Should Spirituality be Fun?

[Two-bit guru]

My feeling is that communing with God or the universe or whatever-you-may-call-it, is a joyous experience, fun.
It seems so often the manifestations of belief systems are solemn and dour.
What has been your experience and what do you think about it?

 

[Straw Dog]

My feeling is that communing with God or the universe or whatever-you-may-call-it, is a joyous experience, fun.
It seems so often the manifestations of belief systems are solemn and dour.
What has been your experience and what do you think about it?

I think that if life and spirituality isn't fun, then it's not being properly approached. People are taught to view life as if on a journey, with a serious beginning and a serious ending, and the point is to get to that ending- whether its monetary success or heaven after someone's dead. I think life is more akin to music and the point is to sing and dance while the music is playing. The point isn't to get to the end of the song as fast as possible haha.

 

[doppelganger]

For me, it certainly must.

I love the concept of lila in Hinduism.

The relation of Purusa to Prakrti - the unfolding force of nature - becomes here a relation of male to female. This is expressed in the Siva temple in the core image of the sivalinga, an expression of male (linga) and female (yoni) union. The basic cosmogonic motif of an unfolding or flowering cosmos is expressed here specifically in the relation of male to female, as well as in terms of consciousness and intentionality (in the concept of lila as the divine play of male and female). As such, the core saivite image of cosmogony as the flowering of consciousness and sexual union rather than the sacrificial act.
—Heinrich Zimmer and Joseph Campbell, Philosophies of India *

And the playful spirit of the Principia Discordia - profundity made even more profound by virtue of its humor.

It is not presently understood why men were so gullible at that particular time, for absolutely no one thought to observe all the disorder around them and conclude just the opposite. But anyway, Greyface and his followers took the game of playing at life more seriously than they took life itself and were known even to destroy other living beings whose ways of life differed from their own.
The unfortunate result of this is that mankind has since been suffering from a psychological and spiritual imbalance. Imbalance causes frustration, and frustration causes fear. And fear makes for a bad trip. Man has been on a bad trip for a long time now.
It is called THE CURSE OF GREYFACE.

*woof

 

[lunamoth]

I think life is more akin to music and the point is to sing and dance while the music is playing.

Excellent metaphor. : hamster :

 

[beenie]

I completely agree that spirituality should be fun, starting from a young age. IMO, God and "rules/rituals" should always be taught in a positive/rewards style rather than doom and punishment/anger, especially with children.

 

[Renji]

I completely agree that spirituality should be fun, starting from a young age. IMO, God and "rules/rituals" should always be taught in a positive/rewards style rather than doom and punishment/anger, especially with children.

Exactly the way I was raised by my parents.

 

[Vinayaka]

Nah. This is serious serious business!

 

[Renji]

Nah. This is serious serious business!

You can't be serious all the time. You gonna need some fun too. It needs to be balanced.

 

[Vinayaka]

As Sheldon would say, "Was that Sarcasm?"

 

[Levite]

My feeling is that communing with God or the universe or whatever-you-may-call-it, is a joyous experience, fun.
It seems so often the manifestations of belief systems are solemn and dour.
What has been your experience and what do you think about it?

I don't know if it should always be fun. But it should at least sometimes be fun. If it's never fun, something is definitely wrong. And even when it isn't fun, it should be satisfying and fulfilling.

 

[Willamena]

If it's not fun, you're not doing it right.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

I have experienced both sides of the coin and I prefer fun and joyful. That's why I'm a UU, we put the UU in fuun.

(You know, that sounded so much better in my head...)

 

[Cassiopia]

I don't know if it should always be fun. But it should at least sometimes be fun. If it's never fun, something is definitely wrong. And even when it isn't fun, it should be satisfying and fulfilling.

This. :yes:

 

[Breathe]

I don't know if it should always be fun. But it should at least sometimes be fun. If it's never fun, something is definitely wrong. And even when it isn't fun, it should be satisfying and fulfilling.

^ This. :yes:

 

[ratikala]

I don't know if it should always be fun. But it should at least sometimes be fun. If it's never fun, something is definitely wrong. And even when it isn't fun, it should be satisfying and fulfilling.

another this :yes:

:bow: ratikala

 

[Gaura Priya]

Please chant:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare!
... and be happy!

Being a Hare Krishna, I find alot of fun in the fact that we worship through dance, music, and eating prasadam (sanctified food), dressing nicely, wearing ornaments, etc. It's as if all the senses are engaged in worship of the Lord; even if it looks 'fun' from the outside, it is still considered the highest form of worship to God.

[youtube]Pj_w7sVUOT0[/youtube]
Chanting and dancing at ISKCON Hong Kong - YouTube

ISKCON Hong Kong... their temple looks beautiful, and it certainly is a place I would love to visit!

"That place where the Divine Goddesses of Fortune
are the Beloved,
and Krishna, the Supreme Male,
is the only Lover;
all the trees are Divine wishfulfilling trees,
the soil is made of Transcendental Gems
and the water is nectar;
where every word is a song,
every movement is dancing,
the flute is the dearmost companion,
sunlight and moonlight are Divine Ecstasy,
and all that be is Divine, and enjoyable;
where a great ocean of milk eternally flows
from the udders of billions of Surabhi cows
and the Divine time is eternally present,
never suffering the estrangement of past and future
for even a split second...
that Supreme Transcendental Abode of Shvetadvipa
do I adore.
Practically no one in this world knows that place
but for only a few pure devotees --
and they know it as Goloka."

-- Sri Sri Brahma-samhita 5.56​

 

[The Sum of Awe]

If you're not enjoying it, you probably aren't meant to be part of it.

If you are enjoying it, having fun or not, you probably belong to it.


So in a way. Sometimes it's fun, but it just has to at least be enjoyable. Unless you don't enjoy what you believe in.