My Beliefs vs. The Handbook of Epictetus (intro)

As I was reading the first few pages of the introduction of the Handbook of Epictetus, I felt as if I was reading Portuges. Almost nothing was really hitting and staying, it was all pretty much just washing over me. Then, suddenly, I am not sure where, I realized Epictetus seemed to have similar views on life as did the Tralfamadorians in Slaughter House Five. They also believed that humans have pretty much no say in what happens to them. "Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go well" (2). This was Epictetus' view on the best possible condition a mere human could have. Likewise, the Tralfamadorians told Billy in Slaughter House Five that things happen, because they were meant to happen, have happened, and always will happen.

The early and late Stoics recommended that instead of trying to change the world, make your desires fall "in line with the way the external world actually is" (3). They agreed amongst themselves that the way to create this state of mind, is by realizing everything that occurs in the external world, is determined by previous states of the "universe as a whole" (3).

I however do not believe that the Stoics way of living is very good at all. I think that if you want to change the way your life is, you can. You may not necessarily be able to control your situation entirely, yet you can make your life have the best outcome possible. I think you should be able to set your goals, or your standards higher than possible, and then strive to achieve them.

Also, I believe that a greater power is in charge of everything. I personally believe that God knows what is going to happen, and wants what is best for us. However, it is all up to our personal decisions to determine what is going to happen.

A slogan of the Stoic ethics states that "Nothing is good except moral virtue" (7). I do not believe this, because according to my faith in the Bible, God created everything, and after creating the entire universe he said that it was 'good'. By giving us free-will, letting us decide what to do, we are given the option of choosing good or evil. The evil in the world is from us when we do not follow in God's ways and teachings. Our choices determine the future outcomes of our lives, and effect everyone around us.