Friday, June 6
Here it is, thursday night, and I just finished book 5 this morning... I don't know how y'all are doing, but I am behind. I won't be able to reply the next couple of days... see y'all Sunday!
From the last chapter of book 5 and the Preface to 6, I think we can rule out the idea that this book could be adressed to Pagans. After saying they are too stupid to understand what is going on, the idea that the whole time Augustine was adressing these arguments to a sympathetic audience was cemented in my mind.
In books 1-5 he has sufficiently delt with Pagan "gods" Whats next?
I still don't understand Augustine when he says that a certain attitude, while not aligned with God, is better than another attitude. I guess it is kinda like the attitude I have had sometimes. "At least Americans aren't ___" or "It sure is nice that we have freedom of religion." Wouldn't it be better if we were persecuted for our faith? Isn't civil government an intrument to make softies out of us?
Observations on Augustine following the 5th book
From the last chapter of book 5 and the Preface to 6, I think we can rule out the idea that this book could be adressed to Pagans. After saying they are too stupid to understand what is going on, the idea that the whole time Augustine was adressing these arguments to a sympathetic audience was cemented in my mind.
In books 1-5 he has sufficiently delt with Pagan "gods" Whats next?
"good" not pertaining to God
I still don't understand Augustine when he says that a certain attitude, while not aligned with God, is better than another attitude. I guess it is kinda like the attitude I have had sometimes. "At least Americans aren't ___" or "It sure is nice that we have freedom of religion." Wouldn't it be better if we were persecuted for our faith? Isn't civil government an intrument to make softies out of us?
