Apology and Crito

What I found most surprising about these reading is that they are really not that difficult. I understood these! I had always thought that Plato would be hard to read. I feel much more confident about my ability to read these writings now.

On my first reading through I thought that this was funny. I enjoy seeing people caught in their own words. I am pretty good at this, but I often get caught myself, this is why I am reading these books so I can take time to read and reflect and come to know what I really believe. Knowing this and also knowing my tendency to be prideful I read it again much more critically.

My first impression of Socrates was that he was very good and virtuous. He chooses to do what is right no matter what, even when facing death. He got a call from deity and could not waver from that path. This is how I wan to live. I want to know God's will for me and do it, no matter what. He was willing to die for it, am I? I say that I am, but I don't know because this is not something I have had to seriously consider before. If I only had myself to worry about I would shout yes, but I can not shake my duty to my children as easily as Socrates did. I do not want others to raise them or teach them. They were sent to me because I am the most qualified to help them navigate this world and if I am not here, they may not get all they need.

Believing he only did what God wanted him to do did not, even in his eyes exempt him from following the laws. He knew that if the laws were allowed to be broken by the people the society could not survive. This is why making sure the laws are just to begin with was so important. Because he chose to stay and live in Athens, when he was free to leave at any time, made him morally obligated to follow their laws. He possibly wasn't following their laws, which is why he accepted the sentence given him so willingly.

This led me to ask, is it possible to be virtuous, which is what Socrates sought after, without following the laws? Keep in mind that morality is only one part of the definition of virtue. The word wholly means fulfilling our purpose, to do all we are sent here to do. A bike was created to be ridden and is not virtuous unless someone is riding it. There have been times when, in my view, this was true, for example the Colonists before and during the Revolutionary War, the people who helped slaves escape, those who helped the Jews hide during WWII., but I don't believe that now is on of them. God will tell me if there comes a law that I should not follow. I will listen to the prophets and for now I will follow the laws.

My favorite line was, “That man is wisest among you, who, like Socrates, knows that he is in reality worth nothing with respect to wisdom. I see this manifest in many people including the prophets and other general authorities. I, also, know many who manifest the reverse, I have fallen into that trap before, it is tough to really look at yourself and be truly humble when it comes to wisdom. You can also, replace “wisest” and “wisdom” with “humble” and “humility” or any other virtue we are supposed to possess.

I also thought that he was very proud. He wanted to seem like he was humble, submitting to the will of the gods and accepting his sentence, yet he thought that he was better them almost all in the court room. In fact he felt disdain for any who thought different than him. He not only thought, but went on record at his trail that his teachings were the best thing to happen to Athens and the people.

I believe he did break their law when it comes to corrupting the youth of the city, and was not acting morally. He asked a lot of questions yet provided little answers or guidance, other than reason. He, no doubt, left some of those who followed him confused and jaded toward any authority, which is a tactic of Satan. I don't believe that Socrates was evil, but this is why we are warned to rely on God rather than the “arm of flesh.” God will use our intelligence and reason when He needs it, yet without the Spirit these will only lead to the devil and his kingdom. I believe that those with more experience are morally obligated to help those with less. He started on the path of helping them, teaching them to ask questions and not just blindly follow, but did not finish because he did not direct them in the right way. There is one Truth and one Right Way, yet he seemed to think that there were many. I do not think it is possible, as learned as he was, to not have heard of the Lord, God of Abraham. He must have know at least one Israelite.