Trite but True
I have no religious affiliation, and I am often dismayed at what some people do in the name of religion, not only in other parts of the world like Iraq but here at home in a government that also kills and tortures while invoking the name of God. And yet, what other people do in the name of religion I find impressive and reassuring.
One of those people is John H. Williams, whose website, Trite but True, I commend to readers for the clarity and economy of his writing. The website now appears in our blogroll at the right.
In one of his earlier entries, Williams introduces his “Brief Philosophy of Life” with the following: “I think it is useful to articulate core beliefs clearly and succinctly. It clarifies thinking and makes it possible to share one’s life experience with others. While life is complex and should not be oversimplified, we should all be capable of outlining the basic principles we live by.”
He then goes on in 16 months of entries to fulfill those aspirations, writing about God, humanity, his views and the views of others, usually with dispassion, occasionally with heat: “As I look at the world of yesterday and today — at civil war in Africa, poverty in Central America, injustice at home and corruption just about everywhere — I see the accumulative influence of many jerks in key positions of power. As I observe single-parent families, recreational drug abuse and obscene salary differentials between management and labor, I behold the ravages of selfishness . . .. So don’t be a jerk — whether for heaven’s sake or for humanity’s — just don’t be a jerk.”
Not everyone will agree with all his beliefs. I don’t. But I do admire his writing because it does, as he says, “make it possible to share one’s life experience.” I can’t think of a higher purpose for writing.
As for his personal life, I know from his writing that he is a Christian, and I assume from the one recipe on his site that he originally is from Kentucky. (If you like over-the-top desserts, you really should check out that recipe, “Kentucky stack pie.”) I also would guess that he is a clergyman or a teacher, or at least he should be.
I hope he is both. Because both professions could use more thoughtful people like John H. Williams.
– Sid Leavitt
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