A Higher Power

The Daily Stoic for November 5th, “A Higher Power”.

“This is the very thing which makes up the virtue of the happy person and a well-flowing life—when the affairs of life are in every way tuned to the harmony between the individual divine spirit and the will of the director of the universe.”

—CHRYSIPPUS, QUOTED IN DIOGENES LAERTIUS, LIVES OF THE EMINENT PHILOSOPHERS, 7.1.88

I honestly have trouble with today’s stoic. Even if we take god out of the equation, like the author suggests: “You don’t have to believe there is a god directing the universe, you just need to stop believing that you’re that director”, still I have to disagree.

A Higher Power

If you read my daily stoic, you’ll know I am an atheist. I don’t need any external entity to give sense to the universe. I’m ok with the fact that it’s just nature, and that it does not have to have a meaning, beginning, end, or purpose.

I actually think that’s a very stoic thought. And I’m surprised that stoics, that were so inclined to follow nature’s dictates, relied on a “higher power” to make this idea of nature work in their minds. 

In my opinion, adding a god -or any other external entity- in-between us and the universe only adds things to worry about, fight or distract us. Religions have famously been the source of disagreements, clashes and wars since the dawn of mankind.

And in fact, I think that relinquish control, letting go, is easier if the universe spins around you. I think I am the architect of my life, and when I die, everything else will cease to exist -at least, for me-, so does that make me selfish? Probably, but I think it makes me more free.

Conclusion

I’m not very keen on today’s Daily Stoic, “A Higher Power”. I think that eliminating any “god” or “external entity” of the equation is, in fact, more stoic, and helps you accept and let go things easily.