Who is intelligent?
Jan
09
2017
Men are often called intelligent wrongly. Intelligent men are not those who are erudite in the sayings and books of the wise men of old, but those who have an intelligent soul and can discriminate between good and evil. They avoid what is sinful and harms the soul; and with deep gratitude to God they resolutely adhere by dint of practice to what is good and benefits the soul. These men alone should truly be called intelligent.
Based on Saint Anthony the Great
A monk reading the Hours in the Chapel of Saint Demetrius at Vatopaidi.
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Mark
I think this is the most difficult thing to do and maybe the most high virtue of all. You should be first cleaned of your passions and maybe only then when God illuminates you, you can discern thing clearly. This virtue is, I think, caracteristic of saints.
Ioan Toma
Yes – sure. Discrimination is the greatest virtue. St. John Cassian has a text upon this which is regarded by the Fathers of the Church as a norm. The gist is that without discrimination any other virtue you have you can lose it but with discrimination even the virtues which you don’t have you can, with God’s help, acquire. See here: https://asceticexperience.com/portfolio/spiritual-experience/
Orthodox
The most intelligent people are those who have decided to dedicate their entire lives to God, thinking every moment for God, like monks, nuns, priests, clergymen, etc.
That’s why we like to read, in this wonderful website, the wisdom of these Intelligent Elders and Saints of the Mount Athos or other holy places.
Thanks a lot for your time while you are trying so much in this wonderful website to help us to change our lives and turn to God.
Have God’s Mercy, Peace and Joy at all times!
Ioan Toma
🙂 Well… yes. However, the most intelligent people are the ones which are on the path on which God has chosen for them.
RiffRaffWL111
‘on the path which God has chosen for them’ – requiring perseverance and humility, illumination, fire, love, and so on. But I like that phrase, the path that pleases God in us. ‘Help me be sensitive to the movements of God in my heart.’ – Good word Ioan.
Ioan Toma
Thanks! Yes, this is our main scope here on earth: to listen what God has to say to us.
eduard/j
Am citit undeva, ca inteligenta este nativa. Ea se poate mosteni sau nu, se poate cultiva/sau nu, citind, studiind, etc. Intelepciunea insa, vine numai prin Darul Lui Dumnezeu. Acum, ma intreb, intelepciunea este cea care ajuta omul sa se comporte cu noblete duhovniceasca fata de tot si toate? Sau, inteligenta? La care din cele doua trebuie sa lucram ca sa folosim sufletul?
Ioan Toma
La amândouă. …cu toate că într-adevăr este o oarecare confuzie de termeni. „inteligența”, „deșteptăciunea” este un dar natural a lui Dumnezeu. Vezi un copil că „îi merge mintea” – are o lucrare logică înaltă – partea logică a sufletului este foarte dezvoltată din naștere. Bineînțeles că acest lucru se poate lucra și de către sine, însă pe căi omenești cine nu a fost dăruit de Dumnezeu cu un har special este foarte greu să ajungă pe cel dăruit. Însă trebuie știut că nu inteligența în felul în care este înțeleasă astăzi (vezi textul de mai sus) este totul. În terminologia ta, desigur că omul trebuie să se concentreze întâi de toate asupra dobândirii înțelepciunii pentru că aceasta este mântuitoare.