Sign in with Facebook
Adrian's Reviews > Julian
Julian
by
by
Adrian's review
bookshelves: 2022, history, middle-east, philosophy, politics, religion
Sep 18, 2022
bookshelves: 2022, history, middle-east, philosophy, politics, religion
** spoiler alert **
Julian was what i would call a genius, an enlightened monarch,so way ahead of his time, like a Nikola Tesla of our time.
Its painful almost to see such an intelligent , compassionate , resourceful young man dealing with the stupidity, gore and lack of interest for himan life of that era, with his intelligence
He tried unsuccesfully to convince proto christians with facts and philosophy that its not ok to enforce their religion upon everyone by force christians-which were such a unyieldly,troublesome,murderous lot in the IV century AD.
Even though by birth i am a christian , the hypocrisy of christians is enormous in this text and i must confess it has shaken my view on centralized religion.
I am totally ok with democracy and reaching consensus in everything from relationships , state affairs , law ...etc but i find it damn hard to respect what a bunch of people congregated and decided what the customs and traditions are for centuries to come , and enforcing these customs by force (many scriptures which were better suited burned and their writers deemed blasphemous)
Christianity basically didnt bring anything new to the table , its just a mix of local religions continously changed so that it was able to convert all the populations of the empire.
For example even the ritual of drinking wine and eating bread of the saviour was stolen from The Cult of Mithras.
The term of fathers stolen from Zarathustra.
I find it pretty damn disconcerting to follow the customs of a religion that came to be only by using sheer force and dominance over the others and to believe in something that came to be through murder and opportunism not through the sheer truth.
The best parts of the book were Julian's debates with the episcopes over christandom vs hellenistic gods where you can actually see the christians have no spine , no truth , changing everything in order to suit them.
For example publicly rejecting Plato,Homer and other great authors and deeming them the devil , while using their operas in their monasteries and schools in order to educate young people and to make the religion more atteactive.
I can't stand double standards !
The book is great , Julian is a terrific writer , with an outstanding clarity of thoughts.
I got to see the roman society of the IV century AD in its entirety as well as Rome's traiditonal enemies like Germans or Sassanians.
Marvellous work !
Its painful almost to see such an intelligent , compassionate , resourceful young man dealing with the stupidity, gore and lack of interest for himan life of that era, with his intelligence
He tried unsuccesfully to convince proto christians with facts and philosophy that its not ok to enforce their religion upon everyone by force christians-which were such a unyieldly,troublesome,murderous lot in the IV century AD.
Even though by birth i am a christian , the hypocrisy of christians is enormous in this text and i must confess it has shaken my view on centralized religion.
I am totally ok with democracy and reaching consensus in everything from relationships , state affairs , law ...etc but i find it damn hard to respect what a bunch of people congregated and decided what the customs and traditions are for centuries to come , and enforcing these customs by force (many scriptures which were better suited burned and their writers deemed blasphemous)
Christianity basically didnt bring anything new to the table , its just a mix of local religions continously changed so that it was able to convert all the populations of the empire.
For example even the ritual of drinking wine and eating bread of the saviour was stolen from The Cult of Mithras.
The term of fathers stolen from Zarathustra.
I find it pretty damn disconcerting to follow the customs of a religion that came to be only by using sheer force and dominance over the others and to believe in something that came to be through murder and opportunism not through the sheer truth.
The best parts of the book were Julian's debates with the episcopes over christandom vs hellenistic gods where you can actually see the christians have no spine , no truth , changing everything in order to suit them.
For example publicly rejecting Plato,Homer and other great authors and deeming them the devil , while using their operas in their monasteries and schools in order to educate young people and to make the religion more atteactive.
I can't stand double standards !
The book is great , Julian is a terrific writer , with an outstanding clarity of thoughts.
I got to see the roman society of the IV century AD in its entirety as well as Rome's traiditonal enemies like Germans or Sassanians.
Marvellous work !
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
Julian.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
January 22, 2022
– Shelved
January 22, 2022
– Shelved as:
to-read
August 31, 2022
–
Started Reading
September 2, 2022
–
3.79%
"Iulian despre Constantin (Cel Mare):
"N-a fost niciodata un adevarat crestin.
A fol crestinismul pt a isi extinde dominatia asupra lumii. A fost un soldat profesionist,prost crescut , neinteresat de filosofie, desi avea un gust pervers pentru disputele doctrinare care ii produceau o satisfactie enorma." Certurile nebunesti ale episcopilor il fascinau."
page
20
"N-a fost niciodata un adevarat crestin.
A fol crestinismul pt a isi extinde dominatia asupra lumii. A fost un soldat profesionist,prost crescut , neinteresat de filosofie, desi avea un gust pervers pentru disputele doctrinare care ii produceau o satisfactie enorma." Certurile nebunesti ale episcopilor il fascinau."
September 6, 2022
–
15.15%
"The level of lucidity of the young Julian , future to be emperor is outstanding.
Best part is seeing from his own eyes, a boy's eyes, the most important cities of IV century AD , the likes of Constantinopole , Antioch , Nicomedia"
page
80
Best part is seeing from his own eyes, a boy's eyes, the most important cities of IV century AD , the likes of Constantinopole , Antioch , Nicomedia"
September 7, 2022
–
22.73%
"Little did i know Christianity copied so much from all other local monotheistic or pagan religions of the empire's provinces just to seem more appealing.
Even core customs like sharing the wine and bread of the Savior is copied from the Cult of the Persan Warrior Mithras or the term of apostoles/fathers is taken from the cult of Zarathustra.
Christianty is the reunion of an entire batch of religions."
page
120
Even core customs like sharing the wine and bread of the Savior is copied from the Cult of the Persan Warrior Mithras or the term of apostoles/fathers is taken from the cult of Zarathustra.
Christianty is the reunion of an entire batch of religions."
September 10, 2022
–
37.88%
"I wasn't actually prepared for this level of clarity, eloquence and straightforwardness from a boy scared for his life, turned philosospher and then emperor some 1700 years ago. The way the future to be emperor describes all his dialogues and adds his own critical notes (why he said what he said) with friends ans foes , philosophers , students , enunucs and army generals is nothing short of impressive."
page
200
September 11, 2022
–
37.88%
"Advices given by Emperor Constantius to young Julian:
- control your generals !
- never let a general hold a senatorial office, a general sent to a province is the subject of the province's governor
- be ruthless with badpayer cities or villages ,they always complain
- give the benefit of the doubt to all tax collectors, they always get away stealing but if we get the biggest part its ok
- control your generals !"
page
200
- control your generals !
- never let a general hold a senatorial office, a general sent to a province is the subject of the province's governor
- be ruthless with badpayer cities or villages ,they always complain
- give the benefit of the doubt to all tax collectors, they always get away stealing but if we get the biggest part its ok
- control your generals !"
September 11, 2022
–
37.88%
"Galii se mandresc cu serviciul militar fata de italieni care isi taie degetele mari de la maini sa scape de recrutare
Ar fi niste soldati superbi daca nu ar avea doua defecte: nu se impaca cu disciplina militara si sunt betivi.
In cele mai nepotrivite momente, un comandant gal isi poate gasi soldatii cu mintile pierdute din pricina bauturii, sub pretextul ca cutare zi este sfanta si trebuie marcata cu ceva vin sec."
page
200
Ar fi niste soldati superbi daca nu ar avea doua defecte: nu se impaca cu disciplina militara si sunt betivi.
In cele mai nepotrivite momente, un comandant gal isi poate gasi soldatii cu mintile pierdute din pricina bauturii, sub pretextul ca cutare zi este sfanta si trebuie marcata cu ceva vin sec."
September 16, 2022
–
56.82%
"Cea mai decadenta scena ever
Intro sala plina cu bucate pe canapele deopotriva eunuci, legionari din garda personala privesc cum baieti si fete sunt aduse in centru. Eunucii sfasie hainele tinerilor si fiecare isi ia cate o pereche baiat fata pe care incepe sa o mangaie peste tot in timp ce perechea trece la amor.
In tot acest timp maretii legionarii romani privesc spectacolul si beau"
page
300
Intro sala plina cu bucate pe canapele deopotriva eunuci, legionari din garda personala privesc cum baieti si fete sunt aduse in centru. Eunucii sfasie hainele tinerilor si fiecare isi ia cate o pereche baiat fata pe care incepe sa o mangaie peste tot in timp ce perechea trece la amor.
In tot acest timp maretii legionarii romani privesc spectacolul si beau"
September 17, 2022
–
66.29%
"Ma fascineaza fragmentele prin care Iulian desfiinteaza crestinismul, ca de exemplu :
"Predicile morale ale galileanului , desi deseori reproduse incoerent, sunt mai presus de critica.El predica cinstea cumpatarea, bunatatea, un fel de ascetism.
Cu alte cuvinte a fost un rabin evreu foarte obisnuit , cu tendinte fariseice. Intr-un fel, el seamana cu Marcus Aurelius. Comparat cu Platon sau Aristotel , este un copil.""
page
350
"Predicile morale ale galileanului , desi deseori reproduse incoerent, sunt mai presus de critica.El predica cinstea cumpatarea, bunatatea, un fel de ascetism.
Cu alte cuvinte a fost un rabin evreu foarte obisnuit , cu tendinte fariseice. Intr-un fel, el seamana cu Marcus Aurelius. Comparat cu Platon sau Aristotel , este un copil.""
September 18, 2022
– Shelved as:
religion
September 18, 2022
– Shelved as:
politics
September 18, 2022
– Shelved as:
philosophy
September 18, 2022
– Shelved as:
middle-east
September 18, 2022
– Shelved as:
history
September 18, 2022
– Shelved as:
2022
September 18, 2022
–
Finished Reading
