Hello, and welcome back to City of God, my deep dive into the theological and philosophical work of Saint Augustine.
Last post, I covered topics 16 and 17, which covered some pretty serious topics, sexual assault and suicide. Today continues to build on those points, and thus, must be handled with a great deal of sensitivity and care.
That being said, I will not disrespect the struggles of others by dumbing down the language. This is a deep, resounding issue, especially in our culture, and must be treated with the seriousness it deserves.
If you are sensitive in these areas, I truly believe this topic can bring you edification, but it is understandable that many would not be compelled to proceed.
Point 18: Violence From Others
“But, there is fear of being polluted by another’s lust.”
Augustine counters this statement under no uncertain terms. There can be no “pollution” of a persons character by an action of another. One cannot force another person to engage in sin. If someone is coerced, sin is on he who coerced him.
“Purity is a virtue of the mind.”
Augustine holds that as long as one is desirous of pure behaviors, what happens to the body cannot take away from them. This was also seen in point 16.
No person can retain full control of their own body. You can always be overpowered, forced to do things against your will. This steals nothing from you. Your morals, your spirit, and your value, are not a measure of what has been done to you by others.
He holds that if purity could be lost by the actions of another, it could not be held as a virtue, or a moral behavior, but would rather be a physical quality.
“The body is not holy because its parts are intact.”
Augustine puts forth the fact that humans can be violently injured in a number of ways, leaving them deformed. This doesn’t take away from the holiness of the body, nor does it have any affect on the holiness of the mind.
Part 19: Lucretia’s Suicide
Augustine brings into play the story of the Roman woman Lucretia. This woman was raped by the son of a man named Tarquin.
Sadly, after this act of abuse, she took her own life. Augustine points out that she, just like the Christian women in captivity, was innocent of the act of adultery. He points out that the Romans would be quick to defend her.
He then asks why, though she was innocent, should she bear out the heavier of the two punishments? Her abuser, after all, was only driven from the country, but she was put to death.
Augustine points out this tragedy, and says that this should not be done. That women should not take vengeance on themselves for another persons crime. He holds that had Lucretia been an adulterer, the Romans would not praise her, and that because she was chaste, she should not have been put to death, even by her self.
Thereby, he holds both pagan and Christian to the same standard, in defending the Christian women abused by their captors.
Your value to the kingdom of God is infinite. It cannot be damaged or destroyed by the actions of any person, and I would beg anyone reading this to consider the value of your own life.
The next part is going to be a continuation of this one, and will hopefully continue to edify all those women harmed by men in this grievous way. I hope to see you there, as we continue on to part 10.
Modern Survival Arkansas 