Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 11:42am

Saint of the Day Quote: Saint Thomas Aquinas

 

Muhammad seduced the people by promises of carnal pleasure to which the concupiscence of the flesh goads us. His teaching also contained precepts that were in conformity with his promises, and he gave free rein to carnal pleasure. In all this, as is not unexpected, he was obeyed by carnal men. As for proofs of the truth of his doctrine, he brought forward only such as could be grasped by the natural ability of anyone with a very modest wisdom. Indeed, the truths that he taught he mingled with many fables and with doctrines of the greatest falsity. He did not bring forth any signs produced in a supernatural way, which alone fittingly gives witness to divine inspiration; for a visible action that can be only divine reveals an invisibly inspired teacher of truth. On the contrary, Muhammad said that he was sent in the power of his arms—which are signs not lacking even to robbers and tyrants. What is more, no wise men, men trained in things divine and human, believed in him from the beginning, Those who believed in him were brutal men and desert wanderers, utterly ignorant of all divine teaching, through whose numbers Muhammad forced others to become his followers by the violence of his arms. Nor do divine pronouncements on the part of preceding prophets offer him any witness. On the contrary, he perverts almost all the testimonies of the Old and New Testaments by making them into fabrications of his own, as can be seen by anyone who examines his law. It was, therefore, a shrewd decision on his part to forbid his followers to read the Old and New Testaments, lest these books convict him of falsity. It is thus clear that those who place any faith in his words believe foolishly.

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Contra Gentiles, 1,6,4

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David WS
David WS
Tuesday, January 28, AD 2020 7:06am

We (human beings) are all equal in that we are all members of the same species and are all equal in the dignity as persons before God.
We are not all equal in are abilities or in in how (watch it) we develop those abilities.

Mortimer Alder
“Six Great Ideas”

The above is evident although not (sorry Tom) self evident.

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Tuesday, January 28, AD 2020 8:11am

I found a wonderful web site this morning after reading Donald McClarey’s post. It contains all St. Thomas Aquinas’ works in lingua Latina!

https://www.corpusthomisticum.org/

Below is the paragraph about Mohammed that Don quoted in the English paraphrase translation above, though the first phrase is missing: “Hi vero qui sectas errorum introduxerunt processerunt via contraria.” That phrase combined with the remainder below means: “These men truly proceed by the contrary way what they introduce cut of errors, that in Mohammed what is incited by the promises of carnal desire…….” (Caveat: Being a nuclear energy professional by vocation, I am no Latin linguist like Father Z. or Father Hunwicke, but I try to manage albeit fitfully.)

Hi vero qui sectas errorum introduxerunt processerunt via contraria: ut patet in Mahumeto qui carnalium voluptatum promissis, ad quorum desiderium carnalis concupiscentia instigat, populos illexit. Praecepta etiam tradidit promissis conformia, voluptati carnali habenas relaxans, in quibus in promptu est a carnalibus hominibus obediri. Documenta etiam veritatis non attulit nisi quae de facili a quolibet mediocriter sapiente naturali ingenio cognosci possint: quin potius vera quae docuit multis fabulis et falsissimis doctrinis immiscuit. Signa etiam non adhibuit supernaturaliter facta, quibus solis divinae inspirationi conveniens testimonium adhibetur, dum operatio visibilis quae non potest esse nisi divina, ostendit doctorem veritatis invisibiliter inspiratum: sed dixit se in armorum potentia missum, quae signa etiam latronibus et tyrannis non desunt. Ei etiam non aliqui sapientes, in rebus divinis et humanis exercitati, a principio crediderunt: sed homines bestiales in desertis morantes, omnis doctrinae divinae prorsus ignari, per quorum multitudinem alios armorum violentia in suam legem coegit. Nulla etiam divina oracula praecedentium prophetarum ei testimonium perhibent: quin potius quasi omnia veteris et novi testamenti documenta fabulosa narratione depravat, ut patet eius legem inspicienti. Unde astuto consilio libros veteris et novi testamenti suis sequacibus non reliquit legendos, ne per eos falsitatis argueretur. Et sic patet quod eius dictis fidem adhibentes leviter credunt.

Mary De Voe
Tuesday, January 28, AD 2020 9:12pm

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