Asceticism is a philosophical understanding that there is
virtue in abstaining from all physical pleasures including sex, alcohol,
luxurious foods, etc. Ascetics tended to
think of the body as evil, or at least out of control, and as something to be
brought into the firm control of the will through punishment. For them, abstinence became an on-going way of
life. In the religious version of this
philosophy, the suffering caused by abstaining was offered as a sacrifice to
God. A little self-serving since they
believe they do not deserve pleasures or anything nice or pleasurable in the
first place.
This photo on the left is the classic example of an ascetic, perched high aloft a column, no food, no water, no where to sleep, they would often stay in such situations until they either fell to their death, starved or dehydrated. It was their way of showing their piety to their god and all others.
The opposite is Epicureanism, which takes the opposite tack in all
situations. The epicureans are devoted
to pleasure, and believed that peace, freedom, absence from pain and the simple
pleasures of good food and wine are the greatest good in life. But the epicureans would sometimes fast too,
because they felt that there was a greater pleasure in returning to food when
you’re really hungry for it than forcing it down when you’ve been over-eating. This “magnification” was to the point of
sickness and the tales of their orgies are well known in ancient literature.
So, we find the competing poles of the behavior observed
by all mankind. Probably 90% or better
are of one persuasion or another in this world. Moderation is not a human condition recognized nor practiced very much these days.
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Ascetic
Epicurean
A.
Where would you put your life on this scale?
B.
Where would you put your friends on this scale?
C.
Where would you put this church on this scale?
D.
Where would you put America on this scale?
E.
Where would you put Mexico on this scale?
F.
Where would you put Uganda on this scale?
What is right or wrong with Asceticism?
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What is right or wrong with Epicureanism?
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Is balance between the two possible?
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If so, what would it take or look like?
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What do you think it would take for you to become more Ascetic?
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What do you think it would take for you to become more Epicurean?
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What would it take for you to aim for the middle of the
scale?
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As humans we often will move back and forth across this
scale, how you feel about yourself is number one on the list for moving either
way! Some will either purposefully or
subconsciously deny themselves even the basic needs for life, even to the point
of death, or conversely, over indulge to the extent of again jeopardizing their
life. And, as you more than likely know, there
are lots of other reasons for overdoing it both directions. Point is for you to find something in the
middle which reflects a balanced healthy you.
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