Does anyone know where this quote came from?

September 24, 2008 1:20 PM

"We are gods because we are good men, and we know everything because we started first with knowing our self." Does anyone know who said this?

Vivek the homeless prophet gives this quote but doesn't say where it was from.

reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB8BdRNVnEI (at ~ 3:37)

posted by bettershredder to religion & philosophy (6 comments total)

Link
posted by koeselitz at 2:14 PM on September 24, 2008

Of course, one obvious possibility is that he's not really quoting anyone, and it's just something he's kind of cobbled together himself.

But maybe someone will know otherwise.
posted by dixie flatline at 2:28 PM on September 24, 2008

Yeah, I thought of that as well especially after exhausting my google querying skills. It could be a quote from one of the 'spiritual masters' Vivek claims he has hung out with. Someone who's ideas have never been officially published. I had to ask though, in case anyone had heard this anywhere before.


oh and sorry for not properly linking the video, this was my first question on Mefi!
posted by bettershredder at 2:53 PM on September 24, 2008

I googled and found the quote on this page, but be warned that Avast Antivirus popped up a warning about a Trojan when I went there. The page contains a long document titled "Apollonius Of Tyana" and says it is copyrighted by "Theosophy Trust". Here's the relevant excerpt:

When Apollonius entered the presence of the sages, Iarchas greeted him in Greek and spoke of the letter from Phraotes. The sage proceeded to tell Apollonius the exact contents of the letter, including a missing delta in one of the words. Then Iarchas recounted all that had happened during Apollonius' journey. "You came with a share in wisdom", Iarchas concluded, "but you are not yet an adept."

"Will you teach me, then, all this wisdom?"

"Aye, and gladly, for that is a wiser course than grudging and hiding matters of interest."

"Have you really discerned", Apollonius asked, "my exact disposition?"

"We", Iarchas responded, "can see all spiritual traits, for we trace and detect them by a thousand signs. We know everything just because we begin by knowing ourselves, for no one of us would be admitted to this philosophy unless he first knew himself." When asked who the sages considered themselves to be, Iarchas answered, "Gods, because we are good men." Iarchas then told Apollonius of his previous lives. When Apollonius enquired about the number of the sages, which was eighteen, Iarchas answered, "Neither are we beholden to number nor number to us, but we owe our superior honour to wisdom and virtue."

Bolds mine. BTW, I found it by googling "gods because we are good". Sometimes it's better to search for just part of a quote than the whole thing.
posted by oulipian at 7:19 PM on September 24, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

Sorry, here's the link. Again, antivirus warning!
posted by oulipian at 7:19 PM on September 24, 2008

whoa, thank you so much! this has been bugging me for a while; i'll be sure to try shortening my queries next time i'm looking for a longer quote.

thanks again!
posted by bettershredder at 9:21 PM on September 24, 2008