On Demons - St. Augustine's City of God (Book IX)
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- Topics: 5th century Christian Demonology, Demons, Demonization of the Pagan Gods, Platonism/Neoplatonism, Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Apuleius, Aulus Gellius, Plotinus, Souls, Philosophy, Passions, Virtue, Vice.
Translated by Marcus Dods. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 2. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: CLP Co., 1887.)
For Context [from Wikipedia]:
"On the city of God against the pagans (Latin: De civitate Dei contra paganos), often called The City of God, is a book of Christian philosophy written in Latin by Augustine of Hippo in the early 5th century AD. The book was in response to allegations that Christianity brought about the decline of Rome and is considered one of Augustine's most important works, standing alongside The Confessions, The Enchiridion, On Christian Doctrine, and On the Trinity. As a work of one of the most influential Church Fathers, The City of God is a cornerstone of Western thought, expounding on many profound questions of theology, such as the suffering of the righteous, the existence of evil, the conflict between free will and divine omniscience, and the doctrine of original sin."
Note that this is not the only book of Augustine's concerned with demons. It should be taken in the context of these other works which come before and after it in order:
"- Book VI: a refutation of the assertion that the pagan gods are to be worshipped for eternal life (rather than temporal benefits). Augustine claimed that even the esteemed pagan theologist Varro held the gods in contempt.
- Book VII: a demonstration that eternal life is not granted by Janus, Jupiter, Saturn, and other select gods.
- Book VIII: an argument against the Platonists and their natural theology, which Augustine views as the closest approximation of Christian truth, and a refutation of Apuleius' insistence of the worship of demons as mediators between God and man.
- Book IX: a proof that all demons are evil and that only Christ can provide man with eternal happiness.
- Book X: a teaching that the good angels wish that God alone is worshiped and a proof that no sacrifice can lead to purification except that of Christ."
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Don’t forget to make an offering to Susan, the Grand Demoness of the Algorithm and demonetization. 🤣
You narration alone is terrific
The Modern Kino
Winning 🫶
Thank you for your work, Dan!
St. Augustine's treatise seems, in a sense, like a logical deduction why the relation of man to non-physical entities has changed since the birth of Christ. This brought me back to Swedenborg's work, claiming that by God being born and reborn as Christ, the law of this realm seems to allow for other human being's to follow suit. As magical practices cannot "pay" for freedom similarly to you cannot pay someone to exercise in your stead. Just like being physically strong is a state you enter by following procedure, it seems rational to assume that spiritual "perfection" is a state you enter and act out daily as well.
Us having travelled down through all the Planetary layers, assuming the corresponding bodies and capacities of each (willingly or not) seems like a question being asked - "can this sort of life find liberation?" As the Gods cannot give anything above themselves, petitioning them for something that belongs to the One God would be pointless.
Achieving freedom seems like a fiercely grand ambition. I can only hope to be blessed with understanding even part of the design some day.
This is indeed the philosophy of Orthodox Christianity, to which Saint Augustine converted but Catholicism abandoned. Theosis is the goal. The lives of modern Orthodox saints such as Saint Paisios, Saint Porphyrios, and Saint John of Kronstadt may be of interest to you.
@@ellemnop123 could you please elaborate more on why Augustine fits more the orthodox christianity and how catholicism changed that?
Thank you so much for having proper closed captions added to this. It's such a rare thing and yet so important when dealing in this subject
a voice I can actually listen to. Great as usual.
Much appreciated, Sir.
Always happy to see your work!
My pleasure 🙏
Thank you very much for narrating and uploading this work.
Fantastic words and fantastic ideas, or the spring thereof from which these things and works come. Thank you!
This is extremely intellectually stimulating Dan. Thank you.
It reminds me of Origen’s writings. Gregory of Nyssa. It sure would be nice if you could elaborate some of those writings. They are similar.
🇩🇰❤️MUCH love from DENMARK
🙏
Interested in your thoughts on God's and demons considering I've heard you describe yourself as an esoteric Christian. Do agree with the ideas presented here?
Thank so much 💛
Thank you for your work.
Thanks for listening
pretty interesting ! i very much like your pace, it is very pleasing to listen to.
thanks so much for the upload! would you consider doing Tetrabiblos one day? much appreciated :):)
Demons flee if we're in God's hands and Demons are sent to do the will of God as the Angels they are above yet below the children of God. Miserable is not a everlasting mood they change by company and availability but what is misery to one is nothing but a moment for other's. Happiness comes at moments if one is happy with life daily is blessed with satisfaction but we all encounter many moods and problems even great moments if you're not able to agree feel free to give your own opinion.
I listened to this whole reading hoping to find the basis of why people say that St Augustine believed that demons were not their own entities, but rather aspects of the human mind, such as the modern concept of inner demons. Could you point me to what I'm looking for
Demons are forever to paraphrase a song.
probably because I was reading some nifty scifi but when i listened to this i wondered if demons lived in black holes and dark matter with the devil trying to cause the universe to contract instead of expand..just something that came to mind
That reminds me of "Maxwells Demon" thought experiment, what where you reading?
@@Eblis840 cool dude i'll have to look that up...just a little frederik pohl "heechee rendezvous"
Wow very well narated
Where ancient Daemons come from? I know seven planetary rulers, but this is mystery to me. Higher self, or maybe personal quardian angels?
Like his critique of the stoics.
Hi Dan, I don't see any atribution of the picture you usde during the reading, would you please post it. I would love to look at the original as well. Who painted it? Thank you for your work
The ceiling of the Room of Constantine by Tommaso Lauretti is an allegorical depiction of the triumph of Christianity over paganism with the classical statue lying broken at the foot of the Crucifix. Found it, thank you.
Chapter 19 though, eh?...heheh. Especially the closing.
algo prayer
All hail the great algorithm.
Thank you for your sacrifice.
Ah, the algorithm demons.
that picture though feels bad man
Hell ya dan
Huh, Augustine going in deep on the Platonist views...nice.
Interesting in that Augustine seems to frame Christ's intercessory role within the context of Platonism...
Lot of coping from Augustine. Oh these other gods are inferior because they are subject to human emotions but when God is angry (or jealous etc.) its just a metaphor because hes actually isnt subject to emotion and therefore superior to pagan gods.
kings of heaven vs princes of hell. eternal 7 on 7 within. princes are the underdog...
microbial life that they didnt know about
What i find interesting is that in the "old world", churches were built as homes/stargates/where one could communicate/reach/reciecve guidance from their imagined god. All of this being borrowed from much more ancient civilizations.
While in the new world, no single structure prior to Roman Catholic invasion, was built to worship/to communicate with/as home of any god and no gods existed in the cosmology or philosophy of the ancients of this “old world”.
If someone's confused, I am not surprised, because the institutional definitions of these structures and ideas are imbeded in their mind and they can’t escape it because, they're institutionalized.
Where do you think the Roman Catholic Vatican was inspired from? What God's purpose for the people? To save if they don't want God then the devil Zeus falls upon them with all thy angels of destruction if you'd rather have their names fitting to the proper group Jupiter Minerva so on.If your confused it's cause you are.
@@epic6434 You didn’t understand what I was saying.
@@ollimekatl But some American ancient civilizations did buitl temples
@@Smoug Yes, but they were star maps and served as schools and places to gather and trade.
They were not worship temples.