not you.
STUPID: You’re asking for a radical change. You’re asking too much.
SENSIBLE: No, He’s asking that. Are you His judge, His critic?
Segment Two:
STUPID: So only Christians can know God?
SENSIBLE: Not at all. Everyone can know God.
STUPID: How?
SENSIBLE: By honestly using their reason and moral conscience and by letting nature teach them.
STUPID: Then how can Jesus say that He is ‘the way and the truth and the life’ and that no one can come to God the Father except through Him?
SENSIBLE: Because whenever anyone knows God, He’s acting on them, He’s the Mind of God.
STUPID: Non-Christians don’t believe that.
SENSIBLE: Of course not. If they did, they’d become Christians. But it’s true anyway.
STUPID: Believing something is true doesn’t make it true.
SENSIBLE: Of course not. But believing something is false doesn’t make it false, either.
STUPID: You have very clever answers, but that doesn’t make them true.
SENSIBLE: Of course not. But you’ve just insulted me. Twice. ‘Clever’ and ‘not true’ are both insults. (My answers are true without being clever, not clever without being true.
STUPID: That is a very clever answer.
SENSIBLE: But it is true.
Segment Three:
STUPID: Should we look at our own faults, too?
SENSIBLE: Briefly, yes, and then move on, after we admit them and accept His forgiveness. If we keep looking at ourselves, that’s not humility, that’s pride: Ooh, look at me, look at what a great sinner I am!
STUPID: So, humility doesn’t mean having a low opinion of yourself?
SENSIBLE: No, it means having no opinion of yourself, because you’re looking at Him, instead.“
It’s not about the messenger, but thank you Peter Kreeft once again for this wonderful book: “How to Be Holy” by Peter Kreeft / ISBN # 978-1-621164-102-5
Soli Deo Gloria!