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“It is essential in these days to be able to protect ourselves from the influence of those with whom we come in contact. Otherwise we risk losing both faith and prayer. Let the whole world dismiss us as unworthy of attention, trust or respect – it will not matter provided that the Lord accepts us. And vice versa: it will profit us nothing if the whole world thinks well of us and sings our praises, if the Lord declines to abide with us.” - Elder Sophrony Sakharov of Essex
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"A time is coming when people will go mad and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him, saying 'You are mad, you are not like us.'" - St. Anthony the Great
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"He who walks with wise men becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." - Proverbs
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"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." — Friedrich Nietzsche
Great and timely message. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWell...
ReplyDeleteSeems to me to be a false dichotomy. By some people's lights, Jesus was a "social butterfly". He ate and drank with sinners. He turned six stone jars of water (and they weren't half gallon pitchers either!) into the best wine the steward had ever tasted. He let loose women anoint His feet.
This idea that the world is a dangerous place is countered by Jesus Himself: "but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." We can be out there, be salt and light, and while we do indeed need to stay within Him, we also MUST be out there for "out there" to come to know Him.