Do your beliefs make you happy?

[blü 2]

What I am asking is whether you think that your religious or non-religious beliefs about God or gods are the ‘reason’ you are happy. I highly doubt that is the reason people are happy, although they might tell themselves that. If that is the reason they were happy they would not need enjoyable foods, alcohol, sex, traveling, etc., in order to be happy, but I think most people do need those things to be happy.

I think love is important for happiness, but it does not have to be love for God or romantic love. It can be love for friends and family. In my case, it is love for my cats and other animals, since I only have online friends and I have no family or romantic interests. Would I be happier if I had a boyfriend or a husband? I don’t know, but that is a moot point, since men do not date women like me who won’t have sex out of wedlock.

I think certain religious people believe we ‘should be happy’ just because we have our religious beliefs. This pertains mostly to Baha’is, but I think it also pertains to Christians. I don’t know what the other religions teach about happiness. I am sick to death of the expectation of Baha’is that I ‘should be happy’ just because I am a Baha’i. These people are clueless about my life situation and they do not care about it. They are like robots, fully indoctrinated by their religious teachings that tell them that we ‘should be happy' because we have God, no matter what life throws our way.

As for Christians, are you happy because you believe you are saved and forgiven by the blood of Jesus, and because you believe that Jesus/God loves you? That might be one reason you are happy but I doubt you would still be happy if you had a very difficult life situation or if you had clinical depression or debilitating anxiety.

My materialist / ignostic outlook is relevant to much of my personal life.

I try to walk an hour a day, weather permitting, and I'm conscious of what I'm doing from a medical perspective, for instance. When I buy goodies as well as health foods I acknowledge my guilty feelings at the same time. When I read of the present Israel / Gaza conflict I don't see religion, I see politics (and I strongly agree with Bernie Sanders, having had the same thought about Netanyahu for a long time). In other words I'm reasonably conscious of my surroundings and I interpret them according to my best understanding, which is materialist.

So I'd say my 'non-religious beliefs' support my 'happiness' ─ my sense of and quest for wellbeing, my own and that of those around me ─ largely without my particularly noticing them in those terms, but constantly.

 

[Trailblazer]

For some reason this did not post originally.
I really appreciate your posts. I can relate with this one. There was a point when things did not seem to matter. But every morning I would wake up feed the two indoor cats and the two outdoor cats. It was waking up to feed the cats and put bird food out for the birds. In the evening I would feed the cats again and leave offerings for the raccoons and opossums. This kept me going because there was always someone that was appreciative of what I was doing even if they could not tell me.

When I found my pagan path I became connected with all life around me. This is what brought me happiness. It was when I would go out and hear the birds feel the trees and just be with all life around me that I found peace. The gods and goddess are just part of much greater world and that wonderous world is what if find the most happiness in. I now find I no longer feel all alone even if no other human is around.

I do know you are important and have support here.

I am glad I asked you about the post.

I live for the animals and I do not feel alone since they are all around me. The first thing I do in the morning is go out to feed the birds and squirrels and the one raccoon I have left. I used to have hordes of raccoons but for some reason they disappeared. I love opossums but I never see them anymore.

I live surrounded by trees and I go out walking every day among big beautiful trees.. I can safely say I am more connected to the life all around me than I am to God and as such I am an unlikely candidate for my religion. I often feel like I don't belong anywhere.

 

[Trailblazer]

What next world, if heaven and hell are states of mind and not places we reside? There is only this world. Hence why I said it's where we return to. From there, what are you doing to ensure that you have a better world to come back to? At least imv

Heaven and hell are states of mind, not places that we go to when we die, but that doesn't mean that this world is the only world that exists in the entire universe.

I believe that there are other worlds besides this world but only God can comprehend them. I believe we will know more after we die and experience those worlds.

“As to thy question concerning the worlds of God. Know thou of a truth that the worlds of God are countless in their number, and infinite in their range. None can reckon or comprehend them except God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” Gleanings, pp. 151-152

“Verily I say, the creation of God embraceth worlds besides this world, and creatures apart from these creatures. In each of these worlds He hath ordained things which none can search except Himself, the All-Searching, the All-Wise.” Gleanings, pp. 152-153

 

[sayak83]

What I am asking is whether you think that your religious or non-religious beliefs about God or gods are the ‘reason’ you are happy. I highly doubt that is the reason people are happy, although they might tell themselves that. If that is the reason they were happy they would not need enjoyable foods, alcohol, sex, traveling, etc., in order to be happy, but I think most people do need those things to be happy.

I think love is important for happiness, but it does not have to be love for God or romantic love. It can be love for friends and family. In my case, it is love for my cats and other animals, since I only have online friends and I have no family or romantic interests. Would I be happier if I had a boyfriend or a husband? I don’t know, but that is a moot point, since men do not date women like me who won’t have sex out of wedlock.

I think certain religious people believe we ‘should be happy’ just because we have our religious beliefs. This pertains mostly to Baha’is, but I think it also pertains to Christians. I don’t know what the other religions teach about happiness. I am sick to death of the expectation of Baha’is that I ‘should be happy’ just because I am a Baha’i. These people are clueless about my life situation and they do not care about it. They are like robots, fully indoctrinated by their religious teachings that tell them that we ‘should be happy' because we have God, no matter what life throws our way.

As for Christians, are you happy because you believe you are saved and forgiven by the blood of Jesus, and because you believe that Jesus/God loves you? That might be one reason you are happy but I doubt you would still be happy if you had a very difficult life situation or if you had clinical depression or debilitating anxiety.

I do not know if faith in God per se makes one happy. But the religious practices certainly are known to have a strong positive correlation with overall happiness.
Does Spirituality Make You Happy?

 

[Bear Wild]

I am glad I asked you about the post.

I live for the animals and I do not feel alone since they are all around me. The first thing I do in the morning is go out to feed the birds and squirrels and the one raccoon I have left. I used to have hordes of raccoons but for some reason they disappeared. I love opossums but I never see them anymore.

I live surrounded by trees and I go out walking every day among big beautiful trees.. I can safely say I am more connected to the life all around me than I am to God and as such I am an unlikely candidate for my religion. I often feel like I don't belong anywhere.

I live for animals and plants too. I ended up with a pagan path for that reason. For me wisdom comes from nature. My teachers are the forest, fields and ocean. I grew up surrounded by Christianity and tried again and again in my life to fit in but every time I would be remined that humans are different than all other life an only humans matter. I remember finally telling one person that if animals do not go to heaven the neither am I and left Christianity for good. I do not try and get others to become pagan. I is a personal choice, but I found a spirituality in it that celebrated connection with all other life rather than separation. This type of spirituality is what made me happy. I see myself not greater of less than the life around me and I am much happier that way. The pagans I associate with all celebrate all life. You will have to find a path that resonates with you but in this forum I have learned we can learn from each other. Give each or your cats a pet from me. Your friend Bear Wild.

 

[The Hammer]

I believe that there are other worlds besides this world but only God can comprehend them. I believe we will know more after we die and experience those worlds.

I believe each individual lives in their own version of the world we experience. So you're partially correct. Or should I say Baha'ullah is. As this is their opinion not yours..

(If everyone experiences the world differently, then we all live in different "worlds")

 

[Trailblazer]

I live for animals and plants too. I ended up with a pagan path for that reason. For me wisdom comes from nature. My teachers are the forest, fields and ocean. I grew up surrounded by Christianity and tried again and again in my life to fit in but every time I would be remined that humans are different than all other life an only humans matter. I remember finally telling one person that if animals do not go to heaven the neither am I and left Christianity for good. I do not try and get others to become pagan. I is a personal choice, but I found a spirituality in it that celebrated connection with all other life rather than separation. This type of spirituality is what made me happy. I see myself not greater of less than the life around me and I am much happier that way. The pagans I associate with all celebrate all life. You will have to find a path that resonates with you but in this forum I have learned we can learn from each other. Give each or your cats a pet from me. Your friend Bear Wild.

I was not raised in any religion and I was never even curious about Christianity until I started posting on forums about 13 years ago. I never even read one page of the Bible until then. I became a Baha'i during my first year of college when I was 17, but not because I was searching for God. I joined because I liked the message of peace on earth and world unity and I liked a lot of the metaphysical beliefs such as about the soul and the afterlife. I also joined because I believed that Baha'u'llah was a Messenger of God, and I still believe that 53 years later, which is why I never dropped out, in spite of the fact that I have certain issues with God and religion. Incidentally, I recall stories about Baha'u'llah saying that the city is a place for bodies and the country is the place for souls, and He only felt at home in the countryside. I can certainly relate to that as I could never live in a city.

I do not believe that animal spirits cease to exist at physical death, I believe they continue to exist somewhere, I just do not know where. I do not want to he in heaven without my cats but I will have to go wherever I go since that won't be my choice.

One thing about Christianity and the Baha'i Faith I do not like is their focus on humans to the exclusion of animals. I just can't do it. I love animals and I am connected to them in my heart so I am not going to consider animals less important than humans. I am not connected to many humans and I have only really been connected to one human in my life, my late husband. I was somewhat connected to my parents and my sister and brother, but we were not close.

Religious folks cannot understand why I sacrifice so much for the cats and they will never understand since their focus is on people. Now I have to go and take care of the cats, still more work to do. Your friend Trailblazer.

 

[InChrist]

What I am asking is whether you think that your religious or non-religious beliefs about God or gods are the ‘reason’ you are happy. I highly doubt that is the reason people are happy, although they might tell themselves that. If that is the reason they were happy they would not need enjoyable foods, alcohol, sex, traveling, etc., in order to be happy, but I think most people do need those things to be happy.

I think love is important for happiness, but it does not have to be love for God or romantic love. It can be love for friends and family. In my case, it is love for my cats and other animals, since I only have online friends and I have no family or romantic interests. Would I be happier if I had a boyfriend or a husband? I don’t know, but that is a moot point, since men do not date women like me who won’t have sex out of wedlock.

I think certain religious people believe we ‘should be happy’ just because we have our religious beliefs. This pertains mostly to Baha’is, but I think it also pertains to Christians. I don’t know what the other religions teach about happiness. I am sick to death of the expectation of Baha’is that I ‘should be happy’ just because I am a Baha’i. These people are clueless about my life situation and they do not care about it. They are like robots, fully indoctrinated by their religious teachings that tell them that we ‘should be happy' because we have God, no matter what life throws our way.

As for Christians, are you happy because you believe you are saved and forgiven by the blood of Jesus, and because you believe that Jesus/God loves you? That might be one reason you are happy but I doubt you would still be happy if you had a very difficult life situation or if you had clinical depression or debilitating anxiety.

I’m not always happy. My happiness or sadness can and does fluctuate with life’s circumstances. What I do have because of Jesus’ love and forgiveness with the promise of eternal life is an abiding peace and joy that goes deeper than happiness.

 

[PearlSeeker]

My former Christian beliefs used to make me happy (or at least contribute to my happiness). That's why losing my religion made me sad. Now I try to appreciate life as it is (as I know it), without any religious beliefs attached. There are still many things that make me happy and grateful: family, music, nature, goodness, peace in my country, roof and food, job... That's why I am happy to wake up alive and experience a new day.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I highly doubt that is the reason people are happy, although they might tell themselves that. If that is the reason they were happy they would not need enjoyable foods, alcohol, sex, traveling, etc., in order to be happy, but I think most people do need those things to be happy.

What a crazy belief! You mean a happy person should not enjoy tasty food, alcohol, sex or travel? I do not like pets in my house.

 

[Tomef]

What I am asking is whether you think that your religious or non-religious beliefs about God or gods are the ‘reason’ you are happy. I highly doubt that is the reason people are happy, although they might tell themselves that. If that is the reason they were happy they would not need enjoyable foods, alcohol, sex, traveling, etc., in order to be happy, but I think most people do need those things to be happy.

I think love is important for happiness, but it does not have to be love for God or romantic love. It can be love for friends and family. In my case, it is love for my cats and other animals, since I only have online friends and I have no family or romantic interests. Would I be happier if I had a boyfriend or a husband? I don’t know, but that is a moot point, since men do not date women like me who won’t have sex out of wedlock.

I think certain religious people believe we ‘should be happy’ just because we have our religious beliefs. This pertains mostly to Baha’is, but I think it also pertains to Christians. I don’t know what the other religions teach about happiness. I am sick to death of the expectation of Baha’is that I ‘should be happy’ just because I am a Baha’i. These people are clueless about my life situation and they do not care about it. They are like robots, fully indoctrinated by their religious teachings that tell them that we ‘should be happy' because we have God, no matter what life throws our way.

As for Christians, are you happy because you believe you are saved and forgiven by the blood of Jesus, and because you believe that Jesus/God loves you? That might be one reason you are happy but I doubt you would still be happy if you had a very difficult life situation or if you had clinical depression or debilitating anxiety.

Yes, I think engaging with life without pretence or fantasy is what makes life worth living.

 

[Trailblazer]

You mean a happy person should not enjoy tasty food, alcohol, sex or travel?

No, that is not what I said. I said that if religious beliefs made people happy they would not need those things to be happy.

 

[The Hammer]

No, that is not what I said. I said that if religious beliefs made people happy they would not need those things to be happy.

Why not be happy by several methods? Religion is not a means to an end.

 

[Trailblazer]

Why not be happy by several methods? Religion is not a means to an end.

I was not suggesting that people should be happy because of their religious beliefs. I think that people need other things to be happy.
Religion is not a way to happiness for most people, as has been demonstrated on this thread.

 

[ChristineM]

I have had just as much fun driving snowy / icy dirt roads in my Subaru, no guardrails or gravel, just trees and ditches.
Way better than the 75 mph you get to go at Watkins Glen on track day.

Never on public roads.

 

[Aupmanyav]

No, that is not what I said. I said that if religious beliefs made people happy they would not need those things to be happy.

But you know, my belief, Hinduism, mandates sex. Do you mean all men and women should live without sex, should not have children? It is one of the four things that we are supposed to do in life (Purusharthas - Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha - Fulfill duties, earn, raise family and understand life. Everything when the time is right. One thing helps in fulfilling the others that follow. No children, no youngs to pass on your experiences of life, no one to help in old age, that is the end of your culture.
I was obliged to provide sexual happiness to my wife, it is one of the seven marriage vows in Hinduism. "I shall be the Sukhilam. you the Holder; Together we shall live and beget children, and other riches. Come thou, Oh, sweet-worded girl."

 

[RestlessSoul]

Now you're making me wonder if my mom was also autistic. I don't believe she was though. I think she just had bipolar 1, which was certainly bad enough.

The problem with psychiatric diagnosis is, just as each person is unique, so are the ways in which mental illness manifests in each individual. So people get labelled bi-polar (or manic depressive as it used to be), OCD, etc., but no two individuals are likely to have quite the same symptoms.

 

[SalixIncendium]

But you know, my belief, Hinduism, mandates sex.

Not for everyone. Brahmacharis, sannyasis, sadhus, yogis, and the like choose a life of celibacy.

To my knowledge, sex is for the married householder. To the best of my understanding, Hinduism doesn't promote promiscuity.

 

[Debater Slayer]

My beliefs concerning religion make me neither happy nor unhappy. I primarily try to base my beliefs on evidence, logic, and openness to other perspectives; whether they would make me happy or unhappy is largely irrelevant.

When it comes to mental practices like meditation and mindfulness, I strive to foster contentment, resilience, and adaptability. Again, happiness per se is not what I pursue with my views and practices. I believe it should ideally come as a product of other things, not as a goal by itself.

 

[mangalavara]

I am not questioning people who say that they are happy because they have their religious beliefs and God.
Maybe they ARE happy because for those reasons, but I question how happy they would be if their life situation was different. Maybe they would still be happy, I don't know.

Knowing about Śiva makes me happy. The process of trying to see him in this life and thereby attain mukti makes me happy. Having less attachment to this fleeting world and more of a focus on what is permanent makes me happy. If my life situation were different for the worse, would I still be happy? Hopefully.