Preserving The Spartan Way

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  This reading in Plutarch’s “Lives Of The Noble Grecians and Romans” covered chapters 51-55, comparing two Greek-Spartan leaders, who reflected Plato’s political ideal, with two Roman leaders, who reflected Aristotle’s political ideal. Chapters 51 and 52 introduce us to the Spartan kings, Agis and Cleomenes.  Sparta was in danger losing their Spartan ways, embracing luxury over discipline. Agis proposed to return people and country to their heritage by proposing a cancellation of all debt and redistribution the land of the wealthy to citizens “who were fit for service as able-bodied soldiers.” Opposition was instant as the rich dug in their heels against losing power and status. Ultimately, Agis was killed by the rich under the leadership of his half-brother, Leonidas.  After Leonidas died with his “300” in the last day of the Battle of Thermopylae, his son, Cleomenes, rose to power. Observing the deepening apathy and laziness of Sparta, Cleomenes grew curious about Agis’ model of gov

Is God to blame for not helping Alcoholics Anonymous?

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Hemant Mehta, over at “Friendly Atheist” posted a thought-provoking blog, ”Alcoholics Anonymous Not As Helpful as Secular Alternatives”. In the event he chooses not to publish my comment, I offer it here for your perusal:

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You said, “God seems to just make the problems worse.” AA says that one can “make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”

The first problem is God has not made any problem worse, but one’s understanding of Him. If one “understands God” to be one way and someone else “understands God” another way and both are wrong, then that is not a failure on God’s part.

Also, please make certain that atheists who also attend these meetings and choose to disbelieve (a god of their own understanding) are also caught up in the same failure rate.

AA does not work because of the absence of God as Objective Personality.

Another problem is that mere decision does nothing for any individual for he can make one decision one day then decide another day to do something different. Is it God’s fault that a person decides (for some reason or other) to quit drinking, yet he intentionally decides to look in his wallet, count his money, get in the car, purchase the drink, drive back home (if that’s where he goes), put the drink to His lips and get drunk? Hardly. If the individual obeyed God, there would be no problem–God is not the one to blame.

God conforms to no one. This is idolatry. Including so-called atheism. The reason for the failure rate is this: unless one surrenders to the true and living God, there will be 100% failure rate.

Thanks for thought-provoking posts!

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