Christians aren't seeking eternal happiness. We are seeking God. Jesus loves me and I love Jesus, Heaven may be the most happy place but if Jesus doesn't send me there or He is not going to be there I don't want to go. Again, like you said no one wants to be unhappy, that is a given. What is important is why we are happy. Happiness, well being, fullfillment, blessing Are all good as long as we have God's perspective. Happiness in itself has no value apart from understanding what defines happiness. Jesus said the poor in spirit would be happy. Jesus said those who mourn would be happy. Jesus said those who are meek would be happy. Jesus said those who hunger and thirst for God's righteousness would be happy. Jesus said those who are merciful would be happy. Jesus said those who are pure in heart would be happy. Jesus said those who make peace would be happy. Jesus said those who are persecuted for God's righteousness would be happy. Jesus said those who are reviled, persecuted and falsely accused because they believe in Jesus would be happy. IT IS NOT AS IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE HAPPY AS IT IS THAT WE ARE HAPPY FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.- This was my point. If you are happy and God is displeased then seeking happiness is the last thing you should do. The story was meant to illustrate that knowing God is more important than happiness. What makes us happy today may turn into something that makes us very unhappy later. Thanks for the good comments.
This thread is a nice change of pace from the usual "post an article followed by a 5 page liberal vs. conservative pissing match" threads here... Maybe this should be a series. "The Seven Deadly Sins: A Clutchfans expose"
Who says Greed is a sin? Having a desire to horde wealth and thus setting up your family for the future can not be a bad thing, can it? Greed, and the accumulation of wealth is what this country was founded on.....and it is what continues to drive it....... The perfect system is true communism, but that will never work, because not everyone does equal work, and once you have people in power, they seperate themselves to keep themselves in power. Greed is the equalizer, everyone can attain their goals if they work for it.... Your tribal community is more important than the larger human community.....it is all part of being human. DD
I think it's mentioned somewhere in here. If you have more than you need to survive, that's what most theologins define as greed, because if you have something you don't need, then there's somebody else that needs it. The definition of "greed" is pretty vague, however. Of course, I'm sure most millionaire presidents of video game companies don't think of themselves as greedy, just "affluent", right?
Just because someone in the 1400's decided to write it in a book and call it the word of God does not make it so.... If we are all created by God, then didn't God create greed too? I am saying it is a primal survival instinct, to accumulate as much as possible to allow you to survive during tough times..... That greed is not real at all, just an extension of survival instincts. Oh, and if the Bible says Greed is good, then how do you explain the Catholic church, and the vatican? DD
really??? ever seen the tears of joy, clapping and laughing from those who attended hitler rallies?? ever seen pictures of people laughing and partying it up at a lynching of a black man in the south in the 20th century? did you see the celebrations in the streets of some countries on 9/11? many if not most people find happiness in self-gratification....even if it costs something to someone else.
That is the saddest part of human nature. Not just that we are capable of the greatest evils imaginable but we find ways to feel 'happy' about it. We laugh about things that should make us weep and we are proud of things we should be ashamed of. Almost every evil on the planet can be traced to someone trying to define 'their' own happiness. I think MadMax gave you the very 'short' list.
max, you are talking about momentary emotional responses. there are very complicated concepts about group-think and the collective conscience that could be explored here but my point is simply that feelings of elation, like the rox winning the title or the stros going to the world series, do not make someone happy/content in the long haul. happiness is an amalgam of your worldview, your past experiences and your future outlook. it's a process that requires maintenance to be sure. there is no such thing as instant karma.
cool. then we're just talking semantics. what you're calling "momentary emotional responses" i'm calling happiness... what you're calling happiness, i call joy.
out of curiosity i googled: Definitions of joy: * rejoice: feel happiness or joy * the emotion of great happiness * something or someone that provides pleasure; a source of happiness; "a joy to behold"; "the pleasure of his company"; "the new car is a delight" * gladden: make glad or happy Definitions of happiness: * state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy * emotions experienced when in a state of well-being * Happiness, pleasure or joy is the emotional state of being happy. The definition of happiness is one of the greatest philosophical quandaries. Proposed definitions include freedom from want and distress, consciousness of the good order of things, assurance of one's place in the universe or society, inner peace, and so forth. wordnet.princeton.edu
Happiness needs to be defined... isn't it a general feeling of well being? Satisfaction, a sense of personal good and benefit. Worldviews, past experiences, and future outlooks certainly shape personal happiness and that is exactly why many people are happy for the wrong reasons. Their own frame of reference is wrong. The person on top doing the stomping is often the happy one, the person underneath is usually not. Most all suffering can be traced to someone that is happy for the wrong reason. Have you dealt much with children of divorces? or abused women? or drug addicts? I can't begin to tell you how many people are happy at the expense of the wrongful suffering of others and it has nothing to do with a momentary emotional response.
I think you are focusing on the fleeting emotion of happiness. That is false happiness. That is the happiness that causes greed. We look for things to makes us "happy" but since they don't last and we get bored, ultimately they do not. True happiness is the happiness I was talking about before. The happiness that comes from experiencing the wonders belonging to the kingdom of God, right here and now. Well when I previewed this post I see that the emotion aspect is already being covered. Oh well...
DaDkota, Greed is a sin because you "miss the mark", it's the wrong way. It's not because a book says so or because anyone says so. And it's not because it is "bad". It's because we can come to a deeper understanding of ourselves. With deep thought and practice we have come to realize that material pleasure doesn't really bring the true, lasting happiness that we are looking for.
Let's just say words get in the way... what you describes sounds like what I would call peace but none the less... there are many things people believe are right and they experience lasting happiness, peace and satisfaction even when others suffer at their expense. I have heard it said that most people look for God the way a drug dealer looks for a police station. I have seen many a sad drug dealer in prison, they weren't sad because of the thirteen year old girl they sold crack, but they are unhappy because they got caught. They were once at peace, perfectly happy with fancy cars (stereo blaring) and rolls of cash. Smiles on their faces and their chests sticking out... what I would call a false peace and security. Angry, arrogant and self-righteous... I've gone to prisons and met them (and been one)... I know what it means to be happy for the wrong reasons. MR. MEOWGI- I realize from your beliefs you are talking about an inner happiness that is not based upon particular circumstance. Most anyone can acheive inner happiness just by matching there life experience to their own frame of reference. Let me illustrate that- Imagine a commercial jet plane in serious trouble at 30,000 ft. The pilot tells the passengers everything is OK, but the flight attendant knows better. She was told by the pilot that they are about to crash into some mountains because of instrument and electrical failures. The flight attendant has one parachute and she goes to a young child and straps the parachute onto the child. None of the other 'happy' passengers seem to even notice. The flight attendant carefully explains the tragic circumstances to the child. The child is not comfortable and doesn't feel happy, but the child follows the instructions of the flight attendant and prepares to jump out of an emergency door at the rear of the plane. All the other passengers are at peace and happy. The flight attendant finds one more parachute and decides to offer the parachute to the first taker. She goes up and down the aisle offering the parachute but everyone takes another drink or goes back to their reading and each one refuses the parachute. It would make the flight way too uncomfortable. None of the passengers would be 'happy' wearing the bulky parachute. They all have the wrong frame of reference.... How many people are happy and have inner peace with the wrong frame of reference? I don't know. But I can tell you after we die there is a mountain of judgment awaiting and the Bible tells us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ to escape the day of judgment. That is the parachute. Being happy and at peace in this life is not the central issue for a Christian, nor is future happiness in the next. Winkey Pratney once said that a Christian is the only person who could be happy in Hell if they knew God sent them there. All the glory and honor and pleasure goes to God. Happiness is a beautiful gift from God...something to appreciate but nothing to worship- that is the right frame of reference.
What is sin? Who defines that? You? I think we all have a morale compass inside of us, put there by....yep, God.....and it is up to us to listen to it. Greed, or accumulation of wealth is a primal instinct, also put into us by, yep, God. DD
Pardon my confusion here but from that there would be no reason to be a Christian. Obviously faith is irrational yet the reason someone subscribes to one faith or another has to do with that they derive something from that. If being a Christian doesn't bring happiness or peace in this life or the next then what's the point of being a Christianity? If you believe that you've done God's will wouldn't that bring peace?
