"Asceticism: Mental and Spiritual Slavery"

[00:00:10][music] [music] with that love.

[00:00:27]>> [music] [singing] >> Yeah.

[00:00:35][music] >> [music] >> Oh yes.

[00:01:06][music] By the way, I do own the rights to this music written and performed by yours truly.

[00:01:28][music and singing] >> [music] >> Oh yeah. [singing and music] Yes.

[00:02:00]>> [music] >> That's what I'm talking about.

[00:02:09]Welcome, brothers and sisters. Yes.

[00:02:19][music] [music] Tonight, [singing] [music] [singing] [music] this song is especially especially uh for today for today's lesson, right?

[00:03:08][singing] Yeah. [singing] [music] [singing] [music] Yeah. [singing] [music] >> Come on. Y'all should know this by now.

[00:03:36]Well, I [singing] found out that I can be myself.

[00:03:42]>> [singing and music] >> And I'm so glad.

[00:03:47]I'm so glad.

[00:03:49]Well, [singing] I found out that I can be myself. Yeah. And I'm so glad.

[00:04:00]I'm so glad.

[00:04:13]Yeah, but [singing and music] [music and singing] so glad I can be myself. Come on. So [singing and music] glad I can be myself.

[00:04:33]It really is good to know that I don't have to be nobody else. [singing] Yeah. I'm so glad >> I can >> I have peace [music] because I don't have to be nobody else. It [music] feels so nice to be free.

[00:04:59]>> I can really be me.

[00:05:03][singing] >> I'm so glad I can be myself. [music] Sure [singing] is good to know that I don't have to be.

[00:05:18]>> All right, let's take it on home now. Be [singing] everybody. Well, I found out that I could be myself.

[00:05:39]And I'm so glad.

[00:05:43]I'm so glad. [singing] Well, I found out that I could be myself.

[00:05:52]And I'm so glad.

[00:05:56]I'm so glad.

[00:05:58]Oh yeah, family.

[00:06:02]that I could be myself. [singing] And I'm so glad. Yeah, I'm so glad.

[00:06:10]Brothers and sisters, it's wonderful to know that you can be yourself. And the reason why I wanted to start today's message off with that song is because it has everything to do with today's message on understanding what aseticism is. Okay. But right now, let's open up with one more time. One more time. God allowed us to come together [music] one more time. All right. Come on. Lift your voices with me. Everybody sing it like you mean it. [music] Come on. One more time.

[00:06:47]One more time. God allowed us to come together. One more time.

[00:06:56]One more time.

[00:06:59]One more time. [singing] God allowed us to come together. One more time. [singing] God allowed us to come together. One more [singing] time.

[00:07:14]One more time.

[00:07:18]One more time.

[00:07:21]God allowed us to come together one more time.

[00:07:28]One more time.

[00:07:31]One more time.

[00:07:33]God allowed us to come together. [music] God allowed us. Yeah. [singing] >> So praise God's name.

[00:07:49]>> Just to praise God's name.

[00:07:53]God allowed us to come [singing] together to praise his name, >> to praise her name.

[00:08:02][singing] >> to praise her name.

[00:08:06]>> God allowed us to come together to praise her. [music] God allowed us Yeah.

[00:08:13][singing] [music] >> to sing our song.

[00:08:21]>> Yeah. to sing our song.

[00:08:25]>> God allowed us to come together. Sing our song.

[00:08:32]To sing our song [singing] to sing our song.

[00:08:38]>> God allowed us to come together. [music] >> God allowed us yet to come together. Let's put those hands together. To clap our hands, everybody to clap our hands.

[00:08:57]God allowed us Yeah. Yeah. to come together to clap our hands.

[00:09:04]To clap our hands.

[00:09:07]To clap our hands. Oh yeah. God allowed us to come together.

[00:09:15][singing] God allowed us. Yeah.

[00:09:18]>> [music] >> Come together.

[00:09:21]Everybody [singing] say one more time.

[00:09:26]One more time.

[00:09:29]God allowed us [music] to come together.

[00:09:33]One more [singing] time.

[00:09:36]One more time.

[00:09:39]One more time. Oh, God allowed us.

[00:09:47]God allowed us. Yeah. [singing] Come together one more time.

[00:09:53]God allowed us. Yeah.

[00:09:56][music] Just to praise her name. [singing] God allowed us. Yeah. [music] She been so good and kind. [singing] God allowed us. Yeah. YEAH. YEAH. YEAH.

[00:10:10]OH, YES HE DID.

[00:10:13]God allowed us. [singing] [music] God allowed us God allowed us to come together [singing] one [music] more one more time. One more time. God allowed us to come together one more time. Brothers and sisters, I hope that you don't take that for granted. I'd like to take this time to say welcome to another Sunday online and your fellowship of the African Village and Cultural Center. I'm Ray Haggins, your brother, your teacher, your friend, the founder of the African Village, your spiritual teacher. Hey man, what can I tell you? And it's good to have you guys with me today. Thank you, sir, very much. Before going any further, we must honor those who have paid the price for us to be where we are right now. those who truly suffered, bled, and died. And when I say that, I mean our ancestors.

[00:11:07]So come on, family, join in with me at this time [music] as we honor those, okay, who made it possible for us to be where we are right now. Yeah. Let's lift our voices together and say it together like we really mean it. Come on, everybody.

[00:11:23][music] Oh ancestors, ancestors, blacker than a thousand midnights, African ancestors, [music] it is to you that we, your children, give respect and honor. Oh ancestors, we call upon you and [clears throat] welcome you in this place. African ancestors, let your presence fill this place. Oh ancestors who have been purposely excluded from the history books so that the world would not know of your greatness.

[00:11:56]Our African ancestors who gave civilization to the world. Our African ancestors who gave the arts to the world. Our African ancestors who gave music to the world. Our African ancestors who gave the sciences to the world. Our African ancestors who gave mathematics to the world. Our African ancestors who gave medicine to the world. Our African ancestors who gave literature to the world. Our African ancestors who gave philosophy to the world. Our African ancestors who gave God consciousness to the world. Oh ancestors, we thank you for devoting your life to make a good future for us.

[00:12:47]Your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Now stand with us.

[00:12:54]Strengthen us, guide us, teach us, and protect us from the snare of our enemies. Rise up, O African ancestors, and let our enemies be scattered. and give us the wisdom and the boldness to deal with our oppressors and those who would hinder the liberation and empowerment of our people. Rise up, oh African ancestors, and live in us. And we will not fail to honor you. We will not fail to respect you. We will not fail to hear you. And we will not betray you.

[00:13:32]>> [music] >> And now, brothers and sisters, we want to take the time to honor just a few of the great Africans who have gone ahead of us.

[00:13:40]>> That's right. That's right.

[00:13:40]>> We call forth their great African names and honor them >> to Pharaoh's Nar Za, Sneru, Kufu, Manare, and the great and physician and multi-genius Imoteep. [music] We say a >> yes >> to queen, queen nephou, queen, queenos, nefertari, warrior, queen kingships, queen t and [clears throat] queen nephari. We say a >> to menan ra to hoodi maze known as the third. Yes. Amenoteep the third.

[00:14:17]Akenatan Tutam Ursa Sepanra Ramsu Mariam Rams II Shabbaka Tahara Hannibal and the great African warrior Shakazulu we say a >> to all of the kings, queens, priests and warriors of Nubia, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Central, South and West Alibu land we say [clears throat] >> yes >> to the more than 600 million Africans whose lives were lost in the European invasions of Africa. And in the middle passage, we say a >> to the more than 300 million who have since lost their lives to racism and hate crimes, we say a >> to Harriet Tubman, a >> Frederick Douglas, a >> Mary Mloud Bthoon, a >> Nat Turner, a >> Fanny Liu Hamer, a >> Sirjourer Truth, a >> Carter G. Witson, a >> Booker T. Washington.

[00:15:15]>> Dr. Charles Drew, [snorts] >> noble Drew Ali, >> Benjamin Vaner, a >> George Washington Carson, >> Bishop Richard Allen, >> Bishop Charles Harrison, Mason, >> Howard Thurman, >> Mother Mahalia Jackson, the Honorable Marcus Maziah Garcus, Dr. Martin Luther King there are good marshals hail power the honorable Elijah Muhammad Dr. Wilson Dr. John Dr. John Harry Dr. Shikad Dr. Chanc GM James >> Patrice Leumba Tore Dr. Khaled Muhammed Dr. Jacob Kurds, >> Dr. Shaka Musa Shango, >> brother Ray Char, >> to our mothers and fathers, >> our grandmothers and grandfather >> to our great grandmothers and greatgrandfather, >> our brothers and sisters, >> sons and daughters, >> aunts and uncles, >> nieces, nephews, cousins, and all those who have gone ahead and have made their ancestral transition >> to their life, deeds, legacy, and contributions. We say >> a again. We say a >> again. We say a yeo.

[00:16:47]>> Oh Lord have mercy.

[00:16:53][singing] >> [singing] >> Alhamdulill Allah.

[00:17:18]Yes.

[00:17:21]God is great and he's worthy to be praised.

[00:17:30]I say hallelujah. [singing] God [music] is great and he's worthy to be praised.

[00:17:42]>> Oh yes. I say [singing] hallelu.

[00:17:48]So God make us one.

[00:17:51]We all should [music] be one. And then the unbelievers will come and say, "You are with us. God, make us one.

[00:18:05]We all should be one." And then the unbelievers will come and say, "You [singing] are with us. God, make us one.

[00:18:19]We all should be one." And when the unbelievers [singing] will come, they will say, "You [music] are with us."

[00:18:29]Yeah.

[00:18:32]>> Oh yeah, man.

[00:18:39]Allah abar.

[00:18:42][singing] Oh yes. Brothers and sisters, it is such a wonderful thing when we have the opportunity to come together in fellowship as we are right now. And again, I say welcome to another Sunday online and g fellowship of the African Village and Cultural Center. I'm Ray Hagens, the founder and chief elder of the African a African village. Your brother, your friend, your teacher. Hey man, what can I tell you? It's just good when we come together like this and I'm completely excited about it. Yeah. So, let's just give praise and glory to the Most High for being so awesome in our lives.

[00:19:25]Oh, brothers and sisters, it's a wonderful thing, man. Let me tell you, you know, um I'm I'm I'm here today. I feel great, you know, and uh I want to stop right here and go before I go any further and acknowledge the many of you out there who have been praying for me uh sending me your positive energy, sending me well wishes, you know, for my uh recuperating, you know, and and returning to strength and good health. I thank you brothers and sisters asante sana madasipa [snorts] for all of you out there who've shown your love you know shown your your your your care you know by letting me know that you have not forgotten brother Ray uh and his moments of uh health challenge you know uh for those who may not be aware of what I'm talking about a few weeks ago I was in the hospital [snorts] and received some disheartening news from the doctors. And uh you know, let me say this right now on that, okay? Be careful, all right? What you allow your ears to hear or what you allow your brain to digest. Okay? [snorts] Uh I never felt bad, never felt ill, never felt sick.

[00:20:51]Okay? Uh, I felt great until the doctors started telling me things like, uh, my kidneys are failing, okay? Uh, my heart is failing and all that kind of stuff.

[00:21:04]And and just the stress of being concerned with what these people who supposed to know what they're talking about. um you know just the stress of listening to them you know you like I say you got to be careful what you listen to you know uh especially if you start feeding into it because if you're not sick you will get sick all right feeding into it and I I remember telling the doctors you know I don't I'm not going through none of the stuff that y'all say I'm supposed to be going through okay I'm not vomiting I'm not nauseated I don't have any pain anywhere okay um So this stuff y'all telling me, I hear what you're saying, but it's not making sense to me. Okay? And now you want me to, you know, go on this uh this procedure, okay, of dialysis. And my spirit is just not feeling that. That's all. My spirit just not feeling, you know. And just think, man, if I had listened to what the doctors said, I'd have a port somewhere in my body coming out my neck or out of my stomach or my arm or somewhere and [snorts] I'd be sitting in a chair three or four hours a day, several days a week, you know, for what? Because the doctor said that's what I need to be doing. Well, brothers and sisters, that may be, but trust me, I feel absolutely wonderful.

[00:22:29]And my spirit has said to me, okay, do what you have to do to take care of your situation. And I've been doing that, you I've been I've been drinking dandelion uh root juice uh uh celery and and and parsley uh drink. Uh oh my goodness, man. Taking the the various nutrients and herbs and a very [snorts] special thank you to my colleague and best friend Dr. Ray Morgan up there in New York. you know, I always consult him on situations when it comes to my health. Um, because I trust him like that, you know, he's my brother.

[00:23:11]He's my best friend.

[00:23:13]And he told me a very simple thing, you know, man, take some baking soda, you know, uh, baking soda and water, [clears throat] okay? And baking soda is a very powerful thing, man. It does wonderful things, especially for those of you out there who may be fighting cancer, okay? Get some aluminum free baking soda and take a teaspoon of that and a glass of water every day. Got me? Okay. Now, I'm not a This is just information purposes. I'm not a medical doctor. So, don't try to take that to the bank. I'm just telling you what my research has shown me. Okay?

[00:23:48]Baking soda does some wonderful things.

[00:23:50]You know why? Because it alkalizes the body. Okay? And when you're sick, especially with any kind of cancer, is because your body's alkalinity is not where it should be. Got me? Cancer cannot survive in an alkaline environment.

[00:24:08][snorts] So, take that baking soda cuz it boosts your alkalinity.

[00:24:12]Got what I'm saying? Okay, that's not what today's class is about. But I just want to share that with you. I just want to share with y'all how wonderful I feel. People been People have been asking me, "Doc, how you doing, D?"

[00:24:22]Listen y'all, I am doing absolutely wonderfully blacktastic. As you see, I have on this shirt here that says blacknificent. Okay, that's how I'm doing, man. I'm doing it. And my spirit said, "Do what you supposed to do for your health on a natural basis and take one day at a time and watch what happens." And that's what I've been doing. [snorts] And I feel absolutely great. Okay. So again, thank you guys for your prayers. Okay. to the brothers and sisters in the various African villages. Thank you for your support.

[00:24:55]Thank you for who you are. To the African villages headquarters, okay, in St. Louis, brothers and sisters, I love you guys. Thank you so much for your prayers and your support. Thank you very very much to our first baby that we gave birth to, the African village of Youngstown, Ohio. Okay, my auto tip to you guys as well to the African villages of Detroit, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois. the brothers and sisters there, uh, Maep and I greet you as well and thank you guys for your presence.

[00:25:25]The brother Sean Beasley out of Detroit, that brother, listen y'all, that brother called me. [snorts] H, you know, it's amazing to see how the brothers show their love, you know. And here's a brother who let me know, man, listen, if you need a kidney, you can have one of mine. Now, he don't even know if we're a match or not, but he said that. I mean, he he's ready to come here and donate a kidney. I said, "Brother, I don't need a kidney. I I don't need a kidney." And I just can't see myself asking anyone for that anyway. You know, at my age, you know, hey, I don't need a kidney. I'm fine. Okay, let's put it this way. Today, I'm fine.

[00:26:09]Yesterday, I was fine. Day before yesterday, I was absolutely fine.

[00:26:15]Blacktacular, blacktastic, blacknicent. Okay. And guess what?

[00:26:21]Tomorrow, okay, as the old folk used to say, God willing, I'll be fine then, too. And that's how I'm going to take it. One day at a time. All right. Long as I'm not sick, not in pain, I'm feeling good, I'm doing good, then so it be. That's what I'm talking about. Okay.

[00:26:40]Yeah, man. So, listen y'all. I want to get into the teaching for today, but I [snorts] just had to say thank you to everybody who's been sending me your positive energy and what have you. You know, I I just thank you guys so much. I mean, if if you guys have never shown me how much you love me in the past, you guys have done it in these last month, you know, and I thank you so very much for all of the comments and well wishes, you know, even those who feel I need to be stopped. Okay, I've been reading your comments. Okay, those of you in the chat room who uh make your comments there talking about I'm teaching false and all this kind of stuff. Well, as I've always said, just prove me wrong. Now, I know a lot of you guys don't like what I'm saying because you're a Christian, okay?

[00:27:27]And what I'm saying is not Christian indoctrination. What I'm saying is not Christian thought at all. Okay? So, I expect those of you who are Christians to have a problem with what I'm saying, but as I said, prove me wrong.

[00:27:43]Okay? Just prove me wrong. That's all.

[00:27:46]You ain't got to go into this whole thing of he's a false teacher and and he's leading you to hell. This that's those are comments that's based in your negative, narrow-minded, subjective thought. Okay? Prove me wrong. Show me the facts. Invalidate what I'm saying. You can't do it. I dare you to try. Okay? In the meantime, I'm thankful for those of you out there who don't like what I'm saying, but you make it your business to be with us every week. Okay? So, what I say to you is keep on listening. Just keep on listening. Or I've been there, been through that road several times over the course of the years. Okay? people who didn't who didn't like what I was saying and set out to prove me wrong only to find out they were trapped in the truth themselves, you know. So, go ahead, keep on listening. Let's see what kind of effect it's going to have. I dare you to keep listening. And like I said, prove me wrong. Okay?

[00:28:50]Okay, family. We're going to get now to the teaching for today.

[00:28:55]All right. And I want you guys to just follow along here.

[00:29:02]All right. And of course, I always start my teachings off with this illustration.

[00:29:08][snorts] The space inside this circle represents my realm of knowledge.

[00:29:15]All that I think I know about whatever I think I know is depicted right here within this circle.

[00:29:24]I must keep in mind that there is more to know than what is within the circumference of my awareness.

[00:29:32]Did you get that?

[00:29:35]Okay. I start all my teachings off like that because I'm going to say something that you don't already know. And besides, if I'm not saying something you don't that you don't already know, then I'm not teaching you anything and I'm wasting your time. Okay? So when I say something that is outside of your circumference of awareness, exercise intellectual vigilance, okay?

[00:30:02]Yeah. Respect your own mind. If you have a problem what I'm saying, make a note of it and go do the research.

[00:30:12]Don't be like the people who email me with foolish questions, okay? and then get an attitude when I don't respond to their foolishness. Now, it's not foolishness to them, but it's foolishness to me. You know why? I'm not an answer man. I'm a teacher. Did y'all get that? I'm not an answer man. I'm a teacher. I teach. That's what I do.

[00:30:37]Okay? I don't waste a lot of time answering questions. If you keep listening, then maybe you'll get the answer to your question. But I teach.

[00:30:46]I'm not an answer man. Okay. So, emailing me, asking me questions, and wanting me to take my time out to explain after I've clearly said to you, "Don't take my word for what I'm saying.

[00:30:59]Go do your own research."

[00:31:02]That tells me that you're lazy, dog it, don't waste my time asking me a bunch of questions when you can do your own research just like I've done. Okay, people think. Learn to use your critical thinking faculties. Do the research.

[00:31:22]Okay, stop depending on Brother Ray to answer all your questions. I'm not an answer man. I'm a teacher.

[00:31:30]Take notes when I teach and then go do the research. You understand? Got that?

[00:31:36]Okay. Then if you do stuff like that, then I don't have to say the things I'm saying like now. All right. So let's move forward.

[00:31:44]What is my objective today? As is every time I teach, the aim of this message today is to begin the process of undoing and reversing ideas and concepts that have been programmed into the minds of our people by the religious statements and church doctrines that have caused us to adopt a belief system.

[00:32:11]Not a knowledge system, a belief system that has resulted in our loss of contact with what is real, our loss of contact with what is factual, our loss of contact with what is historical, but most of all, our loss of contact with what is spiritual.

[00:32:28]Okay.

[00:32:31]I also put this up because I want people to begin to understand why some people cannot tell the truth.

[00:32:38]A lot of your religious leaders out there, they must fight what I'm saying.

[00:32:42]Because if what I'm saying is true, then that means what they're saying is not true. And there goes their empire. There goes their world that they built. Okay?

[00:32:52]So, they have to attack what I'm saying.

[00:32:54]And that's why I put this here. when you've told so many lies on top of each other over the centuries that telling the truth about one of your early foundational lies would unravel all the lies that have been defensively piled on top of it, thus exposing you for what you truly are.

[00:33:15]Guess what? You have no choice but to continue to lie.

[00:33:21]Think about what I'm saying here.

[00:33:23]When your ability to maintain your control over another person's reality is based on the lies that you have taught about what you are and who they are. If you want to maintain your power and control over those people, you can never tell the truth.

[00:33:43]Got me? So that's why the teacher of truth, the mauru, the truth speaker has such a serious job on their hands. You got me? Today, brothers and sisters, I want to talk to you from this subject.

[00:33:59]Aseticism, mental and spiritual enslavement.

[00:34:05]Got that? Aseticism.

[00:34:08]Mental and spiritual enslavement.

[00:34:12]Let's deal with this today.

[00:34:14]Okay.

[00:34:16]Oh my goodness. Yeah.

[00:34:20]Let's deal with what aseticism is first of all.

[00:34:25]Okay.

[00:34:28]Aces aseticism.

[00:34:30]Uh you know what I want to do? I want to um start this off by referring to a Bible verse.

[00:34:40]And the reason why I want to refer to a Bible verse is because aceticism is practiced in churches more than anywhere else.

[00:34:51]And they're practiced in the church because of an [snorts] attempt to be holy, an attempt to be deep, an attempt to be spiritual.

[00:35:04]Okay? So you have a lot of people in the church that practice asceticism.

[00:35:12]There's a Bible verse in second I'm sorry in Colossians the 2 chapter verses 20- 23. Okay? And we're going to put that there on the screen for you so you can see it. Colossians 2:es 20- 23.

[00:35:28]Here's what it says. And I'm and I'm quoting from the message version. Okay.

[00:35:34]Um, and while I'm on that, let me give some of you guys out there an advantage when it comes to uh understanding biblical passages.

[00:35:47]All right, write this down.

[00:35:48]biblegateway.com.

[00:35:51]All right, that's the Bible in all kind of translations and and versions.

[00:35:58]All right. King James, Living Bible, today's English version, the American Standard, the Exhaust, you name it.

[00:36:05]Okay.

[00:36:08]Colossians the 2 chapter verses 20- 23 reading from the message version.

[00:36:15]Okay. And again, you can go to biblegateway.com and pull it up and see for yourself in the message version. I'm sure many of you out there will enjoy seeing it in the different translations. All right.

[00:36:28]Colossians the 2 chapter verses 20- 23.

[00:36:32]Here's what it says. Reading from the message version says these words. So then if with Christ you've put all that puffed up and childish religion behind you.

[00:36:51]Why do you let yourselves be bullied by it?

[00:36:56]Now notice how it's given a description of this religion called Christianity.

[00:37:00]So then if with if with Christ you you've put all that puffed up and childish religion behind you.

[00:37:10]All right?

[00:37:12]You know may have if you ever been referred to or anybody ever say to you you're too religious or you're too superstitious. You know well this is pretty much what this passage is saying right here. If with Christ you've put all that puffed up and childish religion behind you, why do you let yourselves be bullied by it?

[00:37:36]Don't touch this.

[00:37:38]Don't taste that.

[00:37:41]Don't go near this.

[00:37:45]Do you think things are here today and gone tomorrow or are worth that kind of attention?

[00:37:53]That's what it says. Do you think that things that are here today and gone tomorrow worth that kind of attention?

[00:37:59]In other words, it's all to perish with the is fleeting.

[00:38:04]The verse goes on to say, "Such things sound [snorts] impressive if said in a deep enough voice." And God knows that's the truth. Oh man, I grew up with that kind of stuff. Hearing that all my life in the church growing up, folk would get up and talk a certain way and and that made them think made them think they were holy.

[00:38:30]Truly, I do mean heaven every step of the way.

[00:38:35][snorts] I'm saved and I know that I am baptized and I know that I am redeemed and I know that I am. As a child, I'm sitting there listening to folk talk like this and say, "Whoa, whoa, that person is scary."

[00:38:52]You know why? Because they had that face, that mean looking face that they're supposed to have the joy of the Lord, but they mean looking as mean as hell, right? You know, hallelujah.

[00:39:04]Glory. You know, that kind of stuff. You know, sisters out there, you sisters who do that, stop it, okay? No man wants a woman who gets an ugly face and a deep voice. Did you hear what I said? Okay, I'll say it again. No man wants a woman who gets that ugly face and a real deep voice.

[00:39:26]You got to read what God said. I don't want no woman talk like that.

[00:39:31][clears throat] I want my lady's voice to be sweet and I want to see her smile.

[00:39:36]Okay, you supposed that the joy of the Lord, right? And that's how you look.

[00:39:40]mouth all bent down on the side and you frowning like you in pain. Come on people. Those what it goes on to say. It says such things sound impressive if said in a deep enough voice. This actually right there in the message version of the Bible. It goes on to say, "They even give the illusion of being pious and humble, but they're just displaying another way of showing off, making themselves look important after the commandments and doctrines of men."

[00:40:17]Did y'all get that? Notice that last part again. They're just displaying another way of showing off. That's all it is. That's all it is. I used to watch the adults when I was a child get up in church and testify, you know, giving honor to God.

[00:40:38]Pastor, ministers, missionaries, deacons, saints, and friends.

[00:40:44]You know, I'm saved and I know that I am.

[00:40:49]Yeah. [snorts] I'm holy. I I've been living holy. Why you got to tell us you've been living holy? What the hell is wrong with you? I don't need to hear that. Just live holy.

[00:41:02]And you know what I found out? Like it says here, just another way of showing off, making yourselves look important.

[00:41:09]You don't have to tell if you're a person you're holy or not. You know, it's like the Bible verses says, "And be not drunk with wine wearing is excess, but be filled with the spirit." Right?

[00:41:20]Don't be drunk with wine. You ever see people get up in church and like they have to let you know that they're full of the Holy Ghost? Have you ever seen that, y'all? I'm I'm I'm filled with the Holy Ghost and that with a mighty burning fire and do speak in tongues as the spirit give me utterance.

[00:41:41]And come on people, stop it.

[00:41:46]It says right there in the book, it's just another way of showing off.

[00:41:51]making yourself look important after the commandments and doctrines of men.

[00:41:59]Oh my goodness, people. Yeah.

[00:42:03]Let's break down what aceticism is.

[00:42:09]Aseticism is a practice that goes on in most religious circles that's characterized by something called self-disipline.

[00:42:21]self-denial and the renunciation of worldly pleasures all in a pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. So they claim.

[00:42:36]Now hopefully in this message today you will get to understand as I explain the historical development, the principles, the types and the motivations behind what is called aseticism through a comprehensive analysis. My goal today is to provide a deeper understanding of what aseticism is and its significance in different cultural and spiritual contexts.

[00:43:14]Now the word aeticism is derived from the etmological term escases.

[00:43:23]That's spelled as s k i s. Easesis.

[00:43:30]Esacesis means to exercise or to train.

[00:43:36]So, aeticism is really a practice that involves strict self-disipline, strict selfdenial and the renunciation of worldly pleasures. Now, whatever worldly is, you know, I mean, I I grew up hearing that, but nobody ever broke down to me what worldly meant. So, I'm going to break it down for you today.

[00:44:04]It is commonly associated with religious and philosophical traditions that emphasize spiritual growth. Now, of course, everybody wants to grow spiritually. Okay? So in their pursuit of spiritual growth, they take on these man-made practices and these man-made influences that's supposed to help them develop morally or or to help them in their pursuit for higher truths.

[00:44:36]People who practice aseticism [snorts] often engage in practices such as fasting.

[00:44:46]Okay. Yeah. Fasting is the number one practice of people who are aesthetics.

[00:44:54]Another thing, [snorts] another practice that goes on in aseticism is something called celibacy.

[00:45:01]And then they brag about it.

[00:45:05]child, I've been living holy. I ain't I ain't had no man touch me. I ain't touched no woman. I'm living holy. And you brag about that as though your claim suppresses your desire, your for human sexuality.

[00:45:23]But that's why you fast. That's why you become celibate so you can brag and make yourself sound important.

[00:45:31]Like I saw one young lady on the internet and she they they they posted this clip of her testifying and what did she brag about? I ain't had no sex.

[00:45:44]And then took off running around the church and everybody got happy.

[00:45:50]Why is it that sex has this stigma in the mind of church folk? Y'all didn't know. Listen, when I was growing up, I thought the only sin was fornication because that's all we would hear as young people. Flee fornication.

[00:46:08]Flee fornication. Flee fornication.

[00:46:11]Okay? Not realizing that what's called reverse psychology was at work with us young folk. Okay? Because the more you tell a person not to do a thing, the more they want to do it. All right? I mean, man, we had more premature uh teenage pregnancies in my church growing up. Oh my god.

[00:46:34]But yet, everybody was living holy.

[00:46:37]Everybody was fasting. Everybody was celibate, right? Everybody walked stepped away from the practices of the world, you know? So, aeticism promotes fasting. It promotes celibacy.

[00:46:56]It promotes it promotes meditation.

[00:46:59]Aceticism promotes a severe selfimposed restriction to attain inner peace to attain self-realization and enlightenment. So aesthetics put themselves through all this. Okay. I used to be an aesthetic growing up in the church. Yeah. Couldn't do nothing.

[00:47:23]couldn't do nothing. Couldn't go to the movies. Couldn't go to parties. Couldn't dance. Oh my goodness, man. Can't do this, can't do that. And that's why that passage started out. If you are dead with Christ, why are you subjecting yourself to man-made ordinances like you can't drink this, you can't taste this, you can't do this, you can't do that. I remember as a as a young boy, I snuck into in my hometown, there was a movie called The Fabian, Fabian Theater, and I snuck into the Fabian right now because I didn't want nobody to see me.

[00:48:03]I snuck in and I went all the way down to the front row. Nobody was sitting down there but me, okay? Sitting down there in front of this giant screen. I'm looking straight up at it like this, right? you know, okay, making my eyesight go bad because I didn't want nobody to see that I had sinned by sitting in the movie. Cuz see, in my years growing up, I was taught that going to the movie was sitting in the seat of the scornful.

[00:48:34]Y'all see what religion does to you? The Bible says, "Don't sit in the seat of the scornful." What that got to do with going to the movie theater? You see how people apply versus what they wanted to say. So aesthetics are those people who withdrew from society to lead lives of solitude.

[00:49:01]An aesthetic is a person who withdraws from society, withdraws from just living every day, okay, to live a life of prayer.

[00:49:13]Most aesthetics carry the title a prayer warrior. What is a prayer warrior?

[00:49:21]Y'all see what I'm saying? Again, back to making themselves look important, child. I'm a prayer warrior. And you brag on it. I'm a prayer warrior.

[00:49:33]People, we got we religion has messed us up.

[00:49:39]You all puffed up. you're a prayer warrior because you pray. And you know, I remember I remember years ago I was a little boy, we had an evangelist to come did the revival for us, right? And every night before going to bed, he'd be praying real loud, you know, and my parents were impressed with this man's prayer life.

[00:50:08]Got me? He's up there praying, "Father, in the name of Jesus, oh, we want you to do." I mean, this is I mean, this just went on, right? I mean, for like about a good hour and my mom would say, "Oh, that's a praying man." Only to find out the man had a dag on tape recorder, okay? And that's what he was doing.

[00:50:31]Had the thing playing out loud and had us thinking he was praying. Wanted to appear deep, appear holy. We had another preacher. Every time he came to minister to us, he had just come off a 40-day fast, but the man weighed almost 300 lb. Okay?

[00:50:48]And he every month he's going on a another fast, right?

[00:50:55]Why? That's aceticism.

[00:50:59]I got to fast so I can be holy.

[00:51:06]self. So, so people understand how deep this goes, man. Because throughout history, aeticism has been practiced by individuals with in almost in every spiritual tradition. So, let me help you understand some of the principles of aseticism.

[00:51:25]Central to aeticism is the practice of self-discipline which involves exerting control over your desires, exerting control over your emotions, exerting control over your behaviors.

[00:51:44]Okay? So people who practice aseticism brag on the fact that they have subdued their flesh.

[00:51:54]Brag on the fact that they are living a holy lifestyle.

[00:52:01]I don't do the things I used to do.

[00:52:03]Things I used to do I don't do no more.

[00:52:07]You know come all that kind of foolishness. And as again as little children, when you see your parents, you know, and adults talking like that, you feel that they they're they're they're on another level with God.

[00:52:20]You know, we had a man in our church who's the the superintendent of the Sunday school.

[00:52:27]I won't call his name out of respect, his family and all, but he's the superintendent of our Sunday school. And of course, he was one of these people would speak in tongues like crazy. and get happy in church and go through these oh, you know, and and of course as children, you don't understand what's going on. So you thinking God is doing something unique in this person's life. And then as I got older, come to find out this man's a dag on pedophile.

[00:52:57]You understand?

[00:52:59]you know, getting arrested every weekend for displaying his sexual organ at the bus terminal in the men's room, you know, and then my parents got to go get him out of jail every weekend. And yet this man is holds an office in the church, but yet he's an aesthetic, right? See this? See, when you hear people always talking about how much they have to sacrifice and deny themselves and stuff like that, be careful of that.

[00:53:32]Be careful of that, okay? That's not something that you need to tell the world about, okay? You know, if you're if you're if you're disciplining yourself through exercise, you know, you don't have to tell the world that. It shows, you know, you know, you so don't get hung up in this false practice of aeticism.

[00:54:01]You think you're doing something good.

[00:54:03]You think you're doing something right and righteous. That's what you think.

[00:54:07]You see, you know, people voluntarily restrict their food consumption.

[00:54:16]because they're fasting. No good will you hungry as I don't know what.

[00:54:21][snorts] I never I'll never forget my first shut in as a child that that let me know right then that this wasn't for me because my first shut in or I think I was like nine or 10 years old and they said we're having a shut in this weekend this coming weekend.

[00:54:42]I didn't know what a shutin was, right?

[00:54:44]because I just moved to my live with uncle and aunt at that point in my life and they're pastor and pastor's wife.

[00:54:51]So, you know, I'm now taking on this new lifestyle of being a pastor's son.

[00:54:59]And of course, at the shut in, it's a fast for the whole weekend from Friday to Sunday.

[00:55:09]Well, by Friday night, I was hungry.

[00:55:14]And I wanted to know when we going home to eat. So I said to my mom, you know, I'm hungry, man. I want to go. Oh no, we can't eat until Sunday. That wasn't going to work for me. Right then and right then and there, I knew this is not for me. Okay. I knew this ain't for me.

[00:55:32]No. Uh-uh. Okay. Cuz see, everybody was at the shutin for spiritual power.

[00:55:39]Well, as a child, the only thing I saw I didn't see any spirit display of spiritual power at all. Only thing I saw and experienced in that shut in was folk who brought their pillows so they could sleep, women in their hair rollers. Okay? Uh the place was very funky because we weren't allowed to brush our teeth.

[00:56:04]Okay? Couldn't drink water, nothing. Was fasting. So, of course, people's breath was horrible, you know. Uh, man, the the odor in the room was uh So, that was that was my impression of a shut in at a at an early age. Okay. And I knew then, nope, this is not for me. Nope.

[00:56:25]And besides, why do we have to show each other that we're going through all this?

[00:56:30]See, as a child, that didn't even make sense. And then you have to get up and brag about your the fact that you're celibate.

[00:56:38]Why are you bragging that you're celibate or chased?

[00:56:42]Okay. And then you impose limitations on bodily comfort to transcend the distractions of a material existence by exercising self-denial.

[00:56:55]People who practice aestheticism aim to purify their body and their mind, thereby freeing themselves from the bondage of sensual pleasures.

[00:57:07]And of course, they have Bible verses for that. Now you got to deny yourself cuz the Bible says in Matthew 16 24 and 25.

[00:57:19]Then said Jesus unto his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me, said the Lord."

[00:57:32]See, and when the preacher says it like that, you know, the way they take on that voice and that that vernacular, you know, it it's like the it's like the Holy Ghost has come upon them and and overshadowed them and empowered them and and those of us who don't have the anointing like that sit back in humility and oh my God, that's God speaking through him now. And then it goes on to quote the 25th verse of the 16th chapter of Matthew. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it. And whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.

[00:58:10]So what does the person who practices aeticism attempt to do? Give up his life.

[00:58:17]You hear things like child, you got to give up the world.

[00:58:21]got to give up the world and all the worldly desires because the Bible says you want to come after Christ, you got to deny yourself.

[00:58:28]So the things that you want to do, you can't do that no more. You can't do that no more.

[00:58:37]Man, our people are messed up. Then you have what's called the renunciation of worldly pleasures.

[00:58:45]Oh my goodness.

[00:58:47]People who practice aestheticism often renounce material possessions.

[00:58:54]They renounce wealth.

[00:58:57]Okay? And then they say things, "Don't you know the Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil?"

[00:59:07]So they renounce wealth.

[00:59:10]Okay?

[00:59:13]And I got news for you y'all. It's not the love of money that's the root of evil. It's the lack of money, okay, that's the root of all evil.

[00:59:23]So people who practice aeticism, they renounce worldly possessions, material possessions, wealth, even societal attachments belonging to certain organizations.

[00:59:35]You know, they use verses like the Bible said, "Be ye not unequally yolked together with unbelievers."

[00:59:42][snorts] If there unbelievers in that organization you belong to, God don't want you in it.

[00:59:48]In that case, y'all need to leave the church then.

[00:59:53]Cuz I can't think of more phonyism and two-facedness and hypocrisy than I see that goes on in churches.

[01:00:05]Okay. So people who practice aeticism, they separate themselves from materialism. They separate themselves from societal attachments. They se separate themselves from wealth so that they can live a consecrated life cuz the Bible says sanctify yourselves.

[01:00:31]Come out from among them sayith the Lord. Sanctify means to set apart from religion has messed us up people.

[01:00:43]So through a detach through through detachment from worldly desires, people who practice asceticism seek liberation from the cycle of craving and suffering.

[01:00:56]The relinquishment of material wealth and comforts is believed to diminish the distractions that hinder spiritual progress allowing people who practice aeticism to focus on their inner development. So they think and then they use Bible verses such as first John the 2 chapter verses 15-17.

[01:01:24]They said, "Brother Ray, what did the Bible say there?" The Bible literally says, "Love not the world." Let me say it like I used to hear it growing up in the church. The Bible says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world."

[01:01:40]If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him.

[01:01:45]For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes and the pride of life. And that's not of the father, but it's of the world. And the world passes away in the lust thereof.

[01:01:57]But who that person that does the will OF GOD abides forever. So love not the world. It don't have nothing to do with the world.

[01:02:08]Okay? And yet they [clears throat] never stopped to tell us what the world was.

[01:02:14]So in our ignorance, we assumed that the world anything worldly was materialistic like a new car, okay, or or a decent bank account or certain kind of clothes, okay? Or certain brand of shoes you can't wear. All right? And that's why you go to some churches today and the sisters look homey as they can be.

[01:02:43]Okay? I mean, you know, I I Oh, Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.

[01:02:50]Lord have mercy. Some sisters, y'all y'all y'all please get rid of this mentality of pulling your hair back.

[01:02:58]Ain't a ain't that long anyway. You got a little pony, little ponytail about that long all snatched up in a little rubber band in the back of your head cuz you want to live holy? You want to appear holy?

[01:03:12]People who think that you have to wear white aseticism. Okay. Who said be wearing white makes you holy? Where that come from?

[01:03:23]Okay.

[01:03:27]Everything got to be white. White.

[01:03:29]Right. You don't even understand that Jewish uh Jewish prudent doctors of Jewish prudence know better. Why you think the robe is black?

[01:03:46]Right? Why you think the robe is black?

[01:03:48]Cuz they know better. They know that black is the color of righteousness.

[01:03:54]They know that black is the color of true holiness, not white.

[01:03:59]that comes from the European mind.

[01:04:02]And yet you see so many of our people dressing in white because that makes them holy. That separates them, that sets them apart from the rest of the world.

[01:04:13]Oh no, family.

[01:04:16]No, no, no, no, no.

[01:04:18]For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. That's not of the father, but is of the world. That's what the Bible says, right?

[01:04:29]But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. But if you love the world, you going to pass away with the world. So what does that teach us? That teaches us to get old beat up car to dress plain and simple.

[01:04:46]Okay? And you actually have preachers out here who are who are trying to make people feel guilty for looking good.

[01:04:55]Yeah, I I heard a preacher on the internet the other day calling a woman a simply because women any talking about any woman who wears lipstick is a Y'all need to take that man and and and and lock him and and drop squad him somewhere. For those who've seen the movie Drop Squad, right? You know, you don't call our queens a simply because they beautified themselves.

[01:05:24]hell is wrong with you, man?

[01:05:26]Shoot. Okay, let me get back to the point here.

[01:05:31]H another principle of of aseticism is for spiritual growth and enlightenment.

[01:05:40]You see, the ultimate goal of aseticism is spiritual growth and enlightenment.

[01:05:46]People who practice aeticism believe that by practicing self-discipline and self-denial and and renunciation that they can transcend the limitations of the physical world and attain a higher state of consciousness through so through disciplined practices such as meditation, prayer, introspection, people who practice aseticism aim to cultivate virtues and and gain self-nowledge and experience a profound connection with the divine.

[01:06:25]Oh yeah. They want to have a direct pipeline to God. And they want you to know that they have a direct pipeline to God. Oh, this some deep stuff y'all.

[01:06:34]Okay. So, let me talk about now the three types of aseticism. Let me check my time here right quick.

[01:06:43]Okay. Okay, I'm doing pretty good.

[01:06:46]The three types of aseticism or the three kinds of aseticism. Let's deal with that right now. You have religious aseticism, you have philosophical aseticism, and you have what is called contemporary aseticism.

[01:07:06]Let me break all those down to you.

[01:07:08]Religious aestheticism is rooted in the practices and teachings of most religions.

[01:07:19]It often involves very strict observance of religious rituals.

[01:07:27]And I need need to let you know I'm talking about man-made rituals now.

[01:07:32]Okay?

[01:07:34]uh you know even to the point of of of burning incense and uh and and and and what they call it um I can't call can't think of what they call it smudging and things like that. Okay. They feel they got to they got to purify the room.

[01:07:54]Got me? This is all a part of aeticism.

[01:07:58]You know we got to purify the room.

[01:08:01]Get rid of any negative energy in the room. Brothers and sisters, wake up.

[01:08:08]Now, I know there's something that's not gonna agree with me on this point. And the reason for that is because you practice what I'm talking about right now.

[01:08:15]And you don't want to stop your practice because that's all a part of you appearing to be deep or holy.

[01:08:22]You know, burning incense.

[01:08:29]You know, like the Catholic priests walking up and down with a thing, incense container connected to a chain and they're, you know, come on. That y'all got [snorts] practicing all these religious rituals and and and withdrawal from secular society and an adherence to moral and ethical codes. And you honestly think that this is making you deep or spiritual or spiritually powerful.

[01:09:03]Y'all see why I appreciate the song I wrote? So glad I can be myself. I used to do all that stuff. I used to practice all that foolishness thinking that I had to be this in order to be what the folk said God wants me to be.

[01:09:21]Religious aesthetics live in communities that deny reality.

[01:09:32]Religious aesthetics retreat to remote locations and adopt lifestyles that want to set them apart from other people. Okay, here you are on your job, but you're an aesthetic. Even though you don't want to label yourself as an aesthetic, you're an aesthetic. You know why? Because you have to look different than the folk at your job. You can't participate in what the people at your job participate in because you're an aesthetic.

[01:10:02]You know, you're holy. You're set apart from all that, right?

[01:10:10]Religious aseticism is practiced by Buddhist monks, for example.

[01:10:19]uh or they such as the Catholic priests and nuns that take a vow of poverty or the seclusion of certain mystics.

[01:10:31]That's aeticism, people. And some of y'all listening to me right now, you know exactly what I'm talking about because I I in my spirit I'm I'm picking up some of y'all saying I know I know I know somebody is just like that. I know I know somebody practices all that foolishness. Okay. Well, I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about you right now. Okay? I want to be sure you are not practicing aseticism, thinking that's getting you closer to God.

[01:10:58]Then you have philosophical aestheticism, which is a part of various schools of thought that emphasize self-control and discipline and the pursuit of wisdom.

[01:11:10]Okay. uh stoicism advocated for self-mastery and the moderation of desires to achieve inner tranquility.

[01:11:22]And by the way, stoicism uh has to do with pain and suffering.

[01:11:29]Okay? Yeah. You got folk in the church who will tell you, [cough] [clears throat] excuse me, they will tell you, let me take a drink all my water. They will tell you that the Bible says in second Timothy the 2 chapter the 12th verse.

[01:11:50]The Bible says that if you want to reign with Christ, you got to suffer with him.

[01:11:58]You know, so they sing songs in church like, "I've learned how to live holy.

[01:12:07]I've learned how to live right. Check out these words now. I used to sing this song all the time. I've learned how to suffer.

[01:12:21]For if I suffer, I'll gain eternal eternal life.

[01:12:30]Did you get that message? So we go through this thing of accepting a life of pain and suffering so that we can reign with Christ.

[01:12:45]People, now you see why I saying so glad I can be myself. Okay. Well, I found out that I can be myself. Yeah. And I'm so glad.

[01:12:59]I'm so glad cuz the truth coming into the knowledge of myself, coming into the knowledge of who I am and my ancestry freed me from aeticism and trying to live who I am not.

[01:13:18]Oh my goodness, man.

[01:13:22]Then you have contemporary aseticism.

[01:13:25]In modern times like we are in now, aceticism has taken on new forms and interpretations.

[01:13:33]Some people who practice aseticism adopt practices as a response to the consumerrist and materialistic culture.

[01:13:45]You know, we can't have this, we can't have that, you know, can't have can't have a lot of money in the bank.

[01:13:55]Okay? Because the Bible says it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven. So therefore, aesthetics renounce having financial gain.

[01:14:12]people ah minimalism or another word for that would be intentional living okay and digital detoxes that's another phrase that's out now okay because of the internet and stuff like I mean I'm I heard a preacher say I'm calling a Facebook fast what in the hell is a Facebook past.

[01:14:44]Stay off of Facebook.

[01:14:47]That's going to make you more spiritual.

[01:14:49]So, you close down your computer knowing good and well almost every minute of every hour. You want to go on Facebook so bad to find out what's going what's being said by somebody, but you are in a Facebook fast. Okay? And you honestly think that because you're in a Facebook fast, that's going to give you spiritual power.

[01:15:11]Brothers and sisters, I used to think stuff like that. I used to think that fasting would give me spiritual power to fight demons, to fight evil spirits.

[01:15:24]You know why? Because the Bible says this kind of demon only comes out by prayer and fasting.

[01:15:33]Got me? So, I'm thinking the more I pray and the more I fast, the more I can cast out demons. Well, first of all, why do I want to cast out demons? Why would I want to do that?

[01:15:45]You get the picture? Why?

[01:15:49]Based on what we've been taught, based on what I was taught, when a demon comes out of somebody, they have to find somebody else to go into. Right?

[01:16:00]That's what we've been taught in the church. So now, why you want to cast the demons out of this person with all these innocent children in the room, okay? Or with all these people in the room don't know the first thing about spiritual warfare.

[01:16:16]But you want to you want to impress people with your holiness. You want to impress people with your power.

[01:16:25]So you got to brag about the fact that you cast demons out of people. People, Lord have mercy.

[01:16:34]Yeah. So, you got people who honestly think that detaching themselves from technology, okay, is going to make them spiritually stronger.

[01:16:48]Y'all get the picture?

[01:16:50]What are the motivations for practicing aseticism? Well, number one, religious devotion and salvation.

[01:16:58]A lot of people who practice aseticism are driven by religious devotion and the desire to be saved.

[01:17:07]Child, I want to be saved.

[01:17:10]Oh, I got to separate myself from all that. I want to go to heaven when I die.

[01:17:16]Okay. So, you won't eat no cheesecake.

[01:17:19]You won't eat no butter pecan ice cream.

[01:17:23]Okay? cuz all that stuff is of the world.

[01:17:29]Well, I found out that I can be myself and I'm so glad. Yeah, you get the picture. Now you see why I sing that song.

[01:17:40]People who practice aeticism, they believe that by renouncing worldly attachments and embracing aesthetic practices, they honestly believe they can purify their souls.

[01:17:54]They honestly believe they can attain union with the divine. They honestly believe they can have a direct pipeline to God and escape the cycle of birth and death.

[01:18:05]Aceticism is seen as a means to cultivate virtues and deepen a person's faith and make them draw closer closer to God. Not closer to God, closer to God.

[01:18:24]closer.

[01:18:26]And he's singing just a closer walk with thee.

[01:18:34]Granted, Jesus, if you please, daily walking close to thee.

[01:18:42]Let it be, Lord. Let it be. That's the prayer of the aesthetic.

[01:18:49]Okay. Once you really truly get to know the character, the nature of the most high almighty God, you won't have to say things like just a closer walk with thee. You have to sing stuff like that. You know why? Because you know now that God is sovereign.

[01:19:14]The most high God is sovereign.

[01:19:18]Who does what he or she wills, how he or she wills it, whenever he or she wills it, whenever or wherever he or she wills it, however he or she wills it, and you ain't got nothing to say about it.

[01:19:39]Okay? So when you truly get to know and understand the nature of the most high God, you'll understand the God within you.

[01:19:49]And you'll understand that because you play golf or because you play basketball or because you go watch a movie.

[01:20:02]I had a I had an uncle. He's passed away now. And my family used to talk about him because when TV when televisions came out, he called that the devil's box, but he was pressured to get one for his children so they could watch cartoons and everything, right? You know, and my family used to talk about how he would sit in the living room like this, you know, covers and look peep out with one eye looking at the what he called the devil's box, right? But he was a he was an aesthetic, so he didn't want them to see him looking at television.

[01:20:41]That kind of foolishness.

[01:20:44]Y'all be surprised some of the foolish concepts that religion has placed on us as a people.

[01:20:53]practices such as meditation and mindfulness, okay, to foster self-awareness, enabling individuals to attain a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world. Listen, you want to get a clo, you want listen, if you really want to get to have a closer relationship with the most high God, get out in nature.

[01:21:22]Just get out in nature.

[01:21:25]Okay? Experience nature.

[01:21:29]People who are aesthetics are trying their best to transcend material attachments.

[01:21:35]Okay? So they they seek liberation from material attachments and the associated suffering that goes along with it.

[01:21:45]By renouncing worldly pleasures, they aim to free themselves from the perpetual cycle of desire and dissatisfaction and craving. People who practice aeticism encourage detachment from possessions and encourage detachment from social status and and the pursuit of sensory gratification fostering a sense of contentment and detachment from materialism.

[01:22:14]Another principle of of or or or or purpose for aeticism is to establish moral strength.

[01:22:26]That's right. I've heard people say, "J, I got to stay prayed up, child. I got to stay prayed up. I got to stay prayed up." So, you pray, okay, for your strength. And then you actually tell people, I want y'all to pray my strength in the Lord.

[01:22:42]And some people don't say strength. They say scrint. Won't you pray my scrint in the Lord? Pray my scrint in the Lord.

[01:22:48]That's stuff I heard growing up. Yeah.

[01:22:50]Bringing back memories, boy. Just talking about this stuff.

[01:22:53]You see, so people who practice aseticism, okay, are people who view aeticism as a means to cultivate virtues and develop moral strength. And through self-discipline and self-denial, aesthetics strive to overcome vices such as greed, vices such as lust, vices such as anger.

[01:23:24]They strive to cultivate virtues such as compassion, humility, and selflessness.

[01:23:31]Okay? And a lot of times as much energy they put into it, it don't work for them. And [snorts] that's why you hear them say, "Child, you better you better you better be happy I'm saved. You better be glad I'm saved. If I wasn't saved, it'd be me and you right now. Oh, child, I'd be walking up and down your back right now if I wasn't saved." See, this is these are the people so-called practice aeticism because they be they think that because they prayed a lot, okay, that's giving them the strength, okay? But yet the strength is not in their thoughts because they just they're telling you right now, you better be glad I'm a praying woman. If I wasn't a praying woman, child, it' be me and you all over this floor. Not all over the floor. All over this flow.

[01:24:17][snorts] Okay. So, aesthetics play games with themselves.

[01:24:22]Okay.

[01:24:24]Aesthetic practices provides opportunities for individuals to supposedly supposedly refine their character.

[01:24:35]Okay? Supposedly deepen their moral conviction and supposedly to align their lives with certain ethical principles.

[01:24:45]But aestheticism has some pros and cons to it.

[01:24:50]Okay? Okay. And as we get ready to bring this message to a close, I want to drop those on you now. All right. You have to understand the psychological and spiritual benefits of aeticism.

[01:25:02]Yeah. In fact, let me see something here while I'm thinking about this. Uh bear with me here for a second, family, while I connect something. Just thought about something here. If I want to I want to um for our closing song, you know, got to be has be sure that's plugged in and ready to go. Okay. Uh but a set of practices have been associated with various psychological beliefs.

[01:25:31]Okay. Through self-discipline, individuals literally develop so they think resilience and self-control and inner strength.

[01:25:44]So, aestheticism literally can foster a sense of purpose, a sense of meaning and a sense of transcendence, providing individuals with a framework for personal growth and transformation.

[01:26:02]Additionally, people who practice aseticism such as meditation have been scientifically linked to reduced stress in their lives. Yeah, practicing meditation will help reduce stress. Okay, but just because you practice meditation don't make you closer to God.

[01:26:27]Understand that the purpose of meditation is to control your thinking, improve mental well-being, and enhance cognitive abilities. Another pro and con about uh uh aeticism is uh various ethical concerns and then potential extremes.

[01:26:51]Now don't get me wrong, but follow what I'm saying. Aestheticism when taken to extremes can lead to ethical concerns and potential negative consequences that other folk don't want to be around you.

[01:27:05]In some cases, aesthetics practice self harm and severe physical deprivation.

[01:27:15]Okay. Or the neglect of basic human needs.

[01:27:20]Yeah. For example, just being around other people.

[01:27:25]Brothers and sisters, people need people to survive. God designed us that way.

[01:27:32]But some people are so deep they don't want to be around nobody. Oh child, I stay to myself. I just stay to myself.

[01:27:39]And you can tell these are people. These are people who need to be to themselves, too. Because once they get around people, they get so deep and holy. Don't nobody want to be around them.

[01:27:52]So extreme forms of aceticism can be physically and mentally harmful. I deal with as a as a therapist. Oh yeah.

[01:28:02]I can tell an aesthetic as soon as they walk into my office because they come in with a certain air of achievement. They come in with their chin in a certain, you know, I'm, you know, and they they careful to let me know what they've achieved in life.

[01:28:22]I'm not interested in all that.

[01:28:25]So brothers and sisters, it's it's important to distinguish between healthy balanced aestheticism and practices that will endanger your well-being.

[01:28:40]Okay? Some aesthetics live in denial.

[01:28:45]Okay? You just deny. You know, I I remember one time, man, I I had I had to wear a cast on my left leg. And of course, being that I played the organ, I couldn't operate the bass pedals because my left leg was in a cast. Right now, mind you, I got on a cast. I'm sitting here in church and I can't play the bass pedals with my left leg.

[01:29:11]So, one of the saints, as we used to call them, right, came over and said, "Oh, Elder Hagens, I know you'd be glad when you ain't got that cast on your leg." I said, "Yeah, I broke my I broke I'm suffering that what I had was something called Osgum Slatus, right? And that's when the bone in just below your kneecap separates from the knee." And I had to wear a cast for it to heal. And I told the lady, you know, I broke a bone here in my leg. And no, she said, "No, you didn't. Don't claim it.

[01:29:47]Don't claim it."

[01:29:49]I was a teenager at this point. I was in high school, in fact. I wanted to say to that lady, even at that young age, please step away from me. Just step away. What do you mean don't claim it? I got a cast on my leg. It's claiming me, dog on it. Shoot. Talking about don't claim it. Have you ever been around people like that? You know, there's a there's a real situation here at hand and they're saying don't claim it, man. Shoot.

[01:30:18]Let me check my time. Okay, I got about a half hour left. I'm going try to try to try to sum this up before then.

[01:30:30]As I said, people uh there are some people who uh practice aeticism as a way to counterbalance consumerism or love for material things.

[01:30:47]Okay. Uh there are some people practice aeticism to reduce in the environmental impact that surrounds them.

[01:30:57]There are some people who practice aseticism to foster a deeper connection with oneself and the natural world.

[01:31:06]Then there are others who argue that aeticism can be an escapist or elitist response that fails to address systemic issues or promote social justice.

[01:31:21]So the cont contemporary understanding and practice of aestheticism continues to evolve incorporating elements of mindfulness, elements of sustainability and elements of social responsibility.

[01:31:39]Understand this right? So in my conclusion, I hope you understand that aseticism, whereas it can have some good points to it and can and have some positive benefits, I've seen the cons, not the pros. I've seen that more so than the pros of aeticism.

[01:32:04]All right. people who end up living uh an unrealistic [clears throat] lifestyle.

[01:32:14]You know, you're claiming stuff that don't exist because you feel like your sacrifice has drawn you closer to God to whereas you can how do how do people quote it? So you can speak those things that be not as though they were into existence because you've been spending time with God.

[01:32:43]No, your citicism has made you crazy.

[01:32:47]Okay? You know, you're rooted in religious devotion and philosophical inquiry and the quest for self transcendent.

[01:32:59]Aceticism offers a path of discipline, self-control, and detachment from worldly attachments. But you can go overboard with this stuff. Okay? You can go overboard with it to the point to where you, you know, you almost become like the Amish. You don't feel you should be riding in a car, you know, because that is not of God.

[01:33:24]You know, you you shouldn't have no electronics in your house because that's not of God. You shouldn't even have lights still burning candles cuz you that's having lights is worldly. The desice of the devil. Come on people.

[01:33:38]Y'all got to stop. Stop.

[01:33:42]Okay.

[01:33:43]Yes. While aestheticism does hold potential benefits for spiritual growth, ethical development, and personal well-being, you must exercise caution.

[01:34:00][clears throat] Okay? To prevent extreme manifestations that could undermine your physical and mental health.

[01:34:12]I've met too many church folk who are crazy because they're they've taken aeticism too far.

[01:34:25]So now they're hearing voices and stuff like that and the Lord is always speaking to them. You know, the Lord told them this, Lord told him that, the Lord told him this, Lord told him that, Lord told him this, Lord told him that.

[01:34:38]You know something?

[01:34:40]Why do people even say that?

[01:34:44]Why do people feel the need to say the Lord told me such and such a thing?

[01:34:54]Think about it. Now, I'm think I'm as a psychologist, I want you to think.

[01:34:59]What's the purpose of of telling another person what the Lord told you?

[01:35:06]Let me tell you why you say that.

[01:35:08]because you feel even if even if it's on a subliminal level, you think that once you tell somebody that the Lord said a certain thing to you, that's supposed to gain acceptance to what you said.

[01:35:28]Okay?

[01:35:31]Understand how that works. Understand the psychology behind that. Okay? See, I had to outgrow that because people I and and it was really deep. I'm I'm going to go ahead and share this with you. What helped me outrow that was the first woman who said to me, "The Lord told me that you are my husband."

[01:35:56]Now, first time I had that said to me, it was like, "Okay, well, he ain't said nothing to me." But, you know, if God said that to you, well, then maybe there's something to this, you know. I mean, she wasn't a badl looking person.

[01:36:14]But when she said the Lord said that, see, because of my upbringing, that was supposed to gain points with me. Okay?

[01:36:23]That's supposed to make me believe what she said because the Lord said it. And about a week later, another woman said, "The Lord said that you are my husband." That's when my eyes I said, "Wait a minute now. Hold up.

[01:36:39]Okay. Okay. Stop right there now. Okay.

[01:36:43]Now something I know something's wrong here." And that's when I begin to challenge and analyze all this foolishness.

[01:36:52]Okay?

[01:36:53]You don't need to tell me that the Lord said anything. Just tell me what you want to say.

[01:37:00]You don't have to preface it with the Lord said so that I'll accept what you're saying because that's really that's really the program. That's the agenda behind that. Okay. Understand how this goes people.

[01:37:12]Okay. So in my conclusion understand that again aeticism remains a powerful and complex practice that has shaped the lives and philosophies of a lot of people over the course of time. Like I said, some people are root rooted in religious devotion and philosophical inquiry and and the quest for self transcendence and aestheticism offers them a path of discipline, self-control, and detachment from worldly distractions.

[01:37:46]Okay.

[01:37:48]By understanding the principles and motivations and diverse expressions of aestheticism, we gain insight into the pursuit of meaning, self-discovery, and the search for the sacred in human life.

[01:38:06]Okay? I hope what I said today made sense, family. All right? be careful of aesthetics, especially many of them who've gone overboard with this stuff. All right.

[01:38:20]Okay. As I get ready to close this out now, let me do this here. H I invite you to subscribe. Those of you who are watching me on YouTube, if you haven't already done so, go ahead and subscribe to my YouTube channel since you're there. Okay? Go ahead and subscribe. Get those numbers up. All right? And hit that notification bell so when I go live, you'll know about it.

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[01:39:40]Okay, if you're making your donation by way of PayPal, okay, go to paypal.com and our PayPal address to make your donation is African Village One. African Village number one.

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[01:40:39]Also, you know, I cannot leave, okay, without encouraging you guys to come on and be a part of the greatest organization that I am honored to be a part of, and that's the Black Achievement Fund. We have so much fun in the Black Achievement Fund. brothers and sisters from everywhere are becoming members of the Black Achievement Fund. Come on and be a part of it with us. Okay? Yeah, man. We got to empower ourselves economically. And that's what the Black Achievement Fund is really all about. And coming up at the 2 o'clock hour, I invite you to go to our website, baf.solutions.

[01:41:20]Okay, baf.solutions solutions and listen to a live presentation by our president and founder, brother Ari Hajes, as you see there on the right with his arm raised up. Okay, go to our website there, baf.solutions, as you see at the bottom of the page.

[01:41:42]Not.org, not.net, not.com, baf.solutions.

[01:41:48]Okay? and listen to the presentation by our president and founder to see the vision of the Black Achievement Fund and then come on and join. It's only $9 a month. Y'all blow more than that in a day on nothing. Let's put our resources together so we can have a platform of economic empowerment.

[01:42:13]All right, come on. Join us in that area.

[01:42:17]Yeah, come on and join us there. Okay, brothers and sisters, I've enjoyed being with you guys today. I thank you for being with me today. All right. And what I want to do now is go to our song, The African and me loves the African in you.

[01:42:34]When we come together, ain't nothing we can't do. You know why?

[01:42:40]Cuz you're easy to love. All right. So, let's get into that right now. Yeah. As we get ready to close out. Okay. and thank you for being with me today. Come on everybody. [music] Yeah.

[01:43:04]The African [singing] and me love the African in you. [music] When we come together, there ain't nothing we can't do. The African in me love the African in you.

[01:43:18]When we [music and singing] come together, there ain't nothing we can't do. You're easy.

[01:43:26]You're easy. [singing] You're easy.

[01:43:34]Easy to love.

[01:43:37]Let's do it again. Everybody say, "The African in me. Love the African in you."

[01:43:43][music] [singing] When we come together, there ain't nothing we can't do. Hey, the African [music and singing] in me. Love the African in you. When we come [singing] together, there ain't nothing we can't do. You're easy.

[01:44:02]You're easy. [singing and music] You are so easy.

[01:44:10]Easy to love.

[01:44:14]The truth that's in me. The truth that's in me. The truth that's in you.

[01:44:19][singing] When we come together. Ain't nothing we can't do. Truth that's in me. But the truth that's in you. [singing and music] When we come together. Ain't nothing we can't do. You're easy. [singing] You're so easy.

[01:44:42]You're easy.

[01:44:45]You're easy to love [music] [singing] justice. Come on everybody. The justice in me. Justice in you.

[01:44:55][singing and music] When we come together, ain't nothing we can't do. The justice in me. Justice in you. [singing] When we come together, ain't we do.

[01:45:09]You're easy.

[01:45:12]You are so easy. [singing] You're so easy.

[01:45:20]Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[01:45:22]Easy to love. [singing and music] Righteousness. The righteousness in me.

[01:45:29]Love the righteousness in you. [singing] When we come together, ain't nothing we can't do. The righteousness in me.

[01:45:38]Rightous [singing] in you. When we come together, ain't nothing we can't do.

[01:45:44]You're easy. [singing] You're so easy.

[01:45:53]You are easy.

[01:45:56]Everybody, you're easy to love. Let's close out with the African and me. The African and me. Love the African and you. [singing] When we come together, ain't nothing we can't do. The African in me of the African in [singing] you. When we come together, ain't nothing we can't do.

[01:46:20]You're easy.

[01:46:24]You're so [singing] easy.

[01:46:29]You are easy.

[01:46:33]Easy enough.

[01:46:37]You're easy to love.

[01:46:40]Yeah, you're so easy to love.

[01:46:45]Until next week, [singing] family. You guys up.