Unsophisticatedrandomness episode 35: dailystoic.com: Stoicism and Christianity: The History of the Stoics and The Christians A blog by Ryan Holiday
When I first discovered Stoicism, I couldn’t help but see the similarities between the philosophy and the Catholic religion. Stoicism teaches to let things go; Christianity says to turn the other cheek. Stoicism says to only focus on what you can control while Christianity says to trust in God. Another example that comes to mind is the Serenity Prayer; ‘God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.’ This is a Christian prayer which, in my opinion sums up Stoicism perfectly.
Remember you must die
Day of the Dead festival
In this article, Holiday writes about how Paul the Apostle spread Christianity and at the same time, Seneca, a well-known Stoic was working for Nero, an insane Roman Emperor. Holiday mentions the Great Fire that hit Rome in 64AD and that it was rumored that Nero started the fire for some reason. “Some said that the torchbearers had been seen setting the blaze, who, when accosted, claimed they were acting on high authority. Others said that vigils [the corps that oversaw firefighting and civic safety] attempting to douse the blaze had been prevented. The most damning rumor of all claimed that the princeps had stood on his palace battlements and strummed his lyre while the city burned, reciting his own verses about the destruction of Troy.” It is not proven that Nero started the fire, but he hated people thinking he did, so “He began a campaign to shift the blame from himself to others. The sect the Romans called Christiani, and their founder Christus, appear first in Latin literature in Tacitus’ account of the great fire. According to this famous passage, the Christians were arrested on spurious charges and brought to Nero’s palace grounds for horrendous ordeals. They were dressed in animal skins and then were set upon by wild beasts; they were wrapped in pitch-soaked cloth and set on fire; or with a significance Nero could not have indented, they were nailed to crosses to suffocate to death.” Holiday later mentions Marcus Aurelius’ tutor who would prosecute Christians. There is a section in the post called The Clash between Stoicism and Christianity, but it doesn’t give any examples of the thoughts clashing with one another, only Stoics persecuting Christians. Holiday gives some examples of scholars who believe that if you are as Stoic, you can’t be a Christian. I I don’t see any good examples of why this would be the case but what I do see is the similarities between the two. Let’s talk about these similarities.
Holiday gives examples of quotes, both from Stoics and Christians that are very similar, from topics like, getting revenge and morality to anxiety, love, discipline, and stillness. On the example of loving your enemy Holiday gives the quote from Romans 12:20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.” Marcus Aurelius is quoted on the subject saying “Kindness is invincible, but only when it’s sincere, with no hypocrisy or faking. For what can even the most malicious person do if you keep showing kindness and, if given the chance, you gently point out where they went wrong- right as they are trying to harm you?” On stillness: “Be still, and know that I am God.” -Psalms 46:10 “To move from one unselfish action to another with God in mind. Only delight and stillness.” -Marcus Aurelius.
To me, it looks like Christianity and Stoicism go hand in hand. They both have very similar concepts, if not the same. They both have the same ideas on anger, stillness, anxiety, love and even on morality. Imagine those Christians being fed to lions, or being crucified for their beliefs, I say you have to be somewhat Stoic to endure that type of pain. Imagine Marcus Aurelius, an emperor trying to be a better person and not let power get to his head, that sounds a little Christian like to me. Holiday ends with “Christians and Stoics- in fact, people from all philosophies and religions- with a few exceptions, we are largely the same as people have always been and always will be.” I agree with him, what is religion if not a manual on how to live a better life, be a better person, the same as philosophy.
1st picture: google.com
2nd picture: allure
This is a really good one!