Anonymous

How can Christians avoid being distracted by the things in the world?

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16 Answers

Didge Doo Profile
Didge Doo answered

Distracted from what? Wearing blinders and pretending reality doesn't exist is ostrich thinking. If your religion is strong it will help you to FACE the world and to cope with what life throws up. Pretending otherwise is a cop-out, sorry.

Corey The Goofyhawk Profile
Corey The Goofyhawk , Epic has no limit, answered

My father always enjoyed using a burning ember as an example. If you take a burning ember out of the fire, that flame will quickly extinguish. The same could be said of a person. If that person leaves his church group or leaves the Bible, he too will soon lose his spiritual flame. In short, stay close to the Bible, but not so much that you are out of touch with the rest of the world. Good luck, my friend!

Call me Z Profile
Call me Z answered

Christians (or anyone else) not already doing so, may well find benefit in ways yet unseen by becoming more mindful and in touch with the modern world around them, instead of rigidly closing their minds around archaic Bronze Age narratives. 

Sadly, many will never open to this possibility, but I do think they are a minority. 

Ancient Hippy Profile
Ancient Hippy answered

You could follow the lead of Jews, atheists, Hindus, etc. Choose your path in life carefully, love your fellow man, be kind and generous and take care of nature.

Walt O'Reagun Profile
Walt O'Reagun answered

Only listen to those as brainwashed as yourself ... And ignore any outside influences, no matter how rational or obvious or factual they may be.

4 People thanked the writer.
Diane Harrison
Diane Harrison commented
If I am brainwashed I am happy that I am,and thank you for brining it to my attention.
Ty Hibb
Ty Hibb commented
After you have been using the forum a little longer you will know who to respond to. When you do, you will better be able to follow the bible's direction.

Pro 26:4,5 – Do not answer anyone stupid according to his foolishness, that you yourself also may not become equal to him. Answer someone stupid according to his foolishness, that he may not become someone wise in his own eyes.

Matt 7:6 – Do not give what is holy to dogs nor throw your pearls before swine, so that they may never trample them under their feet and turn around and rip you open.

Pro 29:9 – When a wise man enters into a controversy with a fool, There will be ranting and ridicule, but no satisfaction
Walt O'Reagun
Walt O'Reagun commented
Funny how Christians want people to use "gods gifts" ... EXCEPT the "gift" of intelligence and rational thought. THEN, they resort to name calling.
Ty Hibb Profile
Ty Hibb answered

There is a lot to avoiding being distracted by this world. It is something that only a Christian would understand. I think for a Christian the words at 1Cor 15:58 would contribute to answering your question. I am assuming that you are a Christian, you can see by the other answers how a distinction is made.

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Darik Majoren
Darik Majoren commented
"It is something that only a Christian would understand." - incorrect . . . I know exactly what it takes to stay on the straight and narrow . . .
mary adam Profile
mary adam answered

Do not let the things you possess, end up possessing you.

Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.


AnnNettie Paradise Profile

By keeping our eyes simple and not being caught up in the ways of the world; it eager pursuit of material things and its overindulgence in pleasure. One example is that of Demas,  a fellow Christian, who took his eyes off the prize; the prizes of this world distracted him, and he stopped running in the race for life. We need to get the right mental attitude toward this world’s prizes, “because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.” (Phil. 3:15; 2 Tim. 4:10; 1 John 2:16, 17)

Darik Majoren Profile
Darik Majoren answered

If it truly your wish to maintain your world view and be not lead from your path by "The Temporal" . . . Well then perhaps live you life out in  a 3rd world country taking care of the sick and staying very close to members of the church.  Engross yourself in the Word of God everyday and pray for things that are likely to happen.

The more "Things" you surround yourself with the harder it is to focus on what might really be important to you.

If this sounds a bit extreme, then simply understand the basics . . . To maintain such a Christian life, one must engage a support group. The church and its members are that support group.

sm cl Profile
sm cl answered

Just like in any facet of life, we avoid distractions by remaining focused on our goals and working toward them. The world has many good and bad things to offer, but if we try to take advantage of absolutely everything, we can lose sight of our true purpose and eventually alienate ourselves from what we were searching for in the first place.

Tom  Jackson Profile
Tom Jackson answered

Certainly part of being Christian is to avoid sin and the occasions of sin ("distractions", generally speaking).

We also tend to think that sacrifice is an appropriate way of life.

Nothing wrong with either concept, but they are inadequate for the Christian mission.

But we are meant to use what we are given---remember the parable of the talents" (Matt 25:14-30). 

We are meant to have more and prosper, not have less: ---by feeding the masses who came to hear Him, Christ provided the loaves and fishes for all and there was much left over.

Mother Theresa found her special calling and did much for her fellow men.

Each of us also has a special calling.  Those of us who are in a first world country can still find those who need our assistance in various local areas---and you don't have to go to the homeless shelters to find an area where you can make a difference.

"Bloom where you are planted."---Jeremiah 29: 1-7

Megan goodgirl Profile
Megan goodgirl answered

You mean material things? They don't let that kind of stuff get the best of them. There saved by God. They accepted Jesus Christ as there lord and savior.

Charles Davis Profile
Charles Davis answered

Confirmation bias, it's the only way. Close your mind to anything outside of your beliefs, close your mind to anything that may prove your delusion meaningless. Sir Issac Newton had the best explanation when he hit a problem that seemed to be insurmountable, he just said "God did it". It's called the God of the gaps. Fill in "God" in all the blanks:
The universe came into existence by ____.
Man came into existence because of ____.
Man has his moral attitude from ____.
The Earth was formed by ___.

That is "God of the gap"s so quit your science class, and your ethics class, stop rational thinking, you have all the answers you need... God.

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