Dialogue from another blog's comments...

... the mere fact that we quarrel -- i.e. censure others and try to excuse ourselves for failing to meet assumed common standards of moral conduct -- is telling. In fact, this is Paul's EVIDENCE that there is an underlying law written on our hearts!

--> In this context, the issue is not that practice makes perfect, but rather that inconsistency makes us hypocrites who condemn ourselvces by that hypocrisy.

The mere fact that we can cease to quarrel is telling - and in fact more important than that we quarrel. Chimpanzees and dogs quarrel.

Is a child learning a skill a "hypocrite" because he hasn't mastered it yet?

One might experience frustration at the lack of mastery of a skill, but, in every single endeavor known to man, lack of confidence in the efficacy of one's ability to improve one's skill never, ever, improves it.

This has been observed in so many times, places, and contexts - and in my own life- as to be as metaphysically certain as the observance of Newtonian physics.

William Barrett- ironically enough arguing in favor of a spiritual/deistic outlook- mentioned that if you worry about whether or not you are being sincere or not in your life you will only wind up being insincere; and went on to quote Pascal's injunction in the Pensees (not exactly Calvinist friendly): Stupefy yourselves, take holy water. Or, in a Buddhist context, "You are at the top of the 100 foot high pole. How will you make a step further?"


Just jump. Take the action in a committed way; keep your eye on the ball and just hit it.


There is a way to help others in their behavior without condemning them. It is another skill.

All of these words are useless though; what is needed is for them to be realized within the atoms of one's marrow. But that's no reason to give up, and one need not be close to perfection to see improvement.