Conversations | Edition Eight

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Continuing our weekly conversations . . .
-The deal: Each Thursday, we announce a question of the week. We seek to ask questions that spark interesting conversations, whether it simply be about books, traditions, spiritual disciplines, more theological matters, or anything related to life in general. You can join in our conversations two ways:
-1. Leave a comment with your thoughts!
-2. Or, if you prefer, post an answer on your own blog and leave us a link to your post so we can comment and add to the conversation. If you post on your own blog, you are welcome to use the picture above as long as you link back to us somewhere in your post.
-This week's question...

In yesterday's article, Amy wrote, "If we do not know why we spurn the things of this world and choose God's ways instead, then are we fully honoring God?" What do you think? Do you think reading widely can be a safe tool to help us better understand the "things of this world" and why we are rejecting them?
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Comments

  1. I think reading a wide arrangement of literature is a good tool to better understand the tihngs of this world, but I also think in some ways secular things can sometimes pull you away from God on some scale. I think it can affect you negatively if you read a lot of books including girls having premarital sex or getting too physically involved with their boyfriends or doing drugs and etc. I don't mind classics, but there is some teen literature I refuse to read or quit reading because I am disgusted with the way they present teen girls.

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  2. Tricky questions... First of all, I think there are definitely many instances when a split-second decision must be made; we often don't have time to put much thought into why we're doing this, and why we know we should do it. In those cases I think you quickly do what you think you should, but it's definitely a good idea to analyze your reasons afterwards, to ask why you did it, why you think you shouldn't have done this or that, etc.

    In the instances when we have time to think about it, I think prayer is a great tool!

    And I also think reading a variety of things is a great idea. It can give us more insight into the impact of the things of the the world, and I often find that I want to help people who, in real life, are dealing with the crises in these books. It can be really eye-opening. No doubt, there are some books that you know right-off just wouldn't be a good idea to read, so you don't read those, but I think in the end there are many, many good books that aren't necessarily written by Christian authors.

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  3. I agree that "promiscuous reading" can be a very valuable tool in better understanding the world's view on many issues, not to mention an equally powerful tool for encouraging us to think about why and how our faith and God's grace is so important. It is true that there can be dangers in reading materials outside of the Christian view point, but this is where discernment and seeking God's guidance for our choices acts. The disadvantages of never exposing ourselves to other views and challenging our own decisions and views can be equally as damaging. We need to have a firm foundation in Christ, and faith is key to that foundation, however we also need to be able to explain how and why we can confidently choose that faith over what the world offers. To do so, we need to know what the world has to offer.

    Thank you for sharing this! It has certainly provided me with food for thought.

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  4. Absolutely! Knowing how the world thinks, and how foolish it is, is a great way of strengthening one's faith. At university, I'm studying two subjects that illustrate this well: sociology and gender studies. The former explains the role of the media, families and other institutions in society, while the latter explains feminism and homosexuality. I find them incredibly interesting, and the things I learn re-enforce my faith tremendously!

    But if one chooses to get involved in that sort of thing, they have to be VERY careful. Remember that God's wisdom is greater than the world's; don't let the world shape your thinking more than the Word does.

    God bless.

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