HECK! said this in post #15 : I really don't think happiness begins and ends with religion though.
-HECK!
Well, I think that for SOME people, it does. Or maybe more specifically, for some people happiness begins and ends with what they have been convicted of in their hearts regarding spirituality and their connection with whatever they believe in. I think that is only one avenue to happiness, but I'm not personally convinced that it can be sustainable in and of itself. I think that for most people, happiness through spirituality is a fleeting thing, and usually only good for the good times. But, like HECK said, happiness can be found in moments. Moments of spiritual clarity, moments of comradery, good times with friends and family, lack of sleep that leads to giddiness, sitting in the driver's seat of your dream car and hitting the ignition button (yep, it's a BUTTON). For me, I was the happiest guy in the world a couple months ago when I went to an Outback steakhouse in Rochester, ordered a Classic 14 oz medium rare, and found that steak to be the best-tasting, tenderest, juciest, most satisfying piece of meat I've ever eaten in my life. I was so happy I almost cried, and I gushed about that steak (like I am now) for WEEKS to anyone who would, or would NOT, listen. I need a napkin even now, just remembering that steak...... *drool*
So, after all of that, I'm basically saying that I agree with HECK. Happiness is found in moments, and in memories. Make the most of your moments, and you'll have happy memories. Have more happy memories than unhappy ones, and most likely you'll achieve personal happiness.
Mr. Tvee, Karma is a very complex theory. I will tell you a
simplified version of it. Suppose that you have earned some
money. You will put it in a bank. The currency does not
contain clues to the way in which you earned the money. Nor
the bank asks you about the way. You can with-draw the
money, either a part or most of it, when you need.
In the same way, if you help a person who is in great
trouble, need not be using money but suggesting some useful
method, you will earn some good Karma. It is equal to
'virtue', it will be credited to your personal spiritual
account. Supposing you have a life target on achieving some
thing. And all your normal efforts do not allow you to
achieve that target. That indicates that you do not have
enough good Karma in your account. It is like you do not
have enough money to buy a costly item, to give an example.
In such a situation, if you try to help those in need, you
will earn good Karma to enable you to achieve your life
target. In simple terms, this is how Karma works.
VS Prasad, obviously, not all would have idle resources in the bank. The danger of religion becoming a business is it caters only to those who has something to give or it influences those who have the means.
Jesus was murdered by people called Pharisees (who love money) because of this problem. An intermediary between God and man, named AUTHORITY simplify for the masses what seems complicated. But in so doing, it is no longer God nor God's Will that is being promoted but the selfish will of the promoters (authority). Please understand this is the problem of religion in general when it ceases to be spiritual; don’t take this as an attack to your brand of religion.
Religion must be spiritual rather than political; Leadership must be by example and not by dictation. If you cannot do it yourselves, please, please! Refrain from asking people to take up the challenge.
Happiness is living. Not in the sense of alive and dead, but the enjoyment of life and having fun.
It's trying to be the best person you can be and seeing your results at work when someone else smiles because of something you did.
"You're disturbing...yet intriguing. Like couscous. I'm gonna call you Couscous from now on."
04-19-2007 04:16 AM
