Frederick Buechner–Anger is really you wolfing down yourself

Of the 7 deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back–in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.

–Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking (SanFrancisco: Harper, 1993), p.117; quoted by yours truly in the sermon yesterday.

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Posted in Pastoral Theology, Theology

5 comments on “Frederick Buechner–Anger is really you wolfing down yourself

  1. Kendall Harmon says:

    People often ask me why I post things and of course it varies. But I wanted you all to know I am posting this because I got an email last night about the sermon (I preached yesterday morning) which quoted these words I cited from Buechner as hitting this person between the eyes and calling her to make a change.

    You can never tell when you preach exactly what is happening and what might make a difference and since I now know this did I thought it was important to share it.

  2. Jason Miller says:

    This is incredible–thanks, Dr. Harmon. This quote is going on my Facebook status.

  3. Billy says:

    Yes, thanks, KH. Seems appropriate for almost any day.

  4. Pageantmaster Ù† says:

    Very true – if there is lots of anger it is a sign that God is absent or not being listened to.

  5. Larry Morse says:

    I have no idea who this writer isk, but his writing leaves everythihng to be desired. He has hit up some clever phrases, and he has had to use them somewhere. Let’s try again:
    Of the seven deadly sins, gluttony is the most fun. It hurts no one but satisfies oneself, one can look forward over and over to one long meal after another which one need not share,….
    Of the seven deadly sins, pride is easily the most fun.You can look forward to the vast satisfaction of your own excellence, revel in the feeling of superiority when you know yourself better than X – and he knows it too…..
    Of the seven deadly sins, sloth is easily the most fun. What is more pleasant than watching other people labor while you do nothing, day after day….etc.
    This man needs to take a class in elementary composition so that he can grasp the difference between slick, clever phrases, and sound perception. Meretricious writing ought to be the 8th deadly sin because it tells lies and pretends they are truths.
    PM: God Himself gets angry, and when he does, worlds die. Ask Noah. Christ gets angry. Watch out moneychangers! And watch out guest at the wedding if you don’t have the right clothes.
    And on Dec. 7th, a whole country got angry. Are you telling me they shouldn’t? Larry