Why do so many Christians love their life in this world?

[Robert_Sock]

“Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
-John 12:25

Are they cafeteria Christians who pick and choose which passages of scripture to accept, or do they have a rational reason for not believing John 12:25? Is there any passage of scripture that overrides this one?

 

[rymichael]

Well, I think a lot of non-practicing Christians or Catholics love this world because they essential do what they want. They want to stay in this world. People who go to church regularly don’t get too wound up about the things of this would and seek the things that are above.

Classic example:

Have you ever been to a funeral? Look around and you can tell who has faith and who doesn’t. If someone thinks its the end of the world when their loved one dies and hysterically cries like its the end of the world. They have no faith in the Resurrection and faith in life after death.

 

[Padres1969]

Well, I think a lot of non-practicing Christians or Catholics love this world because they essential do what they want. They want to stay in this world. People who go to church regularly don’t get too wound up about the things of this would and seek the things that are above.

Classic example:

Have you ever been to a funeral? Look around and you can tell who has faith and who doesn’t. If someone thinks its the end of the world when their loved one dies and hysterically cries like its the end of the world. They have no faith in the Resurrection and faith in life after death.

I have to disagree with this. Been to plenty of funerals and you can still be saddened and weep for the loss of a loved one from this life even if you believe they’ve moved on to the next. Sadness for the end of this life does not preclude happiness at their moving on to the next. And nothing John says would counter that. Remember those who weep at funerals are not weeping for their own life (or loving their own life as John says), they’re weeping for the end of the life of another whom they loved.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

In that verse Jesus is using hyperbole just as he did when he said we should hate our parents in Luke 14:26.

Also, this life is a gift from God.

 

[truetofaith]

Although many practicing Catholics & Protestant Christians love God…we still live in this world. As long as we are not committing sin to get a new car or a nice house why would it be wrong to enjoy some of the pleasures of this material life?
I agree, it should not be our ultimate goal…but worship God at Mass and pray daily then enjoy God’s mountains & natural wonders and also enjoy some of the material goods that God gave man the talent to produce.
I don't think we should be miserable until we come to Mass.

 

[Robert_Sock]

In that verse Jesus is using hyperbole just as he did when he said we should hate our parents in Luke 14:26.

Also, this life is a gift from God.

Is Romans‬ ‭7:24 hyperbole too?

“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Romans‬ ‭7:24

Is Hail Holy Queen from the Holy Rosary hyperbole?

I have 101 other quotes, especially from the Imitation of Christ that suggests that it’s not all hyperbole. Do you happen to have any solid evidence to back up your claim?

 

[jcrichton]

“Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
-John 12:25

Are they cafeteria Christians who pick and choose which passages of scripture to accept, or do they have a rational reason for not believing John 12:25? Is there any passage of scripture that overrides this one?

Hi, Robert!

…these are immature and confused Believers… they actually follow the rich young man who purported to have practiced the Ten Commandments from his early youth; yet, when Called to give up his earthly ties and to follow Jesus… he could not.

It is the reason why so much injustice reigns in the world–Christians are far removed from their Task (Stewards) as they employ most of their efforts in judging, maligning, and ignoring:

• Judging themselves righteous and judging others (including other Christians) unrighteous
• Maligning those who they perceive as “not really Christians,” themselves (through their erroneous judgments) and their children, as they thrust them into their follies
• Ignoring Christ’s Commandments, which include ‘Love one another’ and ‘be one, in ME;’ they specially ignore the bad witnessing they give to Christ; and they arduously ignore the plight of Christians who are persecuted both in the US and in the world at large.

…their currency is the “keys” to wealth, health, and contentment.

Maran atha!

Angel

 

[jcrichton]

Well, I think a lot of non-practicing Christians or Catholics love this world because they essential do what they want. They want to stay in this world. People who go to church regularly don’t get too wound up about the things of this would and seek the things that are above.

Classic example:

Have you ever been to a funeral? Look around and you can tell who has faith and who doesn’t. If someone thinks its the end of the world when their loved one dies and hysterically cries like its the end of the world. They have no faith in the Resurrection and faith in life after death.

Hi!

…though you are on the right path, I don’t think that unleashing emotions hysterically is an actual “proof” of this "empty Christianity; though I do think that what transpires afterwards (the tirades and loathing of God when faced with illness, death, the loss of loved ones, and other serious difficulties) is quite a telling, as it is the vanity that accompanies many “Church”/“Christian” experiences.

It seems that Christians who live under the constant threat of oppression, terrorism, rape, death, genocide, loss of their homes and homelands are Christ’s True Witnesses as they Stand for Yahweh God and for the Faith!

Maran atha!

Angel

 

[jcrichton]

In that verse Jesus is using hyperbole just as he did when he said we should hate our parents in Luke 14:26.

Also, this life is a gift from God.

Hi, Michael!

…I must caution you that that term is loved by the “scholars” and “progressive theologians;” it’s much like the psychobabble of “divorce” being great for the kids and for the couples as they can embrace the “good” life with their “real” other halves.

Christ is not exaggerating nor simply being dramatic.

If we embrace this life (everything that it offers) we are basically rejecting God:

4 Adulterers, know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world, becometh an enemy of God.

(St. James 4:4)
I know that it sounds harsh when Jesus says it… but the fact remains: we must yield the values of the world if we are to enter into the Next!

…now, here’s where you may have been heading… if we Love Christ and hate ourselves, we will be able to Love ourselves in Christ… which means that we actually accomplish a great gain instead of a loss:

33 Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.

(St. Matthew 6:33)
Maran atha!

Angel

 

[PluniaZ]

“Christ in the Gospels laid down certain rules of life and conduct which must be practiced by every one of His followers as the necessary condition for attaining to everlasting life. These precepts of the Gospel practically consist of the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, of the Old Law, interpreted in the sense of the New. Besides these precepts which must be observed by all under pain of eternal damnation, He also taught certain principles which He expressly stated were not to be considered as binding upon all, or as necessary conditions without which heaven could not be attained, but rather as counsels for those who desired to do more than the minimum and to aim at Christian perfection, so far as that can be obtained here upon earth.”

newadvent.org/cathen/04435a.htm

 

[jcrichton]

Although many practicing Catholics & Protestant Christians love God…we still live in this world. As long as we are not committing sin to get a new car or a nice house why would it be wrong to enjoy some of the pleasures of this material life?
I agree, it should not be our ultimate goal…but worship God at Mass and pray daily then enjoy God’s mountains & natural wonders and also enjoy some of the material goods that God gave man the talent to produce.

   I don't think we should be miserable until we come to Mass.

Hi!

…Jesus said that it is better for His disciples (Followers) enter into Heaven with one eye/hand/foot… Jesus was not Calling Believers to mutilate themselves or have others mutilate them… but He was exacting what the Call of a Christian demands… there are thousands if not hundreds of thousands of Catholics and non-Catholics who enjoy an affluent existence… owning the latest techs, owning several homes/cars/boats… having their pets living in luxury with the best of everything… all this while Catholics and non-Catholic Christians are being exterminated, their homes and parishes razed to the ground… and these “lap of luxury” Christians just can’t wait to try out their new “toys” or the “latest” fashions or the hottest vacation spots…

…don’t get me wrong… the wealthy and elite are not the only at fault–Catholics are said to be over 1.2 billion worldwide… could you imagine what Blessings the world would receive if we Practiced our Faith and Stood for Jesus? Could you imagine the financial support that we could mobilize (food, meds, housing, clothing…) if we supported the Church’s efforts ($100.00 x 1,000,000,000–per year could truly improve the lives of Christians and non-Christians alike)?

Maran atha!

Angel

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Is Romans‬ ‭7:24 hyperbole too?

“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Romans‬ ‭7:24

Is Hail Holy Queen from the Holy Rosary hyperbole?

I have 101 other quotes, especially from the Imitation of Christ that suggests that it’s not all hyperbole. Do you happen to have any solid evidence to back up your claim?

You think it is good to hate your parents? Hate the world?

 

[DeniseNY]

Have you ever been to a funeral? Look around and you can tell who has faith and who doesn’t. If someone thinks its the end of the world when their loved one dies and hysterically cries like its the end of the world. They have no faith in the Resurrection and faith in life after death.

This is actually a horrible thing to say… I cried in at my mother’s funeral in a manner that some might consider “hysterically”. and I very much have faith in the Resurrection and life after death.

 

[ellam25]

I dont understand this. So if we are happy with our lives and friends and family we are in sin? This is like saying we might as well be happy if there’s a chance we might die (I’ve got cancer! What awesome news!) right? I don’t get it.

 

[Robert_Sock]

You think it is good to hate your parents? Hate the world?

I’m not sure about hating your parents, but when it come to loving our parents or loving Christ, we must be willing to forgo our parents. As for hating the world, we should definitely hate our living in a world that contains so much evil, until the Second Coming of Christ when all the evil will be eliminated.Then, and only then, should we fully love the world.

 

[Dang_Nguyen]

Hi!

It seems that Christians who live under the constant threat of oppression, terrorism, rape, death, genocide, loss of their homes and homelands are Christ’s True Witnesses as they Stand for Yahweh God and for the Faith!

Maran atha!

Angel

I do not know about that. It seems, to me, those who are oppressed, living in fear and hatred are the first people to lose faith in God. I have heard of a woman with Multiple Sclerosis who had lost her faith because she thought that God has given up on her. She thinks that her prayers don’t mean anything anymore. In a thread called “'I don’t believe in anything and I don’t know what to do now.” which was taken down, the young man doesn’t believe in anything because he hates his life.

Life is a gift of God. God died to give us life, why should we not love it?

 

[twf]

I have to disagree with this. Been to plenty of funerals and you can still be saddened and weep for the loss of a loved one from this life even if you believe they’ve moved on to the next. Sadness for the end of this life does not preclude happiness at their moving on to the next. And nothing John says would counter that. Remember those who weep at funerals are not weeping for their own life (or loving their own life as John says), they’re weeping for the end of the life of another whom they loved.

Yeah, in John 11:35, we read that the Lord himself "wept’ over the death of his friend Lazarus. And this was despite the fact that He knew He was going to raise him from the dead.

 

[twf]

I’m not sure about hating your parents, but when it come to loving our parents or loving Christ, we must be willing to forgo our parents. As for hating the world, we should definitely hate our living in a world that contains so much evil, until the Second Coming of Christ when all the evil will be eliminated.Then, and only then, should we fully love the world.

Then why does the Church teach that we are obliged to respect and care for THIS creation? This creation is still “good”, as God declared it, even if it is tainted by sin.

 

[GEddie]

Me, I’m addicted to life!

And I (hate)[sup]3[/sup], with everything in me, the prospect of being dead! Full stop.

ICXC NIKA

 

[phil_at_dayboro]

I have thought about this particular reading myself at times,
I love MY Life because of the many blessings I’v received,
Would it be inappropriate to hate my life when my life has been so rewarding ?
First half of my life had been difficult like that of so many people,
I struggled with so many things,
I worked hard with long hours to get to where I am today,
I give thanks to Jesus for what I have, I give to others where I can,
I’m now traveling the world ,
I’m now incredibly blessed ,
How could I now hate my Life ?