meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Daily Stoic

If You Were Tried, Would You Be Convicted?

The Daily Stoic

Daily Stoic | Backyard Ventures

Education, Stoicism, Stoic, Ryan Holiday, Society & Culture, Self-improvement, Business, Daily Stoic, Stoic Philosophy, Philosophy, 694393

4.55.3K Ratings

🗓️ 14 August 2019

⏱️ 4 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

One of the undeniable realities of the history of religion is persecution. The Christians have been persecuted. So have the Jews, the Muslims, the Hindus, the Mormons, even the Buddhists and Confucians. In some cases, these religions persecuted each other. In other cases, it was tyrannical governments that tried to stamp out all faiths with equal zeal. 

Although less common, philosophy and philosophers have been persecuted too (and persecuted others, as Marcus and other emperors did with early Christians). Epictetus, for instance, was banned from Rome as part of a blanket ban on philosophers by Emperor Domitian in 93 AD. Later, as the Christians took over Rome, philosophers were subjected to persecution and sometimes mob justice. 

The point is: Although it is less common today, ‘believing’ in something can cost you everything. We are not—and have not been—as tolerant as we like to think we have been and having faith in something in this world can be a revolutionary act. Which calls to mind an interesting question posed by a Christian theologian. He asked, as a kind of test to people who liked to call themselves Christians but ignore the actual tenets of the religion: If you were arrested and tried for being a Christian, would you be convicted? Or do your actions speak louder than any profession of belief?

That’s a question for all of us today, whatever we believe, and most of all for this philosophy we are studying. Could you actually be convicted of being a Stoic? Does your behavior match what you claim to be? It was obvious that Epictetus was a philosopher, even if he’d denied it. Same with Marcus, same with Seneca. But you? Are you guilty of truly practicing philosophy? Or just the minor crime of association?


See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hey, prime members, you can listen to the Daily Stoke podcast early and add free on Amazon music. Download the app today.

0:13.6

Welcome to the Daily Stoke. For each day, we read a short passage designed to help you cultivate the strength, insight, wisdom necessary for living good life.

0:23.3

Each one of these passages is based on the 2000-year-old philosophy that has guided some of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us at dailystoke.com.

0:36.3

If you were tried, would you be convicted? One of the undeniable realities of the history of religion is persecutions.

0:44.3

The Christians have been persecuted. So have the Jews, the Muslims, the Hindus, the Mormons, even the Buddhists and the Confucians.

0:52.3

In some cases, these religions persecuted each other. In other cases, it was tyrannical governments that tried to stamp out all faiths with Equalzeal.

1:02.3

Although less common, philosophy and philosophers have been persecuted too, and persecuted others, as Marcus and the other emperors did with the early Christians.

1:12.3

Epicetus, for instance, was banned from Rome as a part of a blanket ban on philosophers by an emperor in 93 AD. Later, as the Christians took over Rome, philosophers were subjected to persecution and sometimes mob justice.

1:26.3

The point is, although it is less common today, believing in something can cost you everything. We are not and have not been as tolerant as we like to think we have been and having faith in something in this world can be a revolutionary act.

1:42.3

Which calls to mind an interesting question posed by a Christian theologian. He asked as a kind of test of people who like to call themselves Christians but ignore the actual tenets of the religion.

1:53.3

If you were arrested and tried for being a Christian, would you be convicted? Or do your actions speak louder than any profession of belief?

2:04.3

That's a question for all of us today, whatever we believe, and most of all, for this philosophy we are studying. Could you actually be convicted of being a stoic?

2:14.3

Does your behavior match what you claim to be? It was obvious that Epicetus was a philosopher even if he'd denied it. Same with Marcus and same with Seneca, but you, are you guilty of truly practicing philosophy or just the minor crime of association?

2:33.3

Memento Mori, a Morfati, we've actually recently redesigned our Memento Mori and a Morfati pendence. We've got a wonderful new manufacturer and Los Angeles. It's the same design, made with slightly better materials.

2:48.3

I think we've worked out some of the production and manufacturing kinks. If you want to check them out, they're awesome. We have people all over the world who wear them every single day.

2:58.3

A Morfati, love your fate, embrace everything that happens. Memento Mori, we are mortal, we have no idea how long we're here, which is why we should live and do everything we can now.

3:08.3

Check both of these awesome pendence out. We've got them for men and for women at the Daily Stoic Store. Go to dailystoic.com slash store.

3:18.3

Hey, prime members, you can listen to the Daily Stoic early and add free on Amazon music. Download the Amazon Music app today, or you can listen early and add free with Wondery Plus in Apple podcasts.

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Daily Stoic | Backyard Ventures, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Daily Stoic | Backyard Ventures and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.