Oppressturbation

[Guisslapp]

There is a lot of research on happiness and it would be hard to characterize the results in any scientific way. You can make some non-scientific generalized statements about what makes people happy in the aggregate, like I already offered, but individual factors also matter. Most people have a baseline of happiness and tend to revert back to that level after episodes of greater and less happiness. That baseline appears to be unique to each person.

One group of studies looks at an individual’s relative happiness as a function of how one’s reality matches their expectations. When reality doesn’t live up to their expectations they are unhappy and when it exceeds it, they are happy. The same studies show that whether the disconnect between reality and expectations is negative (cancer diagnosis) or positive (win lottery), the change in happiness lasts only long enough for the person to establish new expectations, and then the person’s happiness returns to the baseline. It is theorized that there are evolutionary reasons for that because someone that is eternally happy isn’t really motivated to do anything.

But if you look at religious demographics, it would be hard for Christians to claim to be more happy than Buddhists, who tend to score very high on contentment. Is happiness on Earth really something promised to Christians anyway?

[dawg80]

Speaking only for myself, and my experiences, I find devout Christians to be very happy. I consider myself to be a Christian but, and this may be more of the male thing I mentioned, I too often assume a sense of responsibility and/or desire to see "bad" things change. I haven't had any real experience with Buddhists...but aren't they the ones who set themselves on fire in protest in Vietnam, and elsewhere? Don't appear to be very happy with matters if such suicide is a viable option to them.

"Let go and let God..." is the mantra of truly happy/content Christians. I'm one of those that will say, Yep! I agree with that...except, "move over God, I want to drive for awhile." I tend to give things to God...and then take 'em back in small increments. It's a flaw of mine, I admit it.

What I do know is that leftists are some of the most miserably unhappy people I know and know of. NOT ALL! But enough to confirm that generality.

[Guisslapp]

One Vietnamese Buddhist monk set himself on fire in 1963 to draw attention to the persecution of the Buddhists by the Catholics. A writer observing the act said:


“I was to see that sight again, but once was enough. Flames were coming from a human being; his body was slowly withering and shriveling up, his head blackening and charring. In the air was the smell of burning human flesh; human beings burn surprisingly quickly. Behind me I could hear the sobbing of the Vietnamese who were now gathering. I was too shocked to cry, too confused to take notes or ask questions, too bewildered to even think ... As he burned he never moved a muscle, never uttered a sound, his outward composure in sharp contrast to the wailing people around him.”

[dawg80]

Riiiight….

[Guisslapp]

Riiiight….

Buddhists don’t “pursue” happiness, because they correctly recognize that happiness, like all positive and negative feelings, is ephemeral. Feelings will come and go, and greater contentment and inner peace is achieved by not chasing the feelings.

[dawg80]

There is a lot of research on happiness and it would be hard to characterize the results in any scientific way. You can make some non-scientific generalized statements about what makes people happy in the aggregate, like I already offered, but individual factors also matter. Most people have a baseline of happiness and tend to revert back to that level after episodes of greater and less happiness. That baseline appears to be unique to each person.

One group of studies looks at an individual’s relative happiness as a function of how one’s reality matches their expectations. When reality doesn’t live up to their expectations they are unhappy and when it exceeds it, they are happy. The same studies show that whether the disconnect between reality and expectations is negative (cancer diagnosis) or positive (win lottery), the change in happiness lasts only long enough for the person to establish new expectations, and then the person’s happiness returns to the baseline. It is theorized that there are evolutionary reasons for that because someone that is eternally happy isn’t really motivated to do anything.

But if you look at religious demographics, it would be hard for Christians to claim to be more happy than Buddhists, who tend to score very high on contentment. Is happiness on Earth really something promised to Christians anyway?

Then you post: Buddhists don’t “pursue” happiness,

I know, in your crazy, mixed-up world A > B at the same time that A < B. Just depends...eh!

[Guisslapp]

Then you post: Buddhists don’t “pursue” happiness,

I know, in your crazy, mixed-up world A > B at the same time that A < B. Just depends...eh!

It is more complex than that and if you don’t understand Buddhism you won’t understand.

Try to follow. Happiness, like all positive and negative feelings, is ephemeral. Buddhists believe that “pursuing” ephemeral feelings doesn’t address the fact that the feelings themselves are ephemeral. You will never be satisfied because negative feelings are inevitable and happiness must always abate - and failure to accept this fact will motivate you to keep pursuing the happiness. The “wanting” of happiness itself causes suffering and hurts your inner peace - stated another way, pursuing happiness makes you unhappy because it makes you feel currently incomplete. Buddhists recognize that these positive and negative feelings are not something to try to achieve or avoid, but that you should allow them to wash over you as if they were waves in the ocean. You are powerless to change them and the feelings are fleeting.

The practice of this mindset leads one to feel peaceful and content. Most of us would consider such a state of mind as “happy” - though I think contentment is a more apt description.

Thus, the burning monk appearing perfectly stoic may have mastered the practice.

[dawg80]

As an atheist you have no clue and could never understand what true happiness, and contentment, is. Just because you Google "what is Buddhism" and repeat some of that here does not qualify you to understand anything. There is nothing ephemeral about eternity.

BTW, we used to have a Buddha in our garden. I had built an Oriental garden with some Japanese lanterns and plenty of eastern plants. It was cool, even had a pond with koi. I had some guests over, for a BBQ, and they were strolling the garden and one said to me, why do you have this false idol here? I said don't take it so seriously, it's just a garden prop. I won't go into any details here, especially for an atheist, but suffice it to say after I had a personal experience re: my faith, the next morning I found the concrete Buddha statue was shattered into a million pieces, turned to powder! I took that as a sign...

[Guisslapp]

I didn’t Google Buddhism. That is my own explanation. I used to be a Christian, so I know what that is like.

[dawg80]

I didn’t Google Buddhism. That is my own explanation. I used to be a Christian, so I know what that is like.

Apparently not...

[Guisslapp]

Apparently not...

One of the many flaws of Christian doctrine.

[dawg80]

C S Lewis defines and perfectly describes what it means to be "Christian" in his book on virtue. Personally, I don't give a shit whether you believe, or not. But, don't say "I used to be a Christian" because obviously you never were.

[Guisslapp]

C S Lewis defines and perfectly describes what it means to be "Christian" in his book on virtue. Personally, I don't give a shit whether you believe, or not. But, don't say "I used to be a Christian" because obviously you never were.

I did used to be a believer and a follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ (including believing and accepting that he died for my “sins”) and now I am not and do not. You can define “Christian” however you like, but according to my definition - I used to be one but now I am not.

[DONW]

Buddha's mother said that she had a dream one night that an elephant with six tusk had entered her body from her side. Nine months later Buddha hit the ground walking and talking. I recently read a book written by a lady that claimed that she talked to several Buddhist monks in eastern India and Nepal that said Jesus traveled there between the age of 12-30 and studied with the Buddhist monks. Some people believe the three wise men that traveled to see Jesus, believed that Jesus was the reincarnation of the Buddha. The Gospel of Thomas is mostly a collection of Buddhist sayings.

[brtransplant]

I did used to be a believer and a follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ (including believing and accepting that he died for my “sins”) and now I am not and do not. You can define “Christian” however you like, but according to my definition - I used to be one but now I am not.

If you don't mind my asking, do you know what it was that caused you to lose your faith?