Christianity: Retarded.
Philosophy: Bigbrain.
How does Christianity compare with Stoicism? As far as they can be compared, it seems to me that:
Similarities:
- both see the need of man to reel in his passions, and not be dominated by them
- both de-emphasize the material world. Christianity specifically emphasizes "laying up treasures for the Kingdom of Heaven" instead, while Stoicism emphasizes following and cultivating the "divine particle", the soul that is directing the mortal husk of our flesh, rather than the flesh.
- both acknowledge divinity, but in different forms. For Christians it's the triune personified God, for Stoics it seems from my understanding to be more of a divinity that permeates the whole universe and the logic through which it ticks.
- both value acting virtuously, morally, and justly. Both proscribe anger and vindictive behaviour.
Differences:
- Stoicism, on the other hand emphasizes order and rationality, acting "conformably to nature".
- Christianity has concepts of sin (this might be in Stoicism as well, as a transgression against Nature, but it doesn't have the punitive aspect of Christianity), divine punishment, and penitence. I'm not sure what the Stoic view on afterlife is.
- The Christian answer to this life being difficult seems to me to be that the afterlife will be better. The Stoic answer seems to me to be "just grin and bear it, for either it will soon pass with you, or you were made by Nature to endure it".
- Stoicism puts more emphasis on the shortness and transience of life. Christianity on the afterlife.
- While renouncing worldliness, Stoicism's attitude towards the poor seems to be that they should know their place in the divine universal order, while Christianity (though divine right has been used to justify social order) extols poverty to the level of virtue - "Blessed are you who are poor." explicitly in Luke, selling possessions for Christ, asceticism, etc. An Orthodox song goes (quoting Septuagint Psalm 34:10) "The Rich Have Grown Poor and Gone Hungry".
I have some other ideas about differences but didn't have time to write them down.
It really is, though. Christianity gives really simple, but also stupid answers in my opinion:
How to deal with mortality?
>Don't worry, big skydaddy will take you to paradise after death.
Why not kill my fellow man?
>Skydaddy will be mad and no paradise for u.
Why are we here? What is the purpose of life?
>Skydaddy made you so you can worship him.
It's not like reddit tier atheism and "science"-worship is better. They also tend to have really simple answers like lmao I'm made of star stuff!
If you want real and satisfying answers to these things you need to get into philosophy imo. And that means there are no easy answers and probably not even the same answers for everyone.
>Why are we here? What is the purpose of life?
>Skydaddy made you so you can worship him.
Epictetus says literally the exact same thing. So much for your exalted philosophy
Are these the only works of providence in us? And what words are sufficient to praise them and set them forth according to their worth? For if we had understanding, ought we to do anything else both jointly and severally than to sing hymns and bless the deity, and to tell of his benefits? Ought we not when we are digging and ploughing and eating to sing this hymn to God? "Great is God, who has given us such implements with which we shall cultivate the earth: great is God who has given us hands, the power of swallowing, a stomach, imperceptible growth, and the power of breathing while we sleep." This is what we ought to sing on every occasion, and to sing the greatest and most divine hymn for giving us the faculty of comprehending these things and using a proper way. Well then, since most of you have become blind, ought there not to be some man to fill this office, and on behalf of all to sing the hymn to God? For what else can I do, a lame old man, than sing hymns to God? If then I was a nightingale, I would do the part of a nightingale: if I were a swan, I would do like a swan. But now I am a rational creature, and I ought to praise God: this is my work; I do it, nor will I desert this post, so long as I am allowed to keep it; and I exhort you to join in this same song.
Discourses, Book I Chapter 15
A lot of Christianity can cohere with other moral systems I reckon.
P1: God values mankind.
P2: Valuable things shouldn't be destroyed.
C: Do the categorical imperative thing cause human beings have inherent value AND that the most rational thing to do as an individual is to propagate rational ethical systems.
(Just some brain vomit, not actually a Christian, just went to a Christian school).
Another similarity:
"Brothers, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness, looking out for yourself lest you also be tempted." Gal 6:1
"If a man is mistaken, instruct him kindly and show him his error." Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, Book X, Ch. 5