Bogwitch

This is what I see and what troubles me. I look on all sides, and I see only darkness everywhere. Nature presents to me nothing which is not matter of doubt and concern. If I saw nothing there which revealed a Divinity, I would come to a negative conclusion; if I saw everywhere the signs of a Creator, I would remain peacefully in faith. But, seeing too much to deny and too little to be sure, I am in a state to be pitied; wherefore I have a hundred times wished that if a God maintains nature, she should testify to Him unequivocally, and that, if the signs she gives are deceptive, she should suppress them altogether; that she should say everything or nothing, that I might see which cause I ought to follow. Whereas in my present state, ignorant of what I am or of what I ought to do, I know neither my condition nor my duty. My heart inclines wholly to know where is the true good, in order to follow it; nothing would be too dear to me for eternity.

—

Blaise Pascal, Pensées

I keep coming back to this passage. Pascal’s writing is beautiful and what I love most is his confession of doubt. Writing in the Age of Reason it seems like this would be a confession. Everyone else is like “this is how I know truth” and “this is how I know truth” and Pascal is saying, “I want to know.” It feels so naked and honest.

(via swordgirl)

This resonates with me.