Platonism is a form of dualism, meaning there are two equal and opposite forces—in this case, the spiritual and the physical—that are in constant conflict and that cannot be reconciled. Christianity does not teach this with respect to man. When we say that man is body and soul, we do not mean these are in competition or tension; rather, Christianity teaches a duality—that is, man is a harmonic unity composed of two aspects, the physical and the nonphysical. There is duality, but not dualism.
