Comprehension does not mean denying the outrageous, deducing the unprecedented from precedents, or explaining phenomena by such analogies and generalities that the impact of reality and the shock of experience are no longer felt. It means, rather, examining and bearing consciously the burden which our century has placed on us - neither denying its existence nor submitting meekly to its weight. Comprehension, in short, means the unpremeditated, attentive facing up to, and resisting of, reality - whatever it may be.
Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism
We cannot pretend to forget all that we now know - that would be lying to ourselves, going against the truth towards which we try to walk. Any religion that asks this from us, that asks us to pretend not to know that which we know, is not worth being called religion, since it goes against truth. And religion is another word to refer to our search for truth... or is it?
05/11/2007
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