Friend at work is not interested in worldly things, just Godly things (disciples, church)

[Refugee56]

I have a friend at work who is not concerned with pretty much anything. He is completely cut off from the issues of the day or interpersonal or politcal events in the office. He is not concerned with the news of the election or the economy. He rarely socializes with anyone outside of church.

He tells me that worldly issues are unimportant and petty. He is only interested in Godly things and worshiping the Lord.

Is he the way everyone should be?

[Northsouth]

Originally Posted by Refugee56

I have a friend at work who is not concerned with pretty much anything. He is completely cut off from the issues of the day or interpersonal or politcal events in the office. He is not concerned with the news of the election or the economy. He rarely socializes with anyone outside of church.

He tells me that worldly issues are unimportant and petty. He is only interested in Godly things and worshiping the Lord.

[b]Is he the way everyone should be?[/B]

Yes.

[Macbeth2003]

Originally Posted by Refugee56

I have a friend at work who is not concerned with pretty much anything. He is completely cut off from the issues of the day or interpersonal or politcal events in the office. He is not concerned with the news of the election or the economy. He rarely socializes with anyone outside of church.

He tells me that worldly issues are unimportant and petty. He is only interested in Godly things and worshiping the Lord.

Is he the way everyone should be?

No. I don't think God want's us to be disengaged from his world. Politics and the economy help decide if you and your family can eat. If your child can get a decent education (yes yes I know one can home school, but not everyone can afford that). this is part of the mistake of viewing God and the world as different things. Try to find the divine presence of God within the world. It is there, it is not separate from the world. If God is there when a sparrow falls, surely we should be there as the economy falls, as the government changes, etc. The Sparrow is no more nor less a part of the divine than anything else.

[esselcue]

Not at work he shouldn't. I have a co-worker here who is about to lose his job because he will not cease preaching and prostelyzing to and at fellow-workers. Your friend can live his life as he pleases and believe what he wants, but there is a time and a place and the work environment is not one of those times or places.

As for how he should "be"...again, that's up to him...but to say that everything except god is petty and unimportant is awfully radical. I feel sorry for his family and his employer.

[GCSTroop]

I would ask him why he's currently employed. If he's so concerned with not living in the material world than he shouldn't be worried about providing for himself, his family, or anything else. Surely his church would take him in. Hey, if he wants to talk the talk he better walk the walk too. Not concern yourself with this world? Go ahead. Prove it.

[CelticLady1]

Originally Posted by GCSTroop

I would ask him why he's currently employed. If he's so concerned with not living in the material world than he shouldn't be worried about providing for himself, his family, or anything else. Surely his church would take him in. Hey, if he wants to talk the talk he better walk the walk too. Not concern yourself with this world? Go ahead. Prove it.

I was thinking the same thing! The man's attitude is completely unrealistic; people have to live in this world, regardless whatever faith they may practice, and I suspect that he may get real interested in "worldly" matters about the time his employer decides to let him go, because of the horrible mess we're in, economically-speaking! According to the New Testament, even Jesus concerned himself with things other than spiritual matters. He told his disciples to "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's", meaning taxes. I'd say that was pretty worldly.

[Tzaphkiel]

Originally Posted by Refugee56

I have a friend at work who is not concerned with pretty much anything. He is completely cut off from the issues of the day or interpersonal or politcal events in the office. He is not concerned with the news of the election or the economy. He rarely socializes with anyone outside of church.

He tells me that worldly issues are unimportant and petty. He is only interested in Godly things and worshiping the Lord.

Is he the way everyone should be?

There is no "should" that covers everyone, but what he is saying makes sense when a person reaches a certain stage in their human and spiritual evolution and growth.

The saying "to be in the world and not of the world" comes to mind. We can function in the physical world, which includes eating and working and earning a living, but not let those rule our actions and beliefs and become the be-all and end-all to life.

Part of being human is to master outward conditions in our lives. But if a person believes and lives their life as if that is the only thing that matters then their development is stunted. Beyond the logistics of survival, are the things that nourish our spirit.

it sounds like the gentleman at the office is structuring his life and his activities to be aligned with his beliefs and his priorities. If that suits him, fine. What works for him works for many people.

[Tzaphkiel]

many traditions teach that the physical world is illusion, and that the real world is the world of spirit. sounds like the fellow at work is speaking to that.

it's like a play in the theatre, we put on lives and bodies and when the play is over we take them off and talk about what a grand run it was, what fun we had on the stage.

[Macbeth2003]

DimSumRaja

That is a view of many religious and spiritual traditions, but I do not think the man referenced is an adherent to those. From the phrasing it sounds like a man of Christian beliefs, among all sects I can think of the idea of the physical world as illusion is not believed, and in many is considered heretical.

[noland123]

God wants us to cohabitate in this world as He wants us to love one another and have us lead others to Him. He wants us to work hard and keep ourselves busy and to provide for our families.


Where we go wrong is when we have a love for the world ,that is we take our main focus off Him and put our interest in material things of the world,we deem these things more important than God.

So no this is not the way everyone should be.