Is it sinful to hate the material and natural worlds?

[Church_Militant]

Isn’t this idea an revival of an old heresy? Wasn’t there a bunch that the early church had to deal with who taught that you should hate the world and even your own body?

How can despise what He has made when the problem with creation is not itself but what we sinful people do with it?

 

[Portrait]

What John is saying in both of these is that we shouldn’t become overly attached and value our life more than God. Loving things in this world is not a sin

Dear Razanir,

Cordial greetings and a very good day.

Being materialistic and having an inordinate love of wealth, dear friend, can present a hindrance to the pursuit of sanctity and separation from the world and that surely ought not to be the case in those who profess Christ’s religion. Does not St. Paul rebuke strongly those who are “lovers of money” and “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (II Tim. 3: 2,4)? Catholics must needs be on their guard against a misdirected love which is absorbed with seeking self-gratification through the things which money can buy.

Therefore, dear friend, there are undoubtedly times when loving the temporal things of this world can be sinful, especially when it results in full-blown worldliness and an unspiritual outlook. As Christians we must ensure that we are not conformed to the world and that our lives are not circumscribed by that which is only transient and passing away.

God bless.

Warmest good wishes,

Portrait

Pax

 

[Razanir]

Dear Razanir,

Cordial greetings and a very good day.

Being materialistic and having an inordinate love of wealth, dear friend, can present a hindrance to the pursuit of sanctity and separation from the world and that surely ought not to be the case in those who profess Christ’s religion. Does not St. Paul rebuke strongly those who are “lovers of money” and “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (II Tim. 3: 2,4)? Catholics must needs be on their guard against a misdirected love which is absorbed with seeking self-gratification through the things which money can buy.

Therefore, dear friend, there are undoubtedly times when loving the temporal things of this world can be sinful, especially when it results in full-blown worldliness and an unspiritual outlook. As Christians we must ensure that we are not conformed to the world and that our lives are not circumscribed by that which is only transient and passing away.

God bless.

Warmest good wishes,

Portrait

Pax

Darn it! I’m on your side in this, Portrait. As much as I’ve wanted a response from you, I was hoping it’d be in one where I was actually trying to be contrary to you (like the aperiodic Harry Potter and D&D threads).

That said, I’m not saying we should drop everything and follow worldly pleasures instead of God. I’m just pointing out that at the same time, I’m sure the apostles even would have had some form of worldly pleasures… Having a worldly pleasure or two or five isn’t necessarily bad, as long as we don’t let them draw us away from God. The point of this message was not to turn them into false idols– not to deny ourselves any forms of pleasure that aren’t God