/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

>>840851

I mean it's not a bad thing if that's what you're trying to say. It can be used to spread the Gospel in the native languages of the people that live in said countries, which is what the Apostles and the next generation of Christians literally did.

You don't have to physically be in another country to help them with your language studies. Translating or subtitling books, websites, sermons and chants can be done online. My priest does most of the available translations of Greek into Spanish and he does not travel at all.

>>840851

>I don't want language learning to be any sort of idol for me.

There is nothing wrong about you seeking out your passion. It’s God that instills us with our passions. Following them is all a part of his plan. Granted I can’t say that about all passions, but you seem to think all passion is sinful, even comparing yours to idolatry (not even close to idolatry, not even close to being a sin). It saddens me to here people talk like this. If your passion is not a sin then stop thinking of it as one just because it gives you joy. We don’t have to be fighting everything that gives us pleasure, in fact pleasure is not an accurate gauge to sin, you will be mislead severely by measuring sin in such a way. This is a mentality I see often accompanied by your flag. Who put this thought in your minds?

Look around you. Everyone that is amazing at what they do and at the head of their craft is only that advanced because they seek out their passion. Passion often is the reason people are able to jump over all the obstacles in their way when trying to reach a goal. Many people reach a successful place unknowingly because they had no other motivation but to follow their passion. After you’ve mastered all these things and end up with new tools, then God will step in and say, “Hey! Ever noticed that you can now do this for Me? Food for thought.”

Follow your passion, it’s often part of God’s plan. One doesn’t need to know everything about God’s plan for them before doing them step by step. In fact one can’t guide his own steps, even when trying to do something for God. If you have a passion that your devoting yourself to then just follow it. God is not just sitting around in the meantime. At the end of that road you’ll see he was the architect of the whole thing.

>>840877

OP just wanted to know how to integrate his passion with his spiritual life. Calm down, my man.

>>840851

>Do you think it's a good thing or a bad thing to the learn the languages of very anti-religious/ irreligious countries such as Japan and The Netherlands?

I'm a bit surprised anybody would ask such a question. I myself fully intended to learn Japanese so I could better enjoy their media. Unlike you who actually strives to make use of his gift for the sake of God, I just like Anime and Manga and would like to not be dependent on translators in order to access stuff I find enjoyable. I truly believe that consuming the fiction created by an irreligious country like Japan will not harm my faith nor displease God in any manner just because the country is irreligious so the nature of the nation of the speakers of a language aren't a factor to me.

>I don't want language learning to be any sort of idol for me

You intend to use it, in the end, to serve God. You're just enjoying the learning-journey. I don't think you have a problem. In fact, I think you could even ask him yourself to direct your language-learning efforts towards He Himself before you begin a session. I think that should help.