There are striking similarities between the Gospels and Plato's
"Gorgias."

Forgive my lack of education in this matter. I have some interest in
Greek, but no diplomas.

The Gospels have the phrase, "Turn the other cheek."

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a
tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one
strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any
one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well;
and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."
(Matthew 5:38 RSV)

Plato's Gorgias has Socrates saying:
[quote]
And never mind if some
one despises you as a fool, and insults you, if he has a mind; let him
strike you, by Zeus, and do you be of good cheer, and do not mind
the insulting blow, for you will never come to any harm in the
practise of virtue, if you are a really good and true man.
[/quote]

Does history indicate that there was a Platonistic philosophy of moral
nonviolence pre-dating Jesus? Or was this doctrine not really
practiced until Jesus came? Either way, does this mean Plato is a
prophet like (e.g.) Isaiah, because Plato foretold Jesus?

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gkmcnees@comcast.net wrote:

>> "Reason" demands that
>> these people are responsible, even though they had no
>> "opportunity" to respond. They were oblivious to their
>> own actions, so there was no free will involved, and
>> yet YOU and I and everyone else thinks they should
>> be flogged.
>
> I don't agree. It was "free will" that the person was engaged
> in talking on the phone, or not stopping for the red light.

You can try that "out" if you like, but it won't work.
A sin was committed (the killing of a pedestrian) which
the person did not intend to do. At no point does the
person say "I'm deciding to run over that person."

He's responsible for talking on a cell phone while driving,
in your system, because that's what he chose to do. But he's
not responsible for murder, because he didn't choose to do it.
In fact, he didn't even know he did it, until after it was done.

Just change the scenerio a bit. A person is driving responsibly,
but has a horrible phobia of wasps. As he approaches an
intersection, a wasp flies into the car. In panic he loses
control of the car and wipes out a guy in the crosswalk.

1. He didn't choose to have the phobia.

2. He didn't choose to have the wasp fly into his car.

3. He didn't choose to let go of the steering wheel and duck
out of the way of the strafing wasp. It was an involuntary
reacti