May 14 2023: It’s Cocktail Time

It's Cocktail Time!
The Fine Art of Mixing Character with Conscience
This Sunday promotes, courage, compassion, reflection,
inspiration, challenge, wisdom, and open mind.
Seek Truth, Live fully, Care deeply,
MAKE A DIFFERENCE

First Reading

From Under the Greenwood Tree, Thomas Hardy, 1872

Mrs Quilp, who was afflicted beyond measure by the recollection of the part she had just acted, shut herself up in her chamber, and smothering her head in the bed-clothes bemoaned her fault more bitterly than many less tender-hearted persons would have mourned a much greater offence. For, in the majority of cases, conscience is an elastic and very flexible article, which will bear a deal of stretching, and adapt itself to a great variety of circumstances. Some people, by prudent management and leaving it off piece by piece, like a flannel waistcoat in warm weather, even contrive, in time, to dispense with it altogether. But there be others who can assume the garment and throw it off at pleasure; and this, being the greatest and most convenient method, is the one most in vogue. 

Second Reading

From Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, Jeremy Bentham, 1780

If a man happen to take it into his head to assassinate with his own hands, or with the sword of justice, those whom he calls heretics, that is, people who think, or perhaps only speak, differently upon a subject which neither party understands, he will be as much inclined to do this at one time as at another. Fanaticism never sleeps: it is never glutted: it is never stopped by philanthropy; for it makes a merit of trampling on philanthropy: it is never stopped by conscience; for it has pressed conscience into its service. Avarice, lust, and vengeance, have piety, benevolence, honour (to stop them); fanaticism has nothing to oppose it.