In my opinion, “meditations” was full of insightful, applicable material. Though a bit difficult to comprehend, I believe that Marcus Aurelius made some very significant points. His writing came from a very well thought out perspective, and it became apparent that he had spent significant time attempting to construe the meaning in life. Because of his stoic background, Marcus Aurelius was constantly striving to achieve inner perfection, and his writings betray the evidence of deep thought. One quote I found to be of relevant merit was this; “…That the offences which are committed through desire are more blamable than those which are committed through anger. For he who is excited by anger seems to turn away from reason with a certain pain and unconscious contraction; but he who offends through desire, being overpowered by pleasure, seems to be in a manner more intemperate and more womanish in his offences. Rightly then, and in a way worthy of philosophy, he said that the offence which is committed with pleasure is more blamable than that which is committed with pain; and on the whole the one is more like a person who has been first wronged and through pain is compelled to be angry; but the other is moved by his own impulse to do wrong, being carried towards doing something by desire.” What this quote is saying is that if someone does something wrong in anger, that is not as worthy of blame as if someone commits an offense through sheer desire to do it. Marcus then proceeds to reason out his thinking, saying that when people are angry, they perform rash deeds because of the absence of reason. However, when someone commits a transgression because of a yearning to do so, that is far more intemperate of a crime. I think the main difference between Marcus Aurelius’ thoughts and Christianity is that Marcus speculates about the very existence of gods, while Christianity proclaims the reality of a loving God. I got the feeling that Marcus had a lot of unanswered questions about the gods, and life in general. Christianity however, offers answers to those questions. To be a Christian is to trust that Jesus, the son of God, died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day. All it takes is faith, and the bible provides us with many logical answers to our questions. Marcus Aurelius tried to reason out everything by his own power, and sought to produce his own answers. When we take things into our own hands, the outcome is always less than it could be if we seek God’s supreme guidance.
In my opinion Marcus Aurelius' Meditations was very insightful and held some interesting thoughts on life and religion. He talks much about the gods and deities and makes it apparent that he has obviously had many things to say on the subjects of morals and life in general. He seems to be a deep thinker and wanted to pour out as many thoughts as he could in the Meditations. However, I think this quote shows us some interesting aspects of his thinking and insights. “Consider in what condition both in body and soul a man should be when he is overtaken by death; and consider the shortness of life, the boundless abyss of time past and future, the feebleness of all matter.” This statement demonstrates a lack of wisdom and learning on the part of Marcus Aurelius He expresses that the future is a boundless abyss and seems to think the soul will also be “overtaken by death” with the body. He does not mention an afterlife or any kind of a future that sounds hopeful. What he says about matter and the body may be true, but he seems to be missing something important, the hopefulness of a future spent with God.Though he makes some good points, he was obviously missing quite a few things. Because of these things he is missing (namely heaven, God and the sacrifice he made for the world, etc) Marcus Aurelius' views do not agree well with the views of Christians. Without these key factors (that are prominent in a Christian world view) the Meditations does not seem to have much in common with this religion except perhaps for some views on character and morals. However, Marcus Aurelius also seemed to think he could solve any problem and that he somehow had the answers. But looking at his work, you can see that this just isn't true. God it the one who has the power to solve our problems and he is the path to salvation. So although Marcus Aurelius was a deep thinker who had some very interesting insights on the world and the ways of life, but without the truth of Christianity, he work is sadly lacking.
@Leah, your essay is very well done! I agree, Marcus Aurelius was very wise and thoughtful, but without Jesus there was this hole that was apparent throughout his life, and consequently, his writing.
Marcus Aurelius makes some very thought provoking points throughout “Meditations.” And although he has many run on sentences, I still enjoyed his writing. Many of his observations and solutions about mankind’s quirks and habits still ring true to today’s culture. I found this quote to be particularly relevant to this generation. “Do not waste the remainder of thy life in thoughts about others, when thou dost not refer thy thoughts to some object of common utility. For thou losest the opportunity of doing something else when thou hast such thoughts as these, What is such a person doing, and why, and what is he saying, and what is he thinking of, and what is he contriving, and whatever else of the kind makes us wander away from the observation of our own ruling power.” (Book #3) I think that as humans we have a tendency to always be contemplating the thoughts of others; what they might be thinking of us, of life, of the future. But while we are caught up in trying to maintain a good opinion of ourselves we can lose sight of what are goal is, and how we are going to accomplish that goal. I think one of the main differences between Marcus Aurelius’ thoughts and Christianity is the lacking solidity in “Meditations.” In his writing, Marcus seems to be searching and seeking answers to deep questions, and I think Christianity often gives us solid answers to those complex questions. All it takes is faith in those answers, and faith in the One True God.
In my opinion, the Meditations reading was very well explained and written. Marcus Aurelius must have put a lot of time in to writing the Meditations. Marcus Aurelius really talked a lot about the good and bad deeds of men and how we should honor the gods. Here is a quote that is an example of what he believes life should be focused on. " Keep thyself then simple, good, pure, serious, free from affectation, a friend of justice, a worshipper of the gods, kind, affectionate, strenuous in all proper acts. Strive to continue to be such as philosophy wished to make thee. Reverence the gods, and help men. Short is life." This quote is basically saying that you should live your life simple, good, pure, a friend of justice, kind, serious and affectionate. Be a worshiper of the gods and have a deep respect for the gods. Because mans life is short. Marcus says if you live like this then the gods will be pleased and so will man. In my opinion he had a lot of very good points of view of how to live. But Marcus makes a point to do all these things because life is short. There are two points of his that I beg to differ on first is, that it does not seem that Marcus really believes in after life. But as Christians we have hope of eternal life with Jesus in heaven after we die. We as Christians have nothing to fear in life because we have a God who as over come everything. We don't have to worship false gods or make sacrifices in order for our God to except us. Because God sent his son down to die for are sins and he rose again and threw Jesus we are saved. The second is that he does all these good deeds to please man. We are not but on the earth to please man we are here to please God. Man is way to sinful and fickle to make it one's goal to please them all the time. And this also assumes that all men want to be pleased all the time. There are plenty of people that don't care about our goals and wood rather not be bothered and let alone. Also some men maybe insulted that the only reason to serve them is that we feel good about are selfs or meet are goals. Following this would possible lead to lack of genuinely in why we would even serve men. For us as Christians we need to serve open heartedly for Christ first served us. Thats all for now!:)
Cassie, we read the same book! I'm glad I read yours before doing mine, I might've used the same quote haha. When I read that, I was reminded of Ephesians 4:26-7, which says “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." <3
While reading “Meditations, I found it interesting that Marcus Aurelius seems to think that in order to have peace within yourself, you must first be in harmony with nature. It seems as though he worships nature itself, rather than the “Providence” behind it. Although Marcus believes in many biblical principles, he is clearly skeptical of even the existence of a higher deity. One such principle is this: “But I who have seen the nature of the good that it is beautiful, and of the bad that it is ugly, and the nature of him who does wrong, that it is akin to me, not only of the same blood or seed, but that it participates in the same intelligence and the same portion of the divinity, I can neither be injured by any of them, for no one can fix on me what is ugly, nor can I be angry with my kinsman, nor hate him, For we are made for co-operation, like feet, like hands, like eyelids, like the rows of the upper and lower teeth. To act against one another then is contrary to nature; and it is acting against one another to be vexed and to turn away.” The second half of this quote is vastly similar to the verses in 1 Corinthians referencing the body of Christ. “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though its parts are many, they form one body… so there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. (1 Corinthians 12:12, 25)” However, while the body of Christ works together with and through the love of God, Marcus once again refers back to being compatible with nature. Through this reading we see that although Marcus Aurelius had an incredible mind, he lacked a relationship with God, therefore lacking real purpose in his life.
Through out the entire Book three of Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, Aurelius speaks about what a person must do to find happiness. At the beginning he remarks that life does not last forever, so we must make the most of it. Then he goes on to tell how we should make the most of it. One point he brings up is, “If thou workest at that which is before thee, …expecting nothing, fearing nothing, but satisfied with thy present activity according to nature, and with heroic truth in every word and sound which thou utterest, thou wilt live happy.” So, he’s saying that if a person works hard, seeks virtue, is content, and speaks the truth, that person will be happy, and have used their life wisely. The idea that a person must seek virtue and work for happiness reflects his Stoic world view. Aurelius has some good ideas. However, he was focused on trying to do everything right, thinking that would bring him happiness. The bible says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Mathew 6:33) In other words, instead of trying to do everything right, we need to know God, and then we will live better on accident then we ever could purpose. And, when we know God, that’s when we find happiness.
This is my essay, feel free to read it but don't feel like you have to! -§
I enjoyed the Meditations. I would’ve happily read more if I had the time. I think Marcus Aurelius was very inspiring and had many valid opinions. You can tell by his writing that he had carefully thought out and spent a vast amount of time wording and writing his thoughts on life’s meaning. As well as spending extensive time figuring out what his thoughts and what his opinions were. The quote I’m focusing on is from the middle of book 7. “How many after being celebrated by fame have been given up to oblivion; and how many who have celebrated the fame of others have long been dead.” The beginning of the quote “How many after being celebrated by fame have been given up to oblivion” means that after time people who were once famous and well known are now forgotten. Meaning that fame won’t last forever. Take Judy Garland for instance. The name rings a small bell but the once famous and “The greatest actress of all time - Fred Astair” is now only recognized by a few Wizard of Oz fans. It proves that fame doesn’t last forever. Although he doesn’t say it outright I think he means that there are more important things than fame. That you may receive a small amount of public acknowledgement but people will not recognize your name for long. The rest of the quote “and how many who have celebrated the fame of others have long been dead” is saying that the children who did adore Judy Garland are grown up and some dead. (Judy is a more recent example so not all of her fans are dead, but a lot have moved on to different actors and actresses and are now celebrating them and their success, rather than her past successes.) We all have knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. Different religions have slightly altered guidelines and rules but for the most part honoring your parents is right and murder is wrong. I think Marcus Aurelius was aware of right and wrong he still had many questions on what really is, and what isn’t. While I do think there are many simularities between Christianity and Marcus Aurelius there are also many differences. One of the difference of being Christians is we have certainty of life after death and our sins being washed away which I think Marcus Aurelius was unsure about, possibly confused and lacking security in what really happens after death. He appears slightly scared of it and unsure of what to believe. However, As many will agree with me he was a very inspiring man and his words and opinions will be remembered for many years to come. (He will probably contradict his own words, the quote I picked, for that matter!)
Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations” was packed with wise thoughts about how to live your life. Even though he had many run-on sentence and deep thoughts that were hard to comprehend, I felt that “Meditations” was still well written and thought out. Many of the truths he covered are still true today. One quote I found interesting was, “And thou wilt give thyself relief, if thou doest every act of thy life as if it were the last, laying aside all carelessness and passionate aversion from the commands of reason and all hypocrisy, and self-love, and discontent with the portion which has been given to thee.” (Book 2) This is saying that man will live a happy life if he does every act of his life if it were his last. It also says that if you lay aside all selfish vices and discontent with the time you have been given on earth, that is another way to achieve a blissful life. This quote reflects Marcus Aurelius’ stoic beliefs that man should constantly strive to achieve inner perfection and peace. It is true that we should live every day as our last because we do not know the time of our death. But on our own we cannot lay aside carelessness, passionate aversion from the commands of reason, hypocrisy, self-love, and discontent with the portion, which has been given to us. We need God’s help to stop our selfish human desires and our ungratefulness. This is where Marcus Aurelius was mistaken; he thought that man could perfect himself. The main difference between Marcus Aurelius thoughts and Christianity is that God has told us our purpose in life, which is to honor and glorify God with our thoughts and lives. Marcus Aurelius believed that man must live life well because man has only one life, but Marcus does not really know how to live a good life is or what is the purpose of it. In “meditations” Marcus was searching for answers because he did not know God and because he did not have God he lost the true purpose of life.
This week’s reading of Meditations is full of interesting insight. It is evident that the author, Marcus Aurelius immersed his life in philosophy. I think Marcus is overall, a brilliant man. His perception on life is counter-cultural both then and now. One particular quote that goes against much of human nature is this:
“What then is that which is able to conduct a man? One thing and only one, philosophy. But this consists in keeping the daemon within a man free from violence and unharmed, superior to pains and pleasures… and, finally, waiting for death with a cheerful mind, as being nothing else than a dissolution of the elements of which every living being is compounded…For it is according to nature, and nothing is evil which is according to nature.” (Book II)
Although I think some parts of this are true, as a Christian, I can't agree with the majority of the quote. First of all, the only thing that can rightly conduct man is not philosophy, but God. I also believe that man cannot do anything to keep our “daemon,” or soul, unharmed. We live in a fallen, broken world with sin. This means that no matter what we try to do, we cannot physically keep our own soul whole. Next, Marcus says that we should be “waiting for death with a cheerful mind.” I can agree with this. There’s not a day where I don’t anxiously await the moment of facing my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. Yet, I don’t think that is what Marcus is trying to get at here. Marcus believes death is merely the end of life, while we know it’s just the beginning. Finally, Marcus states that all which comes from nature is right, including death. However, death is not fitting. When God first created this world, He created it perfectly—without death. Because of sin, death entered the world. The only reason one should and can cheerfully await death is because those of us who put our faith in Jesus Christ look forward to spending eternity with our Lord in Paradise after we leave this earth.
In all, Marcus had some good ideas that even a Christian can use. Yet, Marcus was missing something big. He was missing the Giver of everything good and perfect. (James 1:17) Marcus was looking for the right things in the wrong places. While God could have given him everything he hoped for, he looked in vain to philosophy for answers to life’s questions.
I read Meditations 12. In it, Marcus Aurelius said, "Consider that before long, though wilt be nobody and nowhere, nor will any of the things exist which though now seest, nor any of those who are now living." (book 12)
That statement brought up questions. If he is saying one day we will not exist someday, then what is the purpose of life? If we just cease to exist, then why are we here? What is our purpose in life? To grow, get sealthy, have kids, then die? I f that is so, to me, life just would not be worth living. Our efforts here on earth, no matter how great, do not extend beyond this life on earth. Ephesians 1:11-12 ESV: "In him we have obtained an inheritance, shaving been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be dot the praise of his glory." We have a purpose in this life that extends beyond death.
There is something that Marcus said that I thought was quite wise: And let there be present to thy mind...how worthless everything is after which men violently strain" (very end of book 12) It reminded me of Ecclesiastes. Throughout Ecclesiastes, Solomon stresses that point: Everything we strive after is vain. Here are his words: "I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:14)
All in all, Marcus Aurelius was a good thinker, and used logic. But without God, he, as a faulty human being, became a little screwed up on some of his views.
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13 comments:
In my opinion, “meditations” was full of insightful, applicable material. Though a bit difficult to comprehend, I believe that Marcus Aurelius made some very significant points. His writing came from a very well thought out perspective, and it became apparent that he had spent significant time attempting to construe the meaning in life. Because of his stoic background, Marcus Aurelius was constantly striving to achieve inner perfection, and his writings betray the evidence of deep thought.
One quote I found to be of relevant merit was this;
“…That the offences which are committed through desire are more blamable than those which are committed through anger. For he who is excited by anger seems to turn away from reason with a certain pain and unconscious contraction; but he who offends through desire, being overpowered by pleasure, seems to be in a manner more intemperate and more womanish in his offences. Rightly then, and in a way worthy of philosophy, he said that the offence which is committed with pleasure is more blamable than that which is committed with pain; and on the whole the one is more like a person who has been first wronged and through pain is compelled to be angry; but the other is moved by his own impulse to do wrong, being carried towards doing something by desire.”
What this quote is saying is that if someone does something wrong in anger, that is not as worthy of blame as if someone commits an offense through sheer desire to do it. Marcus then proceeds to reason out his thinking, saying that when people are angry, they perform rash deeds because of the absence of reason. However, when someone commits a transgression because of a yearning to do so, that is far more intemperate of a crime.
I think the main difference between Marcus Aurelius’ thoughts and Christianity is that Marcus speculates about the very existence of gods, while Christianity proclaims the reality of a loving God. I got the feeling that Marcus had a lot of unanswered questions about the gods, and life in general. Christianity however, offers answers to those questions. To be a Christian is to trust that Jesus, the son of God, died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day. All it takes is faith, and the bible provides us with many logical answers to our questions. Marcus Aurelius tried to reason out everything by his own power, and sought to produce his own answers. When we take things into our own hands, the outcome is always less than it could be if we seek God’s supreme guidance.
In my opinion Marcus Aurelius' Meditations was very insightful and held some interesting thoughts on life and religion. He talks much about the gods and deities and makes it apparent that he has obviously had many things to say on the subjects of morals and life in general. He seems to be a deep thinker and wanted to pour out as many thoughts as he could in the Meditations. However, I think this quote shows us some interesting aspects of his thinking and insights.
“Consider in what condition both in body and soul a man should be when he is overtaken by death; and consider the shortness of life, the boundless abyss of time past and future, the feebleness of all matter.”
This statement demonstrates a lack of wisdom and learning on the part of Marcus Aurelius He expresses that the future is a boundless abyss and seems to think the soul will also be “overtaken by death” with the body. He does not mention an afterlife or any kind of a future that sounds hopeful. What he says about matter and the body may be true, but he seems to be missing something important, the hopefulness of a future spent with God.Though he makes some good points, he was obviously missing quite a few things. Because of these things he is missing (namely heaven, God and the sacrifice he made for the world, etc) Marcus Aurelius' views do not agree well with the views of Christians. Without these key factors (that are prominent in a Christian world view) the Meditations does not seem to have much in common with this religion except perhaps for some views on character and morals. However, Marcus Aurelius also seemed to think he could solve any problem and that he somehow had the answers. But looking at his work, you can see that this just isn't true. God it the one who has the power to solve our problems and he is the path to salvation. So although Marcus Aurelius was a deep thinker who had some very interesting insights on the world and the ways of life, but without the truth of Christianity, he work is sadly lacking.
@Leah, your essay is very well done! I agree, Marcus Aurelius was very wise and thoughtful, but without Jesus there was this hole that was apparent throughout his life, and consequently, his writing.
Marcus Aurelius makes some very thought provoking points throughout “Meditations.” And although he has many run on sentences, I still enjoyed his writing. Many of his observations and solutions about mankind’s quirks and habits still ring true to today’s culture.
I found this quote to be particularly relevant to this generation. “Do not waste the remainder of thy life in thoughts about others, when thou dost not refer thy thoughts to some object of common utility. For thou losest the opportunity of doing something else when thou hast such thoughts as these, What is such a person doing, and why, and what is he saying, and what is he thinking of, and what is he contriving, and whatever else of the kind makes us wander away from the observation of our own ruling power.” (Book #3)
I think that as humans we have a tendency to always be contemplating the thoughts of others; what they might be thinking of us, of life, of the future. But while we are caught up in trying to maintain a good opinion of ourselves we can lose sight of what are goal is, and how we are going to accomplish that goal.
I think one of the main differences between Marcus Aurelius’ thoughts and Christianity is the lacking solidity in “Meditations.” In his writing, Marcus seems to be searching and seeking answers to deep questions, and I think Christianity often gives us solid answers to those complex questions. All it takes is faith in those answers, and faith in the One True God.
In my opinion, the Meditations reading was very well explained and written. Marcus Aurelius must have put a lot of time in to writing the Meditations. Marcus Aurelius really talked a lot about the good and bad deeds of men and how we should honor the gods. Here is a quote that is an example of what he believes life should be focused on.
" Keep thyself then simple, good, pure, serious, free from affectation, a friend of justice, a worshipper of the gods, kind, affectionate, strenuous in all proper acts. Strive to continue to be such as philosophy wished to make thee. Reverence the gods, and help men. Short is life."
This quote is basically saying that you should live your life simple, good, pure, a friend of justice, kind, serious and affectionate. Be a worshiper of the gods and have a deep respect for the gods. Because mans life is short. Marcus says if you live like this then the gods will be pleased and so will man. In my opinion he had a lot of very good points of view of how to live. But Marcus makes a point to do all these things because life is short. There are two points of his that I beg to differ on first is, that it does not seem that Marcus really believes in after life. But as Christians we have hope of eternal life with Jesus in heaven after we die. We as Christians have nothing to fear in life because we have a God who as over come everything. We don't have to worship false gods or make sacrifices in order for our God to except us. Because God sent his son down to die for are sins and he rose again and threw Jesus we are saved.
The second is that he does all these good deeds to please man. We are not but on the earth to please man we are here to please God. Man is way to sinful and fickle to make it one's goal to please them all the time. And this also assumes that all men want to be pleased all the time. There are plenty of people that don't care about our goals and wood rather not be bothered and let alone. Also some men maybe insulted that the only reason to serve them is that we feel good about are selfs or meet are goals. Following this would possible lead to lack of genuinely in why we would even serve men. For us as Christians we need to serve open heartedly for Christ first served us.
Thats all for now!:)
Cassie, we read the same book! I'm glad I read yours before doing mine, I might've used the same quote haha. When I read that, I was reminded of Ephesians 4:26-7, which says “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." <3
While reading “Meditations, I found it interesting that Marcus Aurelius seems to think that in order to have peace within yourself, you must first be in harmony with nature. It seems as though he worships nature itself, rather than the “Providence” behind it. Although Marcus believes in many biblical principles, he is clearly skeptical of even the existence of a higher deity. One such principle is this:
“But I who have seen the nature of the good that it is beautiful, and of the bad that it is ugly, and the nature of him who does wrong, that it is akin to me, not only of the same blood or seed, but that it participates in the same intelligence and the same portion of the divinity, I can neither be injured by any of them, for no one can fix on me what is ugly, nor can I be angry with my kinsman, nor hate him, For we are made for co-operation, like feet, like hands, like eyelids, like the rows of the upper and lower teeth. To act against one another then is contrary to nature; and it is acting against one another to be vexed and to turn away.”
The second half of this quote is vastly similar to the verses in 1 Corinthians referencing the body of Christ.
“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though its parts are many, they form one body… so there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. (1 Corinthians 12:12, 25)”
However, while the body of Christ works together with and through the love of God, Marcus once again refers back to being compatible with nature. Through this reading we see that although Marcus Aurelius had an incredible mind, he lacked a relationship with God, therefore lacking real purpose in his life.
Through out the entire Book three of Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, Aurelius speaks about what a person must do to find happiness. At the beginning he remarks that life does not last forever, so we must make the most of it. Then he goes on to tell how we should make the most of it. One point he brings up is, “If thou workest at that which is before thee, …expecting nothing, fearing nothing, but satisfied with thy present activity according to nature, and with heroic truth in every word and sound which thou utterest, thou wilt live happy.” So, he’s saying that if a person works hard, seeks virtue, is content, and speaks the truth, that person will be happy, and have used their life wisely. The idea that a person must seek virtue and work for happiness reflects his Stoic world view.
Aurelius has some good ideas. However, he was focused on trying to do everything right, thinking that would bring him happiness. The bible says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Mathew 6:33) In other words, instead of trying to do everything right, we need to know God, and then we will live better on accident then we ever could purpose. And, when we know God, that’s when we find happiness.
This is my essay, feel free to read it but don't feel like you have to! -§
I enjoyed the Meditations. I would’ve happily read more if I had the time. I think Marcus Aurelius was very inspiring and had many valid opinions. You can tell by his writing that he had carefully thought out and spent a vast amount of time wording and writing his thoughts on life’s meaning. As well as spending extensive time figuring out what his thoughts and what his opinions were.
The quote I’m focusing on is from the middle of book 7. “How many after being celebrated by fame have been given up to oblivion; and how many who have celebrated the fame of others have long been dead.”
The beginning of the quote “How many after being celebrated by fame have been given up to oblivion” means that after time people who were once famous and well known are now forgotten. Meaning that fame won’t last forever. Take Judy Garland for instance. The name rings a small bell but the once famous and “The greatest actress of all time - Fred Astair” is now only recognized by a few Wizard of Oz fans. It proves that fame doesn’t last forever. Although he doesn’t say it outright I think he means that there are more important things than fame. That you may receive a small amount of public acknowledgement but people will not recognize your name for long.
The rest of the quote “and how many who have celebrated the fame of others have long been dead” is saying that the children who did adore Judy Garland are grown up and some dead. (Judy is a more recent example so not all of her fans are dead, but a lot have moved on to different actors and actresses and are now celebrating them and their success, rather than her past successes.)
We all have knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. Different religions have slightly altered guidelines and rules but for the most part honoring your parents is right and murder is wrong. I think Marcus Aurelius was aware of right and wrong he still had many questions on what really is, and what isn’t. While I do think there are many simularities between Christianity and Marcus Aurelius there are also many differences. One of the difference of being Christians is we have certainty of life after death and our sins being washed away which I think Marcus Aurelius was unsure about, possibly confused and lacking security in what really happens after death. He appears slightly scared of it and unsure of what to believe. However, As many will agree with me he was a very inspiring man and his words and opinions will be remembered for many years to come. (He will probably contradict his own words, the quote I picked, for that matter!)
(I had separate paragraphs but when I posted the comment they all merged together :( Sorry.)
Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations” was packed with wise thoughts about how to live your life. Even though he had many run-on sentence and deep thoughts that were hard to comprehend, I felt that “Meditations” was still well written and thought out. Many of the truths he covered are still true today.
One quote I found interesting was, “And thou wilt give thyself relief, if thou doest every act of thy life as if it were the last, laying aside all carelessness and passionate aversion from the commands of reason and all hypocrisy, and self-love, and discontent with the portion which has been given to thee.” (Book 2) This is saying that man will live a happy life if he does every act of his life if it were his last. It also says that if you lay aside all selfish vices and discontent with the time you have been given on earth, that is another way to achieve a blissful life. This quote reflects Marcus Aurelius’ stoic beliefs that man should constantly strive to achieve inner perfection and peace. It is true that we should live every day as our last because we do not know the time of our death. But on our own we cannot lay aside carelessness, passionate aversion from the commands of reason, hypocrisy, self-love, and discontent with the portion, which has been given to us. We need God’s help to stop our selfish human desires and our ungratefulness. This is where Marcus Aurelius was mistaken; he thought that man could perfect himself.
The main difference between Marcus Aurelius thoughts and Christianity is that God has told us our purpose in life, which is to honor and glorify God with our thoughts and lives. Marcus Aurelius believed that man must live life well because man has only one life, but Marcus does not really know how to live a good life is or what is the purpose of it. In “meditations” Marcus was searching for answers because he did not know God and because he did not have God he lost the true purpose of life.
This week’s reading of Meditations is full of interesting insight. It is evident that the author, Marcus Aurelius immersed his life in philosophy. I think Marcus is overall, a brilliant man. His perception on life is counter-cultural both then and now. One particular quote that goes against much of human nature is this:
“What then is that which is able to conduct a man? One thing and only one, philosophy. But this consists in keeping the daemon within a man free from violence and unharmed, superior to pains and pleasures… and, finally, waiting for death with a cheerful mind, as being nothing else than a dissolution of the elements of which every living being is compounded…For it is according to nature, and nothing is evil which is according to nature.” (Book II)
Although I think some parts of this are true, as a Christian, I can't agree with the majority of the quote. First of all, the only thing that can rightly conduct man is not philosophy, but God. I also believe that man cannot do anything to keep our “daemon,” or soul, unharmed. We live in a fallen, broken world with sin. This means that no matter what we try to do, we cannot physically keep our own soul whole. Next, Marcus says that we should be “waiting for death with a cheerful mind.” I can agree with this. There’s not a day where I don’t anxiously await the moment of facing my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. Yet, I don’t think that is what Marcus is trying to get at here. Marcus believes death is merely the end of life, while we know it’s just the beginning. Finally, Marcus states that all which comes from nature is right, including death. However, death is not fitting. When God first created this world, He created it perfectly—without death. Because of sin, death entered the world. The only reason one should and can cheerfully await death is because those of us who put our faith in Jesus Christ look forward to spending eternity with our Lord in Paradise after we leave this earth.
In all, Marcus had some good ideas that even a Christian can use. Yet, Marcus was missing something big. He was missing the Giver of everything good and perfect. (James 1:17) Marcus was looking for the right things in the wrong places. While God could have given him everything he hoped for, he looked in vain to philosophy for answers to life’s questions.
I read Meditations 12. In it, Marcus Aurelius said, "Consider that before long, though wilt be nobody and nowhere, nor will any of the things exist which though now seest, nor any of those who are now living." (book 12)
That statement brought up questions. If he is saying one day we will not exist someday, then what is the purpose of life? If we just cease to exist, then why are we here? What is our purpose in life? To grow, get sealthy, have kids, then die? I f that is so, to me, life just would not be worth living. Our efforts here on earth, no matter how great, do not extend beyond this life on earth. Ephesians 1:11-12 ESV: "In him we have obtained an inheritance, shaving been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be dot the praise of his glory." We have a purpose in this life that extends beyond death.
There is something that Marcus said that I thought was quite wise: And let there be present to thy mind...how worthless everything is after which men violently strain" (very end of book 12) It reminded me of Ecclesiastes. Throughout Ecclesiastes, Solomon stresses that point: Everything we strive after is vain. Here are his words: "I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:14)
All in all, Marcus Aurelius was a good thinker, and used logic. But without God, he, as a faulty human being, became a little screwed up on some of his views.
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