Stoicism is an
ancient Greek philosophy that emphasizes the virtuous life. Consequently, there
are numerous areas of agreement between this philosophy and Christianity.
However, the Stoic rarely believes in a personal God.
Consequently, I prodded one Stoic Facebook group to examine their foundational beliefs which serve to justify devoting their lives to virtue. Here is my response:
Consequently, I prodded one Stoic Facebook group to examine their foundational beliefs which serve to justify devoting their lives to virtue. Here is my response:
“Any building requires as adequate foundation; so too any
moral system. Mindless, purposeless evolution does not provide an adequate
foundation for the life of virtue. Why live according to our evolutionarily
derived nature? This question becomes demanding, especially when we consider
that virtue is just the product of a change. Consequently, virtue at its
deepest level is in flux. How then can we take it as a normative standard?
Besides, we have many impulses – selfishness, self-exaltation - which arise from our nature. Which do we heed and why? If Nature is our God, then it would seem that all things of Nature should have equal value, even hatred and love.
The same questions pertain to the God we choose. If it is a pantheistic God – a God who is everything – such a God validates everything that we do, because everything, even rape, is God. Mustn’t God be above our Nature and inclinations? Mustn’t there be an absolute standard of virtue above our competing desires?
In light of these questions, let me suggest that, at the least, the God who we choose must be intelligent, moral, willful, and capable of explaining the entirety of existence.”
Besides, we have many impulses – selfishness, self-exaltation - which arise from our nature. Which do we heed and why? If Nature is our God, then it would seem that all things of Nature should have equal value, even hatred and love.
The same questions pertain to the God we choose. If it is a pantheistic God – a God who is everything – such a God validates everything that we do, because everything, even rape, is God. Mustn’t God be above our Nature and inclinations? Mustn’t there be an absolute standard of virtue above our competing desires?
In light of these questions, let me suggest that, at the least, the God who we choose must be intelligent, moral, willful, and capable of explaining the entirety of existence.”
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