Truer words were never spoken!!! I do think his point about curiosity espeically poignant, because it is certainly through such a sentiment that many a good hearted Catholic has fallen into the clutches of the evil one. It is a struggle, and has always been for Christians from the earliest times. Dear GK observed in an essay entitled The Patriotic Idea (which can be found in his Collected Works from Ignatius Press) "There is, moreover, another broad distinction, which inclines us to side with those who support the abstract idea of patriotism against those who oppose it. There are two methods by which intelligent men may approach the problem of that temperance which is the object of morality in all matters—in wine, in war, in sex, in patriotism; that temperance which desires, if possible, to have wine without drunkenness, war without massacre, love without profligacy, and patriotism without Sir Alfred Harmsworth. One method, advocated by many earnest people from the beginning of history, is what may roughly be called the teetotal method; that is, that it is better, because of their obvious danger, to do without these great and historic passions altogether. The upholders of the other method (of whom I am one) maintain, on the contrary, that the only ultimate and victorious method of getting rid of the danger is thoroughly to understand and experience the passions. We maintain that with every one of the great emotions of life there goes a certain terror, which, when taken with imaginative reality, is the strongest possible opponent of excess; we maintain, that is to say, that the way to be afraid of war is to know something about war; that the way to be afraid of love is to know something about it; that the way to avoid excess in wine is to feel it as a perilous benefit, and that patriotism goes along with these. The other party maintains that the best guarantee of temperance is to wear a blue ribbon; we maintain that the best guarantee is to be born in a wine-growing country. They maintain that the best guarantee of purity is to take a celibate vow; we maintain that the best guarantee of purity is to fall in love. They maintain that the best guarantee of avoiding a reckless pugnacity is to forswear fighting; we maintain that the best guarantee is to have once experienced it. They maintain that we should care for our country too little to resent trifling impertinences; we maintain that we should care too much about our country to do so. It is like the Mohammedan and Christian sentiment of temperance. Mohammedanism makes wine a poison; Christianity makes it a sacrament." To fall in love with God is to be totally consumed in love, and if one is totally consumed in Love, which we know to be a person, then one loves truly every one of those God places in his path. Consider St. Francis and his love of nature and of the animals, of his brothers, and of St. Clare: he love Our Blessed Lord with everything he had, and he loved each of these unconditionally. If I truly loved ever person in this world, I would never objectify them by impurity. I do not think there is any evil in temptation, for even Christ was tempted by the devil (having not Original Sin, he did not have concupiscence and was not tempted by the flesh as we are). The greatness comes in conquering temptations. The best defences against impurity, on a pratical note, are to say three Hail Marys daily for purity, and to pray to St. Mary of Egypt. Look her up! She's fantastic!!! http://insightscoop.typepad.com/2004/2012/07/g-k-chesterton-on-the-patriotic-idea.html

INFP

Just another look at my myers brigs type. Excerpt from http://psychology.about.com/od/trait-theories-personality/a/infp.htm INFP (introversion, intuition, feeling, perception) is a four-letter abbreviation for one of the 16 personality types identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The INFP personality type is often described as an "idealist" personality. People with this kind of personality tend to be introverted, idealistic, creative and driven by high values. Tfour-letter code for this personality type stands for Introversion, Intuition, Feeling and Perceiving. •Introversion (I): How do you relate to the world and focus your energy? •Intuition (N): How do you perceive information? •Feeling (F): How do you make decisions? •Perceiving (P): How to you orient yourself to the outside world? Some of the main characteristics of the INFP personality include: •Loyal and devoted •Sensitive to feelings •Warm, caring and interested in other people •Strong written communication skills •Prefers to work alone •Values close relationships •Focuses on the "big picture" rather than the details INFPs tend to be introverted, quiet and reserved. Being in social situations tends to drain their energy and they prefer interacting with a select group of close friends. While they like to be alone, this should not necessarily be confused with shyness. Instead, it simply means that INFPs gain energy from spending time alone. On the other hand, they have to expend energy in social situations. INFPS typically rely on intuition and are more focused on the big picture rather than the nitty-gritty details. They can be quite meticulous about things they really care about or projects they are working on, but tend to ignore mundane or boring details. INFPs place an emphasis on personal feelings and their decisions are more influenced by these concerns rather than by objective information. They also dislike conflict and try to avoid it. When conflicts or arguments do arise, they usually focus more on how the conflict makes them feel rather than the actual details of the argument. During arguments, they might seem overly emotional or even irrational. However, they can also be good mediators by helping the people involved in a conflict identify and express their feelings. When it comes to making decisions, INFPs like to keep their options open. They often delay making important decisions just in case something about the situation changes. When decisions are made, they are usually based on personal values rather than logic. Because they are so reserved and private, it can be difficult for other people to get to know INFPs. They tend to be quite devoted to their circle of close friends and family and place a high importance on the feelings and emotions of their loved ones. Much of their energy is focused inward and characterized by intense feelings and strong values. They tend to be very loyal to the people they love and to beliefs and causes that are important to them. INFPs tend to be very creative, artistic and spiritual. They are often skilled with language, but may prefer to express their thoughts and feelings through writing. Because they have strong ethics and values, they also become passionate about advocating or defending their beliefs. While they feel strongly about their own values, INFPs are also interested in learning more about others and are willing to listen and consider many sides of an issue. INFPs also have strong interests in making the world a better place. In addition to wanting to gain a greater understanding of themselves and how they fit into the world, they are also interested in how they can best help others. People with this personality type spend a lot of time exploring their own purpose in life and thinking about how they can use their skills and talents to best serve humanity. Best Career Choices for INFPs INFPs typically do well in careers where they can express their creativity and vision. While they work well with others, they generally prefer to work alone. Some possible careers that might be a good match for an INFP include: •Artist •Counselor •Graphic Designer •Librarian •Psychologist •Physical Therapist •Social Worker •Writer