Plato's Republic and Christianity

[Richard Stanley]

The following video is a discussion explaining the proper way to view Plato's Republic. And in understanding this we can see view that Christianity was the aristocratic feudal implementation of a caste system that Plato didn't actually endorse, but rather was presented as an analytic device. Hence, Christianity is ironically one of the 'pathologic' modalities presented in the analogical scheme of Plato's Cave. In the 16th minute, Pierre Grimes discusses that, unlike Plato, Jesus's parables are left without the means provided for the reader to properly understand the meaning. Jesus only provides the means to his inner circle, his secret society. The hoi polloi only need their faith, their alleged paradise comes in the afterlife.

In the analysis of Plato's Cave is discussed that the different types of men are formed, in their minds, by the paths of 'logos' of their respective familial traditions handed down to them, generation to generation. I see this as essentially 'sub-culture' within a broader Culture.

The man freed from the cave, who returns to the cave and informs his former mind slaves, is rejected as they believe their dancing shadows are yet the reality.

"The Good" (discussed by Grimes)? 'Good' is 'chrest'. Just saying.

For more on the same: https://postflaviana.org/community/index.php?threads/from-chrest-to-christ.2462/post-13681 and https://postflaviana.org/community/index.php?threads/from-chrest-to-christ.2462/post-13721

 

[Seeker]

Pierre Grimes discusses that, unlike Plato, Jesus's parables are left without the means provided for the reader to properly understand the meaning.

This is so, but if in order to become a "Philosopher King", in the true definition of Plato, by learning about the "Self" through the means of dreams, what are the tools needed to properly understand them, does Plato or Grimes explain how to acquire them and do this? Or is our individual reasoning power and "intuition" supposed to be enough?

 

[Richard Stanley]

I'm guessing you have to find the right book or video of Grimes.

BTW, did you note that Grimes also demolishes the common notion of Plato's Forms, as to what they really are?

 

[Seeker]

I'm not sure that I'm really understanding all of this, but are "forms" really "ideas", that can be inferred from experiencing aspects of Divine Illumination, which can also be perceived by using LSD, so the hippies were right? Also, I mean no disrespect to Mr. Grimes (I read that he is a decorated WWII veteran and Thank Him for his Service), but he seems to be a maverick in his field, and I am no Greek linguist, so how can one be sure that his translation of Plato is the right one?

 

[Richard Stanley]

Yes, he is saying that Plato's Forms are an allegory for ideas. As to whether the Greek 'self' has been mistranslated to 'itself' seems like a very easy proposition to falsify right? It's like my favorite Bible verse of Isaiah 45:7 where the Hebrew word for 'evil' is always softened in other translations than the KJV, and the original and correct translation support the ontological implications of one Creator for Everything.

As such, even without consulting a Greek to English dictionary, one can see that Grime's explanations are concise, form a coherent and logical, rational picture of the wider field of philosophy and religion, and personal experience. Grime's explanations are consistent with that it seems everything Plato referred to was spoken of in allegory, for whatever reason. Maybe this kept him from Socrates' fate? Most people that I have heard refer to Plato have stated, and consistent with my brief attempts to read, are perplexed or worse by the bizarreness - of the literal surface interpretation.

Of course, this leads to the possibility that the Romans gave us Christian feudalism because they (and Philo) weren't taught to interpret Plato the way Grimes says was intended. But I suspect worse motives were involved, e.g. the elite 'familial path of logic'.

 

[Seeker]

So then I presume Atlantis, with its super intelligent "Gods", "Aliens". or whatever, is an allegory also, and our Earthly ancestors, for better or worse, are purely "human" and "pre-human" from this planet of origin, which would seem to fit in with what Jerry is saying in "Indo-European origins of the Flavian system".

 

[Richard Stanley]

There has to be an exception that proves the rule, right?

 

[Seeker]

Ahhhh, so I may keep my Triple A (Alien-Atlantean-Aryan) ancient ancestry for now !

 

[Richard Stanley]

Below, a younger Grimes elucidates on Plato's Parmenides, using the dialectics to show what the One must be (and not be), and thus not the mudwrestling Yahweh.