Intellectualism or Athleticism?

[Arun]

Some of the early Greek philosophers thought that perfection was to be sought in both. If you approach it from this angle, I would agree, but from a purely Christian angle, I would say that health of the mind reigns supreme. Some of the greatest saints weren't the most physically well-off, especially when they lived only on the Holy Eucharist and were bed-ridden. They spent their time serving their neighbor and maintained their needs only insofar as it was necessary to maintain the needs of others.

Yet, for example, the Crusaders (and more importantly those from Mother Church Herself's own Military Orders) played an equally important part in the Catholic history and attained certain salvation through their corporal works.

Subjective, as I say.

[INPEFESS]

Some of the early Greek philosophers thought that perfection was to be sought in both. If you approach it from this angle, I would agree, but from a purely Christian angle, I would say that health of the mind reigns supreme. Some of the greatest saints weren't the most physically well-off, especially when they lived only on the Holy Eucharist and were bed-ridden. They spent their time serving their neighbor and maintained their needs only insofar as it was necessary to maintain the needs of others.

Yet, for example, the Crusaders (and more importantly those from Mother Church Herself's own Military Orders) played an equally important part in the Catholic history and attained certain salvation through their corporal works.

Subjective, as I say.

But how many of them have been canonized saints in comparison and thus held up by the Church as examples of herioc piety and virtue?

Believe me, I am an extremely physical and athletic person. I engage in intense physical training 5 days a week. But I am simply saying that the athletes are generally not the saints, though there have been exeptions, and when they have been saints it wasn't because of their physical health and stamina. It was because of something generally unrelated, such as martyrdom. 

[drummerboy]

Well, the mind is most important, since it is also a capacity of the soul.  When you die, it is teh soul and mind that lives on, so it is best to cultivate this as much as possible.  However, on earth, or souls and bodies are joined, so what effects one effects the other, so proper care of the body is also good for the ultimate end of the good of the soul and its healthy function while imprisoned in the body.  However, depending on one's state of life, it may be necessary to exercise the body to a beyond normal degree.

[Scriptorium]

Well, the mind is most important, since it is also a capacity of the soul.  When you die, it is teh soul and mind that lives on, so it is best to cultivate this as much as possible.  However, on earth, or souls and bodies are joined, so what effects one effects the other, so proper care of the body is also good for the ultimate end of the good of the soul and its healthy function while imprisoned in the body.  However, depending on one's state of life, it may be necessary to exercise the body to a beyond normal degree.

The soul is not imprisoned in the body. The soul is the substantial form of the body. The body and soul are one. The body dissipates at death, but we are reunited at the resurrection of the body to that same body glorified. This state of separation is not viewed at all as a positive in Catholic teaching, but an extreme negative, as though being lost. The imprisoned body idea in Catholic circles comes most from Plato and from Mani, and is not supported by Catholic teaching. The soul and body are in mutual support, and the soul is the head of the body, but by no means is the body just something that we steer. The body is our very soul made experienceable to other bodies. Christ came and took on a body, which He has for eternity. Our Lady is special because she never had to undergo a separation of her body and soul. And St Paul said, "For we know that every creature groans and travails in pain, even up till now. And not only it, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body" (Rm 8:23).

Perhaps you didn't mean to degrade the body, but I didn't want anyone to fall into this Manichean error.

[Arun]

Plain fact is though, not all of us are capable of high intellectual thought. So it is subjective.

[OCLittleFlower]

The mind.

[drummerboy]

The mind.

What about it?