Thought for a Sunday

Desiderius Erasmus Roterodomus (c1466-1536, born Gerrit Gerritszoon) was a Dutch clergyman of a humanist bent (though it may not appear so in the following quote). He was apparently an influential figure during teh period of the Reformation. Here's something from his classic work, In Praise of Folly:

"By the immortal gods, I solemnly swear to you that
the happiest men are those whom the world calls fools,
simpletons and blockheads. For they are entirely devoid
of the fear of death. They have no accusing consciences
to make them fear it. They are, happily, without the
experience of the thousands of cares that lacerate the
minds of other men. They feel no shame, no solicitude,
no ambition, no envy, no love. And, according to the
theologians, they are free from any imputation of guilt
of sin! Ah, ye besotted men of wisdom, you need no
further evidence that the ills you have gone through,
to convince you from what a mass of calamities I
have delivered my idiotic favorites."