The Source of Joy Joy is not the same as pleasure or happiness. A wicked and evil man may have pleasure, while any ordinary mortal is capable of being happy. Joy comes from loving God and neighbor. Pleasure is quick and violent, like a flash of lightning. Joy is steady and abiding, like a fixed star.
Pleasure depends on external circumstances, such as money, food, travel, etc.
Joy is independent of them, for it comes from a good conscience and love of God. What We Say Matters I once shared a platform with the nearly blind theologian Joseph Sittler, a man who really saw, and heard. The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. Nothing I've read in scripture seems to have that attitude, so I think it's rather strange that some clergy try to pretend that it should. Otherwise, it's not worth bothering with.