Editing Gnosticism (section)

===Moral and ritual practice===
Gnostics tended toward [[asceticism]], especially in their sexual and dietary practice.{{sfn|Layton|1987|loc=Introduction to "Against Heresies" by St. Irenaeus}} In other areas of morality, Gnostics were less rigorously ascetic, and took a more moderate approach to correct behavior. In normative early Christianity, the Church administered and prescribed the correct behavior for Christians, while in Gnosticism it was the internalized motivation which was important. [[Ptolemy (gnostic)|Ptolemy]]'s ''[[Letter to Flora|Epistle to Flora]]'' described limited fasting, but maintained that true "spiritual" fasting would be to refrain from everything bad.{{refn|group=note|[[Ptolemy (gnostic)|Ptolemy]], in ''Letter to Flora'': "External physical fasting is observed even among our followers, for it can be of some benefit to the soul if it is engaged in with reason (''[[logos]]''), whenever it is done neither by way of imitating others, nor out of habit, nor because of the day, as if it had been specially appointed for that purpose."<ref>See [http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/books/panariog.htm φυλάσσεται μέντοι γε καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἡ κατὰ τὸ φαινόμενον νηστεία..]</ref>}} For example, ritualistic behavior was not seen to possess as much importance as other practice, unless it was based on a personal, internal motivation.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=van Gaans|first=Gijs Martijn|date=2012|title=David Brakke, The Gnostics. Myth, Ritual, and Diversity in Early Christianity, Cambridge, Massachusetts & London: Harvard University Press 2010; xii + 164 pp.; ISBN 978-0-674-04684-9; US$ 29.95 (hardback with jacket).|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007212x613483|journal=Vigiliae Christianae|volume=66|issue=2|pages=217–220|doi=10.1163/157007212x613483|issn=0042-6032}}</ref>