While looking up the quote from John Adams I used in a prior post, I ran
across this one and thought some might like it:
"The priesthood have, in all ancient nations, nearly monopolized
learning. Read over again all the accounts we have of Hindoos, Chaldeans,
Persians, Greeks, Romans, Celts, Teutons, we shall find that priests had
all the knowledge, and really governed mankind. Examine Mahometanism,
trace Christianity from its first promulgation; knowledge has been almost
exclusively confined to the clergy. And, even since the Reformation, when
or where has existed a Protestant or dissenting sect who would tolerate a
free inquiry? The blackest billingsgate, most ungentlemanly insolence,
the most yahooish brutality is patiently endured, countenanced,
propagated and applauded. But touch a solemn truth in collision with a
dogma of a sect, though capable of the clearest proof, and you will soon
find you have disturbed a nest, and the hornets will swarm about your
legs and hands, and fly into your face and eyes." John Adams
--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw
On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 18:22:25 +0000 (UTC), Larry Blanchard
<[email protected]> wrote:
>While looking up the quote from John Adams I used in a prior post, I ran
>across this one and thought some might like it:
>
>"The priesthood have, in all ancient nations, nearly monopolized
>learning. Read over again all the accounts we have of Hindoos, Chaldeans,
>Persians, Greeks, Romans, Celts, Teutons, we shall find that priests had
>all the knowledge, and really governed mankind. Examine Mahometanism,
>trace Christianity from its first promulgation; knowledge has been almost
>exclusively confined to the clergy. And, even since the Reformation, when
>or where has existed a Protestant or dissenting sect who would tolerate a
>free inquiry? The blackest billingsgate, most ungentlemanly insolence,
>the most yahooish brutality is patiently endured, countenanced,
>propagated and applauded. But touch a solemn truth in collision with a
>dogma of a sect, though capable of the clearest proof, and you will soon
>find you have disturbed a nest, and the hornets will swarm about your
>legs and hands, and fly into your face and eyes." John Adams
You were quite correct, LB!
--
Education should provide the tools for a widening and deepening
of life, for increased appreciation of all one sees or experiences.
It should equip a person to live life well, to understand what is
happening around him, for to live life well one must live life with
awareness. -- Louis L'Amour
A source for a quote is always a good idea. In this case this should serve
to fulfill that requirement.
Sourced
Letter to John Taylor (1814) as quoted in The Political Writings of John
Adams (2001) Edited by George W. Carey, p. 440
Deb
Larry Blanchard wrote:
> While looking up the quote from John Adams I used in a prior post, I ran
> across this one and thought some might like it:
>
> "The priesthood have, in all ancient nations, nearly monopolized
> learning. Read over again all the accounts we have of Hindoos, Chaldeans,
> Persians, Greeks, Romans, Celts, Teutons, we shall find that priests had
> all the knowledge, and really governed mankind. Examine Mahometanism,
> trace Christianity from its first promulgation; knowledge has been almost
> exclusively confined to the clergy. And, even since the Reformation, when
> or where has existed a Protestant or dissenting sect who would tolerate a
> free inquiry? The blackest billingsgate, most ungentlemanly insolence,
> the most yahooish brutality is patiently endured, countenanced,
> propagated and applauded. But touch a solemn truth in collision with a
> dogma of a sect, though capable of the clearest proof, and you will soon
> find you have disturbed a nest, and the hornets will swarm about your
> legs and hands, and fly into your face and eyes." John Adams
>
>