Children, Obey your Parents (Earth, soul, attend, eternal, divorce)

[angellous_evangellous]

This little ditty is attributed to the mother of Plato. I have not yet verified the date, but it is early (2BCE-2CE?). Compare to Ephesians 6.1 and following.

ON THE HARMONY OF A WOMAN

Parents ought not to be injured either in word or deed; and whatever their rank in life, small or great, they should be obeyed. Children should remain with them, and never forsake them, and almost to submit to them, even when they are insane, in every allotted condition of soul or bad body, or external circumstances, in peace, health, sickness, riches, poverty, renown, ignominy, class, or magistrate's rank. Such conduct will be wisely and cheerfully adopted by the pious. He who despises his parents will both among the living and the dead be condemned for this crime by the Gods, will be hated by men, and under earth will, together with the impious, be eternally punished in the same place by Justice, and the subterranean Gods, whose province it is to inspect things of this kind.

The aspect of parents is a thing divine and beautiful, and a diligent observance of them is attended by a delight such that neither a view of the sun, nor of all the stars which swing around the illuminated heavens, is capable of producing any spectacle greater than this. The Gods are not envious in a case like this.
We should reverence parents both while living and dead, and never oppose them in anything they say or do. If ignorant of anything through deception or disease, their children should console and instruct, but by no means hate them on this account. For no greater error or injustice can be committed by men than to act impiously towards their parents.


The Complete Pythagoras

[Ðanisty]

Originally Posted by angellous_evangellous

This little ditty is attributed to the mother of Plato. I have not yet verified the date, but it is early (2BCE-2CE?). Compare to Ephesians 6.1 and following.

ON THE HARMONY OF A WOMAN

Parents ought not to be injured either in word or deed; and whatever their rank in life, small or great, they should be obeyed. Children should remain with them, and never forsake them, and almost to submit to them, even when they are insane, in every allotted condition of soul or bad body, or external circumstances, in peace, health, sickness, riches, poverty, renown, ignominy, class, or magistrate's rank. Such conduct will be wisely and cheerfully adopted by the pious. He who despises his parents will both among the living and the dead be condemned for this crime by the Gods, will be hated by men, and under earth will, together with the impious, be eternally punished in the same place by Justice, and the subterranean Gods, whose province it is to inspect things of this kind.

The aspect of parents is a thing divine and beautiful, and a diligent observance of them is attended by a delight such that neither a view of the sun, nor of all the stars which swing around the illuminated heavens, is capable of producing any spectacle greater than this. The Gods are not envious in a case like this.
We should reverence parents both while living and dead, and never oppose them in anything they say or do. If ignorant of anything through deception or disease, their children should console and instruct, but by no means hate them on this account. For no greater error or injustice can be committed by men than to act impiously towards their parents.


The Complete Pythagoras

Honestly, I think it's crap. Parents don't automatically deserve respect. My hubby's mother, for instance, had abused all of her children. I don't see any reason for them not to despise her.

[Jaymes]

"Even when they are insane"?

As the child of someone that's bipolar, how about "no".

[Storm]

Originally Posted by Ðanisty

Honestly, I think it's crap. Parents don't automatically deserve respect. My hubby's mother, for instance, had abused all of her children. I don't see any reason for them not to despise her.

Right there with you, Dansity.

[angellous_evangellous]

Originally Posted by Jaymes

"Even when they are insane"?

As the child of someone that's bipolar, how about "no".

Bertrad Russell came to mind for me... he criticized Christians for not supporting divorce in the case of insanity.

Another note - in many ancient societies, a man could kill his child if they disrespected him.

Daddy knows best.

[Wandered Off]

Very old bad advice isn't any better than newer bad advice after all.

[Ozzie]

Originally Posted by angellous_evangellous

This little ditty is attributed to the mother of Plato. I have not yet verified the date, but it is early (2BCE-2CE?). Compare to Ephesians 6.1 and following.

ON THE HARMONY OF A WOMAN

Parents ought not to be injured either in word or deed; and whatever their rank in life, small or great, they should be obeyed. Children should remain with them, and never forsake them, and almost to submit to them, even when they are insane, in every allotted condition of soul or bad body, or external circumstances, in peace, health, sickness, riches, poverty, renown, ignominy, class, or magistrate's rank. Such conduct will be wisely and cheerfully adopted by the pious. He who despises his parents will both among the living and the dead be condemned for this crime by the Gods, will be hated by men, and under earth will, together with the impious, be eternally punished in the same place by Justice, and the subterranean Gods, whose province it is to inspect things of this kind.

The aspect of parents is a thing divine and beautiful, and a diligent observance of them is attended by a delight such that neither a view of the sun, nor of all the stars which swing around the illuminated heavens, is capable of producing any spectacle greater than this. The Gods are not envious in a case like this.
We should reverence parents both while living and dead, and never oppose them in anything they say or do. If ignorant of anything through deception or disease, their children should console and instruct, but by no means hate them on this account. For no greater error or injustice can be committed by men than to act impiously towards their parents.


The Complete Pythagoras

A well meaning parent would have every right to expect this stuff should apply.

What do those well meaning RF parents really think?