Monks and nuns who take vows of poverty, abstinence from marriage, and obedience believe that such practices bring them closer to God. Their lifestyle is touted as one of self-denial or self-sacrifice, reflecting Christ-like love. Monastic vows are seen as liberating disciplines that help individuals transcend earthly distractions and focus on spiritual growth. This way of life is claimed to help build virtue and resilience against temptation. Catholic asceticism is renunciation of material goods and conveniences for spiritual benefit. The New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia says, "Thus asceticism according to the definition of St. Jerome, is an effort to attain true perfection, penance being only an auxiliary virtue thereto."
In fulfilling monastic vows, individuals often adopt a lifestyle that includes varying degrees of seclusion. In fact, some monastic communities emphasize complete withdrawal from societal contact. In general, these people thrive in a strictly controlled environment and with like-minded believers. The intention behind this is to grow in holiness and align oneself more closely with Christ's sacrifice. Additionally, upon Constantine and Licinius signing the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, certain believers found it more difficult to live out their convictions. As a result, they excluded themselves from ordinary life and fled to deserts to preserve themselves from pagan influence.
Various examples of Roman Catholic asceticism include painful bodily mortifications, extreme fasting, sleeping on hard surfaces, and spending time in solitude to spend time with God. Dominic Loricatus was a Benedictine monk who whipped himself 300,000 times in six days while reciting the Psalms. Catherine of Siena scourged herself three times a day with an iron chain. Thérèse of Lisieux scourged herself with all her strength and speed, smiling at the crucifix through her tears. While these specific acts do not represent what every monk or nun does, they nonetheless are seen as partaking in the obedience of Christ. This extreme way of living was also found in Jewish sects like the Essenes, helping to shape the formation of similar practices in Christianity.
It is here argued that monastic vows and ascetic ways of living are both unnecessary hindrances to one's normal existence and unprofitable in reaching goals for which such practices are said to be carried out. The Church of Rome places heavy burdens on adherents that are of no avail in bringing them closer to God. Jesus never told His followers to isolate themselves from civilization, which can actually drive people insane. There is nothing good about poverty, and putting oneself into that state is senseless. While our actions can have unfavorable consequences to us in various contexts, Christ never instructed people to go out of their way to put themselves into discomfort and suffering. There is no teaching in the Bible about quietness or solitude brining us more into favor with God. Such ideas are quackery and contrary to grace.
Consider the following excerpt from St. Mary's Monastery as an illustration as to the ridiculousness of this way of living, on the Benedictine vow of obedience: "It is a childlike abandonment of one’s own judgment and will to God through the representatives he has placed over us." However, accepting tasks blindly, based solely on faith, without questioning one's own ability, is impractical and unrealistic. God has not called us to fulfill these tasks or promised us anything when it comes to them, which is quite unlike how He dealt with the patriarchs. Consequently, this sort of thinking is not of faith which bends its knees before Him, but is more so akin to jumping off a cliff just because someone else said to do it. Further, God generously provides us with many things for our delight and happiness (1 Timothy 6:17).
In Colossians 2:20-23, Paul addressed false teachings and ascetic practices infiltrating the early Christian community. The apostle emphasized the sufficiency of Jesus Christ and the futility of human regulations for spiritual growth. As a means of obtaining a just position before God, He is infinitely worth more than holding to customs that can only bolster human pride:
"Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations?" (Colossians 2:20)
Paul asked as a rhetorical question why members of the audience to whom his epistle was written would take on practices of radical abstinence from earthly things. Spiritual transformation should lead to a different way of living, one that is not bound by legalistic standards. The human body has temporal value, so trying to obtain perfection by the flesh is an exercise of futility. Why endure ascetic practices if they are not necessary for survival or well-being?
"Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle." (Colossians 2:21)
What the Apostle Paul fought against was the very essence of monastic vows and asceticism. Such goes against gospel precepts. Abstinence from material goods is not going to help improve the condition of a lost soul.
"which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?" (Colossians 2:22)
The source of such commandments is not God Himself, but man. They are not authoritative or beneficial to a Christian. They are not endorsed by Paul or Christ Himself.
"These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh." (Colossians 2:23)
Even if one seems to have made a wise decision by secluding himself from secular society or abstains from material goods, that in and of itself does not reflect his true standing with God. He did all of that on his own accord, not with divine approval. He is not as humble as he may seem because he is not actually serving God in doing the sort of things that he does. While monasteries have been a force in the world for a certain measure of good, such as in the preservation of biblical manuscripts—regarded in the medieval world as a form of heavenly service—that man's vows and asceticism are as dung before his Creator (Philippians 3:8).
All these things to ostensibly make them more holy are actually building sinful pride about how their actions make them more holy. Destroying, even partially, one's body through starvation diets and self-flagellation are sinful harms to what God created and is SINFUL. They will never reach purification but such behaviors.
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