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Title: Concerning the City of God against the Pagans
Author:
St Augustine
Translator:
Henry Bettenson
Publisher:
Penguin Classics
Place:
London
Edition:
2nd
Year:
2003
ISBN-13:
978-0-14-044894-8
17 August 2016
Marcus
Regulus was a Roman commander in the First Punic War (256 BC)
against Carthage. When peace was proposed Regulus was
unreasonable according to Augustine. The Carthaginians arranged
that Regulus goes to Rome and put their proposal forward to the
Senate and if the Senate does not accept Carthage's proposal,
Regulus on oath must return to Carthage. In the Senate Regulus
motivated why Rome should not accept Carthage's proposal. The
Senate followed Regulus's advice to continue the war and he,
according to his oath returned to Carthage. The Carthaginians
then tortured him to death. (Augustine 2003:24) The story
supports my opinion that Truth existed as idea above people
then, but Love existed not as perfect idea above Regulus. Maybe
if he did not reduce everything to only Truth, and he considered
Love as well the outcome would have been better for all
involved.
19
August 2016
"With
those vices kept under restraint, the morality which supports a
country flourished and increased, and permanence was given to
the liberty which goes hand-in-hand with such morality. It was
the same conviction, the same patriotic forethought, which lead
(sic) the same pontifex
maximus of yours (who, as I must often repeat, was
unanimously chosen by the senate of that time as the best man in
Rome), to restrain the senate's project to build a theatre.81
He deflected them from this ambitious design, and used all
the weight of his authority in a speech which persuaded them not
to allow Greek corruption to infiltrate into the virile morality
of Rome, and to have no truck with foreign depravity which would
undermine and weaken the Roman moral character." (Augustine
2003:42)
"For
it is well known that the Greeks and the Romans, and other
people, have decreed such honours to those whose public services
they valued highly, and that such people were believed to have
been made immortal and to have been received among the number of
the gods.9" (Augustine 2003:52)
"9.
The theory of Euhemerus".
22
Augustus 2016
Augustine
mentions many "gods" and "goddesses" of the pagans relevant at
everyday life with regard to sowing, harvesting, growing of the
crops and housing. He wrote for example: "Each man appoints one
door-keeper for his house and that one, being a man is enough.
But the Romans appointed three gods; Forculus to guard the doors
(fores); Cardea the
hinges (cardo);
Limentinus the threshold (limen)."
(Augustine 2003:143-145) Read together with Socrates's view that
gods have good ideas, it could mean that Accounting FOR ideas
was much more prevalent during the pagan era. Credit was given
for creative thinking and people were acknowledged for new
ideas, which added value to living conditions of society.
Probably the idolatrous credit also caused jealousy amongst
people and as things goes with the 'theft' of ideas; troubles
attributed to creative thinking and Caiaphas syndrome.
"11.
The many gods identified
by the learned with Jupiter.
So
let them make what claims they like in their scientific theories
and arguments." It seems from Augustine's explanations that the
names of "gods" and "goddesses" were used similar to words
describing concepts in a scientific way. (Augustine
2003:148-149) The statements of Augustine imply that "gods" and
"goddesses" were relevant at science for the pagans. Currently
the Accounting for ideas of intequinism posits that the rise of
the Roman empire was partly due to credit given to gods and
goddesses becaue of their good ideas, albeit irrationally with
shrines and temples, whilst espousing idolatry. According to
Euhemerus they were 'only' human. The feminine and masculine
form of nouns in Latin probably originated from the practice. It
seems however that gods and goddesses who were 'only' human had
only the idea Truth above them and not the idea Love, because
the sophists helped to form the idea Love (social contract
theory).
"social contract theory
... In ancient times Protagoras, Hippias, Lycophron and other
Sophists favoured a theory of this kind. In the modern ear, it
was proposed in various forms by many political thinkers
including Hobbes, Pufendorf, Locke and Rousseau. Present-day
philosophers, among them John Rawls and David Gauthier, have
revived the tradition: a just society is one that would satisfy
the clauses of a contract that rational human agents under
certain specified conditions would be prepared to agree to."
(Mautner 2005:577)
"volonté générale; volenté
de tous .. general will; will of all. Two concepts
contrasted in Rousseau's Contrat
Social 1762 (Social contract). The general will,
distilled from the particular wills of the citizens, is always
right. The will of all, in contrast, can be wrong and when it is
it ought to be disregarded. The general will is always directed
towards that which is truly in the citizens' interest. The will
of all, in contrast, is directed towards that which the citizens
may favour even if it is not really in their interest." (Mautner
2005:648) Rousseau's social contract theory did not have the
ideas Truth and Love above the general will.
"Stoicism ... Their
physics is a materialist, though not atomistic or atheistic
system. ... The whole universe is formed and guided by a logos, or reason, which
is itself composed of matter in its finest degree of tension.
This logos can be understood as God, as nature, as fate and as
providence. The individual human mind is a 'seed' of the logos,
and the purpose of an individual life is a progressive grasp of,
and adaptation to, the overall purposes of the universe. The
Stoics believed that the regularity of the natural world
provided evidence for these purposes, and in this way they
formulated an argument from design for the existence of gods, or
God. Their way of arguing is presented in Cicero's De natura deorum (On
the nature of the gods). ... The ideal of conformity with logos
implied an ethical cosmopolitanism: all human beings are by
nature fellow-citizens of one world, divided only by artificial
convention." (Mautner 2005:595)
"Heraclitus .. Writing in riddling prose epigrams, he
announced that he would expound the nature of things according
to the Logos, the
objective principle of order in the world. Although the Logos is
available to all, most mortals ignore it, living like
sleep-walkers, in a dream world of their own. The philosopher's
task, Heraclitus implies, is to express everyday truths in such
a way that their underlying meaning can leap to one's attention
- like the solution of a riddle. Thus Heraclitus presents
paradoxical truths: The way up and the way down are one and the
same. ... This doctrine of flux is probably not that ultimate
reality is change,
but that change is the manner in which ultimate reality, Logos,
manifests itself.
...For Heraclitus, the ultimate reality is not any
substance, for substances are not permanent; but the process of
change, the law of transformation, which is perhaps to be
identified with the Logos itself." (Mautner
2005: 271-272)
"MacPherson, Crawford
Brough (1911-87) ... He attacked the fixation on the market in
current political thought, and the narrow conception of human
nature that goes with it. In The Political Theory of
Possessive Individualism 1962 and in his introduction to
the Penguin edition of Hobbes's Leviathan he argued
that such an outlook is present in the classical political
writings of Hobbes and Locke who, according to MacPherson, were
ideologists of the rising bourgeoisie. That outlook, he urges,
ought now be superseded: instead of private utility-maximisation
the overriding ideal should be one of full actualization of
human potentiality in cooperation with others." (Mautner
2005:369)
Jupiter
was regarded as supreme god and the lesser gods and goddesses
were regarded "aspects" of Jupiter. "If it does not embarrass
our opponents, let Jupiter be all that I have mentioned - and
all that I have left unsaid (for I decided to omit a great
deal): let him, and him alone, be all those gods and goddesses,45
whether, as some would have it, they are all aspects of
Jupiter, or forces of Jupiter. The latter interpretation is
advanced by those who have decided that he is the soul of the
world - an opinion held by men of apparent distinction and
erudition.
If
this is true - and for the moment I leave aside the question of
its truth - what would they lose by a wise economy in
worshipping one God? Would he be in any way underrated, since he
himself would be worshipped? If it should be feared that the
omitted or neglected aspects of Jupiter might be angry, the
inference would be that here there is not (as they would have
it) one whole life of, one Living Being, containing in itself
all gods as its powers or members or aspects, but rather, each
aspect has a life distinct from the others, if one aspect can be
angry independently of another, if one can be appeased while
another is irritated. If, on the other hand, it is asserted that
all the aspects together, that is the whole of Jupiter himself,
could have been offended if his aspects were not worshipped
individually and separately, this assertion is the merest folly.
None of them could have been neglected while the god himself,
who in himself possess them all, was being worshipped. Out of
innumerable possible examples I will contend myself with this.
They say that all the stars are 'aspects' of Jupiter, that they
are alive and possess rational souls and are therefore
indisputably gods.46" (Augustine 2003:150-152)
45.
Augustine listed here many lesser gods and goddesses for example
"Liber", also called "Bacchus", an "old Italian fertility god".
They were regarded "aspects" (concepts) of Jupiter. (Augustine
2003:150)
"46.
Stars. The belief in
the divinity of the stars was common in antiquity. It is found
in Neoplatonism, and it was consonant with the Stoic equation of
deity and light. St. Augustine himself is not prepared to deny
sentience and intelligence to the heavenly bodies; cf, BK XIII,
16." (Augustine 2003:152)
This
explains a 'root' of the divide between science and religions.
"The
Romans assigned particular gods to particular spheres and to
almost every single movement. They had a goddess called
Agenoria, to arouse to action; a goddess Stimula, to stimulate
to extraordinary action; a goddess Murcia to make a man
extraordinary inactive, that is (according to Pomponius) murcidus, meaning
slothful and inert, and a goddess Strenia, to make man
strenuous." (Augustine 2003:155)
25
August 2016
"I
have mentioned in my fourth book some of the gods who are
distributed among particular functions, one god for each minute
duty. Who could brook the suggestion, indeed the contention,
that such divinities can assure eternal life to anyone?"
(Augustine 2003:226)
"we
should even so be perfectly right in saying that those goddesses
only had power within the limits somehow assigned to their
particular function, and that one should not seek eternal life
from Juventus". (Augustine 2003:228)
The
Pagan gods and goddesses were much more abstract than
Christianity and therefore more scientific.
"What
conception of Jupiter was in the minds of those who placed his
nurse in the Capitol? Have they not given support to the theory
of Euhemerus, who, writing as a careful researcher, not as a
purveyor of legendary chatter, maintained that all those gods
were originally men, mere mortals?" (Augustine 2003:239)
26
August 2016
"8.
The naturalistic
explanations of the gods suggested by pagan scholars.
'But
all these phenomena', we are told, 'have what one may call
"physiological" explanations, explanations, that is, in terms of
natural science.' This is to assume that it is 'physiological'
we are looking for in this discussion and not theology, that is,
the science of nature, not the science God. Doubtless, the true
God is God by nature, not in idea, but that does not mean that
all nature is God; for there is a nature of man, of beast, of
tree, of stone; and God is none of these. However, if the main
point in this line of interpretation, when applied to the rites
of the Mother of Gods, is that she is certainly the earth, do we
need to look further and to examine other explanations? There
could be no clearer support for the theory which alleges that
all those gods were once mere men. They are 'sons of earth', and
so earth is their mother. But according to the true theology,
the earth is the work of God, not his mother.
Besides,
in whatever way the rites of the Mother of Gods may be
interpreted in reference to the facts of nature, it remains true
that for men to be treated as women is not in accordance with
nature; it is contrary to nature. This disease, this scandal,
this disgrace, is openly professed in these religious
ceremonies; whereas it is reluctantly confessed, under torture,
by men of corrupted morals." (Augustine 2003:242)
Augustine
went irrationally, over the top with his interpretations about
the 'Mandate from Heaven', whilst discrediting the influences of
ideas. He did however rightly oppose the negative effects of
homosexual "rites" in accordance with current 'deontology'.
"Anyone
who intelligently examines the futile obscenities of both
[mythology and civil 'opera' plays] will conclude that both are
fabulous [sarcastically]; anyone who observes that stage shows
closely related to 'fabulous' [mythological] theology are
included in the festivals of the gods of the city and the civic
religious cult, will recognize that both theologies are, in
fact, civil.
How
is it, then, that the power of giving eternal life is ascribed
to any of those gods, when their images and their ceremonies
show quite unmistakably that they are precisely the same as
those openly rejected 'fabulous' [mythological] divinities in
respect of their physical form, their age, sex, clothing, their
marriages, their children and their rites? All this makes it
clear that they were originally human beings in whose honour
rites and ceremonies were established in response to some
special circumstance in their life or death and that this error
has crept in with the encouragement of the demons who insinuated
it, or at least through the activity of an unclean spirit,
seizing any chance to delude the minds of men." (Augustine
2003:243) It is not clear what Augustine means with "fabulous"
(mythological) and "civil" theology. Sometimes it seems as if
"fabulous" refers to theatres and "civil" to temples.
"But
felicity is not a goddess, but the gift of God. To what God then
should we consecrate ourselves except to the giver of felicity,
if we fix our devout affection on eternal life, where there is
true fulfilment of felicity?" (Augustine 2003:252) Augustine
defines "God", several places, as the giver of "felicity". It is
yet to come clear whether his "felicity" is the utilitarian
happiness or a deontological idea. It seems it could be the
utilitarian happiness because he discredits values of ideas. He
did however value Truth but I have not found him propagating
Love (social contract theory).
27
August 2016
"And
now I should like our friends to explain what interpretation
they want to be put on Jove, who is also called Jupiter.23
(Augustine 2003:265)
"23.
Jove-Jupiter. The
root Iov for all
cases of Jupiter other than the nominative implies a nominative
Iovis, which occurs in chs. 14, 15 (twice) and ch.16. It is
perhaps significant that in ch.15 and ch.16 this form is found
where God is identified with the world, which may suggest a
traditional formula. Iovis
(nominative) occurs in lines of Ennius quoted in Apuleius (De
Deo Socr., 2, 112) in a list of the 'great gods'. It is used by
Apuleius himself in two places (De Mund., 37, 370 and Met., 1, 33, 311).
(Augustine 2003:265)
"But
we need say no more about Jupiter, if it is true that the rest
of the gods are to be reduced to him: which means that belief in
a multitude of gods would be left a mere delusion, since Jupiter
in himself is all gods, and they are regarded as parts or powers
of Jupiter; or else the spiritual force, which Varro and his
like suppose to be diffused through all the universe, has
received the names of many gods from the different elements
which go to make up the mass of the visible world and from the
multiple forms of the operations of nature." (Augustine
2003:270) Earlier Augustine wrote that one "God" makes economic
sense. It seems the struggle for ideas was also prevalent in
Rome. The people for the mythical god, Jupiter, claimed that
their "God" was the origin of everything, also ideas. The civil
gods, which were regarded lesser gods often represented ideas,
for example hinges of doors, methods during harvest etc.
Augustine also made the distinction between the theatre and the
temples ceremonies. The one was for the mythical and the other
for the civil. It seems he was more in favour of the theatre
than temple ceremonies.
"Among
the rites of Ceres, the Eleusinian cult is widely known, for it
was the most notable religious ceremony held at Athens. Varro
offers no interpretation of it, except for a reference to the
discovery of corn by Ceres". (Augustine 2003:278)
29
August 2016
"Zeno of Citium (fl. c.
300 B.C.) founded the Stoic school; cf. n. on Bk XIV, 2. Chrysippus (c. 280-204
B.C.) was the third head of the Stoics. He completed and
systematized their teachings." (Augustine 2003:347)
3
September 2016
"For
we are now disputing with those who agree with us in believing
that God is an immaterial being, the creator of all things other
than himself." (Augustine 2003:434) I recall that elsewhere
Augustine wrote that Jesus is God, which contradicts his
statement about immateriality, because Jesus was a man.
"For
evil is not a positive substance: the loss of good has been
given the name of 'evil'. (cf. Plotinus: Enneades, 3, 2, 5,
'Evil is to be defined as the lack of the good': cf. also ch.
22, and Enchir. 4,
'What is called evil is really the privation of good.')"
(Augustine 2003:434)
4
September 2016
"They
[manicheans] would not have babbled like this if they had
believed in the truth, that the nature of God is unchangeable
and completely incorruptible, and that nothing can do it harm;
and if they had held, according to sound Christian teaching,
that the soul, which could change for the worse through free
choice, and could be corrupted by sin, is not part of God, nor
of the same nature as God, but is created by him, and is far
inferior to its creator." (Augustine 2003:454)
This
statement of Augustine implies a belief by manicheans that "the
soul", according to Augustine, could be part of God, according
to manicheans. What is "the soul" however according to
Augustine? Did the manicheans refer to "the soul" or is it
Augustine's interpretation of what manicheans believed. Probably
"the soul", according to Augustine, is his own soul, that is
Augustine's soul. His emphasis on singularity cause Caiaphas
syndrome, which has not shown clearly, but he often wrote about
utility, which implies sacrificing others, of utilitarian
philosophy. According to me also, "the soul" cannot be part of
God, because of the singularity, "the soul" implies. A problem
however is that when no people are part of good then the world
digresses into disgrace. How can an argument thus be made that
people should be good, in order to be in a world in which
gradual progress takes place continuously, without intermittent
gradual progress and gradual digression? I think the answer is
to change "the soul" to *souls* and "him" to *them-and-us* being
part of God. "Him", according to Augustine, is used as direct
references for "God". *Them-and-us* or others-than-only-selves
can however not be used as a direct reference for God, because
*them-and-us* can only be used to refer to a part of God. An
individual who is part of *them-and-us* cannot be individually a
part of God. The one part *them-and-us* together with other
parts, for example, logic and noumenon parts, makes up the whole
of God, *that* cannot be known completely. An important
attribute of "God", according to Augustine is incorruptibility
("For we are now disputing with those who agree with us in
believing that God is an immaterial being, the creator of all
things other than himself." (Augustine 2003:434))
Incorruptibility, is according to my view, an important
attribute of *parts of God*, the logos, logic and unknown, which
relate to the ideas Truth and Love. Another part, that is,
*them-and-us*, who keeps the ideas Truth and Love above selves
are corrupt, especially with some of the seven deadly sins, and
it often happens, whilst people each become part of
*them-and-us* and each become not part, after being part.
*Them-and-us* is thus usually corrupt, at least, with some of
the seven deadly sins. Theodicy explains that. It implies that
people are more intensely part of *them-and-us* when close to
being dead, because I assume that then, even the seven deadly
sins could leave people. It seems thus the truth is that there
are grades and levels in *them-and-us*, depending on
circumstances, age, knowledge, views etc.
The
main difference is between the cosmological and ontological
definitions of and/or *for God*. The cosmological view is of and
*for God*. My ontological view is *for God*. The cosmological
view includes no people, or only one man functionally as part of
"God" or as "God himself". My ontological view includes many
people as parts of a group who is part of God. If the group does
not exist, there is no humane part of God and the land/state is
in serious trouble. Can these two views be united? An agreement,
which could help the two views unite, is that one man alone
cannot be part of God. In the cosmological view the idea of
Jesus is only functional and in my ontological view the idea of
one man alone, being part of "God" does not exist, not even
functionally. Another agreement is that both views are *for
God*. These two views can then be the views of *them-and-us* or
perhaps *them-and-I*, if no other joins me with my view.
"In
respect of those truths I have no fear of the arguments of the
Academics.48 They say, 'Suppose you are mistaken?' I
reply, 'If I am mistaken, I exist.' A non-existent being cannot
be mistaken; therefore I must exist, if I am mistaken.49"
"48.
The philosophers of the 'Second Academy' who followed Arcesilaus
of Pitane (c. 315-214 B.C.) in adopting the scepticism of
Pyrrhon of Elis; cf. Bk IV, 3on.
49.
cf. the argument of Descartes, Cogito ergo sum, 'I
think therefore I exist.' (Augustine 2003:460)
5
September 2016
"Now
we are human beings, created in our Creator's image, whose
eternity is true, whose truth is eternal, whose love is eternal
and true, who is a Trinity of eternity, truth and love, without
confusion or separation; and the constituents of the world which
are inferior to us could not exist at all, could not have shape
or form, could not aspire to any ordered pattern, or keep that
pattern, had they not been created by him who supremely exists,
and who is supremely wise and supremely Good." (Augustine
2003:463)
Note
53. "i.e. the logos
('word' or 'reason', cf. 'wisdom' in the preceding paragraph).
The Stoics, from who the Logos doctrine of the Christian Fathers
was, in part, derived, distinguished the λογος ενδιαθετος,
immanent in God, from the λογος προΦορικος, externalised as the
agent of creation. It is the latter which is generally
designated the personal 'Word', the Second Person of the
Trinity, while the denotation of the former shifts between the
personal Logos and
the logos as an
attribute of God." (Augustine 2003:464)
"30.
The perfection of the
number six
The
works of creation are described as being completed in six days,
the same formula for a day being repeated six times... For six
is the first number which is the sum of its parts, that is of
its fractions, the sixth, the third and the half; for one, two
and three added together make six." (Augustine 2003:465)
7
September 2016
"We
may speak of two cities, or communities, one consisting of the
good, angels as well as men, and the other of the evil.
The
contrasted aims of the good and the evil angels did not arise
from any difference in nature or origin. It would be utterly
wrong to have any doubt about that, since God created both, and
he is good in his creation and fashioning of all substances. We
must believe that the difference had its origin in their wills
and desires, the one sort persisting resolutely in that Good
which is common to all -- which for them is God himself -- and
in his eternity, truth, and love, while the others were
delighted rather with their own power, as though they themselves
were their own Good. Thus they have fallen away from that
Supreme Good which is common to all, which brings felicity, and
they have devoted themselves to their own ends." (Augustine
2003:471)
11
September 2016
"Again,
the text in the Gospel, 'Whatever you will that men should do to
you, do that also to them',54
seems to imply that no one can will anything in an
evil or dishonourable way; he can only so desire.
54.
Matt. 7, 12." (Augustine 2003:559)
This
is an instance where Augustine refers to what I regard the
'true' meaning of Love relating to social contract theory and
the law, which instructs us to not do to others like we want
others not to do to us. Augustine however did not understand the
law in the same sense because he has several times degraded
compliance with the law based on Jesus's saying that the grace
of God to others is only forthcoming through himself. The
definition, Jesus gave of Love (compliance with the law) is thus
not yet mentioned by Augustine with the importance it deserves,
imo.
24
September 2016
"For
is there anyone so uninformed about our religion, or so deaf to
its widespread renown, that he does not know that the name
Christ is derived from 'chrism', that is from anointing? But as
soon as he has recognized Christ as the king, let him subject
himself to the king who reigns in the cause of truth, kindness,
and justice". (Augustine 2003:746)
'Chrestotes',
the Greek word for honesty probably relates to 'chrism'
(anointing). Christianity thus partly originated from Greece.
Jesus, imo, knew that the singularity in human form posited with
regard to existence of "God", is false functional
indoctrination, by people who control that indoctrination and
who spread it for their own benefit, whilst sacrificing honest
people, for imparting of 'their' good ideas.
25
September 2016
"In
one of these books, called the Wisdom of Solomon, Christ's
passion is most expressly prophesied. For without question it is
his godless murderers who are recorded as saying,
"'Let
us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is displeasing
to us and opposed to our activities, and accuses us of offences
against the Law, and blames us for sins against our upbringing.
He claims to have knowledge of God, and calls himself God's son.
He has become a reproach to our way of thinking. The very sight
of him depresses us, because his manner of life is different
from that of other men, and his paths are unchanged. In his
opinion we are men of no account, and he holds aloof from our
ways as though from filth. He holds in honour the latter end of
the righteous, and boasts of having God for his father. Let us
see then if what he says is true; let us test what will happen
with him, and we shall know better what his latter end will be.
For if the righteous man is God's son, God will uphold him and
set him free from the clutches of his adversaries. Let us
examine him with insult and torture, so that we may explore the
extent of his devotion, and put his endurance to the proof. Let
us condemn him to the most degrading death, since, on the
evidence of his own words, he will be well looked after.' This
is how they reasoned, but they were misled; for they were
blinded by their own malice." 139
...
139.
Wisd. 2, 12-21" (Augustine 2003:754)
Solomon's
and Augustine's emphases on singularity caused problems. Did
Solomon actually write about "the righteous man" or was it the
translator's mistake? Reference to righteous people in the
plural form when necessity requires defence is more logical. It
is disputed whether the book "Wisdom of Solomon" was actually
Solomon's work according to Augustine.
28
September 2016
"Then
again, what degree of wisdom could exist in Egypt before the art
of letters had been bestowed by Isis, whom the Egyptians, after
her death, thought it right to worship as a great goddess?"
(Augustine 2003:812)
"Aristobulus
was the first among the Jews who, by assuming the priestly
diadem became both king and high priest... He was succeeded by
Alexander,201 and he also was both king and high
priest; and he, as report says, was a cruel ruler to his people.
After him, his wife Alexandra was queen of the Jews,202
and from her time onwards more grievous sufferings attended
them. In fact Alexandra's sons, Aristobulus and Hyrcanus, in
their struggle for the royal power, appealed to the Roman forces
for help against the people of Israel - for Hyrcanus asked for
Roman assistance against his brother.203.. This was
the situation when Pompey, a leader of the Roman people of the
highest renown, entered Judaea with an army and took the city...
After confirming Hyrcanus in the high priesthood, and imposing
Antipater on the subjugated nation as protector, the name then
given to procurators, he carried off Aristobulus as a prisoner.
Henceforth the Jews also were tributaries of the Romans...
201.
Alexander Jannaeus. 102-75 B.C. He alienated the Pharisees by
his military activities.
202.
75-67 B.C. Her Jewish name was Salome.
203.
64 B.C." (Augustine 2003:825-826)
30
September 2016
"Now
God, our master, teaches two chief precepts, love of God and
love of neighbour;.. and the basis of this order is the
observance of two rules: first, to do no harm to anyone, and,
secondly, to help everyone whenever possible. To begin with,
therefore, a man has a responsibility for his own household".
(Augustine 2003:873)
Augustine
did not mention the idea of doing to others like selves want,
which is strange. It however means the same. The idea of others
and selves however explains the logic. I recently posted at
alt.taoism.philosophy, Google groups, that not doing evil to
others and doing good to family and friends like selves want to
be not done to and done to, is social contract theory (Love).
Previously i posted the idea with which Kant expanded social
contract theory (Love) with his categorical imperative. When
doing something asks self what the world will be like if all
people do that.
3
October 2016
"But
in the context of our passage, when we hear or read that the
Lord is to come as an avenger, it is obvious how these words are
to be understood." (Augustine 2003:941) In the context of
Undifferentiated's Hintaoism at alt.philosophy.taoism at Google
Groups, this sentence relates to Shiva's presence in Hintaoism
because "In Shaivism tradition, Shiva is
the "creator, destroyer and regenerator".[6][7][8]"[1],
according to Hinduism. Undifferentiated often includes Jewish
thought in his views and he said Shiva has many meanings. I read
on the Internet that Shiva in Jewish culture has something to do
with burials. Hintaoism could therefore also be some type of
apocalyptic view, like the current view of Augustine, i am
reading.
6
October 2016
"As
for God's omnipotence, which he shows in the performance of so
many great marvels, I have said a great deal about this already.
But if our friends want to discover something that the Almighty
cannot do, here they have it: God cannot lie. And so let
us believe that he will do what he can do by refusing to
believe that he does what he cannot do. Thus, by
refusing to believe that God can lie, our philosophers may reach
the belief that he will do what he has promised to do; and let
them believe it in the sense in which the world has come to
believe it, since God foretold that the world would believe; he
approved that the world should hold this belief; he promised
that the world would believe; and by now he has shown that the
world has come to believe." (Augustine 2003:1077)
References
AUGUSTINE
St. 2003. Concerning the City of God
against the Pagans. Penguin: London, 2nd edition.
MAUTNER,
T. 2005. The Penguin dictionary
of philosophy. (London,
England: Penguin, 2nd edition)