The misery of man is derived from his idolatry, from his partly conscious and partly unconscious effort to make himself, his race, and his culture God. This idolatry is not broken until man is confronted with the real God, and find his pride broken by the divine judgment, and learns that from this crucifixion of the old proud self a new self may arise, and that this new self has the fruits of the spirit, which are love, joy, and peace.

-- Reinhold Niebuhr from Love and Justice

Comments

[Patricia]

I agree wholeheartedly. The things that separate us from God are lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and pride of life.