Is it good to hate this life?

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God breathed life into you and allows you to walk on his earth. Enjoy it and the rest of God’s creations, love thy family, and respect and be gracious for the Gifts god gave you.
 
I think what we are called to in more current terms is detachment. This life is a gift of the Lord. As such we are to cherish it and care for the temples of the spirit that we are created into. We do what we do because we love the Lord and the promises of Heaven, and we joyfully await our reunion with Him in Heaven. But to baldly say that we should hate this life without proper context and elaboration carries with it implications for excuses for all sorts of evils. We shouldn’t be caught up in the selfishness that is so prevalent in this “me-focused” society, but we need to have proper regard for life as this is where we all start out and where we are given the opportunity to influence our eternal life.
 
IMHO, this verse means to hate things OF THIS EARTHLY LIFE, things that take us away from Divine things. It does not mean to hate life itself or to be depressed. If someone really believed 100% in Heaven, Christ, and the afterlife, how could you be anything other than completely happy and full of joy!??? It is when we have depression, hate, unhappiness that we have fallen away from God and don’t show our trust in him.

LOVE this Life and the manifestations we see daily of the Divine. Hate the things “of this world” that hinder our journey to God.

Pax,
David
 
davidjh said:
IMHO, this verse means to hate things OF THIS EARTHLY LIFE, things that take us away from Divine things. It does not mean to hate life itself or to be depressed. If someone really believed 100% in Heaven, Christ, and the afterlife, how could you be anything other than completely happy and full of joy!??? It is when we have depression, hate, unhappiness that we have fallen away from God and don’t show our trust in him.

LOVE this Life and the manifestations we see daily of the Divine. Hate the things “of this world” that hinder our journey to God.

Pax,
David
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This life is easy to love when things are going well, but tell that to someone who suffers from mental illness (e.g., me) or terminal illness. At some point in our life, probably just before death, we will all turn our attention to the greatness of Heaven while confessing the wickedness of this world.

In Heaven life is good; in this world life is both good and evil.

John 15:19
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
 
davidjh said:
It is when we have depression, hate, unhappiness that we have fallen away from God and don’t show our trust in him.
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Whoa, you believe that depression is a symptom of falling away from God? What century are you living in?
 
Robert_Sock said:
. . . Many weak and foolish people, say, “See what a good life that man enjoys! He is so rich, so great, so powerful, so distinguished!” But raise your eyes to the riches of Heaven, and you will see that all the riches of this world are as nothing. All are uncertain and even burdensome, for they are never enjoyed without some anxiety or fear. The happiness of man does not consist in abundance of this world’s goods, for a modest share is sufficient for him. The more spiritual a man desires to become, the more bitter does this present life grow for him, for he sees and realizes more clearly the defects and corruptions of human nature. For to eat and drink, to wake and sleep, to rest and labour, and to be subject to all the necessities of nature is a great trouble and affliction to the devout man, who would rather be released and set free from all sin.
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The inner life of man is greatly hindered in this life by the needs of the body. Thus, the Prophet devoutly prays that he may be set free from them, saying, “Lord, deliver me from my necessities!” Woe to those who refuse to recognize their own wretchedness, and doubly woe to those who love this miserable and corruptible life! For some cling so closely to it, that although by working or begging they can hardly win the bare necessities, they would yet be willing to live here for ever if it were possible, caring nothing for the Kingdom of God. 

How crazy and lacking in faith are such people, who are so deeply engrossed in earthly affairs that they care for nothing but material things! These unhappy wretches will at length know to their sorrow how vile and worthless were the things that they loved. But the Saints of God and all the devoted friends of Christ paid little heed to bodily pleasures, nor to prosperity in this life, for all their hopes and aims were directed towards those good things that are eternal. Their whole desire raised them upward to things eternal and invisible, so that the love of things visible could not drag them down. My brother, do not lose hope of progress in the spiritual life; you have still time and opportunity . . .
–The Imitation of Christ, Book 1, Chapter 22 Thomas A Kempis
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ah, the “fifth Gospel”, i just started reading this masterpiece.

along with The Lives of the Saints, you’ll see the disdain the Saints had for the world and its traps, the desire for it to end as quickly as possible so they can reach their “prize”, their “eternal reward”, and the need for Christians today to go back to the spirituality of the ancient martyrs and Saints.

“Rejoice, therefore, my beloved brothers, over the lot of overflowing happiness that has fallen to you,and for the grace of God that you have received in such abundance. Rejoice that you have succeeded in escaping the countless dangers and shipwrecks of this storm-tossed world, and have reached a quiet corner in the security of a hidden harbor. Many would like to join you, and many there are also who make a considerable effort to do so, but fail in their attempt. What is more, many are shutout even after having attained it, since it was not in the plan of God to give them this grace. ” ST. BRUNO’S LETTER TO HIS CARTHUSIAN SONS

so… it may be a sign you may be called to religious life if you have this sentiment. 😃
 
Life is good. :extrahappy: We should enjoy it while we can, but we should also look foward to the better things to come. When I’m feeling depressed, I get out a notebook and write down every blessing I can think of. Usually by the time I reach the hundreds, I’m feeling better.😛
IMHO, this verse means to hate things OF THIS EARTHLY LIFE, things that take us away from Divine things. It does not mean to hate life itself or to be depressed. If someone really believed 100% in Heaven, Christ, and the afterlife, how could you be anything other than completely happy and full of joy!???
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This is mostly true. It’s okay to be unhappy sometimes. Even Jesus was not all smiles all the time. However, as Christian Catholics, we should have the joy of Christ in our hearts. It’s not the same as happiness. Jesus got angry and sad. But He didn’t hate life. When God created life, He said that it was good.😃 :signofcross:
 
ready said:
Yes it’s good to hate this life. It keeps you fixed on Heaven and free from the dangers of worldliness and befriending the world.
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I never did ‘get’ that. I thought it wasn’t Catholic to believe the created world is evil.

What service are we doing our families and dependents if we hate our life and hate them?

How can anyone hate a newborn baby?
 
You’re right - it isn’t a Catholic belief to hate the world, since God created all things good (as was pointed out in a previous post). No one should ‘hate’ the things of this life, because it’s all there for us to use (obviously we can’t get through this life without ‘things’, i.e. homes, cars, food, clothes, etc.). We just can’t get too attached to them where it becomes the main focus of our life - or even an obsession. God gives these ‘things’ as gifts to us to use, and what He gives He can take away, and we need to accept that. I don’t know how many stories I’ve heard of people going beserk because they lost something - a job, a friend, family, money, toys, etc. God knows what we need - we will get by with less if we just trust in God to provide for us (refer to the Lord’s prayer for more info…). 🙂
 
Veridiana said:
You’re right - it isn’t a Catholic belief to hate the world, since God created all things good (as was pointed out in a previous post). No one should ‘hate’ the things of this life, because it’s all there for us to use (obviously we can’t get through this life without ‘things’, i.e. homes, cars, food, clothes, etc.). We just can’t get too attached to them where it becomes the main focus of our life - or even an obsession. God gives these ‘things’ as gifts to us to use, and what He gives He can take away, and we need to accept that. I don’t know how many stories I’ve heard of people going beserk because they lost something - a job, a friend, family, money, toys, etc. God knows what we need - we will get by with less if we just trust in God to provide for us (refer to the Lord’s prayer for more info…). 🙂
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Take a close look around you and see the evil!

Can you quote the New Testament that we should love the things of this life?

God may have created all things good, but it’s clear that evil entered our world through the sin of Adam and Eve.We live in a world of good and evil. It’s OK to love what is purely good but this world, having become tainted by evil, should always be hated.
 
That makes no sense, sorry.

HATE your mother and father?

HATE your spouse and children?

HATE your food, clothing and shelter?

HATE a sunrise, a sunset, the beach, the mountains?

HATE the beauty and cleverness of all creation because some choose evil?

Don’t get it.
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
That makes no sense, sorry.

HATE your mother and father?

HATE your spouse and children?

HATE your food, clothing and shelter?

HATE a sunrise, a sunset, the beach, the mountains?

HATE the beauty and cleverness of all creation because some choose evil?

Don’t get it.
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Faith, Hope and LOVE are always good. 🙂
 
Robert_Sock said:
Faith, Hope and LOVE are always good. 🙂
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Right! Aren’t we taught that we are not even to hate our enemies? Aren’t we also taught that faith and reason are the two wings of the human spirit?

To HATE this life seems a failure of reason.
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
Right! Aren’t we taught that we are not even to hate our enemies? Aren’t we also taught that faith and reason are the two wings of the human spirit?

To HATE this life seems a failure of reason.
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The life to be hated is the life of selfishness, pride, corruption, sinfulness…not life, the gift, itself.
 
I think it’s one of the failures of evangelization not to make this particular distinction EACH time that passage is quoted.

I know the first time I read it I went, “Huh?” :confused:
 
I am afraid I take a different view to most expressed so far. God choose each and everyone of us before he created the world and called us by name. Can you imagine? To be that special to God.? He knitted us together in our mothers womb.
God gave us a beautiful world, beautiful flowers, beautiful birds, The beauty of Earth is breathtaking.
He gave us each other to love and see Him in each other. He gave us our families, children, grand children, and most of all He gave us Himself on the Cross.
For me it would not be correct to hate life. God gave me life, a great gift. Without that life I would not have the chance to enter His Heavenly Kingdom
Be with Him.
Sure, life throws great sorrows, injustice, hardships,
causes us great anger at times, - but that is our great chance.! To over-come as best we can all the difficiulties, and at times it takes great effort to offer it all to God, but in the doing of it we become happy knowing we are pleasing God in this wonderful life He has given us and with Hope Love and Mercy, to be with Him in Heaven in His Kingdom of Heavenly Mansions, for ever and where ever tear will be wiped away.! 🙂 🙂
Yes as I watch the sun rise and go down, the moon the stars, my children, my grand children, although having had many troubles of my own, I thank God for giving me the chance to see His beautiful creation 🙂 👍
God Bless ,and thank God for each new day, new life being born every second to grab life.
 
ready said:
Yes it’s good to hate this life. It keeps you fixed on Heaven and free from the dangers of worldliness and befriending the world.
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God sent his only son to earth for many reasons including to tell us to follow him. In example of him, we learn to love unconditionally. Love God above all and love your neighbor as yourself. With those actions in mind, how could we hate this life? This human life allows us to develop a relationship with Jesus through the loving of other humans who were created in the image and likeness of God. God created the world. How can we hate what God created? Are we telling him he doesn’t know what he is doing?

I suggest getting under the spiritual guidance of a spiritual director or creating serious dialogue with a special friend. Volunteer activities in the community that allow contact with suffering individuals (sickness, poverty, etc.) help us focus on other’s needs. There is so much suffering in every community. I feel that God expects us to help. He doesn’t tell us to just focus on the afterlife. He put us here to love. This can be so healing.
 
Robert_Sock said:
John 12:25 (New International Version)

“The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
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Are you guys forgetting John 12:25? Do you disagree with the Word of the Lord?
 
No.

But this is why I leave interpretation to the Magisterium. If you judge by sola scriptura you might believe that Jesus had actual brothers, and not cousins (as explained to me by at least one priest), because of the technicalities of translated terms.
 
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