| He takes it for granted that self-love is properly condemned whenever it can be shown to be harmful to the community. |
| We should not conclude that pity or other instinctual affections, or even rational self-love, are bad. |
| It is a piece of self-love to imagine that one has already attained to what is best. |
| High levels of self-esteem were thought to reflect self-love, in this sense, while poor self-esteem reflected inadequate self-love. |
| God demands the sacrifice of natural tendencies and the crucifixion of self-love. |
| Hence, monastics are continuously involved in ascesis in order to rid their selves of the heavy burden of self-idolization and self-love. |
