"You are doing an excellent thing, one which will be wholesome for you, if, as you write me, you are persisting in your effort to attain sound understanding; it is foolish to pray for this when you can acquire it from yourself. We do not need to uplift our hands towards heaven, or to beg the keeper of a temple to let us approach his idol's ear, as if in this way our prayers were more likely to be heard. A god is near you, with you, and in you. This is what I mean, Lucilius: there sits a holy spirit within us, one who marks our good and bad deeds, and is our a guardian."
by:
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
(4 B.C.-A.D. 65) Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, "Seneca the Younger"
Source:
Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium (Moral Letters to Lucilius), Letter XLI: On the god within us
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"Acts 17:23,"For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD, Whom therefore you ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hand; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needeth any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our beings; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." This the apostle Paul spoke in Athens. And to further this understanding Paul speaks again to the Romans, 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen. Then again speaking to the Corinthians, I Corin 8:6, as also Colo 3:11 but Christ is all and in all." 


 -- Ronw13, ID     
  • 1
    		•  
     -- Al, Noho      
    I like Ronw13' version better than Seneca's ;-)
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
  • 1
    		•  
    I not sure how to fully examine Mr Seneca's quote, but the growing human using a reasoning facility to perform appropriately.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
    		•  
    Correction: I am not sure how to fully examine Mr Seneca's quote, but the growing human being uses a reasoning facility to perform appropriately.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
    		•  
     
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