lunachick

What the heck does that mean?

I've seen that statement made in Christian Forums a few times now, and I'd like to know why you can't both love the world and love God?

Eudaimonist

What they mean is that "worldly" values (sex, wealth, power) aren't Christian values. The "world" (popular culture) is regarded as evil, and so you can't love materialism or hedonism and love the Christian way of life at the same time.

seebs

A good description, Eudaimonist. It's one of those things which is misunderstood and abused horribly. In fact, there's a great deal of material suggesting that loving God *implies* loving the world, in the sense that we normally talk about "love". It's often used just as an excuse to condemn anything a particular person likes that another doesn't.

To put it in perspective: If you like lobster, that's fine. If you like lobster so much that you will behave immorally to get lobster, then that's not fine; that's what's meant, in this context, by "loving the world". I don't think "loving" is the right word.

lpetrich

If "the world" is evil, then why not abandon it altogether by committing suicide?

Mullibok

Because that's a sin, d'oh! :banghead:

seebs

I think to understand this you have to treat "the world" as a term of art. Otherwise it's just gabby noises.

sodium

2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
2:17
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
2:18
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

King James, 1 John 2:15-18

lpetrich

LP:
If "the world" is evil, then why not abandon it altogether by committing suicide?

Mullibok:
Because that's a sin, d'oh! :banghead:

Whatever is supposed to make it a sin. I suppose that it's necessary for a religious leader to keep his flock from absconding to the Next World in Heaven's Gate fashion, but I fail to see any other reasons.

orpheus last chant

My interpretation of that phrase is a little diffrent.

Christians often point out that sacrificing something of your own for the good of another is a good thing.
Like giving money, or helping others in need. That would mean you have to love the world and people.

OTOH wouldn't giving up your own salvation be a great sacrifice?
Giving your chance of every going to heaven by commiting a "sin".

The soldiers that defend a country do so by killing other people. People who they do not know.
Killing is a sin, right?
Yet they defend other people by doing this, even though clearly discarding of Jesus's command: Resist not evil.
And turn the other cheek, and forgive seven times seventy times - other commands.

Somehow, christianity is named a selfless religion, even though it's good deeds are done for a selfish purpose ( one's own salvation) and never at the expence of it.

A christian, faced with a burglar entering his house and killing his child, would have to forgive him, and show no rezistance.

HelenM

If you read Eudaimonist's post you'll see that abandoning the world means abandoning the world's values rather than committing suicide.

I think many people here would agree with the principle of not unthinkingly adopting the values of those around you, but rather choosing your own, even if that causes you to be unpopular and/or not to fit in. In fact I think many people here may have done that.

Helen