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With reference to OAHE, explore the claim that self denial and asceticism have lost their value for religious believers, justify your answer

Asceticism comes from the Greek word “askesis”, meaning exercise, training, and practice. Ascetics reject worldly pleasures that distract from spiritual growth and enlightenment and live a life of abstinence, strictness and extreme self-denial. Within asceticism there are three fundamental virtues, chastity, poverty and obedience. Asceticism is common in Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam. Historically, asceticism has involved fasting, exposing oneself to heat or cold, sleep deprivation, and even self-mutilation. Asceticism is usually associated with monks, priests and yogis.
Self-denial is the willingness to give up personal pleasures or experience personal trials in the pursuit of the increased good of another. Various religions and cultures take differing views of self-denial, some considering it a positive trait and others considering it a negative one. According to some Christians, self-denial is considered a superhuman virtue only obtainable through Jesus. Some critics of self-denial suggest that self-denial can lead to self-hatred and claim that the self-denial practiced in Judaism has created self-hating Jews.
In our world today some would agree, due to the fact that our society today is hedonistic, it is faced with celebrity influences and bombarded with advertising, because of this we are now living in a “must have society”, where people are not sticking to the virtues and rather wanting to live a more materialistic life.
Some may also argue that there is no point, and why should people suffer when they don’t have to. They may also argue that in The Ten Commandments Jesus said “love your neighbours as you love yourself”. Due to this, others may point out the fact that how can you love your neighbour if you are isolating yourself away from others?
Due to the 75% decrease of self denial in...

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