My good friend Ray Jeffrey sent this to me, explaining that on his his daily walk with his dogs he listens to podcasts by Dennis Prager, author of a book entitled “Happiness Is A Serious Problem.”
Ray synthesized the thoughts about happiness into a 13 point summary. I have not listened to Prager’s podcast or read the book. And this is not a commentary on Dennis Prager’s political views.
But I do wish to share Ray’s compilation as this really speaks a lot of truth to me.
1. Believe me — you want to be happy in your life.
2. Only you control whether or not you are happy – not your family, friends, teachers, bosses, or co-workers. The government definitely can’t make you happy. Neither can money.
3. Happy people make the world better; unhappy people make the world worse. You owe it to yourself and the world to be happy.
4. Happiness is not the same as fun. Fun is what you experience temporarily while you are doing pleasurable things. Happiness is your fulfillment and contentment when not having fun.
5. You can have lots of fun and still be an unhappy person. But, you can be happy even if you don’t have much fun. Fun is fun, but happiness is better.
6. It’s a good thing that fun is not required in order to be happy. Look at the world honestly, and you will see that most of life is not fun. Life is rough and unfair. It is relentless, and it often feels like you can’t get a break. If pain were water, the whole world would drown!
7. So, how can you be happy even if life is unfair? The answer lies in finding meaning in your life. No one is happy leading a meaningless life. If your life is meaningful, you can be happy even when times are hard.
8. Thousands of years of human experience, thought, and inspiration have taught us that the deep meaning of life is that we are meant to be good; that we are meant to treat our fellow human beings decently.
9. Life is meaningless unless there is an actual, objective difference between good and evil. If there is no God to provide infallible judgment (rewarding good behavior and punishing evil behavior), then all morality is subjective, and life is meaningless.
10. Your mission in life is to choose good and to fight evil. No one will make you be good — not your parents, teachers, the police, or even God. So, you have a struggle inside you every day until you die. Your internal struggle is with your own human nature.
11. Human nature stands in the way of being good. To be good, you must control your own emotions, selfishness, hostility, fear, laziness, irresponsibility, and feelings of victimhood. This is your personal battle; only you can fight it.
12. By the way, few people care about your feelings, but everyone cares about your behavior. If you choose to be good, you must act good. That includes acting happy. Don’t inflict your bad moods on others. You put on deodorant to save those around you from your unpleasant odors; you can put on a friendly, grateful attitude to save them from your unpleasant moods. An added benefit is that if you act pleasantly, you will feel better.
13. In summary, your life’s meaning is that you are meant to be a good person. If you embrace this challenge by exercising self-control over your negative impulses and treating people decently, you will have a happy life in the bad times as well as the good times. You will make the world a better place.
PS: Personally, I would expand point 9 — as I don’t think this needs to be limited to God, it could also include “karma” or the ultimate power of the universe or any force you wish to ascribe that transcends the individual. Though one’s interpretation of God could include these concepts, I think most would read this as referring to Judeo-Christian God. But that’s really a nitpick in the overall scheme of things.
“The betterment of the world, can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct.”
(Abdu’l-Baha, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 24)
Hey Mike. Please allow me to express the opinion that you definitely have a book in you – meaning that if you were to take the time and effort required, you could write a terrific book.
Without trying to tell you what to write, I most definitely would like to encourage you to give some thought to writing an autobiography or even just a story. I think you have a great story to tell and I sure would like to read it.
Just my opinion, but I’m fairly certain here is a book inside you and it is fighting to get out and about.
So, please do the world a favor and contemplate just what kind of book you would like to write. I think you could write a terrific book.
Happiness lies in the discipline to pursue it.
Frankly, I believe all of this is profoundly wrong… except for point #8. But “to be good” could mean a lot of things to a lot of different people, so it’s really pretty much meaningless.
This is unscientific, self-help nonsense. The scientific truth about happiness is this: we all have a baseline level of happiness and that baseline level pretty much never changes. If something incredibly good or bad happens to us (lottery win, becoming paraplegic), our level will fluctuate but eventually (in a year or two) will return to the baseline.
Telling people that happiness is more important than other things we all need (like fun) is, I think, dangerous and unhealthy. You cannot change your happiness. Concentrate on things you CAN change.
ok, Francois, let’s allow science to take a back seat for a deep breath and a moment to ponder…
Perhaps the supreme order of the universe winds up being: Be happy.
What would you do, ?
Perhaps every star exists, as a purpose, to provide for you the possibility of happiness for some measurable endurance of time. There would be, at the least, some decisions to be made, in regards to handling your own feelings and emotions. And, that in turn would alter your perception. Perception is the baseline of reality, to employ the word.
If you are happy, does the world not become a better place?
Fun and happy goes hand in hand, does it not?
You CAN alter the mood of the moment you are heading into. The choice is yours. And that comes just from listening to your last line. Thank goodness the mind is something that you can work with. Right? Let’s not discard a thought just because it came under the heading of self-help. In the end, we are all on our own. Like the man said, no govt. is going to step in or knock on your door to check on your happiness. Some things, like identity, were meant to be left up to ourselves, even before we walked into the picture.
By that I mean self-help is your only chance, the only chance we are dealt.
The only answer to our condition is a pleasure which comes not from the body but from self-knowledge. Happiness comes from knowing yourself.
For the true identity is a pure thing, a reflection of our genuine spiritual nature. The accumulations
of pain and the traumas of the human experience work like dust on the mirror. Like cleaning and polishing this mirror to reveal the undisturbed image of who we are… this is the practice that leads to contentment and the true state of being, the immediate experience of self, which is the realization of happiness. Knowing this is knowing:
You are the source.
The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation, are the happiest people in the world. And they are not only happy in themselves, they are the cause of happiness in others.
-William Lyon Phelps
We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.
-Buddha (563 BC – 483 BC), The Dharmapada
Mani Padme Hum.
Abu Hamid al-Ghazali was born 900 years before me.
The ultimate ecstasy, al-Ghazali contends, is not found in any physical thing, but rather lies in discovering through personal experience one’s identity with the Ultimate Reality.
Scientology is the science of replacing your identity with… Scientology.
The choice you take is… yours.
“Add your light to the sum of light”
-Tolstoy
+1
(i love it)
Search out and place yourself in the nurturing arms of nature,
and come home to find nature within you.
Discover virtue in others and look where that leads, too.
-b moon
I’ve been a fan of Dennis Prager for about 15 years. He’s been on radio in Los Angeles since 1982. Every Friday he features the Happiness Hour during the second hour of his show (10:00 am Pacific Time), although his entire show is worth checking out (Monday-Friday 9:00 am – 12:00 pm). Here’s his website .
I noted in my other post what a tremendously diverse subject “what is happiness?” is. Listening to music can make you happy, reading a great book, watching a certain movie, being with your children or grandchildren, having your sports team win, eating primo lasagna …. and happiness may last a minute, an hour, a month, a year …. or longer. I would get fantastically happy when I was an auditor and my pc was blown out. I would get happy when I was part of a group activity where people banded together and helped each other accomplish a very difficult goal with true comradeship. I could list a thousand things that at one time or another has brought me happiness, short term or long term, and so can you, my friends.
LRH said happiness is “The overcoming of not-unknowable obstacles in pursuit of a known goal.” For saying happiness is other what LRH said it is, you are Declared. See the MAA. Bring lots of money.
I will take a substantially different point of view than Mr. Jeffrey’s and Mr. Prager’s. The point that informs almost everything in this post is that THEY are the ones that KNOW and are telling YOU what makes a person happy. Certainly there is obviously nothing wrong with leading a life that has “meaning”, except that these gentlemen again generally “know” what gives a life meaning and makes a person happy. My own view is that as long as person does not harm other people, he is free to decide for himself how he looks for and finds what happiness he can in life (and I could go on for quite some time as to the INCREDIBLE diversity in this regard). Prager, Rick Warren, L. Ron Hubbard and many many others have decided what makes a person happy and gives a life meaning and rather than offer an option with no penalties, they are eager to tell you how you MUST live to be happy.
By the way, Dennis Prager can be such a hypocrite, it is staggering. I know he values and constantly promotes his crystal clear intellect on every subject (he is never wrong). But look at just this one point. He will insist on the “objective” viewpoint of morality with penalties handed out be the Deity (otherwise of course, people will not be able to control their baser instincts and their own “subjective” reality which will only lead to homosexuality and numerous other sins). Prager will insist that this objective reality comes only from “God”, otherwise as nonbelievers, people will obviously fall into the habit of brutalizing and slaughtering each other (which the folks who follow the “objective” morality of God have never done of course). BUT … Prager who rarely misses an opportunity to laud his right wing Christian friends, HIMSELF rejects the most essential “objective” dictate and bedrock of Christianity. That is, that to be granted eternal life, one must believe in and follow Christ as the only way to God the father. So where is the “objective” in all this? Prager has HIS “objective” views which he gets from the Old Testament, Christians have THEIR “objective” views, Hindus have theirs, etc etc etc. Uhm … pardon me for saying this Dennis … that kinda makes it SUBJECTIVE, doesn’t it? (but of course only YOUR subjective views are the “real” truth)
Scientology it’s self tends to invalidate happiness. I often feel content but when I looked where it was on the tone scale it’s ‘way down there’. Then there’s the bit about Jokers and Degraders and Theaty Wheaty. And what if you ‘forbidden’ sympathize with someone? Heck Scientology has one so introverted how can one be at peace with himself and his surroundings. That only may happen occasionally during auditing and training ~ rigged so you’ll keep wanting/needing more. Self auditing or listing and coming up with your own solution is out of the question.
There is no human salvation for the man who derives satisfaction from harming another.
Violation of nature.
Hi blue moon, Had to comment on your astute and so true for me post.You said it perfectly.All those who harmed me and others too with the inversion and screws put on anyone deemed an RSer and all the other terms used but with no chance to defend themselves,those individuals loved to harm and it was something they defended as their right in order to ” protect Scientology ” Typical of the cult Attack attack always attack.So glad I can sit in the kitchen and see the sunshine and smell the roses.And post to you.xo Always,Ann.
I like #7.
That could be why I find contentment writing here, too.
Words are pretty much straw, but they become golden when driven by a purpose that sets the moral record straight.
This predatory pseudo-church cannot be relied upon to explain itself. It is, after all, inherently deceptive, notoriously secretive, aggressively manipulative and willing to break all kinds of laws in both society and nature: the claim to possess ultimate knowledge pertaining to the latter.
Hence, my contentment for speaking here, and happy to hear that the church is failing everywhere.
Hi blue moon, I know this.Your post makes the stars flash lightening.xoxo Ann.
Hi blue moon, Whoops edit lightning.Ann
blue light-nin, no doubt
🙂 thanks Ann
Wow — what a reaction. This is something I compiled for myself but shared with some friends, including Mike. It simply reflects my world view. That, and $4, might get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. I am enjoying your reaction to my little list. Because of my role as an attorney in litigation with COS, I don’t normally make comments on Mike’s or Tony’s blogs, although I read them and enjoy the intelligent, often-hilarious comments by the community. I feel as though I know many of you and I wish you all well!.
Ray,
Wish you well too. Thanks for being there.
One good thing about having a world view is that it is OK to tweak it as you go along.
Good to see you here, Ray. I appreciate your work.
Wow back. What nice things to say 🙂
Mr. Jeffrey –
Law is based on philosophy which is of course based on individual integrity (which you seem to have earned a lot of). Common sense helps keep one’s head above water most of the time, and most people live their lives in ignorance of the laws: just don’t park in red zones or on the wrong side of the street, make sure you marry someone who loves you too, etc.. Not to ignore comments by Pendelton and others who went philosophical, Mr. Hubbard’s administration scale is a very useful template for defining and inspecting one’s own self determinism. From making morning coffee to higher philosophical goals, admin scales integrate upwards and downwards and ideally coordinate and interact with others. I can’t think of anything living that doesn’t have all the points on an admin scale. It’s a template of life and living, entirely up to the individual to put together, but since it is an intuitive alignment, once one gets the hang of it, they can be done hundreds at a time very quickly, as reflexively as reaching for a cup of tea. In fact we do this every day, but do not consciously define this – something like whacking a tennis ball without awareness of where the net it. I find it fascinating how they can also be used to spot the outpoints in an individual’s behaviors. A guy has a goal to be wealthy and a respected member of society, so … the plan is to rob a bank! Some people actually think that, and do that, sometimes on a large scale.
Prager sketches out a goal and some policies and plans, He talks about HOW’s of it. Aristotle made that critical distinction in Nicomachean Ethics over 2,300 years ago:
“Good, then, would be used in two senses: good as an end in itself, and good as a means.” (“The Philosophy of Aristotle,” Creed and Wardman, 1963, Mentor Books; Book One, Chpt. 6.)
It is so very sad that Scientology has developed such a frightful reputation.
Missed.
I’m afraid it is much worse than a reputation.
Mr. Nickname: I’ve been reading through the comments here, some of them quite profound, but everything I’ve read is clear and simply stated. I have to say, I find your post typically Hubbardian, convoluted and non-sensical. Do I really need a bogus “admin scale” to get through my day with a modicum of happiness? Uh, no.
Thanks Mike, this write-up was very inspirational.
I think the basic precepts are good. I, too, have a problem with #9 because I do not need threats to be good. I always tell my grandchildren “your mom pays you to be good, I’m good for nothing” ;-0
Actually, though, the best comeback I ever heard was from my daughter’s friend Karen (RIP). A person came into her restaurant and left without paying, then came back and paid. The person said “it’s Sunday, I knew I had to pay or God would punish me.” Karen replied “I’m an atheist, I have to be good every day.”
That’s how I prefer to live my life. I’m not happy for someone else or because I’m expected to be, just like I’m not good because of threats or because I’m threatened to be. I think being good and being happy go hand in hand and I like how I feel when I’m happy.
That there is the way to happiness that I do my best to live by every day (not promising I always make it).
Very Good Report.
I don’t agree with #9. The fact is, we don’t have a objective consensus as to ‘Gods infallible judgement’ That’s the source of religious warfare and hatred, armies of ‘true believers’ all screaming that they know ‘God’s Holy Word’ and everyone else is an evil agent of Satan. Morality tied to belief in the supernatural will always fail.
“Morality tied to belief in the supernatural will always fail.” Morality tied to man’s ideals has ALWAYS failed too. Not much left to try. 😉
There’s always this : screw morality. Say hello to ethics.
Not ethics in the scientology sense, ethics the way the real world knows it.
Ethics is what happens when people actually start to think about what is “good” and what is “evil”, instead of adopting arbitrary absolutes devised by people who could never experience their situation.
The world is not simple, so stop making simplistic rules to live in it.
That hasn’t worked either in human history. As elusive to mankind as a Utopia. It doesn’t work for the same reasons as why people sworn to uphold laws protecting human rights do not.
People don’t agree on ethics either…
I also do not agree with number 9. The so-called God ‘lets’ many bad things happen on this earth to people, children, families who are quite good. We have murders and molesters who walk about freely, while many wrongly convicted are in prison. many families and good people just have tragic lives and bad things happen a lot. There is not a real God that has anything to do with it.
Co$ Cob needs crayons such as a former Pres… Maybe a lot more clay demo too.. But Dennis Prager a great mind caught in semi conservative body… His “Take a second look” always makes me think, his other great idea, invite a family for dinner, a real social event, not family but neighbors and people in and around you life…Far too distant from LA and those connections to do now. I don’t contribute much but read this blog every day, thank for your work Mike…
Ah, a heretical Christian. He believes in a variation on the ‘Original Sin’ doctrine. His variation is that Adam and Eve’s transgression was passed down to their children, and their children’s children forever more. This is not supported by the Bible, so therefore it is heresy.
Yes, I know the majority of Christians have this belief, even though it conflicts with their own holy book!
Prager is Jewish. I doubt that he believes in original sin.
Wow…excellent post… Dennis prayer had a talk show on a NY station years ago…good stuff
Beautiful post Mike. Thank you for sharing.
That’s a pretty good set of life rules, on par with others I’ve read… most religions have their own set of rules or precepts regarding how to live a happy life. It’s fascinating to me that every society or group seems to have a version of what is basically “the golden rule”.
As several people mentioned, I also have a little hesitation with #9. I do not think you need to hold a strong belief in, or have a fear of retribution of a Higher power, although that can be a real motivator, and give you personal meaning, but I also believe that society can have morality without a belief in the supernatural. I’ve observed that some of the most unfair and disfunctional societies have a strong religious undertone, I’m thinking radical religious fervor here… their hard and fast rules are pretty strict and not always fair.
But also #11, I disagree with as I don’t find it difficult to control the negative aspects of human emotions, I don’t think it’s natural to choose bad or evil… and that it’s a constant struggle to choose to do good. I have the belief that man is basically good. I’ve been told that I’m kind of skewed on the “goodness” scale, that sounds really egotistical doesn’t it? But I do tend to automatically do what I feel is good or right or kind and I don’t feel any hesitation or conflict in doing so, and I know others who do this as well without having to think twice about it. I find myself surprised and dismayed when people don’t automatically choose to do what is right.
Thanks for a very interesting post and good discussion here as always. – T.J.
Here I should add my standard disclaimer: * I apologize if I have offended anyone; I did not intend to upset anyone by remarks about their personal beliefs. I respect everyone’s right to choose any religion that they feel is right for them, or to have no religious beliefs if they so choose.
The idea that your family and friends can’t make you happy, but you can make yourself happy by pursuing some meaningful path sounds like something a Sea Org recruiter might try to convince someone of. It couldn’t be further from the truth. According to all the happiness research I’ve seen, the meaningful connections you have and the quality time you spend with your family and friends are your greatest source of happiness.
Prager’s division of the people of the world into “happy” and “unhappy” (don’t be one of the “unhappy”- you make the world worse) is the sort of black and white segmenting of the population that should set off alarm bells in all of our heads.
I also strongly dislike the practice of pretending happiness. We all do this in social settings, but we shouldn’t have to with our friends and family (that’s what friends and family are for!) Prager doesn’t make this distinction. Based on Prager’s tenants, he doesn’t want to you to disturb his happiness with a frown or details of your hardships. Maybe if we all pretend we are happy, we can have a perfect little Prager-World?
How did acting or being “high toned” while in the cult work out? No matter how big the smile it could not change what what actually going on around us that we chose to ignore.
My two cents:
a load of bollocks from a christian windbag
Here’s another thing he said:
“The problem is not that most leading conservative thinkers are secular; it is that they don’t seem to understand that a godless and Judeo-Christian-free America means the end of America, just as a godless and Judeo-Christian-free Europe has meant the end of Europe.”
ymmv
Hi gitsix,You always post ideas that make me think.Plus you are my b-day twin and #65 for me is coming up.No worries I will follow in your wake.xo Ann.
Afternoon Ann B.! Hope spring has sprung for you down south. It’s a lovely day here in the mid-atlantic.
I’m so happy spring is here 🙂 Looking forward to wishing you a happy 65th soon!
xx, six
Hi gtsix, I remember some very pretty cherry blossom springs in dc around the basin there.Here mucho rain from Texas as what Houston is getting comes to us.At least a warm rain.
I will be sharing b-day wishes with and for you too.And toasting to the endgame of cos.And to our freedom from it.xxoo Ann B.
Happiness is simply happiness .. it is part of your nature being .. only others can tell you that you must be more happy ..
#9 sure is taking a beating. Maybe they didn’t read the post through to the end?
Well #9 was beating up #8 so all of the rest of the number started beating up on #9. You’d think numbers could live harmony together…
Old grammar school joke – Why was #8 afraid of #7?
Because 7 ate 9
Hi Richard, A laugh this am from you.Thank you,no better way to start today! xxoo Ann.
7 ate 9? Shouldn’t this be something you do behind closed doors?
It’s past Easter, but one last corny joke. What’s the difference between a male chocolate Easter Bunny and a female chocolate Easter Bunny?
About this much – (1/4 inch showing between thumb and forefinger)
Beautifully stated. Thank you for sharing.
As an atheist without any inclination towards any spiritual stuff, I find #9 insulting.
No, I don’t believe in God. Or in Karma, or in any superior power whatsoever. However, to go from there to affirm that I and like minded people are out to make the world a worse place is frankly despicable.
I believe the universe is a cold, indifferent place that does not give a hoot about a certain species of mammals on an insignificant planet lost on the outskirts of an unremarkable galaxy among billion others. In fact, the vast majority of the universe is definitely hostile to life as we know it, which pretty much takes care of the ludicrous idea that it was made for our benefit.
But what it means for me is that the only power likely to ever help me… is another human being. This in turns mean that the world will be a nice place to live in only if humans help each other and are nice to each other as much as they can. No outside help, no big papa/mama/fairy/unicorn in the sky will make it all better and buy us ice cream. It has to be us.
I do not want to live in a rotten world, because it sucks. Therefore I like to do my part, as a human being, to make it nice. No need to promise me reward for doing it, or punishment if I don’t. That’s what makes me happy.
BTW, #12 is also highly debatable.
I do not think it is great to paste a smile on your face and invalidate your feelings to make other people feel more comfortable around you.
I think life in society means that you have to understand that people can be angry, frustrated or sad as well as happy and fulfilled. Sometimes just listening, without judgment, to a sad, frustrated or angry person helps them get better. I think that this (the quality of just listening) is something that is getting lost in a world of people who are getting more and more self-absorbed, who are more concerned about their comfort than about other people’s actual well-being.
This is why a social void often appears around people suffering long-term or terminal illness – and it is horrible.
Kemist, I just read your two posts, and appreciate hearing what you have to say and also the manner in which you say it. I have a lot of respect for someone who has a strong opinion on something and doesn’t hesitate to say what he feels in plain language, and then doesn’t waffle or back-track on what he’s said. Your comments made a lot of sense to me.
I also do not agree with people who assert that there is no chance for a moral society without belief in a higher power; I believe society is what people chose to make it. I think some people need to believe in a higher power in order to give them structure, rules, and consequences for their choices, or to remove worry about what happens after this life, or to find a reason for existence.
I also believe that people are entitled to believe in a higher power if they choose to do so. I just don’t like it when they tell me what I am supposed to think, or believe, under their rules. Please allow me the same freedom of thought and choice that I give you. And please show me the same respect for my beliefs that I show you. Not you personally, just as a general statement.
Agreed TJ.
I have a problem with 12 also. The biggest hypocrite liars usually follow this, so people never believe their true colors when are in inevitably shown to some….usually a person close to them who getting hurt. A lot of sociopaths go by 12.
I would like to take this opportunity to come out as an unhappy person. #2 is strongly reminiscent of scientology (you are entirely and exclusively responsible for your condition), and I’ve experienced my fair share of #3. Scientology does not want unhappy people around any more than the author of these steps does. I am not sure about the blanket statement that unhappy people make the world worse. Some become artists, and perhaps the larger portion simply challenge happy people to be compassionate. I am sure many are aware they are a drag, as the messages in our world never cease to remind them.
Faking happiness is a big thing in scientology. For some reason, I am now allergic to doing that.
It sounds like a kick-ass action plan for happiness, but compassion seems to be lacking (or I am interpreting this wrong). When I read things like this I discover the limits of my own compassion, finding myself wishing the worst depression on the author so they can test the limits of their theory.
Incidentally, I take happy pills. Today just happens to be a bad day.
“Being Happy” must be a prerequ for a number of religions, from what I’ve observed. Fake it ’til ya make it…or something.
LOL! when you said, “…finding myself wishing the worst depression on the author so they can test the limits of their theory.”
I, too, take happy pills (still trying to figure how to tell if they’re working…or not). As of late, I’ve noticed a string of bad years, with some really big, great, wonderful occurrences! You are most certainly entitled to a bad day. Honestly, if you’d never shared what a bad day you’re having, I never would’ve known, as your sense of humor is most valid!
Thanks so much for making me genuinely laugh/smile today!
Fake it ’til ya make it is also a popular premise in the self help market. I’m sure these approaches have merit, but sometimes it’s like taking vitamins to cure cancer – in other words, utterly inadequate to help one deal with one’s experience.
My new happy pills are working better than the old ones, which were already good enough to save me from complete collapse. I don’t expect them to save me entirely, but am relying on them to prop me up while I do the work of examining why the hell I am the way I am, and learning new skills to make my life worthwhile. One of the best decisions I’ve made besides leaving the cult 🙂
I’m glad I was able to make you smile. By saying that you made me feel better.
My humour seems to be opaque at times.
I gotta look up opaque but I gotta say thanks for saying that, Dollar. Absolutely gave me a kick. I did suffer a sort of emotionally-based crisis after the financial collapse and, in therapy was prescribed a pill. Just the idea sent me into an Orwellian tailspin of anxiety, taking pills?
“For WHAT, the rest of my life?” I screamed at my poor nurse. She was just my physician, innocent as a newborn. And I was a bloody mess, with crimson veins popping out of my neck…
Oh, my merciful father in heaven. Credit one for my scn upbringing, back when I was a spiritual embryo…
– You know how they feel about drugs and psychiatry, good for them. Nevermind that LRH died with massive doses of anti-god-knows-what in his blood…
This throws us smack dab into the controversial difference between Scientology and actual brain-science, you know, that stuff you can actually use. The world outside the realm of e-meters. Did you know that brain receptors actually change in temperature when they become over-active? The pill coats the receptor, inhibiting its function thus allowing you to inhale before a seizure or something like a panic attack happens. Pill absolutely works, which puts the structure of the Scientology view in snowballing jeopardy, if you ask me.
Scientology-
both science and religious philosophy laughs at you and your shipwreck of a miserable and remorseless church.
Not to mention me. And happy is being out. I believe I can hear the laughter of the gods, as the mast sinks helplessly under the relentless and contently calm, deep blue sea. Or, if you prefer to place it under the context of deep outer space, wait, wait… Was that not the murmur of a galactic overlord, pointing his mystic finger at this church and… yes…yes.
laughter indeed it is. Laughter at the dwindling spiral towards oblivion.
Free at last.
As if a million engrams cried out at once and were suddenly silenced…
Your description had me on the floor laughing 🙂
I am well acquainted with the pharmaphobia. Due to my fantastic indoctrination, I waited at least a year too long to start treatment. Not to mention the burden of suspicion and distrust. To my immense surprise, all psychologists and psychiatrists I have encountered so far have been incredibly caring people. Some days I still can’t get over it. Yes, and they actually know what they are talking about and you can understand the knowledge too and use it to rebuild your life. Another amazing experience, for me.
Happy is being out. Brilliant summation. Are you a writer?
why… yes. Yes I am. And a movie star.
Thanks again, Dollar. You are the stuff.
Write on the edge; when it feels uncomfortable you’re probably about to pen your next best work… Toast, toast:
Be Yourself, Tell the Truth and You’ll be Alright.
To Experience! To the Service of All!
An interesting concept about the diff between fun and happiness. I always figured, if you are happy, you are going to have plenty of fun as a given. But they are indeed different.
As for rules to live by/how to treat others/God/etc. I think they could all be distilled to one.
Karma.
By the way, I woke up a few months ago. After 30+ years. I’m free now.
Thanks, Mike. you helped.
Hi Tommy Freeboy, I am privileged to meet you.Congratulations! I realized life on the outside is so much more than life on the inside could ever be years after I blew.Glad to see you here.Always,Ann.
It is veritable pleasure to meet you, Tommy Man.
Very sweet, indeed. As one of the many self-appointed ambassadors to the wilderness of civilization, I, and may I say “we” welcome you.
Please feel welcome here.
And,
– may you find that the real world is not as evil, scary and hopeless as you were led to believe. There is, after all, a modicum of warmth and compassion out here. Let that be knowledge to contrast your past indenture of false promises. Scientology is a void of compassion, an unordained anomaly incongruent to the continuum…
Oops. I got wordy again.
But, compassion is a real thing, once you get outta there, is what I mean.
The best is surely yet to come, for you and so the world. Be forever free.
And, honest congratulations.
“Don’t inflict your bad moods on others. You put on deodorant to save those around you from your unpleasant odors; you can put on a friendly, grateful attitude to save them from your unpleasant moods.”
If you have anxiety disorders and moderate depression like I do, that’s easier said than done. I do my best not to inflict my bad moods on others, but it’s freaking exhausting sometimes. Telling people with mental health issues this kind of thing does not help them.
I disagree but that’s ok.
I disagreed once. They made me stand in a corner…
People have emotions and feelings, it’s part of being human. I don’t think people should hide or supress how they are feeling, how is anyone to know there is something wrong or try to help if you hide your feelings? And pretend everything is lovely when it’s not. On the other hand, it is good to “put your best foot forward” every day and try to be in the best mood possible, for your own happiness, and because people tend to avoid someone who is always down, depressed, angry, or in a bad mood. Be as happy as you can be every day, and look for the beauty in yourself, other people, and the world.
People ARE their emotions, in terms of identity, and what you project is a reflection of how you are perceiving yourself. Practice, the discipline of practice is the key to happiness, and not much else I would venture to say. Ex-Scientologists would make good use of practicing, having had so much experience with discipline under their belts at the get-go.
What I like about this guy’s philosophy is how it takes responsibility for one’s self.
You are the Captain of your own ship, I hear him saying.
I think that’s true.
Scientology did say that too, to its credit I think, but then flipped it around so the recipient winds up with no identity of his own. No longer a name, not a member of a family, rather a Scientologist, which means handing over the stewardship of the self-vessel to, of course, the leader. When Scientology says, “You are Captain…”, I’m afraid then those are only words void of meaning, respect or significance beyond rhetorical prose issued for the purpose of winning your sway.
And I like what TJ says, too… search out and find beauty and virtue in others and soon you will be recognizing those same kinds of things… inside. The place that actually matters. Identity evolves moment to moment, each one wiser.The manifestation of Happy ensues, surely. A vehicle of some sort would be in order, good luck on the cards dealt to you… then put your feet in the stirrups, hands on the wheel and ride. [cue music]
I got issues 2 and it does kinda help, to hear somebody else log on and say so.
Speaking myself, I’m well, generally handling it. For me, projecting Yours Truly out as a happy person, somewhat irregardless of actual feelings, does in fact lead to a better frame of mind both immediate and enduring. Sorta like “the thing” I’m good at. I’m older now, more practice.
Everyone who is trying gets a pass in my book, but you are quite right in that guys like me can find himself, suddenly surrounded by otherwise nice people not enjoying my presence at all, none whatsoever, just as I’m having pretty much the time of my life, or some form of it. I do get occasionally creative. I love how today’s topic leads right up to this moment, because, as the guy said, and I liked this too, that you do good in the world when you’re being happy. And, therefore, there was a sort of moral obligation to be happy, in the name of making the world a better place. Now I’m feeling almost giddy, probably happier than needs be…
Then, at the other end of the spectrum, [yikes, for the cast of characters we have, in real life…]
Punishing people
not paying people working for you, people now driven to frantically dangerous levels thanks to your herculean demands…
Really, the list of abuses, human rights and basic civil responsibility issues, is, I say again, unparalleled. You have Scientology and then that’s it, in today’s world. This would not be the best pissing-contest spectacle, but The Story is not matched until you enter the realm of 1984-ish fiction, and madmen.
(…was it Charles Manson, that took up Scientology in prison. Warden says, “Its just good to see him occupied.” Nothing like the psychological support derived from applying a good hobby to occupy your time; one that you enjoy is even better. Life Repair gave me the ability to remember that story, but that’s all the auditing I ever got. The rest of my brain is seriously, seriously flawed, and I’m not at all sure, precisely, how much space Life Repair actually takes)
Time out for, (serious pause) The Jonestown Massacre and such psychotics. But, counter-point again, Ron was a psychotic, too, me being no expert. Putting passionless raping of human lives on massive scales aside, his dreams and aspirations do in fact denote his tenor.
Funny: never thought it could happen to me, not in my wildest dreams.
Anyway, I’m just talking about Ron,
my old buddy-slash-former-Messiah.
Not the new guy, at all, on account I’ve really got nothing to say about …worms.
I’m goin fishin’ now, got… everything? Good for my issues. Good news, I’m only angry when I’m mad.
Thank you, Laurel, for sharing. My daughter relates the same. It is hard for me to understand. I will try harder to do so.
While there are many good ideas in it at the core of #9 it is rotten flawed.
God and judging between good and bad is not the key to happiness it is the path to its fake half-brother “self-righteousness”. Once one believes in this concept it is only one step to think along the lines of “evil doers” and “good doers” and once that language has arrived in the house be prepared for the next war and the next wave of destruction.
ISIS followers and other religious extremists are firm believers in that concept of doing gods will and their right to judge others separating good and bad.
We do not need external judgement by god or anybody else to achieve happiness. Our happiness is in us and we need to listen to ourselves and discover it for us. When we do or achieve certain things we will feel valuable, connected and in love with life. For some this maybe when they produce art, play music or act. Others may feel this way when they realize they have contributed to justice or helped others. Somebody else may just sit and admire nature. This is different for each and every one of us and each of us has to find out and listen what it is what makes him feel that way and follow one’s own path.
To have any chance of finding out one has to abandon any judgement and rules. Being judgmental is creating the prison walls in which we keep our own self.
The meaning we search is already in ourselves and there is no outside standard for it. We are not meant to be “good” (who is to judge?). We are meant to be ourselves and discover what makes us happy and follow our path. If this is how we are created by god in his image we should not expect his judgement or look for it, but follow our heart.
Not bad, and then this is included:
“9. Life is meaningless unless there is an actual, objective difference between good and evil. If there is no God to provide infallible judgment (rewarding good behavior and punishing evil behavior), then all morality is subjective, and life is meaningless.”
That statement in itself is rather subjective. One can be and have spiritual feelings about life and the universe, but those feelings are as subjective as they get. To artificially impose a god into the mix destroys the beauty and reality of it.
Objective morality? Let’s think about that for a moment? If one follows the objective morality laid down by the Abrahamic god, then slavery is OK, as not only is it not disallowed, that god tells slave owners how to beat their slaves (if they die after 3 days, all’s OK). That god forgets to forbid rape, and blames the rape victim if she does not scream loud enough to be heard, ordering that victim to be stoned to death.
Objective morality? Mike can say much better than most how Scientology defines that. Does that mean it should be followed?
A good list, but like Mike says, No. 9 leaves a lot to be desired the way it stands.
That is a good summary of Buddhist views.
According to Buddhism, the goal of man is happiness and the elimination of suffering.
In order to achieve this purpose, happiness must not depend on external factors, its must come from inside.
Moreover, as you are connected to other beings, the best way to be happy is to help other people.
If you work only on yourself to be happy, you have one entry point, you work on a very small part of the whole. But when you are helping other people, you have billions of entry points, you have a tremendous power on the whole set-up.
I do love how the Buddhists think
( in terms of what I understand )
And I think you got it quite right, that the philosophy is happiness oriented and focused on the practice of helping (not harming) others.
Hi Mike, Thank you.A contrast to TWTH that is for sure.I read everything and anything,take what I can use from that and keep on pushing forward.You do so much,so appreciated.xo Ann.
Yes, 9 is one person’s opinion. There are perfectly fine, objective standards of morality with no need to invoke a god.
One of Hubbard’s definitions springs to mind. This is from recollection, so it may not be 100% accurate, but is 100% Hubbard-speak: “Happiness is the overcoming of not unknowable obstacles toward a known goal.”
Thus Hubbard’s definition of “happiness” (long before “The Way to Happiness” appeared) is telic — measured against some goal, just like his warped version of management by statistics and his version of utilitarian ethics. For Hubbard, in all regards, the ends justified the means.
Thus it is ironic that “The Way to Happiness” conceals his true ideology through a superficial shift to a deontic (duty-based, roughly) ethics. Then again, he just culled platitudes from others and cast them in bland, slightly altered words that can never hide his plagiarism.
$cientology: The Way to Crappyness
Hey, I read that book! I thought it was full of crap.
Mike, I’m so glad you posted about happiness. My personal philosophy is: Everyday when we wake up, we have a choice, we can choose to be happy (and yes, it’s that simple) or we can choose not to. It’s all up to the individual. Also, I’m a big advocate of gratitude. Every day I send out thanks to the universe for all that we have. So, try to have an attitude of gratitude and see how that makes you feel.
Let me ask everyone something: Are you you overwhelming grateful that you are out of that mind bending, brainwashing, family destroying, financial ruining, public school infiltrating criminal enterprise cult masquerading as a religion? Yeah? Then give thanks!
“Nothing new can come into your life until you’re grateful for what you already have.” Michael Beckwith (Agape Church)
OSD, I love your personal philosophy and how you take responsibility for your own state of being. 🙂
T.J., it’s all inside of us. You don’t have to be religious, you don’t have to be a part of a certain church. Everyone one of us is the price we were looking for in Scientology. We are not a part of the physical universe. We are a part of the un-manifested universe. Why we take bodies, I don’t know. But, everything you want is inside you. And, no matter who you are, all of us are going to the same place after we dump our meat suits.
I believe I caught a glimpse of the other side twice in my dream state. I come away with two thing: It looked like it went on forever. And, it was very bright but not from a single source. It was just BRIGHT.
I meant to say “Prize” and not “…Everyone one of us is the PRICE…” Hey, I just got back from a 2 hour workout in my gym and I’m really tired….
Nice philosophy OSD, and more economical than the Bridge to Total Bankruptcy.
Hell, it’s free!
“Nothing new can come into your life until you’re grateful for what you already have.”
I am generally grateful for everything I have because there have been times when I haven’t had. I think that people who are handed everything on a silver platter are generally less satisfied with life than those who understand the true meaning of not having things. Just my opinion.
+1! You right, Valerie!
I forget who said it, Ben Franklin or Albert Einstein, but here goes (inspired post to Surfer Dude):
The heart full of gratitude is the heart of a wealthy man.
Right on!
Surfer dude, good comments. The concept of gratitude is in the context of many spiritual philosophies and seems to bear good results. It sorely lacking in the cult and it shows. Scientology breeds a lack of humility and appreciation.
here-here !
and a void of compassion, i would venture to say
Thanks for the reminder, BK
Thanks to everyone applying themselves towards making the world a better place. We were tricked into thinking that was what scn was about, but the true nature of our character shines on, which is something to celebrate, indeed.
About point 7 though. I have never been so unhappy as when I tried to find the meaning of life.
I don’t think this says THE meaning of life. There may not be (and probably isn’t) a single meaning. Instead, each of us brings a meaning to our life that makes life meaningful for us. A great reference for this is Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning” where he shares his story of surviving the holocaust and how survivors found meaning for their lives even in the worst of circumstances.
Well sure, I know it said the meaning of your life. But for many it’s sort of the same quest. Easily to get them intertwined. The whole phrase is kind of daunting. “Find the meaning…”
Actually I don’t think finding your meaning is so important, not everyone figure it out ever. Neither do I think happiness is that important. I doubt anyone is constantly happy. They have happy times in their life just as unhappy times and I do wonder if it’s not some were in between the two people live most of their time.
Sorry, the last sentence looks really weird. English is not my first language.
YOU are the meaning of life….
Exactly. I think a lot of people would be a lot of happier if they stopped looking for the meaning of their lives and just go on living it the best they can.
We are the prize we seek, Singoalla. There nothing outside yourself that you really need.
We are the prize we seek.
Old Dude puts me in the presence of a spiritual tower.
Hi blue moon, Yes doesn’t OSD definitely puts me in that spiritual tower! Plus he sends U.K. Great smoke signals.xo,Ann love all your posts.
Hi blue moon,Edit alert.I did not have my coffee yet and I have jury duty all next week.Hopefully no shades of cos lawyers about!I meant to say OSD does have the aura of a spiritual tower and he also sends up great smoke signals.A long ago reference to Asho F’s CO commenting that with me on the PBX,he was resorting to smoke signals to get his calls through.xxoo Ann.
That’s funny. Reminds me of reading The Alchemist, by Paul Coehlo, probably the worst book I’ve ever read (I’ve never read a Hubbard book). The main character, a searcher type character on a voyage of discovery, is continually and repetitively urged on by various soothsayers and faux wise men to search for his purpose in life. Never once does someone say to him, “What makes you happy? Make that your purpose in life.” No, there’s some magically defined goal he is striving for. Oy, what dreck.
i think you’re great, Sing.
just keep your wheels on the tracks –
My bet is that there’s a whole lot of hope and beauty true, just up around the next bend
that your emoting train has yet little choice to meet
– as these two worlds collide, the Universe and You –
and happy would have little choice but to rear its ugly head once again,
just for the sake of it. That’s my prediction, my educated guess.
But, that’s just silly. Your head is the verily true description of beauty,
if ever there was one.
Beauty in nature and nature in you – the journey is to find these things.
Just fill your heart with gratitude
that the wheels are yet still on that track.
And wonder what is yet to find.
Hgc10,
I thought that story was rather wonderful, I’ve read it two languages now just to milk the beauty of it. And perhaps the purpose of the story was simply to bring you to ask that wonderful question as you did, regarding happy? Now there is time well spent. What then, would be your (one-item) reading list, (after your contribution), yes?
Aww that’s sweet. Thank you.
Belief in God is a nice delusion for people who can’t handle reality. Truthfully, what is not marvellous and awe inspiring about the idea that we just don’t know for sure, but that it doesn’t matter as long as we are kind to and live by the only rule that really counts, here is the Wiki version….
One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself (positive or directive form).[1]
One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated (negative or prohibitive form).[1]
What you wish upon others, you wish upon yourself (empathic or responsive form).[1]
Matthew 28:39
Happiness is an occasional episode in a general sea of drama as I see it, don’t know if it can be a lifestyle or not – quite subjective but there are some people who seem perpetually happy.
Those points are well thought out and applicable across many spectra. Unfortunately there are many who would never read such things, thus inflict much unhappiness, especially those that inflict unhappiness in the name of religion.
Happiness one of those strange subjunctive type terms often best understood when it’s yearned for or when it’s application it’s not available or presently extant. Interesting place to visit Mike.
I will bet that Capt. David Miscavige would disagree with just about all of this. Any takers?
Happiness is a new book about Dave . . . for his birthday!
Yes 3ft!!! , also happiness is never having to say, “Will you please read my Liability formula?”
is someone confusing fun with happiness,
and there’s gonna be some 6 billion other b-parties this year I’d rather attend.
Love this planet (outside the bubble), I do.
Hey, is that Dan Koon, co-author of Ron Miscavige Sr. book “Ruthless” due out in May? Too cool! I can’t wait until next month, can you send me an advance copy now? lol. Oh well, it was worth a try. :p
I will respectfully disagree with you Dan. I think that generally speaking Miscavige and his henchpersons, ALL would agree with most of this, that life has to have to “meaning” for happiness and that THEY of course KNOW exactly how one needs to get that meaning into their life. It is of course, commitment to the fourth dynamic, which means you simply MUST either join the SO, staff or contribute all your money to the only cause that truly matters … and only then will you be “in ethics” and find real happiness. The on thing they really NEVER let you do in a reg cycle of any sort or “briefing” is decide for YOURSELF what will being you happiness.
Excellent! Thank you Mike.
We certainly differ on that. 1-7 are pretty good. Nothing much beyond rings any truth bells with me. BUT…you pays your money and takes your choice. 🙂
Mike: The comment above this one belongs below TRDunsworth far below.
And, btw, my lady pointed me to your FB story of the birth of your son and what Cristie and you went through…together. Beautifully shown and told. My compliments.
I agree with those who already pointed out that the first half of the list seems somewhat reasonable (with reservations).
It’s when he gets to #9 that he not only goes off the rails, but dips into most despicable codswallop. Actually, the problem starts in #8, where he makes the unsubstantiable claim that the “deep meaning” in our lives is to be good. On the contrary, our drive is toward self-interest, and the gift of civilized society is that we are mutually interested in “goodness,” in order to hold the whole thing together. We humans, with our brains, our capacity for language and our civilization, have defined “good” and “evil” (imperfectly and often disagreeably) according to our needs. To claim that there is a magical source for these concepts is to hand over the power of moral determination to the arbiters of sacred texts, fever dreams and charlatanism (e.g., clergy, LRH). Furthermore, non-believers and other-believers are conveniently downgraded as lacking moral agency, and thus delegitimized and dehumanized.
Picking up at #10 and almost to the end, some of it can be reasonably supported. I especially agree with the primacy of behavior over feelings.
I’ve been reading and listening to Prager for years. He’s a moral scold whose religious views are put into the service of his extremist political agenda. I long ago labeled him a member of the Christianist Right: Jewish Auxiliary.
Maybe I’m not understanding point nine.
But I’ll say, my own morality struggled with subjectively gives my life deep meaning.
Personally establishing and living by my own moral code has kept me plenty busy.
Societal norms come and go, and of course one could get caught up in a cult and agree to live by some random moral code that is not their true nature;) So, that’s no good.
I just believe a deep and soulful sense of right and wrong, and acting on that wisdom whether anyone is watching or not, is the measure of a person.
And Sugar Ray proves once again that, he da man!
I love the image of him walking his dog while pondering these subjects.
Victoria, that’s how I feel too.. your deep soulful sense of right or wrong… I know it and don’t have to think about it. I think that’s a person’s conscience.
Nitpicking can be helpful Mike. I appreciate your views on #9, especially because it broadens the reality on ones concept of god.
Look, I alrerady laughed and ridiculized that more than 10 years ago:
https://www.antisectes.net/wis.htm
Interesting ideas here, though I wouldn’t say I agree with all of them, where it says act pleasantly and feel better in point 12, I did this for several years when I was stuck in a rut of a job, it never made me feel better to put on this pretense, I still dreaded getting into the office each morning and facing the same things I’d been doing for far too long, and working for a boss I really didn’t like.
I agree that life without meaning is not good, perhaps this is why people cling to scn because if they close their eyes to what it really is they can convince themselves it provides meaning in their life. Looking for meaning is why I got into scn in the first place, it just never occurred to me that things stated as absolute fact were not necessarily true, but hubbard was an excellent confidence trickster in this respect and had an answer to anything most of us would question.
Gimpy, that sure struck a chord, the part about being stuck in a job you didn’t like working for people you didn’t like, I’ve been in the same situation. When you are tied to that by need for income, to support your kids or whatever, when people are counting on you and you don’t really have a choice or other options, it’s tough to be happy.
I hope you managed to get unstuck as I did eventually, it involved taking a large pay cut for a few years, but the funny thing is I stopped donating large sums to scn at around the same time and it suddenly hit me how much of my income was disappearing into the cult’s coffers.
Thank you Gimpy. It always touches my heart when someone expresses kind thoughts and good wishes towards me, especially someone who does not know me personally, it really brightens my day and cheers me up, so I thank you for that.
When you saw how much you had been donating to the CoS, it must have been quite a realization.
I hope all is well with you & yours, sending best wishes for a happy day – T.J.
I like that, especially the distinction between fun and happiness. I’ve personally found that one component that keeps me in touch with my own happiness is gratitude, appreciating the things in your “good” column increases happiness.
It’s my wish that one day, those still in gain the autonomy to realize their own happiness can never be tied to the tech (bs) of Scientology.
The first 7 points are building an interesting argument. After that (IMO) he goes increasingly off the rails.
Could not agree more. He’s beginning to sound extremely judgemental. Especially telling us what our mission on earth is….and that we all have the same mission/reason for being here. No thanks!
Gotta agree with you guys on that. But any movement to try to understand oneself and increase the happiness is good… but yeah.. you guys are right.
You have a keen eye:)
Actually my eyes are blue….
pretty! 🙂 i love looking into blue eyes… i’m a greenie lol :p
I love looking at green eyes….
🙂
HimOSD,Memory lock! Was there not a song years ago about making brown eyes blue? Well you make my very brown eyes blue.xo to you 2.Ann B.
Hi OSD edit my IPad!Ann.
Ann B, your actually the prize all of us here have been waiting for. This blog is better because you’re here….
Hi OSD, Your post made me blush!You both are so kind and good.Now my turn.You have great talents in all you weave into your life.Outside of Mike,you were the first poster I came upon and I loved your viewpoints and humor back when I was a posting newbie.
You both can never truly know how I have been lifted up and helped by this Blog.In all I do I say a silent enormous thank you to you two and all here.Next week I will be in court having to do jury duty Again! What is it with all the doctors and lawyers in my life?! Ron was quite enough,Laughter.??Ann B.
Wow. Really well thought out and stated. A keeper for sure!
Agree about the “P.S.” being inserted.
thanks for sharing… ralph kimbrough
Many great ideas in this list.
However, I did go to the Prager website linked in the original post and dug in a bit. I must say the climate change link to a MIT professor left me a bit puzzled in that it seems like that, in spite of his credentials, he generalizes and cherry-picks his points. My point being, unless I dig in a lot more, not sure I’d espouse Prager beyond his list of happiness points.
I didn’t. It was why I put the caveat that I have no idea what he espouses other than Ray’s summation and don’t want this to turn into a discussion about politics.
This is spot on. It should be shared at every high school graduation this May.
Honestly, I can’t find a thing wrong with what is summarized here.
Me neither, not much wrong with it. I like no. 11. It’s so true. About God, I’m not a believer… I believe in science, rather, and am impressed with what Lyall Watson suggests about our origins – how we came to be – in his book, Lifetides. It’s personal, of course.
Someone may not have mentioned the real way to happiness includes not falling for any David (a.k.a. Walnut Mouth) Miscavige propaganda. 🙂
Lifetides – an old classic!
trdunsworth, I could not find anything wrong with what was summarized here either. It just doesn’t explore the dark reality that what makes some people happy, is setting other people up to feel bad. There are people that derive happiness from harming, attacking and suppressing others.
I think the idea about “believing” in God, or the God, or higher powers, is a valid one. I would not expect anyone to “believe” in something they have not experienced or felt. There are entire cultures that do not “believe in love”, and marriages are arranged. The offspring are part of estate planning.
That does not mean there is no such thing as love. And it does not mean there are no higher powers. I do not “believe” in higher powers or love. I am aware of both. I have experienced both. And I was not seeking the experience of either. So I do not understand how these experiences come to pass and by what chance. Since it is not within my powers to understand these forces myself, that confirms my awareness of higher powers.
Deriving pleasure from the harming of others is the formula for condemnation.
(the opposite of salvation)
Law of Nature.
…also signals the veritable demise of this… org.