Is "Having fun" a waste of time?

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It depends on the individual, of course - and their walk -
but I find - after working 12- 14 hour shifts - day after day -
I’m prime for Holy teaching - or prayer - or reading Holy books -
that’s just me, but when I’m utterly exhausted and just feel beat -
my mind / spirit seems that much more open to everything and anything…
Obviously I don’t care for the mood…cause I know I have to wake up in 6 hours…
but it’s “prime Time” as they say.
 
I would definitely agree with it depends on the individual.

I deal with sick and dying people all day at work. The lasting I want is something serious to focus on on my first day off.
 
Having fun with your friends is a great thing! We are social beings and the more people we meet the better! You need to have fun or you’ll be depressed.
 
Just to make it clear, I don’t think having fun is bad. But I do think it often can impede on our relationship with God if too much importance is placed on it. I like to think that religious have the ideal life. They pray a lot, work a lot, and have some recreation time but it never gets to the point that they’re watching five hours of Tv or spending several hours on the computer. Technology can be addicting which is why I hope to disconnect from it soon…I find spiritual books to be much more entertaining and relaxing and more beneficial.

I do, however, think that video games that aim to help those in need is a wonderful idea.
 
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Recreation is something that is necessary for the good of the human person, but we have a duty to use our time well. Using our time well is even considered one of the virtues.

How we use our time, which includes recreation, must be informed by the virtues of temperance, prudence, justice, and fortitude.
 
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tomarin said:
Haven’t read all the responses, but no, I would not say having fun is a waste of time. It’s called ‘re-creation’ for a reason: by blowing off steam and diverting yourself from the serious stuff you have to do you’re actually freeing up your mind to creatively problem-solve and look at things from a new perspective. Without having fun life would be unbearable.
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That’s a great point! If we don’t have recreation then our brains wont be able to fully handle all the serious stuff we do. Now I don’t feel bad! I actually remember back when I was in school, I made sure not to take on too many classes or work, because I knew that I needed fun time or else I wouldn’t be able to function. I’ve been out of school for 8 years, and 6 of those years I have been struggling with a baacksliding career and depression.

I keep telling myseslf that I’m not allowed to have any fun until I get my career in order, or else I am wasting time, and I will be poor and miserable forever. So even though I have been trying to create video games, and animations, I have felt this pang of guilt every time I try to do something fun. I would force myself to play video games, and I would have fun for a bit, but then the guilt would come back, and I wouldn’t play for weeks or even months. It got really bad. I put so much pressure on myself to become successful and have a good career in the field I have been trying to get into for 10 years, that this pressure has mixed in with pride, which I have found is keeping me from progressing.

Lately I have thought that maybe I got it all wrong. Maybe I am punishing myself for not being successful enough, and this is what is hurting me. How can I create video games if I myself don’t allow myself to have fun?

To create good art you need to have patience, and enjoy the process. Obsessing over your art being finished, and amazing will keep you from even doing good art, and will put you into paralysis, and depression. Writers block, artists block, it is the most depressing thing. I can’t explain it. It’s like all your hopes and dreams are crushed, and you can’t even draw a cube. You feel like a total failure, and see no way out. I felt that way for years.
 
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Anyways, I was thinking that maybe playing video games is a way to learn patience (which God wants us to do) in that by playing a video game I’m not making “progress” in a finished amazing art piece, so yeah, patience. Also, I think it is humility. My mindset for the last few years has been “I’m X years old. I should be working in this career by now. No I’m too good for retail. This isn’t reality” I thought that if I allowed myself to have fun, then I would become content, and then I would never get a good career.

Now I am thinking that by playing video games, not only am I learning patience, but also humility, (Yeah I’m 29 and playing video games working a crappy job. Call me whatever names you want. I only need God’s approval, not yours!) It also is trusting in God that maybe I wont stay poor forever. Maybe it is okay to have fun, and “waste time” and maybe I will become successful and get over this depression, and art block. Then I can create video games that help people, and show God’s Beauty.

Also, the first 5 words of the bible “In the beginning God created…” He made us in his own image, with the ability to also create. Although all creation we do is really a remix, of ideas that already exist. So to create is to glorify him (provided we don’t abuse our creativity for evil) So creating video games is the creation of worlds full of beauty and splendor which reflect the beauty and creativity of God. Our creations can’t compare to God’s infinite beauty and creation, but they are still good. Then to enjoy these creations is to be humble, and be in awe of how tiny humans can create worlds, and experiences. These digital worlds not only look real (or beautiful cartoony) they feel real, and its amazing how we as a species have learned so much about God’s creation to create computers, and use logic, and math to create computer programs of such complexity, and then mix them in with art, music, story, etc. Video games truly are the collaboration between all art forms and science. It’s kind of amazing, and I think glorifies God when you realize this.

Anyways, those are my thoughts. Thank you all again so much for your responses!
 
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Play is how we practice and media is how we introspection. (Lest that’s how I feel, if I can’t gleen anything of value from it then I’d argue it’s a waste)

So yes, your gaming has value. I’d argue more value then turning ones brain off and watching soaps.
 
I think of Jesus saying - pray - unless you fall into temptations…
Of course they fell asleep…
Then the famous - the spirit is willing, but the flesh…is weak.

So, as long as ‘ having fun’ doesn’t lead one into wasting time in temptations…
 
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You are so bad at this religion thing, you really are.

You are not required to pray all the time. Jesus was musing to himself because he knew what awaited them over the next 48hrs. Perhapes in they prayed they’d have the strength to endure? No, rest on, you are only human.
 
BMan said:
To create good art you need to have patience, and enjoy the process. Obsessing over your art being finished, and amazing will keep you from even doing good art, and will put you into paralysis, and depression. Writers block, artists block, it is the most depressing thing. I can’t explain it. It’s like all your hopes and dreams are crushed, and you can’t even draw a cube. You feel like a total failure, and see no way out. I felt that way for years.
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It’s creative “block.”

We all suffer from it in one way or another; sadly, our creative juices flow from deep emotions (happiness, sadness, sorrow, fear…); we have to accept these emotions, without allowing them to drag us down into non-existence, and use them in a creative way.

I’m sort of a poet… once I was asked to prove myself and a quirky poem was constructed from the reality of the moment in question… we were all bemused by it.

I concur with you that you might be beating yourself to a pulp; yes, demand excellence from yourself; no, do not destroy yourself by pounding your existence into “success” and “excellence.”

Check out people around you… toddlers and the elderly, specially; they are true mirrors to happiness and contentment… give a toddler an empty box and he/she would create a world of wonder… bring a little grocery (or other material needs) to a home-bound elderly person and you connect him/her to the outside world in a very positive way…

…seek out nature (plants, animals, manifestation of nature–clouds, wind, geography…) and you can learn to release that creative block–tap onto God… and as they say ‘the sky’s the limit!’

Maran atha!

Angel
 
Being a miserable old git does not help one along the path of sainthood either.

Balance. Employ the virtue of prudence when it comes to pleasures and mortifications. They both help us grow.
 
Remember that Jesus attended parties. It is good to enjoy licit pleasures from time to time, though if done to excess it becomes a form of gluttony.
 
You are not required to pray at all times…?
That’s not true - Cyril
Paul says “ Pray at all times “
That doesn’t mean be to drop on your knees suddenly,
with your hands outstretched to the skies,
praying loudly before everyone, then reaching for a small whip
that one carries in their back pocket
so you can self flagation yourself for one minute 😛

Of course having fun is allowed -
But you can say - quietly, silently,
prayers of gratitude towards God while having fun…
I heard of married couples praying before having sex…
 
I think having fun or forms of entertainment is fine as long as it doesn’t interfere with your other obligations. The moment you cross the line, problems will arise. Each person needs to use discernment to realize when they are in fact wasting time.

The problem with video games is that it often leads to addictive behavior because it’s a form of escapism. Many of us have heard stories or even experienced it with friends who will play hours on end. Once it becomes an addiction, it begins to effect work, relationships, mental health and other obligations. I would think that if you want to have some fun time, try learning a new skill, sport or hobby instead.

On a side note, I used to be a game designer and an art director for children’s 2D games. Fortunately, the network I worked for in collaboration with our clients, went to great lengths to promote healthy, active behavior reinforced with a positive message. Some games even had a time limit, in which children were politely reminded to stop playing.

Mind you, this is a huge contrast to playing something like Call of Duty. This is something to consider if you want to break into a very competitive industry. You won’t get the choice of what you want to work on, you will be a part of a team and to enjoy success, you will need to make a choice on whether you want to sacrifice some of your ideals along the way if this is a concern to you.
 
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Remember most of us probably won’t be called to build up or maintain such rigorous prayer lives as the saints. I’m a husband and father with a full-time job (and a decent commute). I would love to go to daily Mass and sit in the adoration chapel for an hour every day, but between my vocation and the stage of life I’m in its enough to hit my daily prayer time and my weekly Mass obligation. A great priest told me our vocations are our source of holiness. My dad is retired now and he goes to Mass just about every day, and I have no clue how many rosaries he says but it’s a few. He’s at a stage in his life where he can devote more time to the interior life.

Carve out a reasonable amount of private mental prayer time each day (work up to an hour), get to Mass once a week and confession as needed (or monthly, which I don’t think is a crazy goal For anyone), then look at the responsibilities you’re already bound to via your vocation and work at doing them lovingly. Like St. Mother Teresa said, do small things with great love. Don’t worry so much (easier said than done, I fall into the same mental loop). Most of us need a good balance of ora et Labora, not more of one or the other.
 
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There is something we have called “necessary recreation.” Having fun is assuredly not a waste of time.
 
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Monk Vacation

Even religious have time for recreation in their Rule of Life. Abd here is a little story about that:

A monk was going from one place to another and he stopped for a break. A hunter returning home from the hunt saw him and teased him about relaxing under a tree instead of kneeling at prayer. The monk asked the hunter why his bow was unstrung, and the hunter said that if he kept it strung all the time, the bow would stop working well. It had to be unstrung to allow it to “rest” so it woul function well the next time he went hunting.

And the monk said, and so it is for us humans, even monks.

(or words to that effect )
 
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