Saint Augustine Confessions

[Mr Spinkles]

My friend wanted me to at least read from Chapter 10 and on of the book Saint Augustine Confessions.

I began chapter 10 and already I am a little disappointed...much of it is fluff and poetic language, rather than real, meaty philosophical discourse. Also, Saint Augustine writes of the problem of evil (how and why evil exists as well as an all-powerful, good God) and begins by describing how he first heard of this argument and was dumbfounded by it, but 'knew deep down' that it was wrong.

It seems to me that if someone wants to believe anything badly enough, he will find sufficient logic to convince himself....so as I read on, I am a bit skeptical.

Anyone read this book, and if so, could you summarize or comment on it? The autobiographical stuff does not interest me as much as the philosophical stuff.

 

[Ceridwen018]

What confuses you more, Mr. Spinkles? That such an allegedly brilliant man could reveal his true transparency, or that people actually gain 'profound understanding' from reading his confessions?

I had the *privilege* of flipping through this book a little at my grandma's house a while back. It's all a bit fuzzy in my head (perhaps that was the intent), but it can all be basically summed up together.

Like you mentioned, throughout the whole thing, he'll touch on a certain important issue, and it will bring you to the edge of your seat as you anticipate his climactic answer...but catch your heart before it hits the floor cuz he's got nothing.

Like in one instance, he was pondering the trinity, and the way that he consoled himself over that idea, was through this story. One day, he was walking the beach, when he noticed a young boy attempting to throw star fish, which had washed up over night, back into the sea so they could live. There were literally thousands of them, and Augustine felt the need to tell the boy that his quest was futile, for he would never be able to make a decent dent before they all started to die on the beach, and even the oes he threw back would probably just get washed back up. The boy replied to him, that it was a simpler task to save all of the star fish, than to comprehend the trinity.

That story used to satisfy me, but not anymore.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

Ceridwen: Hey, Mr Spinkles, you took my money!
Mr Spinkles: No, I didn't.
Ceridwen: But, you're holding my purse right there in your hand! Please give it back.
Mr Spinkles: No. I have not stolen from you, it is just impossible for your puny brain to comprehend how it is that I have not stolen from you.
Ceridwen: Ohhhh....I get it now.
Mr Spinkles: No, you don't get it, you're not smart enough.
Ceridwen: Oh, right.

I can see exactly why that story does not satisfy you anymore... :lol: