FFQF: Ben Franklin
Ben Franklin died this day, on April 17, 1790. So today we will cite a great quote from him:
Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor liberty to purchase power. From Poor Richard’s Almanac (1734)
Loss of liberty was no accident in our country. Nor was it the fault of corrupt politicians alone. We sold our virtue for luxury, and our politicians, who are not inherently worse than us, purchased power at the price of liberty. The reason why our national condition is never improved, even as election after election goes by, is because our nation lacks virtue. George Washington once wisely observed, “Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.” And right now, the wealthy elite who pull the strings in our country, and in other countries, are making extraordinary bids. And if you don’t cooperate, they’ll certainly find something in your past to fill the newspapers with, and knock you out of the ring of power. And the cycle is repeated with almost every new-comer in office.
It’s encouraging to know that people are being mobilized and activated around the country to protest the blatant injustice of the bullies in power — it’s high “tea time”! But it’s going to take a lot more than protest to win our liberties back.
6 Responses to “FFQF: Ben Franklin”
April 17th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I’m not quite sure why this year is a special one for tax protest, except as a political stunt. With that said, I support regularly reminding the federal government that its power is to be limited, and that we don’t need an earthly “king” (1 Samuel 8:6 – 8:20).
April 17th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Hello Dave! Glad to hear from you again!
Hmm. Good point. As for me, I wish the protests had been done at an earlier time, when they would have made a bigger difference. Oh well. Better late than never, I guess.
Thanks for reading and leaving your comment. Happy FFQF!
April 18th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
A friend of mine told me recently that we are over-educating our youth – and ignoring their character.
We should be training in character, and academic knowledge will follow naturally.
Something to think about, based on your comments in your post.
April 18th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Hello Mike B. Thanks for reading and leaving your comment!
Interesting proposition. I think that academic knowledge will indeed follow character, because a desire for study, as well as the discipline that study and learning require, are only present in an individual with character.
I think both must be brought up together, because learning character is more than just filling one’s head with facts and logic; it is built only through tests and experience. Applying yourself to your studies is a great way for students to develop and exercise character in the world away from home, but they will not develop character abroad if they do not develop it at home.
For this reason, the home is to be the center of the student’s development of character. Character cannot be developed without a motive and a basis, however; and the Bible provides both. When the Scriptures no longer were the standard, character in our students dropped. It figures.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Happy FFQF!
April 19th, 2009 at 11:52 am
What a great quote, Herky! I had completely missed that one.
And you’re right that it’s going to take more than tea parties to turn things around – it’s going to take repentance.
April 22nd, 2009 at 2:08 am
This is a new quote to me too, Jean.
I posted it when I found it.
Thanks for taking the time to read and to leave your comment.
Leave a Comment