Do your beliefs make you happy?

[walt]

Thanks, but I don't need anyone to buy me anything since I have more money than I know what to do with.
Unfortunately, money cannot fix the problems that I have. Someone being here might help, but nobody would want to be here.

How about if I look for some nice poems, or nice quotes that help people, or you might have an idea later?

 

[walt]

There is a book I read a long time ago, the name of the book is "do one thing different" and this one lady was pretty depressed all the time, so her therapist advised her to, start focusing her attention to giving to others, so she investigated some hospitals that have patience that have a terminal illness, and she started to sending them gifts. It was just one thing different, her focus was shifted, her behavior was replaced with a new behavior, and it made her happy.

I haven't really focused on giving to others to receive happiness, but I'm interested to know if anyone has an experience of when they gave to others and it made them happy? For example when we give a gift to someone, does it really make us happy?

 

[Spice]

There is a book I read a long time ago, the name of the book is "do one thing different" and this one lady was pretty depressed all the time, so her therapist advised her to, start focusing her attention to giving to others, so she investigated some hospitals that have patience that have a terminal illness, and she started to sending them gifts. It was just one thing different, her focus was shifted, her behavior was replaced with a new behavior, and it made her happy.

I haven't really focused on giving to others to receive happiness, but I'm interested to know if anyone has an experience of when they gave to others and it made them happy? For example when we give a gift to someone, does it really make us happy?

Absolutely!

"I was in darkness, but I took three steps and found myself in paradise. The first step was a good thought, the second, a good word, and the third, a good deed."
Friedrich Nietzsche

"May wisdom shine through me
May love glow within me
May strength penetrate me
That in me may arise
A helper of humankind
A servant of sacred things
Selfless and true"
Rudolf Steiner

"If you think about yourself all day, you are
guaranteed to become depressed. Take time each day to think about those who need you. Not about what you need, but about who needs you.'
Rabbi Tzvi Freeman

 

[walt]

Absolutely!

"I was in darkness, but I took three steps and found myself in paradise. The first step was a good thought, the second, a good word, and the third, a good deed."
Friedrich Nietzsche

"May wisdom shine through me
May love glow within me
May strength penetrate me
That in me may arise
A helper of humankind
A servant of sacred things
Selfless and true"
Rudolf Steiner

"If you think about yourself all day, you are
guaranteed to become depressed. Take time each day to think about those who need you. Not about what you need, but about who needs you.'
Rabbi Tzvi Freeman

View attachment 91216

You have made me feel happy receiving this information from you, but I'm sure you giving this information to others makes you happy too!

I am just Expressing the good emotions I feel.

 

[MelancholicPotatoChip]

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 am not happy most of the time. It has nothing to do with being an atheist. I was the most depressed when I was religious but one had nothing to do with the other. I have had a very, very hard life and so the trauma still haunts my mind which then contributes to depression. I am in a good position in my life though considering what it could be right now.

 

[Spice]

You have made me feel happy receiving this information from you, but I'm sure you giving this information to others makes you happy too!

I am just Expressing the good emotions I feel.

 

[walt]

What do you think about this TED talk 14 minute video?

 

[Link]

With too much of mankind heedless to God's warnings, I can't be happy just from beliefs. I know Imam Hussain (a) was sad at moments near his death because people will being going to hell as a result of his martyrdom.

If the world accepted Ahlulbayt (a), I would be happy. God being disobeyed and a great many going to hell, makes me sad.

 

[walt]

With too much of mankind heedless to God's warnings, I can't be happy just from beliefs. I know Imam Hussain (a) was sad at moments near his death because people will being going to hell as a result of his martyrdom.

If the world accepted Ahlulbayt (a), I would be happy. God being disobeyed and a great many going to hell, makes me sad.

I feel the importance of what you're saying, I agree with your reasoning, I feel the same way on similar thoughts, now this is what I do, I'm not saying this is what you should do.

If someone I love dies, this makes me very sad, but I still fill my day doing something positive, if I can, it may be just something little, but for me it usually helps me emotionally quite a bit, I don't try to overlook anything, but I always look for the silver lining, even if there is none.

 

[Spice]

I feel the importance of what you're saying, I agree with your reasoning, I feel the same way on similar thoughts, now this is what I do, I'm not saying this is what you should do.

If someone I love dies, this makes me very sad, but I still fill my day doing something positive, if I can, it may be just something little, but for me it usually helps me emotionally quite a bit, I don't try to overlook anything, but I always look for the silver lining, even if there is none.

It is my family tradition to speak of the deceased in ways that remind us they made a positive mark in our lives and on this world. Without any "planning" there always seems to be a backyard "game" of some kind with the children happening after a funeral. The generations to come continue the living of us all.

 

[Trailblazer]

I haven't really focused on giving to others to receive happiness, but I'm interested to know if anyone has an experience of when they gave to others and it made them happy? For example when we give a gift to someone, does it really make us happy?

If I know I have helped someone that makes me happy, but it is not in the form if giving gifts. It is in the form of caring and giving my time.

 

[Trailblazer]

I am not happy most of the time. It has nothing to do with being an atheist. I was the most depressed when I was religious but one had nothing to do with the other. I have had a very, very hard life and so the trauma still haunts my mind which then contributes to depression. I am in a good position in my life though considering what it could be right now.

Sounds like you wrote my story. I have had a very, very hard life the trauma still haunts my mind which then makes me sad, if I think about it. However, I have learned how not to think about the past and live in the present. I do not live for the future or think much about it since I am not really hopeful that things will change much. As such, I try to be grateful for what I have in the present, but my life is still hard, so that's hard.

I am not happy most of the time but I am content some of the time. My happiness is not derived from being a believer. What makes me happy is when I am kind to people and animals and when I can help people or animals.

My religion does not make me depressed. I am happy with my religion and grateful to have it but being a believer in and of itself does not make me happy. It is things that I can do that make me happy, when I can do them, and conversely, it is things I cannot do that make me unhappy.

This week my counselor said that I am in a good position in my life considering what it could be and she thinks I have many options, given my life situation. I am not so sure about that since I believe free will is very limited.

 

[walt]

Why do psychologists say "And how does that make you feel"?

Many years ago I was doing a tile repair for a psychologist, And I asked him this question, What is the best thing I could start doing that would help me in any type of relationship?

He said this: in this famous quote, this information helps me with family relationships, husband and wife, relatives You name it.

Maya Angelou was the source of a lot of wisdom over the course of her amazing life and career, exemplified by one of her most famous quotes: I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

I ask each person questions to find out one thing: "And how does that make you feel"?
Then start doing or saying something that helps the other person feel better!

Does anyone agree?

 

[idea]

...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 ...

Beautiful post Trailblazer. Yes, I think love - of life, of others, love for ourself, love of nature ❤ appreciation, thankful mindset, not grasping - but appreciation for life, this is happiness.

 

[idea]

I ask each person questions to find out one thing: "And how does that make you feel"?
Then start doing or saying something that helps the other person feel better!

Does anyone agree?

Self-reliance comes from within. As much as we would all like to be saviours, in the end, letting go and allowing others to save themselves is best.

We do little things, bring dinner, provide a ride, a place to sleep, but cannot give what must be earned.

Help, yes, but the final goal - no borrowed light, it comes from within, has to be discovered not taught.

"Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know" - cannot be taught, cannot be given, must be found within.

 

[walt]

Self-reliance comes from within. As much as we would all like to be saviours, in the end, letting go and allowing others to save themselves is best.

We do little things, bring dinner, provide a ride, a place to sleep, but cannot give what must be earned.

Help, yes, but the final goal - no borrowed light, it comes from within, has to be discovered not taught.

"Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know" - cannot be taught, cannot be given, must be found within.

I agree that is a very good way for you could it be though that each person is different, what one person likes the other does not, so maybe it would be good to first, ask the person what makes you feel good?

 

[walt]

I agree that is a very good way for you could it be though that each person is different, what one person likes the other does not, so maybe it would be good to first, ask the person what makes you feel good?

Either way I think your way is a good way, I just have a tendency to firmly believe that everybody's likes and dislikes are so different.

 

[MelancholicPotatoChip]

Sounds like you wrote my story. I have had a very, very hard life the trauma still haunts my mind which then makes me sad, if I think about it. However, I have learned how not to think about the past and live in the present. I do not live for the future or think much about it since I am not really hopeful that things will change much. As such, I try to be grateful for what I have in the present, but my life is still hard, so that's hard.

I am not happy most of the time but I am content some of the time. My happiness is not derived from being a believer. What makes me happy is when I am kind to people and animals and when I can help people or animals.

My religion does not make me depressed. I am happy with my religion and grateful to have it but being a believer in and of itself does not make me happy. It is things that I can do that make me happy, when I can do them, and conversely, it is things I cannot do that make me unhappy.

This week my counselor said that I am in a good position in my life considering what it could be and she thinks I have many options, given my life situation. I am not so sure about that since I believe free will is very limited.

I am sorry you have had a hard life.

 

[Trailblazer]

I am sorry you have had a hard life.

I am sorry for your hard life as well.

 

[MelancholicPotatoChip]

I am sorry for your hard life as well.

Thank you.