Zone1 Is Socrates the secular version of Jesus?

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FAQ: Was Socrates a real person? | The Jerusalem Post

Known as the "Mad Gadfly," Socrates's life, philosophical teachings, and trial and execution by Athens are world famous. But was he real?

www.jpost.com

The Greek philosopher Socrates had many similarities with Jesus which include

1. Both went around preaching what they viewed as truth and wisdom. In fact, Socrates once famously declared that if there was any person who went around pointing out truth and lived a public life, they would be killed for it.
2. Both were murdered for refusing to recant the truth that they believed, thus they were both murdered for it.
3. Both are speculated to have never existed. This, in part, is because they never wrote about themselves, they let others do that for them. In my mind though, this only adds to their veracity, as anyone can write nice things about themselves. It is only through the eyes of other people that we get a better picture of how they impacted those around them. It is similar to why a court of law uses eyewitnesses in court as their witness stands as a heavier witness than the witness of the person being critiqued. It also is puzzling how a man would seek truth above wanting to save their own life. This alone adds to the speculation as to whether they ever existed, because that is simply not normal. What is normal is, you side with the truth that you think best helps you, and then dig in and defend that position at all costs, even if you know some of it is not true.
4. Both sounded eerily the same in terms of their philosophy. But that seems understandable if they are pursing the same things, which are wisdom and truth.

Here are a few examples of the teachings of Socrates that sound very Christ like.

Both Socrates and Christ predicted their own demise.

Socrates: "A man who really fights for justice must lead a private life, not a public life, if he is to survive for even a short time"
"The true champion of justice, if he intends to survive even for a short time, must necessarily confine himself to private life and leave politics alone."

"My plainness of speech makes them hate me, and what is their hatred but proof that I am speaking the truth."

Jesus: Mark 8:31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
John 15:18 If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.



Both knew that envy was a sin, and not a virtue as the Left presents it today.

Socrates: "Envy is a cancer of the soul"

James 3:14
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

Both understood that you should not render evil for evil

Socrates: "One should never do wrong in return, nor mistreat any man, no matter how one has been mistreated by him"
Jesus: Matthew 5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.

Both saw kindness as a strength and virtue, and not a weakness

Socrates: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle"
Ephesians 2:7 In order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Both saw the virtue of marriage, well, sort of.

Socrates: By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you will be happy. If you get a bad wife, you will become a philosopher"

Jesus: “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:4-6)
“A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.” – Proverbs 12:4

Both saw the material universe as not reality, but more of an illusion of what really constitutes reality.

Socrates: "I was afraid that by observing objects with my eyes and trying to comprehend them with each of my other senses, I might blind my soul altogether" "The mind is a pilot of the soul"

2 Corinthians 2:7 "For we live by faith, not by sight."

Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Both saw casting judgement on other people before looking at themselves was a mistake

Socrates: "You are wrong sir, if you think that a man who is any good at all should take into account the risk of life or death; he should look to this only in his actions."

John 8:7 "When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Both saw sin as the major obstacle of human existence

Socrates: "We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light"

Socrates: "It is not difficult to avoid death, it is much more difficult to avoid wickedness, for it runs faster than death"

John 3:19 "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Both saw losing you soul as the worst fate you can endure.

Socrates: "Are you not ashamed to be concerned so much about making all the money you can and advancing your reputation and prestige, while for truth and wisdom and the improvement of your souls you have no thought or care?"

Mark 8:36 "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"