What Amusements Are Sinful?

In deciding what amusements are lawful and what are sinful, we may apply a few general principles. Thus,—

First, every amusement is sinful which tends to the injury of the health and the physical constitution. God requires that even the body should be presented a living sacrifice to his service; and when, for the sake of momentary enjoyment, the gratification of taste or appetite; the physical system is deranged or weakened, God is robbed of what is rightfully his. Men shudder at the thought of the untimely death of those who, in a moment of insanity, or impelled by the remorse of conscience, have put an end to their earthly existence; and unless there is satisfactory evidence that they were insane, we have reason to tremble in view of their sin. But why is it any more self-murder to apply the halter or the knife, and thus end one's days, than to do the same thing by a round of dissipation or amusement? But—

Secondly, every amusement is sinful which tends to weaken or destroy the intellectual powers. Man is distinguished from the lower orders of created beings by the possession of the reasoning faculties. These are given to him for some good and noble purposes. If he pursues a course of conduct, or indulges in such amusements, as may disqualify him to exert these faculties for good, he sins against his own soul and against God. The youth who spends his time in storing his mind with vain and idle stories, or in reading novels and romances, is an instance in which this is effectually done.

Thirdly, those amusements are sinful which have a tendency to dissipate from the mind sober, serious reflection. Man is living for eternity. It should be his great object to do that which will prepare him for that world to which he is hasting, and which will be pleasing to his heavenly Father and his Judge. As a creature of God, he is bound to do whatever he does to the glory of God. Can there be any question, then, whether those amusements are finful which are inconsistent with religion, or which inevitably withdraw the mind from those things that concern the interest of the soul, and drive away the Spirit of God?