Moderation All or Nothing in all Things!
I hear the quote a lot. People often throw it out to me after they find out I am vegan. “Moderation in all things” they say. End of discussion. They just toss it out like, “everyone knows that this phrase true. Here you go. And we’re done talking.” It is a conversation ender. People quote it to me like it is scripture and many people believe it is. It is what people use when they want to argue with me but don’t really have any points to make. But what does this phrase really mean and where did it come from?
Moderation in all things is not in the scriptures. It is extrapolated from Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean essay. It was a common theme of Greek life in the late centuries BC. It shows up for the first time in writing in a play by Terence (Publius Terentius Afer) who was a Roman comedic dramatist in about 150 BC. It is not scriptural! So the fact that people quote it to me like it is scripture and something we should all live by is total craziness to me! I think moderation in all things is a very UNChristian doctrine. Christian doctrine doesn’t say a little bad in with a little good and everything will be fine! Our doctrine doesn’t say, “eat, drink, and be merry” for its all good! We don’t believe in moderation in the alcohol we drink, or the murders we commit, or the sex before marriage we practice. In fact I would say most of our doctrine is all or nothing. Not moderation. The saying for us should be “all or nothing in all things!” Think about it before you go parroting that little nugget around from here on out.
Temperance is also a word quoted to me from time to time. Temperance is talked about by Paul and in the Doctrine and Covenants. These scriptures too are used by some people to mean that a little of something bad is okay and that being extreme in any way is not okay. But what temperance really means is to be wholly self disciplined or entirely self controlled! To me that supports an all-or-nothing lifestyle a lot more than an a-little-bit-of-everything-is-okay lifestyle. Think about it.
It's Spelled D-A-I-N-A 