The View From The Foothills

A tiny principality in the Commonwealth of Letters

It’s All Wish Fulfillment, Really

Filed under: Faith — Will Duquette at 4:02 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Well, no, it isn’t.

Some while ago, a commenter left an angry screed on one of my posts. It seems he’d been drawn to my website by some of the computer-programming-related content, and then found a post about some aspect of Christian faith and was horrified. Apparently I’d seemed such a reasonable person up until then. I don’t recall whether he used the phrase “wish-fulfillment” or not, though I rather fancy he did; and if he did I really wish I’d been able to answer the charge as it deserves. This is twice in one week that John C. Wright has shown his ability to say what I wish I’d have thought to say in similar circumstances, and far from being envious I’m grateful.

1 Comment »

Comment by karrde

December 6, 2007 @ 9:43 am

The linked article by Wright has much to say about which wishes are being fulfilled, or not fulfilled.

It reminds me of a poem by Chesterton. (Lots of good Chesterton stuff here

Song of the Strange Ascetic

If I had been a Heathen,
I’d have praised the purple vine,
My slaves should dig the vineyards,
And I would drink the wine.
But Higgins is a Heathen,
And his slaves grow lean and grey,
That he may drink some tepid milk
Exactly twice a day.

If I had been a Heathen,
I’d have sent my armies forth,
And dragged behind my chariots
The Chieftains of the North.
But Higgins is a Heathen,
And he drives the dreary quill,
To lend the poor that funny cash
That makes them poorer still.

Now who that runs can read it,
The riddle that I write,
Of why this poor old sinner,
Should sin without delight-
But I, I cannot read it
(Although I run and run),
Of them that do not have the faith,
And will not have the fun.

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