• Is a philosophy that pleasure is the most important pursuit of mankind.
• It is only pleasure or pain that motivates us.
• Minimize pain and maximize pleasure.
• ad in magazine - Welcome to Hedonism:  Sleep in; stay up late; Give up counting calories; give up mineral water; dine in shorts; talk to strangers; don't make your bed; don't call your mother; let your hair down; don't pay for something; don't leave a tip; be your beautiful self at...
• Started by the father of Hedonism, Aristippus of Cyrene.
• Basic idea behind hedonistic thought is that all actions can be measured on the basis of how much pleasure and how little pain they produce.
• "Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure.  It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do."  (Bentham 1789)
• "We are motivated to maximize what we regard as value for ourselves, and we believe maximal value consists in maximal balance of pleasure over pain; therefore, we are motivated by what we regard as maximal balance of pleasure over pain for ourselves."
• Ton's of typical man's teachings and words of vanity & fair speeches.  The wisdom of men...
• Motivational Hedonism
• Normative Hedonism
• The Experience Account - pleasure is a distinctive conscious experience or element in such an experience, and likewise pain.  Presence of this 'something' distinguishes pleasure from all else, and amount of it gives us quantity of pleasure.
• The Attitude Account - pleasure is an intentional state, such as a certain sort of belief or desire. (e.g., Millgram 2001); Feldman 2001).
• Even they themselves identify the paradox of hedonism - they claim that many of those motivated in favour of pleasure get less of it, and many of those motivated against pain get more of it.  (Sidgwick 1907, 48f).

Epicureanism is a form of ancient hedonism.

• It followed Cyreniaic School of Philosophy (beginning of Hedonism).
• Epicurus claimed that the highest pleasure consists of a simple, moderate life spent with friends and in philosophical discussion.  (email bible computer lists, etc.?)
• Epicurus emphasized the superiority of social and intellectual pleasures over those of the senses.
• Epicurean
• Luxurious; given to luxury; contributing to the luxuries of the table.
• Sensual enjoyments; indulgence in gross pleasure; voluptuousness.

• Stoic
• A porch in Athens where the philosopher Zeno taught.
• A disciple of the philosopher Zeno, who founded a sect.
• He taught that men should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submit without complaint to the unavoidable necessity by which all things are governed.
• Stoic, Stoical
• Not affected by passion; unfeeling; manifesting indifference to pleasure or pain.

Christian Hedonism

• "Assuming one accepts that the primary definition of love is "an emotion of affection," then if one were to love something truly he must also truly enjoy it. (Paulson - see how changing the word 'charity' to 'love' changes a serious doctrine to the modern stuff of today!)  In hedonism, obtaining pleasure is a higher goal than another, including the pursuit of love.  God, being a hedonist, loves Himself above all else and therefore enjoys His own presence above all other pleasurable pursuits.  He calls men to also pursue all their pleasure on in God, as God also finds this experientially pleasant. Thus, Christian Hedonism is exemplified in relation to Jesus Christ, who justifies God in enjoying a rebellious creation by providing the sacrifice of Himself as the payment allowing God to be please with us, and for us to enjoy Him, forever.  It could be summed up in this statement: 'God is most glorified in us, when we are most pleased in Him.'" (Desiring God: Mediations of a Christian Hedonist - John Piper)
• "The desire to be happy is a proper motive for every good deed, and if you abandon the pursuit of your own joy, you cannot love man or please God."  (Desiring God: Mediations of a Christian Hedonist - John Piper)
• "The chief part of a person's happiness consists of pleasure.  Not only did God design us to be happy, but that uses our desire for happiness to motivate us to behave morally." (Thomas More (1478-1535) in his work Utopia [1516].

• Do you see modern American Christianity in those explanations and quotes?
• People are truly seeking a religion that gives them pleasure - one that is fun!
• It has entered deeply into the Bible Believing churches as well.
• our kids - their day is all play with school and maybe a few room cleaning chores!
• sit still?  that isn't fun!
• let their energy out!
• let their tensions express themselves!
• we put kids into organizations that we think will 'teach' them as they have fun...
• Do we prepare our kids as Sodom did? Ezekiel 16:49,50 - Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
• can that all be fixed today?  doubtful, actually.
• Child labour laws - and abuse, etc.
• ease of life styles, etc.
• THAT is what apostasy is!
• Totally profane and vain babbling!

• Acts 17:18 - Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
• The two groups that sought out what Paul was teaching!
• Epicureans and Stoicks
• pleasure in their own way - discussions or letting things just 'be the way they come' - that is their pleasure!
• Now, does Acts 17:16-34 make even more sense?
• We can certainly learn from lessons from it for today.
• We see another enemy to Paul and his gospel teachings!
• Jews - law followers
• Honourable and devout women
• Great Commission preachers & pastors
• Scholars
• Media Christianity
• SS materials
• Religious Bookstores
• and now...
• Those that seek out pleasure and/or just take things the way they come!
• But there were those FEW who clave unto him, and believed!  verse 34

• Pleasurable UNTIL...
• We have learned that Paul's teachings are enjoyable and give us pleasure in an understanding - and a guilt free status as a Christian - UNTIL - we get to Timothy and Titus!

• Is there no fight to do right!
• Is there no fight to even 'want' to do right!
• Is there no fight to acknowledge the truth!
• Is there no fight to learn truth!
• We have heard the doctrine!
• We have been given the reproof!
• We don't want to be corrected!
• We don't want to be instructed in the way of righteousness!
• It all goes against our pleasure - we think it causes pain!

• Are you just seeking
• Your pleasure...
• Your way...
• Your idea of doing something...
• Your design...
• Your wishes...

I Timothy 6:17 - Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

Penance - suffer for Jesus...?

• I am not talking about 'suffering on purpose' - doing penance, etc.

It won't be "pleasurable"

• It won't be 'fun' ...
• II Timothy 3:12 - Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution
• we will be called an enemy
• we will be loved less
• etc.

Real peace is from DOING Paul, not just knowing his doctrine!
Philippians 4:9