Worldliness: Resisting The Seduction Of A Fallen World (2008) - Plot & Excerpts
As a general primer in the idea of living a Christian life without being focused on the trappings of the here-and-now, this book was okay. There were no really profound insights, but the book was presented as an aid in giving young believers a good general understanding of the difference between enjoying the world around them and having an ungodly attachment to it. If you've ever been in a conservative church group, you've probably heard everything the book says. It occasionally wades into the territory of checklist holiness, but the writers warn the reader against substituting love for Christ with following a set of rules. They are clearly trying to make a practical guide for something that is abstract, and I don't want to judge them too harshly for that. Essentially it brings nothing new to the table, but it's a simply packaged counseling tool for people who are new to Christianity.I deducted a star for Mahaney's chapter on clothing. His statement that modesty is humility reflected in clothing choices was good, and would have been a fine subject had he had genuinely pursued it. Unfortunately, the entire discussion concerned women dressing non-provocatively. Could he honestly think of no way that males have expressed godlessness in their clothing? There are plenty of young men who choose clothes that are intended to make them appear powerful or dangerous or wealthy. Is there nothing to consider regarding godliness in their appearance? Furthermore, Mahaney repeats the common error of placing the responsibility of male lust on the shoulders of the women they are lusting after. This is ego-centric to say the least. While some individuals choose to exhibit their sexuality, it is rarely confined to clothing choices and should not be presumed on a woman just because a male sees her wearing something that is suggestive to him personally. He is wrong for thinking that of her. Him. He's wrong, and as long as we keep preaching that the solution is to cover those women up and tell the men to just pick one and don't look at the rest, we not only relieve him of the power to control his own reactions, but we perpetuate the attitude that women are merely accessories to be viewed through the male lense. This book was ok, although I do think that it gave a representation which was at all easy to live by, in fact I would say it is impossible to be completely un-wordly. Actually thinking about this book I probably didn't enjoy it very much. Before I slate the book I would like to say the good thing was the way it was structured, it meant I wasn't forced to read things that didn't apply to me....this meant I could miss out chunks of it rather than actually facing the read! I'll admit I am worldy and probably need to do something about it, this book just wasn't going to make that change for me though. I think that to a degree Christians most definately need to be a part of the world, if we completely segregate ourselves then how will we pread the word? I think it is to the extent you do it...listening to music, I don't think, really affects this. I really enjoyed "Living the Cross Centred Life" but this just didn't do anything for me. It may have something to do with my dislike for the person who leant it to me, but all in all...I didn't finish it properly.
What do You think about Worldliness: Resisting The Seduction Of A Fallen World (2008)?
Loved the last few chapters about how to love the world
—sweet
I LOVE this book!!! I recommend everyone to read this.
—Ross
Love this book! Gonna read it again in the future!
—jazz12348
