Is it a sin to have worldly interests?

Question

I once read some evangelical article where a guy was feeling guilty over wanting to read a novel, as if he was plotting to kill someone. It seems like evangelicals believe anything less than dropping everything and wanting to be a missionary is a sin. It's hard enough just to avoid temptations like sex, but reading a novel.

Answer 1

No

Answer 2

Here is the question - Will the novel send the reader into sin? Will they do something that turns them away from God? If it doesn't then why worry? If it does and the person acts out on their human impulses then it can give birth to sin.

I find that if you are saved and firmly rooted being a christian then you have nothing to worry about. Satan really loves it when he can make you feel shame for the things you do.

God never said it was bad to read a novel.

God knows what goes on in this world and if some "christian" wants to condemn you for doing something that they think is a sin then I would want you to question them and ask where it states in the Bible a particular act is a sin.

Here is a good one. "I can't drink alcohol, it is a sin...." No, actually a drink is not a sin (Wine was prevalent in the Bible and Jesus partook of that drink!) Being drunk though can lead to sin - drunk driving, sexual immorality, physically hurting yourself or others you name it.

Answer 3

All that I can think of when you say that is

GOD SO LOVE THE WORLD

So I would think God wants us to love everyone and everything in the world with a grain of salt and not to overindulge. As it is written, these groups that are sectarian have to be taken with a grain of salt also (the chosen people). Maybe this will help you: I'm African American (Baptist). Lots of preachers within my community are azzholes. They're the messengers. You know, don't believe in the messengers, read and understand the Word of God. My professor in college said that basically the Bible has been revisionist at best; used by many groups to exploit other groups. So look, use your best judgement, if you believe in God and read the Bible, do your best to be a good person and abide by what God says. That's the best you can do. Oh, thank you for enlightening me. I never had any idea about the information you just posted. Even if you only get one friggin answer, people will read it. Thanks!

Answer 4

You know you're right about evangelicals. I was raised Pentecostal and I remember now feeling and wondering that if I ever let on that I had other interests outside church that it would be wrong and I would HEAR about it from EVERYONE in the church.

But I am Baptist now. I didn't give up on church all together. Just because some people are bad you shouldn't give up on God.

But to answer your question; No it is not a sin to have outside interests. Remember that God the world and all that's in it.
It would depend of course on what your intersted in. You must put God first in your life and serving HIM should be your first priority. And to serve Him simply means to want to do what is right in His sight. What you think He would deem acceptable and right.

Answer 5

Sounds like the guy was obsessing a bit, don't you think?
So, what is sin, anyhow? Imho, sin is when someone willfully does something that causes harm. It is the harm that it causes that makes sin so sinful.
I would say, no...it is not a sin to have what you call "worldly interests"...as long as those interests do not cause harm, and as long as you remember that the world is a temporary place. Enjoy it while you are here, but don't get too attached.....

Answer 6

no, it is not a sin to have worldly interests. We live in the world. However, it is a sin to let those interests come between you and God. Our focus is to be on the eternal, not on the temporal. But there's nothing wrong with reading a novel, so long as it is not pornographic.

Answer 7

Depends what you mean by 'worldly'.

We're born into this world as human beings. You will experience
this world as a human being, mentally, physically and spiritually -
or whatever passes for spirituality for you.

If something comes within the scope of your awareness, then
you cannot deny its existence. How you respond is up to you.
Yes, it really IS up to you. If you want to follow a Belief or
Teaching, that's up to you as well.

But shutting your eyes to something you know nothing about
won't make it go away, neither will it necessarily make you
a 'better' person. Ignorance can and does cause great
disharmony.

Answer 8

The fact that you are asking this question is very scary indeed.
Do you mean to tell me that your own mental faculties are so lacking as to make you completely unable to decide such mundane things for yourself?
There is a spiritual path that involves hiding in a cave and staring at a wall for 50 years... it may be very effective....but would you choose it?
And more to the point would you choose it just because someone told you you should?

Answer 9

if one never has worldly interests, one can never be called human after all.

worldly interests may be divided into two, the righteous/beneficial interest and the corrupt/evil interest. without one among these two, there wouldn't be any balance. there will be no room for mistakes and correction. "to err is to human" as the saying goes.... ergo, to sin is to realize we're only human... to grow in understanding, to live within reality.....

don't we say, "learn from your mistakes" or "learn from experience"? thus, sin admittedly makes us who we are and characterizes us, identifies our character, makes our values, the fundamental or basic concept of life is realize....

thus, having committed sin doesn't make us inhumane... in fact, it's the other way around.... ciao.

Answer 10

Yeah, that's ridiculous. As a Catholic, I believe we are called to be "in the world, not of the world," but it is heretical to say that everything of this world is evil. Too much of anything is not good for you, but too little of everything is just abnormal.

Answer 11

there is a level of each religion suitable for each type of individual. fundamentalism is an "entry level" approach for those too lazy or just unable to think logically. the "parishioner" is given rules and guidelines to be obeyed without question. it makes him/her feel secure in a "chaotic world": filled with "the devil's tricks". it seems to appeal to many; hopefully, not to you. be brave, think for yourself, never give your power away, especially not to sociopaths with an agenda.