Introduction to Thomas Aquinas

[mikelheron20]

The Swiss Guard is a fearsome fighting force. If the stripey pyjamas don't scare you they have the ultimate weapon - the Swiss Army knife!

[alifeofreason]

Read Spinoza and Leibniz.

[lowimpactorg]

Thomas Aquinas believed that innocent people should be murdered if they disagreed with him and the doctrine of the church. Do you need to know anything else about 'the kind of man he was'?

[blopajmbar62]

@lowimpactorg why not? if we study the lifes of mass murderes like hitler or stalin why not learn about aquinas?

[lowimpactorg]

@blopajmbar62

learn about him - fine. but in the video, it talks about the 'kind of man he was'.

I suggest that someone who advocates killing people who disagrees with him is not a good person - and yet the church made him a saint!

[blopajmbar62]

@lowimpactorg I do not know much about Aquinas... I just came here cause I'm gonna be studying about him next semester. I do not think what you say makes a lot of sense to me right now. I know that Aquinas was known for debating other people. What would be the point of debating others if he could just kill them? if he debated people was because they did not agree with him. I'm sure I won't be hearing about him murdering people. This is the fist i hear someone say this about aquinas

[lowimpactorg]

@blopajmbar62

He suggested that innocent people should be killed because of their beliefs. What do you not understand about that?

Here are his own words:

'With regard to heretics two points must be observed: one, on their own side; the other, on the side of the Church. On their own side there is the sin, whereby they deserve not only to be separated from the Church by excommunication, but also to be severed from the world by death. '

Google it.

I think I would describe that as evil.

[nef2442]

@lowimpactorg "I think I would describe that as evil." Take off your postmodern spectacles and try to understand the context of Thomas's place in history. Name me one group or class of leadership during the medieval period that did not believe that nonconformists should, "be severed from the world by death?" Were Aquinas's beliefs in this department wrong? In today's social climate undoubtedly yes. However, it is intellectually dishonest to dismiss his works entirely. Read Machiavelli yet?

[joebloggington]

@nef2442

Well, I didn't really want to get into his philosophy, which is total nonsense, largely about 'proving' that God exists - as if humans could do that.

But there were plenty of people around in the Middle Ages who knew the difference between right and wrong - for example the 'heretics' who opposed the church. You know, the ones that Saint (!) Thomas said should be killed.

(you need to read up on 'postmodern' too).

[nef2442]

@joebloggington Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, Aristotle, Plato, Socrates all agreed people have innate abilities to know the difference between right and wrong. This is nothing new, its actually a Biblical principle as well. "Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law" (Romans 2:14). However, they believed that the natural law is an aspect of the eternal, therefore, created by God.

[joebloggington]

@nef2442

sorry - joebloggington and lowimpactorg are both me.

'right' and 'wrong' are not innate - they're cultural; you said so yourself earlier.

or do you think it's 'right' to kill people who disagree with you, like Thomas Aquinas did?

[nef2442]

@joebloggington Thomas Aquinas writes in Summa Theologica: Fourth Article, "The truth is the same for all but is not equally known to all; thus it is true for all that the three angles of a triangle are together equal to two right angles, although it is not known to all." (Steinberger 2000 p527). In other words, everyone is born with the ability to know right from wrong (for the most part). However, not everyone knows the truth of where that inherent ability derives from.

[joebloggington]

@nef2442

Yes, but as with most things, I disagree with Aquinas. The ancient Hebrews thought it was 'right' to massacre other tribes - their holy book told them to do it. And that it was 'right' to keep slaves. And Thomas Aquinas thought it was 'right' to kill heretics.

We don't believe those things now, because the culture has changed - as you so rightly said.

[EmanonElazon]

@joebloggington Besides, Aquinas didn't think it was right to kill heretics because they disagreed with him, he believed so because they "disagreed" with revealed Truth.

[EmanonElazon]

@nef2442 And what would be said of those who disagreed with cultural norms today? We are no kinder to those who divert from cultural norms today then we ever were.

[EmanonElazon]

Many things people have believed throughout history have been evil, today no less than in Thomas' day, and one can give reasons (however false) to support that evil. Take abortion for example...on this the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.

[lizazoon]

Thomas Aquinus, the one who wrote the instructions, how to deal with heretics. Hence the Inquisition. Ironically, this guy was promoted ' A doctor of the Church".

[cobracarg]

"To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible" -Thomas Aquinas

[TheEcumenator]

I'm reading Aquinas Beginners Guide by Edward Feser.

It is just simply amazing

[nate12387]

St. Thomas Aquinas is absolutely awesome!!!

[ZamatoElite]

Thomas Aquinas was the best bullshiter of all time.

He was a douchbag who couldn't stand opposing opinions. He sentenced to death tons of "heretics."

Fuck Thomas Aquinas. He is rotting in hell if there is one (and there isn't).

[Namo1245]

wow. That is honestly the best example of an ad hominem statement. You're claim did absolutely nothing and Aquinas' thought still remains due to your failure to engage his arguments - rather you decide to just mumble about the arguer.

[ShutTheFuckUp0809]

His mom and dad kidnapted him and tried to seduce him with a hooker but he didnt take her pussy! what a fuckin lame!!!!!!

[Guinizelli777]

A very fine introduction to St. Thomas Aquinas. Excellent.

[suspiciuosly]

Actually you are partly right. Theories began thousands years ago. Christianity is the one of lies which were created to control people. And look, it is doing well. The richest people are in Vatican. They say that they help people, but they dont do that, of course they could but why if their asses are safe. Now raping little kids. Christianity is bullshit!!!!! Who believe in this are blind!

[mollkatles]

@suspiciuosly can you write that again, you are a profoundly unclear communicator - typos, virtually everything is spelled incorrectly, you have given me a migraine just trying to sort through your non-sense

[opus88888]

@suspiciuosly Do not mix the people that control the churches with mystics and religious people.

[Puppetmaster253]

@suspiciuosly You don't know what you're saying, igorant.

[airplanman]

@suspiciuosly .suspiciuosly.Do you live..afraid, suspicious of most everything ..A closed mind..One is blind my friend by not believing in God.You judge without any understanding.I know ,I was once like you, practically an atheist.You my friend are lost and by your comments live a selfish hard life with no trust.no friends right?..Pray my friend .Jesus will not let you down..Your life will change when you change your heart.God changed my life completely.Sorry but we need God and love..love

[holyrome12]

@airplanman i like catholic social teaching (though not necessarily social values on personal liberty) even as an atheist which is one thing i like about aquinas, but the church is corrupt in every denomination. They are worried more about "spreading the word" then actually achieving some meaningful salvation for people, and they attempt to repress personal liberty in the name of traditional values they hypocritically reject, but how did we get from monks to megachurches and popemobiles

[dylpickle17]

@holyrome12 the popemobile is a donation mercedes benz gives it to him. There was corruption in the church even in Jesus time. Judas betrayed jesus peter denied him three times and so on...there always was corruption..corruption of man

[mmirving]

1337 view here!

[Chenzo2323]

all your posts are belong to us

[Philos2006]

sanbog2: I know that there is no treatise by that name. Are you denying, he wrote that "heretics should be excommunicated and eliminated" ?

[sanbog2]

Sorry, no treatise by that name. You're referring to a question buried in one of his larger works. I respectfually suggest that you read the original question and answer (the complete passage) before you whitewash his work.

[teton99]

Thanks for posting this,good info.