What Is More Exciting

[Cure of Ars]

I believe that a Christian life is more exciting than a secular life. The first reason is because Christian reality is twice as big as secular reality. The inner spiritual life of having a relationship with Jesus can give meaning and purpose to even the most mundane activities of life. There is a whole dimension that the secularist does not explore.

Another reason that I think the Christina life is more exciting is because it has bigger stakes. The Christian worldview is more risky. Christianity believes in eternal justice. There is a heaven and a hell. Peter Kreeft once said, “Hell and heaven make life serious. Heaven without hell removes the bite from life’s drama.” Anyone who has gone to Vegas knows that betting nickels gets old fast and in gambling the higher the stakes the more exciting it is.

The highest value that secular society has is to gain pleasure and avoid pain while the highest virtue for the Christian is Faith, Hope, and Charity so that one can gain God. In the long run the Christian ends up beating the secularist at his own game. Look at Christmas for example. Christians try to keep Jesus at the center of Christmas. And by doing this it causes some pain. For example, Catholics do penance and works of charity during the season of advent to get ready for Christmas. But because of this Christmas is that much better and the joy is not in the gifts, food, or atmosphere but in the joy of something greater, Christ. Christians always have something greater in this world because we have something greater in the next. And this is why Christmas without Christ is boring. And it is also why non-active Catholics run to Mass on Christmas. They intuitively know that without Jesus Christmas goes stale. (To bad they miss the boat with this fact when it comes to every day life.) It is also why our society is so depressed and has the suicide rate that it has. Once one reaches the top and gains pleasure and succeeds in avoiding pain one realizes that he/she are still empty and not satisfied. Boredom sets in and after every technique is tried to gain the excitement that a pleasurable activity once had, and this fails, they loose hope. God made use this way on purpose so that we would not get stuck on the creature and search for the creator. Pleasure is good but it is not the ultimate good. We were made for God and we will never be satisfied until we are totally united to Him.

The question is bound to come up, “Why then are a lot of Christians no different than secular people? They are no happier, joyful, or excited than the rest of us.” The answer to this is that you need to connect with Jesus for my arguments to be true. You need to let Jesus be in charge and conform your life to him. This is where the Christian life gets scary and exciting but it also where people walk away.

Anyone have any argument to add? Does anyone who disagrees want to dialogue about this?

Edited August 11, 2003 by Cure of Ars

[mulls]

that was very very good Cure! well done! :D

the secular life offers no challenges.

Christians constantly have to defend their faith and their way of life, while 'regular' folk do not (Unless of course we be good Christians and witness to them. that'll get 'em started!)

[Theologian in Training]

As St. Francis said, "to be in the world, not of the world." Worldliness is empty, because its promises are fleeting, its pleasure temporary, and its lasting effect a mere moment.

St. Ignatius, while in bed after a war injury, as the story goes, had only one book available to him, "The Lives of the Saints." However, he really wanted those books that involved chivalry and the ones where the knight courted the woman, so he fantasized about what would typically occur in those books. The thing is after engaging in the knightly fantasy, the effect was momentary and he was left with a sense of desolation and emptiness. On the other hand, when he read the lives of the Saints, he was inspired and left with a lasting effect that wouldn't go away. This was where he experienced his conversion.

He also believed that, to summarize, in the world you use those things that draw us to God...material possessions, not people. Conversely, those things that draw you away from God you get rid of and put no value in.

My favorite story is from Bishop Dolan's book, "Priests for the Third Millenium" where he talks about his visit to a carmelite monastery and how he met a very holy man whose room he went in. He saw a couple of books, a desk, a lamp, and a bed, as I recall it. Bishop Dolan asked him where all his stuff was, he said that was all his stuff. Dolan said this is all you have in your room? To which the man replied, what about you, you only have a suitcase. Dolan said, yeah but I am only passing through. The man replied, and so am I.

I really didn't recall that story too well...sorry.

You've heard it from me time and again, but Hebrews fits well: "For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come." How often do we actually take that to heart and believe it?

Excellent post Cure!

God Bless

Edited August 11, 2003 by Theologian in Training

[Cure of Ars]

that was very very good Cure! well done!  :D

the secular life offers no challenges.

Christians constantly have to defend their faith and their way of life, while 'regular' folk do not (Unless of course we be good Christians and witness to them. that'll get 'em started!)

I don't know. Every new year they try to lose 20-30 pounds to gain it all back again. Now that's something to live for. :P

[Cure of Ars]

As St. Francis said, "to be in the world, not of the world." Worldliness is empty, because its promises are fleeting, its pleasure temporary, and its lasting effect a mere moment.

St. Ignatius, while in bed after a war injury, as the story goes, had only one book available to him, "The Lives of the Saints." However, he really wanted those books that involved chivalry and the ones where the knight courted the woman, so he fantasized about what would typically occur in those books. The thing is after engaging in the knightly fantasy, the effect was momentary and he was left with a sense of desolation and emptiness. On the other hand, when he read the lives of the Saints, he was inspired and left with a lasting effect that wouldn't go away. This was where he experienced his conversion.

He also believed that, to summarize, in the world you use those things that draw us to God...material possessions, not people. Conversely, those things that draw you away from God you get rid of and put no value in.

My favorite story is from Bishop Dolan's book, "Priests for the Third Millenium" where he talks about his visit to a carmelite monastery and how he met a very holy man whose room he went in. He saw a couple of books, a desk, a lamp, and a bed, as I recall it. Bishop Dolan asked him where all his stuff was, he said that was all his stuff. Dolan said this is all you have in your room? To which the man replied, what about you, you only have a suitcase. Dolan said, yeah but I am only passing through. The man replied, and so am I.

I really didn't recall that story too well...sorry.

You've heard it from me time and again, but Hebrews fits well: "For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come." How often do we actually take that to heart and believe it?

Excellent post Cure!

God Bless

As a kid I had a comic book on St. Francis. It helped me see at a young age that there is something more glorious than partying with friends and being a tuff guy. God bless