Do Christians isolate themselves?

[DarkProphet]

I know one Christian saying is "In the world not of the world", but are you truly "in the world"? I'll give you an example, I know someone who has grown up in a heavily Christian family and went to Christian schools all his life. Now he attends a Christian college and is studying Christianity to become a youth minister. The point is that he has never been outside of a Christian environment, and while his case might be on a far end it seems to me that Christians cut themselves off from the rest of the world to some extent. My question is do Christians willingly isolate themselves? and if so why?

 

[Rafael]

This world is bound for eventual destruction and because it is fallen, we are supposed to beware of loving the world and the materialistic things the world offers. We are not to worship the created things over the Creator which is exactly what mankind is inclined to do.
People take this out of context when it is supposed to be a reminder to all Christians to be careful where they place their hearts and loves - not to that which is in this temporary world with its pleasures, but to that which remains and is eternal. We are taught to look forward to the eternal which is our future.

1 John 2:15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

 

[MelissaShae]

I know one Christian saying is "In the world not of the world", but are you truly "in the world"? I'll give you an example, I know someone who has grown up in a heavily Christian family and went to Christian schools all his life. Now he attends a Christian college and is studying Christianity to become a youth minister. The point is that he has never been outside of a Christian environment, and while his case might be on a far end it seems to me that Christians cut themselves off from the rest of the world to some extent. My question is do Christians willingly isolate themselves? and if so why?

Maybe the rest of the world is cutting themselves off from us!!

Christians are to follow God and his word and his teachings and everything in our lives (speaking for myself) revolves around God. So if something doesn't follow God or his word, then why do it?

 

[MethodMan]

I guess I need to know what you mean by isolating themselves. We are still flesh. We still sin. We enjoy life like you.

What do you mean by isolation?

 

[Deren]

I know one Christian saying is "In the world not of the world", but are you truly "in the world"? I'll give you an example, I know someone who has grown up in a heavily Christian family and went to Christian schools all his life. Now he attends a Christian college and is studying Christianity to become a youth minister. The point is that he has never been outside of a Christian environment, and while his case might be on a far end it seems to me that Christians cut themselves off from the rest of the world to some extent. My question is do Christians willingly isolate themselves? and if so why?

Some might do as you suggest, but the intent is not so much to isolate as to refrain from participating in the things that the world has to offer than are either morally repugnant, civilly against the law, or spiritually dangerous. Besides, the Christian Church tends to get a bad enough rap for housing all the hypocrites, to be out and about engaging in the things that titilate the senses unto sin. So, for those who do refrain from such, you really ought to be commending them; not questioning them. For at least they're living their convictions and cannot be classified as "hypocrites."

 

[DarkProphet]

I guess I need to know what you mean by isolating themselves. We are still flesh. We still sin. We enjoy life like you.

What do you mean by isolation?

I mean separating yourselves from the rest of the world through ignorance or physical barriers. Take the person in my OP, he has barely had a chance to interact with non-Christians so he barely knows what they are like. The problem with that is that by not learning a non-Christian view of the world he was never given a chance to analyze the "truth" he was given from birth.

 

[tsubasa]

I can only speak for myself, but I grew up in an atheist family, go to a secular university to study teaching and most of my friends are non-Christian (agnostic, atheist, Jewish, Muslim and Shinto.) I personally enjoy living in a multi-cultural society because I learn a lot about myself and my relationship with Christ through everyone I encounter. I do think, however, that in an increasingly secular world, many Christians find comfort in Christian communities (such as CF) where they can discuss Christianity freely without the fear of offending someone or facing offence themselves. There may be some who take this to an extreme and cut themselves off from secular communities entirely, but I think this is very rare. Peacetsubasa.

 

[calidog]

I know one Christian saying is "In the world not of the world", but are you truly "in the world"? I'll give you an example, I know someone who has grown up in a heavily Christian family and went to Christian schools all his life. Now he attends a Christian college and is studying Christianity to become a youth minister. The point is that he has never been outside of a Christian environment, and while his case might be on a far end it seems to me that Christians cut themselves off from the rest of the world to some extent. My question is do Christians willingly isolate themselves? and if so why?

Most of us have regular jobs, live in regular neighborhoods, etc. We live in the world but do not live as an unbeliever of Christ. We live each day knowing Christ is never far from us and that we will see Him in person one day.

Some are chosen for ministry like the above example.
Most of us are not.
God uses all of us for His purpose.

 

[MethodMan]

I mean separating yourselves from the rest of the world through ignorance or physical barriers. Take the person in my OP, he has barely had a chance to interact with non-Christians so he barely knows what they are like. The problem with that is that by not learning a non-Christian view of the world he was never given a chance to analyze the "truth" he was given from birth.

Or he has finished that analysis and you don't like his conclusion.

 

[DarkProphet]

Or he has finished that analysis and you don't like his conclusion.

I would be inclined to believe that if he wasn't so ignorant of anything that wasn't taught to him from that Christian upbringing.

 

[rookiemum]

I have walked in both worlds, and I don't think the majority of Christians isolate themselves intentionally, its our preference to be with other Christians, we have similar interests and lifestyles.

 

[CShephard53]

My question is do Christians willingly isolate themselves? and if so why?

Sadly, many Christians do cut themselves off from the world. Why? Because it's 'safer'. There's no reason for Christians to isolate themselves, other than to be afraid of falling. Sure, there are exceptions, but still... Isolation is not a Christian concept. We should't be practicing what the word does, but that doesn't mean we're not aware of it.

 

[MethodMan]

I would be inclined to believe that if he wasn't so ignorant of anything that wasn't taught to him from that Christian upbringing.

That is not an answer. I am not interested in what you believe about this person.

 

[Merlin]

Yup.
Many of us do.
It makes life easier to be around like-minded people.

 

[aggiebob]

Quite a few Christians live this sort of life. But they are not supposed to and if they followed in the teachings of Jesus and His ways then they would see their folly. But sadly many only pick and choose what parts of Jesus to follow, especially in America. Jesus spent spent so much time with people outside of the faith and publicly condemned sinners that He Himself began to be labeled as such. As Christians should be doing the very same. Pouring out to those in society that we don't want to be like.