bobjots : redux

"Do not love the world nor the things of the world, for if anyone loves the world the love for the Father is not in him". Perhaps we should expunge this verse from scripture?

Sure, right after we expunge some of these verses :

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

He (God) waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for humans to cultivate--bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth . . . He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!

You see, after we've expunge that one problematic verse in 1 John, we no longer need to do away with those other happy-happy-joy-joy verses :-)

Nah .. its way too fun to see how seemingly contradicting passages in the Scriptures messes up folks' carefully crafted religion.

But first we'll have to argue to death what "world" means and what in it is actually "good". :P

A little clarification is in order.

The "world" in 1 John 2:15 is defined by verse 16 itself: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life.

I do not refer to God's creation because it's from the Father (v 16) and it is very good (Gen 1:31).

I have not read The Ragamuffin Gospel and have no inkling as to what Manning meant by "the things in this world".

Bob put up a bunch of verses praising God over His created world - which is a different "world" from the "world" I referred to in 1 John.