he hath shewed thee, o man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? - micah 6:8
i came into this world, not chiefly to make this a good place... but to live in it, be it good or bad. a man has not everything to do, but something; and because he cannot do everything, it is not necessary that he should be doing something wrong... what i have to do is to see, at any rate, that i do not lend myself to the wrong which i condemn. - thoreau
these are harrowing passages to read. micah and thoreau both preach not rebellion or revolution so much as an unwavering fealty to a right conscience. not what is expedient or popular or non-confrontational or culturally sanctioned but that which is worthy. for this we answer not to a human authority who judges our actions but to an inner voice and a higher presence who sees our heart, and for this we may pay with loss of advantage honor goods and fellowship. a wise man thinks twice before doing as bid, but a wise man it is who does as bid.
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