What is the Catholic view of the world?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lloyd
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
L

Lloyd

Guest
What is The Catholic view of the world?
Is it accurate to say: we live in a fallen world?
I think that to say we live in a redeemed world that is still working its way toward perfection. Would that sound better?
 
Hi. I don’t know if it’s because I live in NY or am pessimistic and half empty by nature but when I look at this world I do see the beauty of nature and the beauty of humanity when it loves but every day I see evil disguised as normal on any given day on tv, on the radio, in conversation on bus billboards. To me, evil is everywhere and the battle is so real and sadly invisible to many who are friends of the world. I think this world is fallen.
 
Last edited:
A lot of people talk about progress but I don’t see people progressing.

I think the real progress to be made is spiritual and then we might see real progress …worldwide.
 
Lloyd said:
What is The Catholic view of the world? Is it accurate to say: we live in a fallen world?
Click to expand...
Yes.
Lloyd said:
I think that to say we live in a redeemed world that is still working its way toward perfection. Would that sound better?
Click to expand...
Yeah it sounds better, but it’s wrong.

The authentically Catholic (or even Christian) view of the world is that it’s pretty darn evil, and that there is no fix for that. There is a fix for the evil in you, and that fix is Christ. A fix for the evil in the world cannot be obtained by man. It is a matter of waiting for the final show-down between Good and evil.

The notion that the world is “working its way toward perfection” is a very treacherous one, and utterly incompatible with authentic Christianity. It invites the belief that things are getting better, while in fact the world is decaying. (Read up on Christian eschatology if this strikes you as strange. Summarily, the Christian belief is that things will steadily get worse until the abovementioned final show-down takes place.)

Worse still, the notion of a “improving world” invites the belief that we (humans) are here to tinker with it endlessly in order to advance this improvement. This is the opposite of humble submission to God.

Of course many Christians (perhaps indeed most) are so infected with modernist though that they will disagree with what I’m saying here. That can’t be helped. The truth is that man is not here to improve/fix the world; he is the very creature that is spoiling it.
 
It is quite literally the case that we live in a fallen world. As a result of the sin of Adam our intellect was darkened, our will was weakened, and our bodies were corrupted.

The beautiful part of is that God sent his Son to redeem the world. Still, we very much so experience the world as fallen and we very much so continue to struggle against our fallen nature until death.
 
Jesus said ‘my kingdom is not of this world’. The ways of this world are not geared toward spiritual growth but mostly toward evil.
 
God’s plan had a hopeful beginning,
But man spoiled his chances by sinning.
We trust that the story
Will end in God’s glory,
But so far, the other side’s winning.

(anon.?)
 
Might the question be, “what is your view of the world?” How you view the world and how you live out that view, will determine your eventual destiny. Why concern yourself with the actions of others for whom you have no responsibility before God.
 
I don’t know if there is an official Catholic perspective one way or the other, but it sure seems to be that many Catholics see the world as descending into corruption rather than ascending into liberation and perfection. I believe that we are ascending, not descending. Just look at how the world has changed for the better. Look at the countless movements that exist which seek to uplift the poor and meek, which seek to make things right.

Isaiah comes to mind,
See, I am creating new heavens
and a new earth;
The former things shall not be remembered
nor come to mind.
Click to expand...
 
The only person at all I can say anything regarding their “progression” about is me. It’s not good practice for me to be confessing the shortcomings of others.
 
When I look around it’s hard not to see how many people are not living their lives according to Our Lord’s teachings, I’m not saying we should judge them but I think we should be concerned and want to try to help change things.
If we remain in isolation and ignore these things we are not practising charity towards others in my opinion.

(Actually @EricF you just did this very thing for me didn’t you? You saw an error in my statement and wanted to help me to progress spiritually by pointing it out? Thank you, I got part of the plank out anyway.)
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top