badstar | Entries tagged with virtues

Moderation

"Zaphod grinned two manic grins, sauntered over to the bar and bought most of it."

Moderation is a difficult virtue for many people to practice, so it should come as no surprise that it's also difficult for many to write about. The Delphic maxim “nothing in excess is an excellent example of a concise definition of this concept.

The virtue of moderation is what allows one to go shopping in the most tempting store and purchase a small treat instead of spending all that’s in your wallet. It allows you to take a bowl of ice cream from the carton, not the entire carton itself, or have a glass of wine without downing the entire bottle. This is not to say that indulgence is always a bad thing- who hasn’t heard the saying “everything in moderation- including moderation”? However, a lack of control over one’s impulses and desires can be troublesome- or far more dangerous. It’s nearly impossible to turn to the media anymore without seeing news of some celebrity going into drug rehab, or advertisements for various means of help for those with any number of addictions. For those with addictions, moderation is extremely difficult or downright impossible.

In our contemporary culture in the US, advertisers and the media frequently seem to scream “More! Bigger! Faster! Extreme!” and we push ourselves to the limit in many ways- credit card debt and bankruptcy filings are out of control. Workaholics barely know their families. Cars and trucks are bigger, faster, louder. Many celebrities lead very public lives of hedonism and indulgence.

We may consider a classic tale of indulgence- the tale of King Midas and his golden touch. When King Midas was granted his wish that everything he touched turned to gold, he got it…and everything he touched did turn to solid gold- including his own daughter.

Vision

Let's think the unthinkable, let's do the undoable, let's prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all.
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Vision is literally the ability to perceive the world around you through sight. But more than that, vision is also the ability to look beyond mere physical sight and see something more, bigger, better. It is a virtue and a gift without which the world would be a dull, drab place.

It is through vision that an abandoned, overgrown and littered lot becomes a community park. And through vision, great works are created- art, literature, building, education, science, medicine…vision gives us commerce and technology. Once upon a time, a computer took up an entire building and performed little more than today’s four-function calculators. As a result of many people’s visions, there are calculators small enough to be incorporated into pens and wristwatches; computers are small enough to fit in the palm of our hands and powerful enough to create a full-length movie or replicate a symphony orchestra. Without vision none of this would be.

Vision allows someone to identify a need or a want and find a way to fulfill it. Vision has given us everything we have- from the Declaration of Independence and the US constitution to portable music players that sit on a fingertip to cures for diseases that only a few years ago spelled certain death for sufferers. Vision is what gives us new products and improves old ones.

Perseverance

The word "impossible" is not in my dictionary. In fact, everything between "herring" and "marmalade" appears to be missing.

-Dirk Gently, Dirk Gently's Hollistic Detective Agency

Perseverance is the virtue of not giving up. In the words of Tennyson, “To strive, to seek to find and not to yield.” Or as others may say in slightly less eloquent language, “keep on keepin’ on.”

The pagan community in the United States is currently living in the middle of a painful, very emotional lesson in perseverance- that of Roberta Stewart and her fight to have a pentacle placed on her husband’s memorial plaque in Arlington National Cemetery. Vowing to see its approval in her lifetime, she took up the mission- now in its ninth year-when Rosemary Kooiman passed away, unsuccessful in her attempts to have the symbol approved by the United States Veteran’s Administration. This has resulted in letters, phone calls, faxes, emails, meetings and rallies in support of the issue- even statements of support from such unlikely allies as the Rutherford Institute, one of the largest right-wing conservative Christian think tanks and lobbying organizations in the country.

Perseverance, a virtue that is also admired in our ancestors, is exemplified in such stories as the labors of Herakles.

Simply stated, perseverance is what pushes us to keep going when we’re past the point of giving up

(yah, it's stil pretty long. maybe cut some more out tomorrow)

cour·age ( Pronunciation Key (kûrj, kr-) n.
The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery.

There was, a few years ago, an urban legend circulating amongst college students of a philosophy class at an unnamed college, with a articularly eccentric professor. For the final exam if this class, he handed to each student a single sheet upon which was printed a single question: What is courage?

Legend has it that one student answered this question with an equally brief answer, two words simply stating: "This is." Legend so says that this student recieved the only A.

Such a stunt would certainly require a good deal of courage, however this student did not define courage, he acted as an example. Courage is taking action despite one's fears, anxieties or inhibitions. Greek mythology is littered with heros who performed great tasks...there is the story of Bellerophon, a young Corinthian prince who goes off in search of adventure. Proteus, a jealous companion wishes for the death of Bellerophon so he sends him to Iobates, the king of Lycia with a sealed letter that requests Bellerophon be killed. Lycia was plagued by the Chimera, a monster which woud attack the land, and retreat, taking with it women, children and livestock. As Bellerophon was a Corinthian prince, Iobates did not want to risk war by killing him outright. Instead he charged him with the task of killing the Chimera, thinking that Bellerophon could not possibly survive. But Belerophon did the unthinkable, slayed the Chimera and won the favor of the king, wedding his daughter and inheriting his throne when he died.

The ancients lauded acts of bravery and courage, and it is an admiration that is no less present in contemporary society. One of the most popular fictional characters today, Harry Potter, faces all manner of challenges, from dealing with a nasty, ill-tempered Uncle Vernon to a war with Lord Voldemort, the most powerful, evil wizard that ever lived. On a more serious note, our country, referred in song to the "land of the free and the home of the brave", is dotted with monuments to soldiers who have served and died in wars and battles. In many towns and cities, parades and other festivities are held on Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and other occasions to recognize the service of those in the armed forces, an occupation which, by its very natures requires courage of its people. In 2001, after the tragedy of September 11th, memorials and tributes were offered around the country- and around the world- to the victimms and survivors. Special attention was also paid to law enforcement officials, fire fighters, millitary personnel and to those who died while trying to stop the hijackers.

On a smaller scale, courage is shown by people every day- elementary school children standing up to playground bullies, office workers risking their jobs to face a tyrannical boss, homosexual men and women coming out to their family and friends, a small child sleeping without a night light for the first time...these are all events which require one to move through and beyond their fears and anxieties, despite the risks getting laughed at or beat up, losing a job, being shunned by one's family, being eaten by the closet monster.

During my senior year of high school, within the span of less than a week in late January or early February, I had to deal with my best friend dying of cancer, and the students in my school revolting over the resignation of a very popular principal in the midst of a scandal. I cannot have made a judgement on the character of the appointed principal pro tempore, however as the replacement for one who was one of the most well-liked and respected school administrators in anyone's memory, parents, students and teachers alike were all set against him. About a week after all this happened, during the school board's meeting to officially accept the resignation- which I attended- in the middle of students, parents, administrators and teachers coming to speak on his behalf, the mother of one of my classmates stood up and berated the new principal. She was angry with the fact that a school-wide announcement had not been made to alert students to the fact that my friend, Alex had passed away. Instead, three students had been dispatched to circulate among the classrooms of seniors and deliver the news. This angered her and she brought it to the greatest audience that she could, and this caught the emotion of many of those who were present.

As it happened, I was in line to speak just after this lady. What I had planned to say had nothing to do with the incident, we were only given a minute or two to speak, and each person was only allowed to speak once. I was still fresh in my grief, I was not prepared to even think about this incident, but it was forced upon me. I could have left wel enough alone, and allowed the crowd to be angry at this man, a complete stranger whom at that point, I had never even met but...it just wasn't true. I gave up my turn to speak for the man who had won the schools respect and liking, and my hopes that what I had to say, a speck in the masses of defense, would make a difference in the situation and on a second's notice, the only thing I could do was to defend a stranger whose only crime was that of being asked to take this place. It would have been easy to let this stack as further fuel for the prejudice. All I had to do was say what I planned to say in the first place. I had no idea how eople would react...but I was the one who would not allow an announcement to be made. Alex was my best friend, and she had said that she wouldn't want such a thing to happen. On the day that she died, I was in school. When the fact that school administrators wanted to make the annoucement by public address, I stopped it, and said that instead I and two others would go to classes and spread the appropriate information. The next week, when the excitement of scandal had died down somewhat, it was only after my agreement that a brief, quiet announcement was made to the school, and if people had a problem with it, they could take it up with me. I am still not sure why people took this so harshly as they did. I supose the shock of a student dying in the middle of such an aready tense and emotional time made reactions worse than normal...It was obvious that many people were upset by how things were handled, I could see it in some people's faces, but who would openly criticize me so soon after the fact, and for somehting they might have done themselves?

Often we find that when faced with a tough situation, we are able to act in a manner much more courageous than we previously thought possible, as I and countless others have found in small everyday situations such as the schoolyard bully, as well as under much more dire circumstances. It's just one more way that we are able to grow and learn.

hos·pi·tal·i·ty ( P ) Pronunciation Key (hsp-tl-t)
n. pl. hos·pi·tal·i·ties
1. Cordial and generous reception of or disposition toward guests.
2. An instance of cordial and generous treatment of guests.

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
Hebrews 13:2

In considering the virtue of "hospitality", I've thought about what it means to me, and what the dictionary gives as its meaning....cordial and generous treatment of guests. It comes from the same root as hospital and hospice.

Different cultures have different rules regarding aspects of hospitality. One example which I was reading recently came from the inside of a box of Celestial Seasonings tea, which spoke of Vietnamese Culture, and how very often, tea would be offered to visitors- even before strangers are introduced, and that it is not possible to politely refuse the offer. The mythologies of the world are full of strories of gods or royalty, disguised as beggars or travellers who come to a village seeking aid, shelter or a hot meal...those who offer their hospitality..even if it means emptying their paltry stores of food are rewarded, those who turn the stranger away are punished. One such story from Greek mythology is that of Baucis and Philemon:

Zeus and Hermes decided to test the hospitality of the citizens of Phrygia, disguised as poor travellers, they went about the area, knocking on doors of homes both wealthy and poor, begging a meal. At every house they were turned away unceremoniousy, until the last house they came to, the poorest, they were given a warm welcome and while the couple who resided there, Baucis and Philemon, had very little, they immediately set to preparing a modest meal with the last of the food that they had, and offering a weak wine that they had been savig for a special occasion. The couple so regretted that they could not offer more to their guests, that they then decided that they would cook the goose that they kept in the house. The goose was not so amenable to this idea and ran off, flapping about the hut...Baucis and Philemon were unabe to catch the goose, who had come to rest between their guests...who decided that this was the time to reveal themselves as the gods that they were. Zeus explained to his hosts that everywhere they went in the and, He and Hermes had been turned away- the people of Phrygia had been most unkind and for that they would perish- myth has it that he flooded the region. But for their kindness and generousity, Baucis and Philemon were spared. Not only that, but Zeus turned their rickety hut into a temple with grand columns and a roof of gold..and more, He told the couple that he would grant thecouple anything they wished. What they wished for was to live out their days as priests in his temple, and when their lives were over, to die at the same time, so that one would never have to be without the other. Their wish was granted and many years later, when it was that time, the couple found themelves simultaneously being covered in bark and sprouting leaves...they grew into oak and linden trees, which even now grow from the same trunk. This husband and wife, together eternally as rewards for their generousity, the others from their town killed as punishment for their callous rudeness.

This is just one of innumerable stories. The Ancient Greeks placed high value on hospitaity and xenia, the concept of guest-friendship especially between a guest and host who are native to different regions. Many of the people believed that if a stranger turned up at your door begging hospitality, you were obliged to offer it or face the wrath of the gods, as illustrated in the story above. An excellent host may have gained fame and prestige in the land, and this was certainly a way to display ones wealth. Conversely, a guest might be obligated to present his host with a gift, tell the story of his travels or offer news and knowledge of the world

One other important point to note is that the Ancient Greeks may have considered hospitatlity as a means for honoring the gods, as suggested here:

"Alkinos, this is not the better way, nor is it fitting
that the stranger should sit on the ground beside the hearth, in the ashes.
These others are holding back because they await your order.
But come, raise the stranger up and seat him on a silver-studded chair,
and tell your heralds to mix in more wine for us,
so we can pour a libation to Zeus who delights in the thunder.
(Odyssey, p.115, ll. 159-164)

This is quite possibly a reference to the fact that they saw hospitality as a way to honor the gods; giving hospitality to a stranger was the same as offering it to a god. Zeus being the god of hospitality, one of the primary ways to worship this aspect of Zeus' godliness was to be hospitable to strangers and travelers." (1)

My own greatest experience with hospitality has come from belonging to Alpha Phi Omega, which is a collegiate service organization. After I left school, I did a good bit of traveling. One of the things that most brothers (the organization is co-ed, but all members are brothers regardless of sex) learn is that we are very quick to offer our hospitality to others who may be travelling through our area- most often in the form of "crash space". There was one occasion when I was traveling to Pennsylvania from upstate New York, and due to a delayed train, I was stuck in New York City overnight. Not wanting to sit in a train station all night- not really sure that that was a good idea, I made a few phone calls and with the help of the brother whom I had just been visiting, I was able to contact alumni on Staten Island and explain the situation. Without hesitation they said "You're staying with us tonight." It was only after I got directions, left the station and took the subway and ferry all the way to Staten Island and was met by my hosts that we realized that we had met before, albeit briefly, several months earlier during a conference in Minneapolis. I can't speak for others, but when I'm shown such kindness, I hope to be able to reciprocate, however in situations like this, sometimes all I can do is pay it forward- I have had the opportnity to allow other brothers who were travelling to stay at my place, including two instances while I was living with my parents. My stepfather was not at all happy about this, but understanding that they would do the same for me (and that on many occasions, others have done the same for me), could not find enough reason to justify denying the guests.

These examples speak of hospitality. While certainly a noble virtue, I would argue that in our list of, we should consider the wider idea of generousity. To be sure, hospitality does require generousity- to those who would come into your home or other area of your own control as well as from the guest. If I am a dinner guest in someone's home, they are going to act in a hospitable fashion towards me, and with the ancient custom of the guest gifting the host, I might bring for my hosts a bottle of wine, flowers, candy or somehting else as apropriate to the occasion, or I may entertain by telling stories or with song, sharing conversation and news of mutual interest. Nowadays it is also very common for a guest to clean up, or at least to offer to help clean up after a meal. But generousity is a variable in any equation that involves giving....money to charity, food and clothing to the needy, giving time to help someone out, and yes, hospitality- giving to your guests, sharing your home, your food and drink, your comforts. Hospitality is generousity within a specific context.

(1)Taylor, Kelly. "Hospitality In The ancient Greek World". December 13, 1996 www.crowdog.net/hospitality.html .

cour·age ( Pronunciation Key (kûrj, kr-) n.
The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery.

What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the "ape" in apricot? What have they got that I ain't got?
-The Cowardly Lion

There was, a few years ago, an urban legend circulating amongst college students of a philosophy class at an unnamed college, with a articularly eccentric professor. For the final exam if this class, he handed to each student a single sheet upon which was printed a single question: What is courage?

Legend has it that one student answered this question with an equally brief answer, two words simply stating: "This is." Legend so says that this student recieved the only A.

Such a stunt would certainly require a good deal of courage, however this student did not define courage, he acted as an example. Courage is taking action despite one's fears, anxieties or inhibitions. Greek mythology is littered with heros who performed great tasks...there is the story of Bellerophon, a young Corinthian prince who goes off in search of adventure. Proteus, a jealous companion wishes for the death of Bellerophon so he sends him to Iobates, the king of Lycia with a sealed letter that requests Bellerophon be killed. Lycia was plagued by the Chimera, a monster which woud attack the land, and retreat, taking with it women, children and livestock. As Bellerophon was a Corinthian prince, Iobates did not want to risk war by killing him outright. Instead he charged him with the task of killing the Chimera, thinking that Bellerophon could not possibly survive. Accepting the task, Bellerophon first sought the advice of a wise man who suggested spending the night in a temple of Athena, making lavish offerings to Her that she may give him the means to slay the Chimera. He did, and that night dreamed of the goddess giving him a golden bridle with which to tame the wild, winged horse Pegasus and showing him where to find him. Bellerophon woke the next monrning to find the golden bridle by his side, set out to find Pegasus, and then to the Chimera. Riding on the back of Pegasus, he was able to slay the monster, and returned to Iobates with the Chimera's head. The kingdom rejoiced, and as reward, Bellerophon was wed to the daughter of Iobates, later taking his place when the king died.

The ancients lauded acts of bravery and courage, and it is an admiration that is no less admired in contemporary society. One of the most popular fictional characters today, Harry Potter, faces all manner of challenges, from dealing with a nasty, ill-tempered Uncle Vernon to a war with Lord Voldemort, the most powerful, evil wizard that ever lived. On a more serious note, our country, referred in song to the "land of the free and the home of the brave", is full of monuments to soldiers who have served and died in wars and battes. In many towns and cities, parades and other festivities are held on Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and other occasions to recognize the service of those in the armed forces, an occupation which, by its very natures, requires courage of its people.In 2001, after the tragedy of September 11th, memorials and tributes were offered around the country- and around the world- to the victimms and survivors. Special attention was also paid to law enforcement officials, fire fighters, millitary personnel and to those who died while trying to stop the hijackers. One plane was stopped, crashed into a field in rural western Pennsylvania.

On a smaller scale, courage is shown by people every day- elementary school children standing up to playground bullies, office workers risking their jobs to face a tyrannical boss, homosexual men and women coming out to their family and friends, a small child sleeping without a night light for the first time...these are al events which require one to move through and beyond their fears and anxieties, despite the risks getting laughed at or beat up, losing a job, being shunned by one's family, being eaten by the closet monster.

During my senior year of high school, within the span of less than a week in late January or early February, I had to deal with my best friend dying of cancer, and the students in my school revolting over the resignation of a very popular principal in the midst of a scandal. I cannot have made a judgement on the character of the appointed principal pro tempore, however as the replacement for one who was one of the most well-liked and respected school administrators in anyone's memory, parents, students and teachers alike were all set against him. About a week after all this happened, during the school board's meeting to officially accept the resignation- which I attended- in the middle of students, parents, administrators and teachers coming to speak on his behalf, the mother of one of my classmates stood up and berated the new principal. She was angry with the fact that a school-wide announcement had not been made to alert students to the fact that my friend, Alex had passed away. Instead, three students had been dispatched to circulate among the classrooms of seniors and deliver the news. This angered her and she brought it to the greatest audience that she could, and this caught the emotion of many of those who were present.

As it happened, I was in line to speak just after this lady. What I had planned to say had nothing to do with the incident, we were only given a minute or two to speak, and each person was only allowed to speak once. I was still fresh in my grief, I was not prepared to even think about this incident, but it was forced upon me. I could have left wel enough alone, and allowed the crowd to be angry at this man, a complete stranger whom at that point, I had never even met but...it just wasn't true. I gave up my turn to speak for the man who had won the schools respect and liking, and my hopes that what I had to say, a speck in the masses of defense, would make a difference in the situation and on a second's notice, the only thing I could do was to defend a stranger whose only crime was that of being asked to take this place. It would have been easy to let this stack as further fuel for the prejudice. All I had to do was say what I planned to say in the first place. I had no idea how eople would react...but I was the one who would not allow an announcement to be made. Alex was my best friend, and she had said that she wouldn't want such a thing to happen. On the day that she died, I was in school. When the fact that school administrators wanted to make the annoucement by public address, I stopped it, and said that instead I and two others would go to classes and spread the appropriate information. The next week, when the excitement of scandal had died down somewhat, it was only after my agreement that a brief, quiet announcement was made to the school, and if people had a problem with it, they could take it up with me. I am still not sure why people took this so harshly as they did. I supose the shock of a student dying in the middle of such an aready tense and emotional time made reactions worse than normal...It was obvious that many people were upset by how things were handled, I could see it in some people's faces, but who would openly criticize me so soon after the fact, and for somehting they might have done themselves?

Often we find that when faced with a tough situation, we are able to act in a manner much more courageous than we previously thought possible, In the movie The Wizard of Oz, the Cowardly Lion is scared of everythign, including his own shadow. He can't sleep at night because he's afraid of nightmares. He wants to see the wizard in hopes that he will give him courage, so he sets out with Dorothy, the Scarecrow and Tin Man to see thie wizard. Upon their audience, the wizard says that he will grant their requests...if they go to the Wicked Witch Of The West and bring back her broomstick. During this mission, the witch captures Dorothy and the other three must rescue her. In the process the witch is liquefied and they return with the broomstick. Once they return, and the true identity of the wizard is revealed, he pulls a small token out of a bag for each of the travellers, and explains to them how each already had within him what he sought, and gave a comparison, in the case of the Lion, to valiant soldiers. Courage, what allows us to act through our fears, comes from within and its depths within us are often not known until it is time to find it. Such was the case of the Cowardly Lion.

fer·til·i·ty ( P ) Pronunciation Key (fr-tl-t) n.

1. The condition, quality, or degree of being fertile.
2. The birthrate of a population.

fer·tile ( P ) Pronunciation Key (fûrtl) adj.

1. Biology:
a. Capable of initiating, sustaining, or supporting reproduction.
b. Capable of growing and developing; able to mature: a fertile egg.
2. Botany: Bearing functional reproductive structures such as seeds or fruit or material such as spores or pollen.
3. Bearing or producing crops or vegetation abundantly; fruitful.
4. Rich in material needed to sustain plant growth: fertile soil.
5. Highly or continuously productive; prolific: a fertile imagination; a fertile source of new ideas.
6. Physics Capable of producing fissionable material: fertile thorium 232.

At my first glance of the list of virtues, I was certain that I would have the most problems with fertiity. Everyone knows that fertility is about having lots of kids, right? And I'm not particularly interested in having kids at this point in my life...even if I were, I am not in a position where it would be a realistic goal. However, this aspect of fertility is a vital one for humans, or any species to continue to exist. There is a stigma, even to an extent in the most advanced countries, on people who are unable or chose not to have children. In less advanced areas, or among the more superstitious, a woman who is unable to have children may be thought to have a curse. In some places, the very idea that one would grow up and actually make the choice to not have children is inconceivable. (No pun intended)

One other commonly-considered aspect of fertility is that of the land. farms, fields, fruit-bearing trees....our lives depend on the fertiity of vegetation and animals, it is how we obtain our food. We would die without it.

Even today, two of the very common things that people pray for are for fertility of the body- to have children, and (depending on the area and religion)- fertility of the land. Most if not all pre-abrahamic reigions are said to have been, or at least to have started out as- cults of fertility. All cultures that I have come across in research have at least one, and usualy several if not many deities relating to grain, vegetation, animals, sexuality, birth, reproduction....al of which are connected to fertiity.

But these are not the only aspects of fertility. Intellectually, I know this but I was still having some probems getting past the "fertility means making babies" aspect. If I had any mental hangups before, this Beltane has presented the opportunity for me to better understand and embrace fertility in another form.

After doing research on Belenus and Epona, and in the week leading up to Beltane, I suddenly had Ideas popping out of nowhere. I was waking up in the middle of the night, writing a poem and fallling back to sleep. My invocation to Belenus practicaly fell out of the pen and onto the paper. By the time Friday rolled around, from out of nowhere I had a grand plan to start a local group for studying Hellenic tradition, and for things that could be done within ADF to facillitate other people's study. I have a list of things that I want to accomplish, books to read and interests to pursue. How I will work this all into my life in a realistic way, I'm not sure...but that, I have no doubt will be at least a part of my lesson in moderation.

Creativity and ideas are often not thought of immediately when one hears the word, however they are vital aspects of fertility as well, without which we would not have any of the things which we do- no one would design and build our houses, offices, schools, modes of transportation. We would not have conversation or telephones or computers- communication, We would be without music, art, books, movies, television, plays, dancing- no entertainment or ways for learning...we simply would not be.

I believe that it may be concluded that of the nine Pagan virtues, fertility in its many forms is the one that without, the human race simply would not exist. Without any of the others, we would live greatly diminished lives, but we could still survive and continue. Without fertility...we would have nothing.

The faith which moves mountains, or at least believes them against all the available evidence to be pink, was a solid and abiding faith, a great rock against which the world could hurl whatever it would, yet it would not be shaken.
-Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Piety seems to be an idea that a lot of individuals in the Pagan world struggle with. It is difficult for many to reconcile with a pagan belief system this idea that is more often than not pinned solely to Christians, and brings to mind the image of celibacy and self-deprivation, monks or nuns kneeling and praying.

When I think of "piety" or "the pious", being originally from Central Pennsylvania, I initially think of a house church full of Amish people praying quietly. My mother's family is Catholic, and the other image that comes to mind is of course, monks chanting and nuns in adoration in some remote monastary. Or of martyrs- those who have died for their religious causes. Which is all well and good, but those are not the only images of piety.

For a while, I wasn't really sure myself how to see piety in a non-Christian context, and then one day I was flipping through my Dedicant's Program book and found a statement that made sense to me : "The virtue of Piety is about keeping faith, about keeping commitment to specific practices and works over a long period of time." (pg. 90) Stated this way, piety can be applied to any religion.

Today, I was talking via LiveJournal with another dedicant who had issues with the idea of piety, because she saw it as adhering to duty out of obligation.

My answer to this objection is simply this:

Personally, I don't believe that adhering to duty solely out of obligation is true piety. When one keeps obligations for no other reason than obligation itself, it opens the door for a lot of resentment- the pious are not resentful of what duties they keep. In my eyes, piety is NOT about obligation, but about keeping a commitment because it's in your heart to do so, because you want to, because you need to, because that is what is within you.

Piety

From Merriam-Webster:

piety
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural pi·e·ties
Etymology: French pieté piety, pity, from Latin pietat-, pietas, from pius dutiful, pious
1 : the quality or state of being pious: as a : fidelity to natural obligations (as to parents) b : dutifulness in religion : DEVOUTNESS
2 : an act inspired by piety
3 : a conventional belief or standard : ORTHODOXY
synonym see FIDELITY