Life Atop a Pillar: Extreme Asceticism and the Destruction of Paganism in the Ancient World

Simeon Stylites spent 37 years of his life on top of a pillar near the city of Aleppo, Syria, during the 5th century AD. In a lecture from 2017, John Hamer of Toronto Centre Place looks at why anyone would do such a thing in its historical context. What was the appeal of the extreme ascetic life and how did it yield the impressive "spiritual power" that allowed Simeon and his fellow ascetics to overturn and destroy reverence for the old pagan gods, whose traditions and shrines had existed for centuries and millennia?

[@Vic-on5ic]

I enjoy most of his lectures but I think that the questions and comments from the audience need to have a separate time somewhere at the end. Or the lecturer should divide the lecture into chapters and at the end of each ask for questions. It should not be that anyone can interrupt willy-nilly in the middle of explanation with anything that comes to their mind disregarding all other listeners. Here on youtube one cannot even hear the question, instead one hears constant interruptions from some invisible bumbling people while the lecturer is forced to stop his narration and give them his personal attention.

[@jessegalvez6771]

I love your presentations! Please ask your live audience to save their questions and comments until the end. It’s becoming increasingly harder to follow your thought process when we have these weekly repeat-offenders.

[@vee985]

Sounds like he was a pillar of the community.

[@AnnhilateTheNihilist]

Uggghhhhh lmao 😜

[@arlieferguson3990]

Somebody was going to say it

[@richardthomas6767]

More like a pillock of the community!

[@originalblob]

Post-enlightenment Level comment.

[@andrewisjesus]

Happy you channel gets attention because i want you to keep the motivation to keep doing these EXACTLY the way you do them. These have been extremely valuable to me as i listen to them on work days

[@anonymous-rj6ok]

Left audio channel was on a pillar.

[@user-nw9fu9tg9l]

I fell asleep on my phone and accidentally reported this video as violent content. Ironic as the title is “extreme” asceticism. Anyway, my apologies. I love these videos.

[@russelldavis2456]

Thank you for the knowledge.

[@eddiet.grijalva7291]

We just did a review of the Criterion Collection film "Simon of the Desert", directed by Luis Buñuel on Facebook. I was a guest host for this episode. I just discovered this theology/philosophy page. It's great, a lot of good information.

[@jeanjulie4851]

Please, give microphones to questioners or not allow audience to ask questions. There is so much that cannot be heard, and it is distributive and makes the message and information disconnected.

[@kaloarepo288]

The extreme ascetic lives led by these early Christians reminds me a lot of Hindu ascetics who do similar things.Simon Stylites record would be very hard to beat -I think he had an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.

[@martind349]

The 1977 Guiness Book of World Records if I'm not mistaken, which features a photograph of the gentleman smoking many many cigarettes

[@benevenuto9794]

very well done. thank you.

[@shawnharris6285]

Is it possible that you could provide a reference in the statement that you make in lectures

[@hughmcharg111]

The audio is missing , just thought you might like to know and resolve. Like very much the lectures delivered well and concise so thanks.

[@trudojo]

nope, that's a you problem :)

[@totocaca7035]

I don't have sound either.

[@Muteleight]

It's mono sound - I'm using headphones and I'm only hearing it in the right ear. Depending on the speakers you're using, this might be what the problem is

[@AnnhilateTheNihilist]

@@totocaca7035 buy an iPad

[@totocaca7035]

@@AnnhilateTheNihilist I found a way to get the audio, thanks.

[@Jivanmuktishu]

Please get a microphone for the audience, or else repeat the question they ask.

[@paigemcloughlin4905]

ascetics and monks boggle my mind. I can't understand renunciation of pleasure for most of one's life.

[@lambertronics]

The 'Buddha' whose "stomach you rub" is, as I understand it, not Buddha at all but a Chinese monk named Budai. Just in case anyone was interested...

[@andrewsuryali8540]

Budai is a Buddha (enlightened being) in Chinese Mahayana Buddhism. In Mahayana Buddhism Siddharta is just one of the Buddhas and not even the first. He is considered the founder of the religion because prior Buddhas didn't leave direct teachings. You can still technically become a Buddha with the right practice and discipline.

[@AerysBat]

My right ear loved this lecture!

[@VSP4591]

Another outcome of this zealous monks was the total destruction of the works of art of Antiquity: statues were destroyed, manuscripts and books were burnt, temples were demolished, Olimpic Games forbade, Philosophical Schools in Athens were closed down, theatre representations were forbade, songs and poetry the same fate. It was allowed only Christian religious music and discussions on the New Testament. These discussions never ended until today. So, the Destruction of Paganism was a Destruction of Antiquity until the Renaissance manage somehow to recover a part of it. The same attitude we may see at ISIS fighters who entered museums and destroyed old archeological artefacts or the Taliban fighters in Afganistan which destroyed Buddha statues with big guns. Compared with ISIS and the Taliban, crazy Christian monks did a bigger damage due to the fact that they activated for a longer period and no force was opposed to them.

[@11kravitzn]

Christians should bring this back.

[@andrewsuryali8540]

51:15 It wasn't an edict. The rabbis simply added a 19th "blessing" into the Amidah that is actually a curse against the minim (heretics) and nostrim (Nazarenes/Christians) and told the Jewish Christians to read the Amidah aloud. If they skipped the curse, they got kicked out. If they read it, they were considered repentant and accepted back into the community. This blessing is still there as number 12 today, but for obvious reasons it no longer includes the nostrim, only the minim. the original version read: For the apostates (meshumaddim) let there be no hope, and uproot the kingdom of arrogance (malkhut zadom) speedily and in our days. May the Nazarenes (ha-naẓarim/noṣrim/notzrim) and the sectarians (minim) perish as in a moment. Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written together with the righteous. You are praised, O Lord, who subdues the arrogant. It should be noted that this tactic actually didn't work against the latter Jewish messianic movements like the Sabbateans and the Frankists. These people were perfectly happy to read #12 and go on with their heretical ways because they themselves obviously didn't think they were being heretical.

[@kaloarepo288]

This type of thing is also very similar to the stoic philosophy -that mind can overcome matter and the flesh -and of course there were the Cynic philosophers especially Diogenes who lived naked in a tub in 4th century BC Athens and refused to abide by social conventions.Nothing particularly different here!

[@VSP4591]

It is any comparation between the crazy monks and Diogenes.

[@originalblob]

There are important differences. First of all, Diogenes' kind of asceticism was always within the realms of human nature while the stylites seemed to do supernatural feats by the grace of God. Thus, what Diogenes does is a lifestyle choice not a sign of God.

[@Meowwolfwarrior]

It cannot be done outside of Yeshua.

[@Zenithilos11]

Too material? Well, I think I'm not materialistic enough. I was under the impression you weren't either, but maybe that's just my (limited) perspective

[@tombouie]

You are quite amazing & keep-up the good work. Oh ?Could you compare christianity before & after Christ? (?new vs old testament or amorality vs morality maybe?)

[@ObjectiveEthics]

There is no such thing as "Christianity before Christ..." it's called Judaism.

[@MrToontuber]

its about m.mushrooms.

[@TryToHardForFun]

Oh man my right ear is not enjoying this. RIP headphone users.

[@amazinggrace5692]

Today, someone would scoop that poop up and sell it on eBay.

[@Meowwolfwarrior]

These two pairs together if taken to the proper Christian extreme are not always healthy, I find personally just asceticism is great if you really love God. (The father of Yeshua) Otherwise it is useless.

[@MirageScience]

Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's is a joke. Everything is Gods.