Is anything done for pleasure worth doing? Reason always trumps emotion

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blackforest said:
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LilyM:
And why on earth would it be morally superior to do away with that pleasure, say, by doing a form of exercise that I hate?
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Our culture is influenced by the Puritans more than we like to admit. We forget how seeking joy in life is actually essential to our faith.
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Indeed - Christ said that He came so.that our joy may be complete.
 
Jump4Joy said:
They are celibate and demonstrate more self-control and self-discipline in their lives than the average person. How could they relate me to a person who have difficulty controlling internet urges?
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You really don’t know any priests, do you? They all have plenty of struggles and falls like the rest of us.
 
Jump4Joy said:
They are celibate and demonstrate more self-control and self-discipline in their lives than the average person. How could they relate me to a person who have difficulty controlling internet urges?
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God grants them the grace and the empathy to do amazing pastoral work as part of their vocation.
 
I think you would be surprised and maybe relieved to find how well they can relate through similar challenges. Just do it.
 
I only knew of one priest with an alcohol problem. I knew another who had a rebellious younger siblings. Most of my relationships with priests are rather distant.
 
I definitely agree with the sentiment that we should seek leisure, but I often try and find some middle ground between activities that help my faith life & that are enjoyable.

For example, I too, am into writing, and have written fun “scripts” for three movies. So, ok - that’s leisure, right? But when I write, I explore things in my own life, most especially my faith life, and that serves two purposes - leisure & merit. Same thing with watching sports - the struggle athletes go through, the mustering of spirits, the sisterhood or brotherhood… all these things remind us of the Great One.

I’ll admit- there are some activities where it is really, really difficult to try & find merit in. At that point, it becomes almost a game, “how do I find God in this?” And I find almost all the time, the activity is good for me if A.) The activity is inherently good (reading C.S. Lewis) or B.) (neutral) playing a game like Sim City). and if the activity is bad, I can stay away from it.
 
If your doing something for pleasure ALONE, its sinful. But we can do things out of love that are pleasurable as long as we do it in moderation.
 
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