How would you respond to a claim that you sometimes agree with?

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Happy New Year, everyone! I am the only Catholic in my family. My little brother attends a non-denominational church on-and-off with my grandmother because he feels like “he has to go to church” rather out of real desire. When talking to him about Catholicism, in addition to finding any church boring (I often tell him how much I love Mass), he feels that the Catholic Church has too many rules. “Everything that is fun is a sin” (or “Good Catholics are sexually repressed,”) is one of his common claims, and honestly, sometimes I feel like that myself (human nature, I guess). So, how might you respond to that? It may also to worth to note that he is a liberal Democrat in politics; he is not especially outspoken about his positions, but he says that he really doesn’t see anything wrong with abortion or gay marriage!
I would be thankful for any suggestions!
 
Well - It’s a tricky thing to try to explain, but when People complain that there are too many rules, I try to explain that there are really only two…See Mt 22:36-40.

All of the rest is an expansion on these two rules.

What this is, is an attempt to get the person to recognize that they are looking at the matter “wrong way round”. This is a very common problem, even with some well educated Catholics.

As far as “everything that is fun is a sin”, well that is just simply not true…you should easily be able to point out things that he likes and enjoys but are not sinful…reading, hiking biking, travel, sunbathing, swimming, boating, writing, visiting with friends, picnicing, horseback riding, motorcycle riding, softball…the list to choose from goes on and on…

And even some of the things that he might be referring to - sex or maybe drinking, are not sinful when used properly…So - to paraphrase the old hamburger commercial - “Where’s his beef?” 🤷

As to his politics and such…getting him to look at the Church’s positions from the standpoint of love instead of “rules” should help, especially on the abortion issue.

Peace
James
 
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