Is living a life of an Ascetic monk for half a year worth it? I seen this documentary on the BBC about Christian monks and compared to the Christians around me who only go to church twice a year and never pray. Protestants are in general just too lazy.
Orthodox/Christian
Aiden Butler
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James Smith
It can be interesting experience, just make sure to not pilgrim into non-white areas.
Grayson Fisher
If this is the series I think it is, he actually drops a few clever insights on the modern approach to spirituality and how it all rings hollow. Like when he went to a Buddhist temple, then commented how hollow and bullshit it all is because they're all walking around with smartphones or something like that.
Camden Thompson
Neither the ancient Jews nor any of the apostles taught or practiced asceticism.
Jace Morales
thats because the Apostles were busy trying to evangelize and fight off heresy. doesn't mean that asceticism is in any way discouraged. many of the great early Christians were ascetics including the desert fathers.
Thomas Wright
yeah the Shaolin monastery is in fact no longer a real monastery but a commercialized shadow of its former self.
Ryder Roberts
But if you make asceticism your entire lifestyle, you're doing it wrong. Especially if you think of yourself as more spiritual or more holy than non-practitioners.
Wyatt Johnson
>Christians
>Protestants
>Christian monks
three different things yet your mentally derranged brain, put them together.
Levi Brooks
im against self piety. but i dislike Christians especially lazy ones
Ryan Sanders
The way I view the series is that he's basically giving a normie-friendly introduction to Traditionalism, though if you were to try to talk to him about Evola or Guenon he'd run screaming.
Ethan Martinez
Fine, but they are still members of the same body as the non-lazy ones.
James Jackson
It's harder than you think and you can pass your first 10 years thinking "wtf i'm doing here" until you settle down on your decision.
Cooper Baker
>half a year
Ah sorry. Better make it like 10-15 days on your first visit.
Mason Diaz
What about the Essenes and Jesus' long periods of fasting and isolation?
Isaiah Brooks
What long periods of fasting and isolation did Jesus have? I can only think of his days in the desert right after his baptism.
The point still stands that while it's OK to fast and deny yourself things, it's a mistake to make your entire life about asceticism. Especially if you think that it's going to help you achieve a higher spiritual state or something like that. Then you're impeding on God's grace. You must recognize the possibility of moving away from God's grace into self-ascension.
The question about why are you doing it is very important.
Chase Howard
the way your thinking makes it seem like Grace = laying on your ass and thanking God for it. nobody would ever get up and do anything great to better themselves in such a base mentality. I agree heaven may not depend on it but certainly its rewards would.
Adrian Smith
You got it right. Grace means exactly that God gives you something that you don't deserve. And didn't I say to fast if you want? But don't think that you're more holy than anyone else.
Charles Kelly
Someone photoshop the quote about the penguin wandering off to die into the OP picture
Gabriel Cruz
tell me do you believe that God gives heaven to anyone who accepts it as offering it on the table for anyone to take of it or gives it only to those he chooses because he chooses to love them.
Joshua Taylor
Yes to both. God has chosen to love us and offer us salvation, but you have to take it willingly.
Alexander Hernandez
so its up to the person to want to be saved. i accept Jesus salvation as a follower of Christ right. i just dont understand what will happen to those people born on some island that never heard of him in or God. does God love me more? Why did he choose this over this? i want to know why God choose me and not the Buddhist monk in 500 bc
Jeremiah Walker
I am not God to be able to answer you as to why it's you and not someone else. One thing is clear and that is that the only way to have eternal life is by the Messiah.
James James
but i just dont understand why God doesn't save everyone or at least almost everyone. why does God allow satan to go around ruining people and blinding them to the truth. why does he not destroy evil. its the same question i can never answer. maybe God wants us to know just how bad we are and how bad things will be without his direct control. i donno but i hope we get a good answer when Christ returns. btw do you believe in life after death as in a living spirit going to heaven or life after Resurrection to the new earth?