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This was to satisfy an all-powerful God who cannot abide sin. separation from body; ascent to uppermost sphere; continued consciousness. Epicurus and the ancient Stoics had a lot in common, How to be your authentic self: 11 Strategies to be your true self, How To Move Forward In Life When Everything Feels Hopeless, What It Takes To Be A Hardworking Person: The Characteristics And Traits Of A Winner. Young-earth creationism, which denies biological evolution, natural selection, and the true age of the universe and the earth, is still a very prominent belief. (initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of Epicurus or Epicureanism. Christianity claims to absolve its believers from sin, yet Christians behave as if they are just as guilty as before, because Christianity demands absolute obedience to God, even after having believed in the resurrection. The occasion was the vision of the editor, Troels Engberg-Pedersen, to provide something like a synoptic account of philosophy in the so-called post-Hellenistic period of about 100 BCE to 100 CE, roughly from Panaetius (185-109 BCE) to Plutarch of Chaeronea (c. 45-125 CE). The psychopath could argue that he adheres to another moral philosophy called violent hedonism. Others said, "He seems to be advocating foreign deities," because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking. Immediately I searched to see if God said this gay thing was bad, because I trusted his goodness and maybe after all they where wrong? Unfortunately, intrinsically valuable humans do not emerge from valueless, unguided forces. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'mindbydesign_io-banner-1','ezslot_8',111,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-mindbydesign_io-banner-1-0');Stoicism and Epicureanism can be a battle of philosophies, they share similarities which we will cover below but lets look at their differences. Before we can determine which philosophy is better, we should first ask, what is it that makes a philosophy good or bad? So sorry that you have arrived at such extreme conclusions about Christianity. Where, in fact, have we come from? How can we become happy by seeking pleasure?Cuts, voice, footage, script by Einzelgnger. He called his treatises dialogismoi, or conversations. Since the utility of the doctrines lay in their application, he summarized them in stoicheia, or elementary propositions, to be memorized. The image of hell was frightening for a child, who like most, had a vivid imagination. There are many beliefs that are similar in both Christianity and stoicism. In the end, its all about just trying to make the most of what life gives us and helping others as much as we can. Stoicism was established, also in ancient Greece, by Zeno of Citium (334-262 BCE . But you are not dead: you live and abide forever, Epicurus leaves only 3 possibilities. Jesus would rather consort with tax collectors (major thieves of the day) and prostitutes than with the religious elite. The first confrontation I had on my Spiritual journey, was being faced with my own lack of goodness. We should never feel constrained by the opinions and expectations of others. To them, the world is perceived as hostile, and their beliefs (which are, from their point of view,) the only riight beliefs. The possession of inward, spiritual rectitude. Required fields are marked *. . Perhaps such a choice of words was intended as a kind of 'competitive offer' to the blossoming Christianity." (The Cambridge Companion to Epicureanism 53) If Christianity is indifferent to present suffering, why have so many Christians over the centuries labored hard to alleviate it? There is no perfect way of living a life of meaning and virtue. Lets look at how we can go about applying the philosophy to our lives. Despite their contradictory claims, both Epicureans and Christians would profess to adhere to the same standards of behaviour: compassion, forgiveness, generosity, inclusion, hospitality, love, as well as an aversion to excess. Your email address will not be published. In fact, Epicureans believe that its better to be trapped in a cave and not know whether snow or rain is falling outside than to have knowledge of the heavens above. by taking away the yearning after immortality. Consciousness stubbornly refuses to be confined to a materialistic conceptualization. We already know that the Stoics had much in common with the early Christians, 7 Things about the Bible I Wish All Christians Knew. It is therefore not judicious for him to murder. . The pleasure we seek centres on the spiritual. We are certainly highly flawed, and Christians have done an excellent job of pointing out that despite our advances in science and technology, we are not necessarily becoming more moral. Their view of death is that living organisms decompose into their constituent atoms and nothing more. They also teach us about acceptance, trying to do the best that we can, and living a life that were proud of. Both schools of thought believe in pursuing a life that is in harmony with nature and time. Epicureans pursue pleasure whereas Stoics have a sense of duty. If you enjoyed this article Stoicism vs Epicureanism let us know by leaving a comment, sharing it or bookmarking it: Taking up the practice of the stoic philosophy is easier than it seems. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'mindbydesign_io-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_13',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-mindbydesign_io-large-mobile-banner-2-0');We become angry, upset and defensive. other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. 3. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. But the similarities are just as important as the differences. Create an account or log in to get started. Accept whatever happens to you with humility. We are going to have to face our own mortality at some point in time. Tomorrow is the big event on Stoicism for Everyday Life in London, at which Mark Vernon and I will be discussing the relationship between Stoicism and Christianity. This belief was not in the beginning the result of positive teaching. Christ was the final sacrifice for Yahweh. Epicureanism suggests leading a simplistic life with friends while the Stoic perspective is accepting life as it comes. This is a good thing(For instance, learning about Judaism is what first really brought me to Christ. Epicurus and the ancient Stoics had a lot in common because they both shared a desire to help people live better lives. : the philosophy of Epicurus who subscribed to a hedonistic ethics that considered an imperturbable emotional calm the highest good and whose followers held intellectual pleasures superior to transient sensualism Several fundamental concepts characterize the philosophy of Epicurus. What else does Wood find attractive in Epicureanism? (Part 1), Epicureanism after Epicurus The influence of Epicurus on Western thought, Epicurus and Politics: why I think he was wrong, Things You Should Never Post Online but Probably Do, Ways to Check If Youre Visiting a Safe Website, What Teens Shouldnt Put in Their Social Media Profiles, International Soc. Christianity does so no less. 21. p.75 n.2 De Praescriptione Haereticorum, c. 42. This is what he calls seeking the pleasure he needs from killing others and his pleasure is far more important than anyones suffering. As an Epicurean, I think people of all religions are capable of living highly fulfilling lives. Instead, the stoics tell us to accept the situation as it is and do our best with what is in our control at the time. No, its conclusions are familiar for another reasonthey sound like those of modern secular culture. Epicureanism is a branch of hedonism that focuses in the pleasures of the mind more than the body, right? Philosophy Apophatic Ascetical Cataphatic Catholic spirituality Hellenistic Mystical theology Neoplatonic Henosis Practices Monasticism Monasticism Asceticism Spiritual direction Meditation Meditation Lectio Divina Invoking of Mystic Saints Active asceticism Contemplation Hesychasm Jesus prayer Quietism Death, therefore, the most awful of evils, is nothing to us, seeing that, when we are, death is not come, and, when death is come, we are not.. disassociation into constituent atoms; end of consciousness; 'sleep' = soul dies. He also is the creator of the course in the history of Christianity for Lucent University and organises apologetics conferences at his local church. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. If we can do this, then nothing can stop us from living a good life. genuine forgiveness is the point where self esteem is restored. When life throws at us a difficult situation that we cannot control, we should not give in to stress. A stoic will try to live a life free from distraction, pain, and fear by thinking about things they have no control over. If youre interested in reading more about stoicism, you can find out more about it here. Torture and murder are profoundly wrong. In principle, Epicuruss ethic of pleasure is the exact opposite of the Stoics ethic of duty. Jimmy might enjoy listening to heavy metal music in the early hours, but he wears headphones so as not to cause his housemates and neighbors the pain of disturbed sleep. His definition of what is good is pleasure gained through our senses. My only hope was to believe in Jesus and follow whatever the Bible says, or else be guilty of disobeying God. One is the Epicurean, the other is the Christian, and between them the differences go all the way down. And some said, What will this babbler say? Do not believe there is any other goal to be achieved by the knowledge of meteorological phenomena, Epicurus admonishes his readers, than freedom from disturbance. Epicureanism is, then, a way of life seeking a universe to support it. Being extinct may not be a problem to the inexistent one, but it is the anticipation of being inexistent that is so painful to the existent one. was first and foremost . Either, God is incapable of stopping evil. Its hard to say which one is the best, as they are both backed up by strong philosophy and rational ideas. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or. But Epicureans argue that this life is all we have and so according to Wood, Epicurean politics and economics would aim for the protection and pleasure of all in the here and now, a principle far superior in managing the political, economic and health crises of the present age than the obsession with free markets, unequal capital acquisition and consumer output that is burning up our planet. (Of course, from there, their conclusions differed: For the Epicureans, the fear of death was illusory, to be transcended; for the existentialists, it was key to living bravely and authentically. He lived between 341 and 269 BCE in Greece. Stoics used some of the same terminology as Christians. Other conspiracies, like 9/11 being a hoax, or the Federal Reserve being owned by the Rothschilds, are disproportionately common amongst the Christian community. Epicurus differed from all of these in his systematic spirit and in the unity that he tried to give to every part of philosophy. 130-137. 3. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'mindbydesign_io-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-mindbydesign_io-medrectangle-3-0');Stoicism is a school of philosophy that thrived from approximately 300 BC to 200 AD (though similar philosophies and beliefs existed prior to and after that period). There may be gods, but their activities are inconsequential to life here on earth. Although Epicureanism has much that is morally worthwhile, philosophically it suffers a decisive weakness which is exposed by these questions: who is to tell us what is pleasurable and who is tell us that we are to choose our pleasures judiciously? The philosopher Catherine Wood, in her recent article for the New Statesman called Why Epicureanism, not Stoicism, is the philosophy we need now, asks a similar question to that of the Romans: what is the best belief system to deal with the crises in our institutions and in our relations with the natural world and each other? The sketch below describes, first, Epicureanism and its antithetical relation to Christianity; then how, historically, Epicureanism came to form the modern outlook and even to influence Christianity itself; and finally, the contours of the moral debate between the Christian and the Epicurean today. The Christian certainly agrees with the Epicurean at this point. Omissions? As you can see, Epicureanism disagreed with Christianity on an awful lot: cosmology, theodicy, the meaning of life. I was brought up as a Christian and was taught that Christianity came with moral and ethical rules of conduct, kindness and generosity. and banishing those beliefs through which the greatest tumults take possession of the soul., Accustom [ourselves] to believe that death is nothing to us, for good and evil imply sentience, and death is the privation of all sentience; therefore a right understanding that death is nothing to us makes the mortality of life enjoyable . Epicureans therefore feel morally justified in advising people to seek what causes them pleasure and avoid what causes pain in sensible ways. The collection of essays resulted from a conference of . Christ demands perfection he says. Stoicism teaches us that things in life are not always fair and that there are going to be times when were just going to have to let go of something that happened and move on with our lives. As I said before, Christianity is fundamentally about the death and resurrection of Jesus. Paul Elmer More comments aptly: "Gregory's apology might seem almost to be a sermon on the Epicurean text 'Live concealed,' which no doubt he had heard discussed from every point of view during his student days at the university of Athens.