Bringing Hubbard out of the Cupboard
November 11, 2004
American philosopher and author Elbert Hubbard -- born in 1856 and lost at sea along with his wife aboard the Lusitania in 1915 -- held some interesting beliefs, especially in light of today's postmodern world with it's climate of personal "spirituality." He was obviously not a religious conformist, yet affirmed what many would consider "conservative" values. I'd be very interested in hearing your reaction/response to his personal credo.
Hubbard's Personal Credo:
I believe in the Motherhood of God.
I believe in the Blessed Trinity of Father, Mother and Child.
I believe that God is here, and that we are as near Him now as ever we shall be.
I do not believe He started this world-a going and went away and left it to run by itself.
I believe in the sacredness of the human body, this transient dwelling place of a living soul,
And so I deem it the duty of every man and every woman to keep his or her body beautiful through right thinking and right living.
I believe that the love of man for woman, and the love of woman for man is holy;
And that this love in all its promptings is as much an emanation of the Divine Spirit as man's love for God, or the most daring hazards of the human mind.
I believe in salvation through economic, social, and spiritual freedom.
I believe John Ruskin, William Morris, Henry Thoreau, Walt Whitman, and Leo Tolstoy to be Prophets of God, who should rank in mental reach and spiritual insight with Elijah, Hosea, Ezekiel, and Isaiah.
I believe that men are inspired to-day as much as ever men were.
I believe we are now living in Eternity as much as ever we shall.
I believe that the best way to prepare fore for a Future Life is to be kind, live one day at a time, and do the work you can do best, doing it as well as you can.
I believe we should remember the Week-day, to keep it holy.
I believe there is no devil but fear.
I believe that no one can harm you but yourself.
I believe in my own divinity - and yours.
I believe that we are all sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be.
I believe the only way we can reach the Kingdom of Heaven is to have the Kingdom of Heaven in our hearts.
I believe in every man minding his own business.
I believe in sunshine, fresh air, friendship, calm sleep, beautiful thoughts.
I believe in the paradox of success through failure.
I believe in the purifying process of sorrow, and I believe that death is a manifestation of life.
I believe the Universe is planned for good.
I believe it is possible that I shall make other creeds, and change this one, or add to it, from time to time, as new light may come to me.
i love these:
I believe in the paradox of success through failure.
I believe in the purifying process of sorrow, and I believe that death is a manifestation of life.
Posted by: iphy | November 11, 2004 at 06:51 AM
Wow, it sure makes me wonder about this man's life - how he lived in light of this creed, what other people thought of him. Can you recommend any books?
Posted by: Chris(tine) | November 11, 2004 at 10:14 AM
I own two collections of his writing that I have found immense wisdom within: The Notebook of Elbert Hubbard and Elbert Hubbard's scrapbook. Both have a lot of gems in them.
There are some points on theology that I find troubling but those haven't overshadowed the truth in much of what I have read from him. His thoughts are refreshing, challenging and so stimulating.
I too have wondered how this man lived them out but after reading his wife's forward in one of the books, I had to come to the conclusion that if she said it was real...it had to be....because the wife tell no lie...
Posted by: Eric Blauer | November 11, 2004 at 09:32 PM
Blog-rolled my way here. Interesting post. I had never really thought of the idea of writing a personal creed. Anyone else done that?
I would agree that some of the theology is troubling. Some of it seems pretty dog-gone insightful though. Intriguing mix.
Posted by: Alasse | November 12, 2004 at 07:09 AM
There were a couple lines that grabbed me:
I do not believe He started this world-a going and went away and left it to run by itself.
I'm with ya!
I believe the only way we can reach the Kingdom of Heaven is to have the Kingdom of Heaven in our hearts.
Still with ya!
But it is hard for me to reconcile the contrast between:
I believe in salvation through economic, social, and spiritual freedom.
and
I believe in every man minding his own business.
Hard to do both!
I also have trouble with the extra-biblical comments like:
I believe there is no devil but fear.
I believe that no one can harm you but yourself.
I believe in my own divinity - and yours
and the whopping:
I believe in the Blessed Trinity of Father, Mother and Child
...but I think my favorite is:
I believe in sunshine, fresh air, friendship, calm sleep, beautiful thoughts.
It reminds me of how happy it made John Denver when he felt (cue acoustic guitar) "Sunshine on my shoulders..."
=O)
But seriously -- it also reminded me of Tom T. Hall's eloquent (albeit sappy/schmaltzy) creed in his song I Believe in Love:
I don't believe in superstars
organic food and foreign cars
I don't believe the price of gold
the certainty of growing old
that right is right and left is wrong
that north and south can't get along
that east is east and west is west
and being first is always best.
But I believe in love,
I believe in babies
I believe in mom and dad,
and I believe in you.
Well I don't believe that heaven waits
for only those who congregate
I like to think of God as love
He's down below, He's up above
He's watching people everywhere
He knows who does and doesn't care
and I'm an ordinary man
sometimes I wonder who I am.
[Keith note: now there's an interesting commentary on the Institutional Church, and the cry of the heart from a postmodern-before-his-time!]
But I believe in love,
I believe in music
I believe in magic,
and I believe in you.
I know with all my certainty
what's goin' on with you and me
is a good thing it's true,
I believe in you.
I don't believe virginity
is as common as it used to be
in working days and sleeping nights
that black is black and white is white
that Superman and Robin Hood
are still alive in Hollywood
that gasoline's in short supply
the rising cost of getting by.
But I believe in love,
I believe in old folks
I believe in children,
I believe in you.
I believe in love,
I believe in babies
I believe in mom and dad,
and I believe in you.
Posted by: Keith Seckel | November 12, 2004 at 09:43 AM
What a splendid and fascinating creed. Thank you for this; I was not familiar with Hubbard before today.
Posted by: Rachel | November 12, 2004 at 01:32 PM
QUOTED:
"But it is hard for me to reconcile the contrast between:
I believe in salvation through economic, social, and spiritual freedom.
and
I believe in every man minding his own business.
Hard to do both!"
Yep. You know, Keith --this reminds me of how American culture embraces radical individualism (the drastic reduction of limits to personal gratification) and radical egalitarianism (the equality of outcomes rather than of opportunities) at the same time! Maybe its just that Hubbard's unique "Americanism" was showing. ;)
Posted by: Chris | November 13, 2004 at 05:04 PM
"I believe the only way we can reach the Kingdom of Heaven is to have the Kingdom of Heaven in our hearts."
I believe he is right.
Posted by: anonymous | December 08, 2004 at 09:56 PM