Virtue - Tumblr Posts
More people become good by practice than by nature.
-Democritus
“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”
—Aristotle
“Peace is not the absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition of benevolence, confidence, justice.”
—Baruch Spinoza
“Real genius is nothing else but the supernatural virtue of humility in the domain of thought.”
—Simone Weil
“Friendship is not to be sought, not to be dreamed, not to be desired; it is to be exercised (it is a virtue).”
—Simone Weil
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.”
—Maya Angelou
If moral virtue is knowledge, then is it proof that someone has knowledge if he lives a virtuous life? But might not someone be virtuous without knowledge -- if invalid reasoning has led him to the good? Is not the good the good regardless of the path that leads to it? (Or can flawed reasoning never even accidentally arrive at the truth?).
"If moral virtue is knowledge, then is it proof that someone has knowledge if he lives a virtuous life?"if you truly understand what is good, you will act in accordance with it. From this perspective, a virtuous life is indeed a manifestation of knowledge, because moral errors would be rooted in ignorance. So, yes, for Socratic intellectualism, living virtuously is proof of knowledge.
"But might not someone be virtuous without knowledge — if invalid reasoning has led him to the good?". You might argue that someone could stumble upon the good through flawed or incomplete reasoning. Aristotle, for example, suggested that habituation (repeatedly practicing virtuous actions) can lead to virtue, even if one doesn't fully grasp the reasoning behind those actions. So, someone might act virtuously without intellectual knowledge of why those actions are good.
"Is not the good the good regardless of the path that leads to it?".the objective goodness of an action is independent of how one arrives at it. In that sense, yes, the good remains good, whether one reaches it through flawless reasoning, intuition, or even chance.
"Or can flawed reasoning never even accidentally arrive at the truth?". Flawed reasoning can sometimes lead to correct conclusions, even if the reasoning process itself is faulty. For example, someone could hold a superstitious belief that by helping others, good fortune will come to them, leading them to act virtuously. While their reasoning is flawed, their actions are still good. Aristotle acknowledged that people could behave in ways that are accidentally virtuous, but true virtue requires both correct reasoning and correct action.
While Socratic intellectualism would reject the idea that someone can be virtuous without knowledge, other perspectives—like Aristotle's—acknowledge that virtuous behavior can occur even without perfect understanding. However, true virtue for Aristotle requires more than just accidental or habituated actions; it requires practical wisdom, which is a form of knowledge.
Bowynn Gods: Anhur
Anhur (An-her) Anhur is King-Father of the gods, Son of Brea and Unthar. Anhur is the god of families, men, fatherhood, laws, virtues, courtrooms, justice and men’s rites. Anhur is the son of Unthar and Brea. He is the ruler of the earth and considered king of the Gods in the Bowynn faith. Being the figure-head of all the Akua, he upholds law, justice and morals, and this made him the spiritual leader of both gods and mortals. His symbols are the scepter, the hawk, wolf and the Maple Tree. Ultimately, Anhur is the God of Councils and councilors. He is a patron to all men and men’s rites, rituals and initiations. He lends wisdom to fathers. He is the god-king of justice, law, order and all virtues. He is a god of protection, liberty and freedom. Anhur is protector and patron of the king and his family. As the supreme deity, Anhur oversees the conduct of civilized life.
When born, Anhur and his brothers Chumash and Tane were living in the Second Age. Back then the rulers of the gods were his parents, aunts and uncles. The three boys quarreled often to their parents, who of the three would end up ruling what realm of the earth. The gods sent them into contest with a bow and arrow. The rules were that wherever the arrow that each one of the boys shot would land, that would be the realm they would rule. Tane’s arrow landed in the sea and Chumash’s landed in on another continent where one day mortal spirits would make their home far across the western sea. Anhur’s arrow however landed in a tree. None of the gods could agree what the ruling would be for such a shot. The Great Creator Bia was asked to judge the shot and Bia ruled that the realm Anhur would rule was the earth and the air. And so Anhur’s Kingdom was gained
Next Anhur set on his first great task; to attain his totem animal. He picked not just the wolf but the king of the wolves, Lankner. But Lankner refused to be treated as a Totem animal. This led to a great chase and battle between Lankner and the young Anhur. Eventually the chases and wrestling were too much for the king of wolves and his mortal body collapsed and died. Grief stricken, Anhur saved the soul of Lankner from entering Daunnat and thus not only obtained his totem but to this day, he is Anhur’s immortal hound. Not as a pet but as a brother.
Anhur fell in love with the Goddess Rhya. But she refused his advances till he showed her his true love. by Rhya's request, Anhur built the great Hall of the Gods, Alaway. This was not to be a home for them to stay in all the time but a place to where all the gods would meet for evening meal and sleep. It was said that an oath was made with all the gods that no matter what friction was fused during the day between the gods, when they enter Alaway to eat, all differences were left outside. It took Anhur 7 days to complete Alaway alone, but its completed state would make it the grandest of all hallows. (see “Alaway”)
Anhur in appearance does not come off as a king, as much as he is seen as a father figure. That is to say he seems to present himself as a man in his 40s. Fully bearded, crowned with a circlet, helm or a wreath of maple leaves and with a staff in hand. His hair is said to be golden brown and his eyes green. Often Anhur is seen with Lanker the immortal wolf, or a wolf himself. His clothes are that is a counselor, warrior or a king, but of earthen colors.
Embroidry & Paint of Chumash (left) and Anhur (right) - created by Ksandra Weldess - 2011
The Clothing of the Soul
"The clothing of the soul is holiness through the grace of God. This is bestowed on us by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, through whom we possess also peace, charity, goodness, humility, patience, concord, meekness, and the like. These form our interior store of riches, to which we are always adding by good deeds & the practice of virtues.
But if we are in the habit of bickering, murmuring, or quarreling, we deprive ourselves of these good things, since virtues cannot exist with their contraries. "A little leaven corrupteth the whole lump." So each one must examine herself and carefully consider how much is wanting to her, if she indulge in these faults. Let her think what a loss she sustains if she forfeits these elements of true blessedness for the sake of matters of so little moment."
-Hugh of St. Victor in his commentaries on the Rule of St. Augustine
"There is one thing which keeps many back from spiritual progress an fervent amendment of life: and that is, dread of difficulty, or the labor which must be gone through in the conflict.
And they indeed advance most of all others in virtue, who strive manfully to overcome those things which they find more troublesome or contrary to them.
For there a man makes greater progress and merits greater grace where he overcomes himself more and mortifies himself in spirit."
Thomas a Kempis, Imitation of Christ
"From a pure heart proceeds the fruit of a good life (1 Tim 1:3).
We are apt to inquire how much a man has done, but with how much virtue he has done it is not so diligently considered.
We ask whether he be strong, rich, beautiful, talented, a good writer, a good singer, or a good workman; but how poor he is in spirit, how patient and meek, how devout and internal, is what few speak of.
Nature looks upon the outward things of a man, but grace turns herself to the interior.
Nature is often deceived, but grace hath her trust in God that she may not be deceived."
-Thomas a Kempis, Imitation of Christ
Bound
The word of the week is KNOT, and I am going to be entirely honest, I have NO idea how I got to this story, from that prompt. This is the story about a woman who is the keeper of a knot, ensuring it does not be untangled, and I can’t really explain more without giving the story away, but think mythology… Her fingers were bleeding again, but it didn’t matter, because she knew that she couldn’t…
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(from "The Beggar and the Virtue") They handed coins to the beggar.
They greeted him friendly and smiled.
As the beggar smiled together,
they turned away, went elsewhere.
They visited the virtue who was sick.
They gave the virtue words of consolation.
They were truly heartbroken, wanted to add good faith.
The virtue made a confession of his own life
and they also spoke of their own virtue.
The virtue thanked them.
The beggar didn't understand their virtue,
so he cut off his tongue, threw it at them.
The beggar felt a sense of loss, but they showed disgust.
The beggar couldn’t see the virtue’s face.
"Don't let sin find a place in you. Recognize it as soon as it presents. Contemplate your weakness objectively so you recognize it when it knocks at your door. Actively name it when it calls and actively dismiss it, confess it, and replace it with a virtue. REJECT IT! Don't feed it! In this life you are becoming what you will be. In the next life, you will be what you have become. How do you become? By acting on either your vices or your virtues."
What indeed is fortitude? It is a disposition of steadfastness which inclines the soul to support valiantly all evils, even the worst and most continuous, rather than forsake good; pushed to the supreme degree, fortitude goes so far as to endure martyrdom.
Dom Marmion; Christ, the Ideal of the Monk, p. 143
Ways to Acquire Patience
Consider:
The patience of God tolerating sinners,
the patience of Christ dying for us,
the patience of the saints,
the fruits of patience in either life: satisfying for sin in this life and attaining glory in the next life,
that the redeem one from the paints of hell and pugatory,
the evil of impatience: it loses the merit of patience, and does not make the difficulties we suffer any better; if anything, impatience makes our difficulties worse.
Cameras and filters do the beauty of a woman no justice. I'm glad she's mine. #beautiful #virtue #relationships
Christianity is actually really cool
I just got done binging Wendigoon's old series on Dante's Divine Comedy, and I have to say, it really gave me an appreciation for just how awesome Christian writings, and by extent the bible really are. It's so hard to appreciate the cool aspects of Christianity these days because so many people in Gen Z associate it with right-wing politics and annoying preachers. It's much easier when you are allowed to take in these ideas without people pressuring you to believe a certain thing about it.
And sure, there are still many ideas I disagree with, but the ideals of virtue in helping others and the way it's explained in the Christian cannon are really inspiring to me. The reputation of Christianity would be so much better with secular people if there were more Christians willing to explain Christianity in a manner that wasn't so pushy and judgmental.
Anyways, I just felt inspired to write this post and put my thoughts out there. Check out Wendigoons videos on Dante's Divine Comedy if you ever get the chance.