Home Page Search Eng. Jeff Oliver Merl's World NLP and Addictions
[ < Prev ] Thread Index [ Next > ]

Re: the trouble with trouble -Reply

 "critter" <critter@peg.apc.org> 10/07/96 06:26pm >>>
 >snip...
 >"hey be careful when you have fun as it usually leads to trouble"
 >is that useful
 >is that accurate
 >or, just possibly, is that a pile of religious horseshit!?

Then Wayne Said:
> Of course it is. ALL religious dogma is horseshit.
> The statement comes out of the puritan beliefs that say
> "If we are having fun this must be sinful." and
> "It is the role of man to suffer for God's forgiveness."

Ahem! Excuse me! There might be a possible alternate explanation.
Perhaps there is a reasonable way that we can look at the statement
without being too dogmatic!

Ok, here goes.  Having fun is a very subjective thing.  When you are
indulging yourself, you may not be very concerned about the long term
natural consequences of your behavior.  I know from personal
experience, that I'm not always thinking when I'm having fun and
therefore have at times engaged in fun behavior that was destructive
to me and those who love me (relationships).  The natural
consequences to certain fun behaviors can be described as trouble.

This might call for an example:  Suppose I am married and have
therefore committed myself spiritually, intellectually, morally,
physically, etc to my wife for all eternity.  I have seen other women
that might capture my attention momentarily.  I engage in drinking
alcoholic beverages, which impair my judgement.  I then fall madly in
lust with this other woman and act out my impulses (natural
physiological drives, right?)  If I bring home an unexpected present
to my wife (like sexually transmitted diseases), might that be
trouble?  Now, if having sex is fun, can it lead to trouble?

I think the warning is sage advice rather than puritanical beliefs
about sinfulness.  If the natural consequences of having fun hurts
someone else, should I check my urge to indulge in that type of fun?

Comments?

Patrick

PS.  Another natural consequence of the above behavior in my case
would be my wife standing over my corpse!  *8^)

Ok...that was a joke....she'd never do that!!!   Hmmm!!!
~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~
Your altitude is determined
by your attitude,
NOT your aptitude!

Go Gators!!

Reach for your Dreams!

Patrick Farrell
Director, Career Development
Jones College
5353 Arlington Expressway
Jacksonville, FL.  32211
(904) 743-1122 Ext 143
(904) 743-4446 (Fax)