Monday's thougths on Sunday's sermon

"Thomas Paine Had No Common Sense"

One of the writers who provided energy and inspiration for the American Revolution was pamphleteer Thomas Paine. His writing was circulated in the colonies and his readers began to pick up on the idea that we have rights as a people and we need not put up with the unfair practices of the British government and their exploitation of the colonies through taxes and other imposed and arbitrary rules.

The title of his pamphlet was labeled "Common Sense".

I plan to explore what it was that was so inspiring about what he had written and to look at Paine's life. While he urged his readers to respond to the dictates of his "common sense" his own life reflected a complete lack of common sense.

Often it is the truth that what a person proposes for others that person cannot live in their personal life. Richard Nixon portrayed himself as the "law and order" president and yet he so blatantly violated the law that he was forced to resign in disgrace because of the Watergate break in and cover up.

What makes us become the advocate for the very thing we cannot live out? How do we find a way to look at our words and match them with our actions and how do we work out of the pattern of action that will more closely line up with our words?

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of the blog click on the 'comments' box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster