Oh, to be 'deep'

Well, today I've been nagged to post by two different people. Since this accounts for at least 50% of the readers out there I must respond. By the way, the 50% is probably assuming a pretty generous denominator for my division. But it's all about the spin!

Since I had nothing particular to say, I'll share another quote I came across that I really like. Those of you who get emails from me or have viewed my profile know that I like G.K. Chesterton. I read his books "Orthodoxy" and "Everlasting Man" in 11th grade on the recommendation of a pastor... And I would, in turn, recommend them to anyone who wants a thought-provoking read. I haven't read the source book for this quote - "What I Saw In America" - but came across it in a Ravi book and liked it:

"The Declaration of Independence dogmatically bases all rights on the fact that God created all men equal; and it is right; for if they were not created equal, they were certainly evolved unequal. There is no basis for democracy except in a dogma about the divine origin of man." [emphasis mine]

I certainly don't want to revisit the whole "Founding Fathers: Deist, Atheist, or Christian?" thing... I did think it was interesting, however, that Chesterton essentially uses the defining characteristic of evolution - variation being selected over time - to deliver a philosophical 'gut-punch'. Without some inherent, externally validated worth, how could we ever claim any reasonable measure of equality exists?

Perhaps there's some terse response to this that completely disarms the argument. I don't really care. I just wish I could have a brain that would think of things like this in the first place.

Oh to have been a philosophy major... Surprisingly, that wouldn't have diminished my earning power at all!