Whether There Can Be Sin in the Excess of Play?
Objection 1: It would seem that there cannot be sin in the excess of
play. For that which is an excuse for sin is not held to be sinful.
Now play is sometimes an excuse for sin, for many things would be
grave sins if they were done seriously, whereas if they be done in
fun, are either no sin or but slightly sinful. Therefore it seems
that there is no sin in excessive play.
Obj. 2: Further, all other vices are reducible to the seven capital
vices, as Gregory states (Moral. xxxi, 17). But excess of play does
not seem reducible to any of the capital vices. Therefore it would
seem not to be a sin.
Obj. 3: Further, comedians especially would seem to exceed in play,
since they direct their whole life to playing. Therefore if excess of
play were a sin, all actors would be in a state of sin; moreover all
those who employ them, as well as those who make them any payment,
would sin as accomplices of their sin. But this would seem untrue;
for it is related in the Lives of the Fathers (ii. 16; viii. 63) that
is was revealed to the Blessed Paphnutius that a certain jester would
be with him in the life to come.
_On the contrary,_ A gloss on Prov. 14:13, "Laughter shall be mingled
with sorrow and mourning taketh hold of the end of joy," remarks: "A
mourning that will last for ever." Now there is inordinate laughter
and inordinate joy in excessive play. Therefore there is mortal sin
therein, since mortal sin alone is deserving of everlasting mourning.
_I answer that,_ In all things dirigible according to reason, the
excessive is that which goes beyond, and the deficient is that which
falls short of the rule of reason. Now it has been stated (A. 2) that
playful or jesting words or deeds are dirigible according to reason.
Wherefore excessive play is that which goes beyond the rule of
reason: and this happens in two ways. First, on account of the very
species of the acts employed for the purpose of fun, and this kind of
jesting, according to Tully (De Offic. i, 29), is stated to be
"discourteous, insolent, scandalous, and obscene," when to wit a man,
for the purpose of jesting, employs indecent words or deeds, or such
as are injurious to his neighbor, these being of themselves mortal
sins. And thus it is evident that excessive play is a mortal sin.
Secondly, there may be excess in play, through lack of due
circumstances: for instance when people make use of fun at undue
times or places, or out of keeping with the matter in hand, or
persons. This may be sometimes a mortal sin on account of the strong
attachment to play, when a man prefers the pleasure he derives
therefrom to the love of God, so as to be willing to disobey a
commandment of God or of the Church rather than forego, such like
amusements. Sometimes, however, it is a venial sin, for instance
where a man is not so attached to amusement as to be willing for its
sake to do anything in disobedience to God.
Reply Obj. 1: Certain things are sinful on account of the intention
alone, because they are done in order to injure someone. Such an
intention is excluded by their being done in fun, the intention of
which is to please, not to injure: in these cases fun excuses from
sin, or diminishes it. Other things, however, are sins according to
their species, such as murder, fornication, and the like: and fun is
no excuse for these; in fact they make fun scandalous and obscene.
Reply Obj. 2: Excessive play pertains to senseless mirth, which
Gregory (Moral. xxxi, 17) calls a daughter of gluttony. Wherefore it
is written (Ex. 32:6): "The people sat down to eat and drink, and
they rose up to play."
Reply Obj. 3: As stated (A. 2), play is necessary for the intercourse
of human life. Now whatever is useful to human intercourse may have a
lawful employment ascribed to it. Wherefore the occupation of
play-actors, the object of which is to cheer the heart of man, is not
unlawful in itself; nor are they in a state of sin provided that
their playing be moderated, namely that they use no unlawful words or
deeds in order to amuse, and that they do not introduce play into
undue matters and seasons. And although in human affairs, they have
no other occupation in reference to other men, nevertheless in
reference to themselves, and to God, they perform other actions both
serious and virtuous, such as prayer and the moderation of their own
passions and operations, while sometimes they give alms to the poor.
Wherefore those who maintain them in moderation do not sin but act
justly, by rewarding them for their services. On the other hand, if a
man spends too much on such persons, or maintains those comedians who
practice unlawful mirth, he sins as encouraging them in their sin.
Hence Augustine says (Tract. c. in Joan.) that "to give one's
property to comedians is a great sin, not a virtue"; unless by chance
some play-actor were in extreme need, in which case one would have to
assist him, for Ambrose says (De Offic. [*Quoted in Canon Pasce,
dist. 86]): "Feed him that dies of hunger; for whenever thou canst
save a man by feeding him, if thou hast not fed him, thou hast slain
him."
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