To the Editor
I found the article “Easter Renaissance” by Nicole Tirant very interesting indeed. What she said about the serious degradation of our society due to drugs, alcohol etc… needs a very urgent attention. Because of these manmade plagues the poorest suffer most and our beloved country is crying. It is said that the Seychelles per capita has the highest number of burglars in the world. The people’s representatives at the assembly does not take the matter seriously, after being elected they have indirectly became part of the elite’s club. Most of the privileged few have body guards whereas the masses are living in fear. Why should it be so? Plato the famous Greek philosopher seems to have found a solution to that problem when he said: “Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils — no, nor the human race, as I believe — and then only will this our State have a possibility of life and behold the light of day”.
No matter how true Plato’s saying is, Sir Karl Raimund Popper (one of the greatest philosophers of science of the 20th century) blame him for the rise of totalitarianism in the 20th century, seeing Plato's philosopher kings, with their dreams of 'social engineering' and 'idealism'.
It has been said that Grand Ayatollah Khomeini was inspired by the Platonic vision of the philosopher king while in Qum in the 1920s when he became interested in Islamic mysticism and Plato's Republic. As such, it has been speculated that he was inspired by Plato's philosopher king, and subsequently based elements of his Islamic Republic on it.
If the above quoted saying of Plato is not a guide for the solving of our alarming social evils, then the state will have to come up with a better plan otherwise it will be too late.
Going back to Mrs Tirant’s article, I beg to differ with her assertion (without of course causing any ism) about the Cross on the Trois Frères Mountain. She referred to it as the “Cross of Redemption” that was carried up by our forefathers. The first Trois Frères’ Cross was erected not for spiritual deeds but to commemorate the passage of Prince Philip Mountbatten; and it was carried up only by strong labourers from the P W D (Public Works Department). When that Cross was erected a parchment was read and signed with all the names of those present and buried in a bottle. Maybe it is still there?
Jesus could not have died on this type of Cross, because it was introduced much later by the then non-Christian Constantine in 337A.C.E (After Christ Era) it emerged gradually in Christian practices and became a common symbol.
Julien Durup