[Onelifetogive]

Medieval theologians agreed, noting that temperance, one of the seven cardinal virtues, requires moderation in all things.

Moderate amounts of child abuse and molestation. Moderate amounts of treason. Moderate levels of murder. Ahhhhh.....the great moderation.....

[ancientart]

Moderate amounts of child abuse and molestation. Moderate amounts of treason. Moderate levels of murder. Ahhhhh.....the great moderation.....

No. Absolutely not. The ancients and the medievals weren't nearly as confused about moderation as we are. Moderation to them meant self control.

"A self-indulgent man has appetite for everything pleasant or what is most pleasant, and he is driven by his appetite to choose pleasant things at the cost of everything else . . ." Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book 3.

"Moderation . . . is a special virtue of restraint [that operates] in areas in which we find ourselves specially and exceptionally tempted . . . moderation properly controls [our desires] . . ." St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologia, IIaIIIae pars, quest. 141

[ancientart]

Moderate amounts of child abuse and molestation. Moderate amounts of treason. Moderate levels of murder. Ahhhhh.....the great moderation.....

No. Absolutely not. The ancients and the medievals weren't nearly as confused about moderation as we are. Moderation to them meant self control.

"A self-indulgent man has appetite for everything pleasant or what is most pleasant, and he is driven by his appetite to choose pleasant things at the cost of everything else . . ." Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book 3.

"Moderation . . . is a special virtue of restraint [that operates] in areas in which we find ourselves specially and exceptionally tempted . . . moderation properly controls [our desires] . . ." St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologia, IIaIIIae pars, quest. 141