Philosophy > Christianity? Madison Flowers
If Boethius is a Christian, why does
he turn to Lady Philosophy first, instead of Christ in his time of peril and doubt?
Think about it. What do most Christians do as soon as they start to get nervous
or scared or a little uneasy? Most of the time, they pray. They turn to God and
His Word to give them comfort and direction. Boethius does not do this. He turns
to philosophy instead. Lady Philosophy tries to help him sort out his problems.
And yes, they say in book one that Boethius is a Christian, but why does he have
to go through Lady Philosophy to figure that out and try to find peace?
Lady Philosophy spends the majority
of book two telling Boethius that he should not trust Fortune and all her “gifts.”
She says he knew better than to find his happiness in the things Fortune
granted him. She says that nothing Fortune granted him was truly a blessing for
him anyway. Lady P believes that the only person that can find true pleasure in
something is that thing’s possessor. She says that the only thing a person can
truly possess is his or her intellect, everything else belongs to God. If all of
this is true and if Boethius knows this, which Lady P says he did, then why does he
not just turn to God immediately for help?
I commented on Zelda and Moriah's posts.
Well does Lady Philosophy say anything that God would not have? Perhaps Lady Philosophy is a way of witnessing to others by renaming God so they don't emideately thing "oh hes just some Jesus freak".
ReplyDeleteYou are right, I also asked this question to myself when Boethius continually reinstated that he was a Christian, but I think that Lady Philosophy maybe serves in a different way. It is almost as if Lady Philosophy is his second conscience and he is able to "think out loud" through her. And don't forget, Lady Philosophy and Boethius did at one point pray to God directly.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Boethius didn't turn directly to God at first because of fear or confusion. It sounded like Lady Philosophy found him to be beside himself, so in the midst of confusion he wasn't thinking straight. Maybe he would have turned to God if he was less troubled or confused; this may have just been a struggle he faced in general.
ReplyDeleteI think at some point in everyone's life when they have struggled with something they turned to friends and/or family rather than God. I believe they are more comfortable doing such. I mean, hey, I've been guilty of it too. Maybe Boethius is turning to Lady P because he is more comfortable with it than he is turning to God
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it's like a Catholic idea. Zelda can explain this better. Catholics do pray to God, but they also pray to saints (outstanding members of the faith) as intercessors. I don't get it but its what they do so it could be that Boethius is praying to an "attribute" of God. Partially heretical, maybe Osten can relate.
ReplyDeletespencer wood