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Christian Life

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Spiritual Life › Christian Life

The question

From what I have seen so far in your website, almost everything I enjoy is against God's will. I love to read fiction books such as Harry Potter only because it is entertaining. I do not condone using witchcraft or trying to imitate the people in the books, but does that mean I give up reading entirely? Also, I live watching movies and TV shows (which I try to do in moderation of course) but there is not one show or movie that is completely clean. Not all of them will ever be perfect in God's eyes, so do I give up all of it?

I am not saying any of this in anger, but in confusion and curiosity. I do not want to do anything that is against God. How would I spend my days when I have free time to do the things that I enjoy? Of course, I make time to pray and read my bible to sustain my relationship with God, but what do I do after I do those things? If every hobby that I have is somehow against God, what should I do?

Sometimes, I feel as if the only way I can truly be Christian is to completely isolate myself from others and have a schedule of only eating, sleeping, and praying while doing absolutely nothing else. Again, I am never tempted by books or entertainment to imitate what the characters do or condone it. I simply watch and read for pleasure. I know being a Christian does not mean I should completely ignore everything that the world has to offer, but at the same time, I do not want to only find pleasure in worldly things. How can I find pleasure through God when there are other things that make me happy as well? Should I throw them away and isolate myself from the world?

I feel as if I would miss the feeling I get from not only reading, but music (not music that promotes evil things like drugs and sex, of course, because those kinds of songs should obviously be avoided. I mean music that can calm me down or make me feel better through a positive message). I do not immediately turn to music or books for happiness, because I know God is the only thing that can make me happy, but am I also not allowed to enjoy things like that as well, as long as I am not tempted by them?

I put God in my heart before all other things, but does that mean I reject the things I enjoy? If so, what other hobbies can I do that do not involve such things?

The answer

The answers to your questions are explained in Psalm 101. Unfortunately, the world has reached a desperate state of desensitization to evil and immorality. Literature, media (commercials and advertisements), entertainment venues, academic institutions, and even some religious organizations, demand the acceptance of promiscuity, obscenities, violence, and corruption to be the new norm against which God forewarned the world in the Holy Scripture. As a God-fearing and God-loving nation, we have a responsibility to warn the world about the silent sword of wickedness that has seeped into every aspect of life and has taken over the world. God loves us and wants us to return to Him and to stay with Him. Thus, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the psalmist David writes:

"I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises. I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; the one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure. My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord" (Psalm 101).

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Related questions

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 2313 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.