Pursuit of happiness

The pursuit of happiness is artificial. It is not the origin of men's struggle to survive and will never will be. It is imposed on humanity by others to keep them preocuppied. People look for happiness without ever being satisfied, without ever knowing what they are looking for. They look for happiness because society demands it. There is a myth that says that happy people work harder. I believe that only people looking for happiness work hard, because they have a reason to. Happy people don't work at all, unless they find happiness in their work. Society demands that pursuit, because than everyone has a purpose in life and people with a purpose don't commit suicide. It however does not want people to reach the satisfaction of happiness because then there would be no more reason to consume and society would collapse. There would be no more reason to explore and society would stagnate.

Have you just been dumped?

I ask because it's usually something like that which causes outbursts like this, needless to say I dissagree completely.

no.

PVC - Sigged.

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Originally Posted by The Stranger

The pursuit of happiness is artificial. It is not the origin of men's struggle to survive and will never will be.

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Ah - but we have moved beyond the simple need for survival and reproduction by now, haven't we?

have we really (have we moved on to consuming instead?)? We like to believe we have, and so the people with the best qualities (aka most intelligent, athletic and beautiful people) no longer or barely reproduce and we are uncapable of surviving (most of us in the west anyway) if we are put outside our comfortable little appartments...

we still don't know what we're doing here... beside the obvious, reproduction (to ensure the survival of the species) and to maintain the balance of the ecosystem...

needless to say we suck at both...

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Originally Posted by Marshal Murat

PVC - Sigged.

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:bow:

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Originally Posted by The Stranger

have we really (have we moved on to consuming instead?)? We like to believe we have, and so the people with the best qualities (aka most intelligent, athletic and beautiful people) no longer or barely reproduce and we are uncapable of surviving (most of us in the west anyway) if we are put outside our comfortable little appartments...

we still don't know what we're doing here... beside the obvious, reproduction (to ensure the survival of the species) and to maintain the balance of the ecosystem...

needless to say we suck at both...

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Bah, speak for yoursself!

As for me, I have found the meaning of life - it's enjoyment and pleasure. Get as much of it as possible. Reproduction? Hah! If I have kids, it'll probably one that should've been a wet stain on the bed...

Enjoyment and pleasure probably equal happiness to most people....... And uh reproducing is a happy event. As is surviving.

I never understood the "the purpose of life is to continue the human race" line of thought, because what is the point in continuing something that has no purpose in itself? Gah, this backroom is making me too philosophical...

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Originally Posted by Centurion1

Enjoyment and pleasure probably equal happiness to most people.......

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Indeed it does.

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Originally Posted by Centurion1

And uh reproducing is a happy event. As is surviving.

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Not reproduction itself, that leads to sleepless nights, anxiety, stress and all sorts of unhappiness. The act which was meant to lead to reproduction though.... ~;) As for surviving.... Let's swap it around, will you be unhappy if you stop surviving? How will you know?

@Rhy: Luckily it's friday night now, you have an excuse to drown your worries in ale :smash:

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Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr

I never understood the "the purpose of life is to continue the human race" line of thought, because what is the point in continuing something that has no purpose in itself? Gah, this backroom is making me too philosophical...

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You almost have it. There is no point, no purpose. We are, and that's all we have. Therefore we must work to keep it.

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Originally Posted by lars573

You almost have it. There is no point, no purpose. We are, and that's all we have. Therefore we must work to keep it.

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Well I wouldn't say that's all we have but without that there is nothing else for us.

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Originally Posted by The Stranger

I believe that only people looking for happiness work hard, because they have a reason to. Happy people don't work at all, unless they find happiness in their work.

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Incorrect. I have been happy for a very long period of time. One of the major reasons why I am happy is that I am financially secure. If I were to stop working, I would lose that financial security and no longer be able to maintain my lifestyle. This would almost certainly cause me to be unhappy. Thus, though I have obtained happiness, I continue to work hard so that I can continue experiencing that happiness.

Plus, not working is boring.

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Originally Posted by TinCow

Plus, not working is boring.

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thats debatable.

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Originally Posted by lars573

You almost have it. There is no point, no purpose. We are, and that's all we have. Therefore we must work to keep it.

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God is the only thing that gives meaning and purpose to existence. And I'm not talking just about humanity; the Universe itself is nothing without God.

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Originally Posted by lars573

You almost have it. There is no point, no purpose. We are, and that's all we have. Therefore we must work to keep it.

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Ego sum, Ego Sum Dicto!

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Originally Posted by rvg

God is the only thing that gives meaning and purpose to existence. And I'm not talking just about humanity; the Universe itself is nothing without God.

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God doesn't exist. Humanity and the universe are a fluke. Want to try that again?

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Originally Posted by rvg

God is the only thing that gives meaning and purpose to existence. And I'm not talking just about humanity; the Universe itself is nothing without God.

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One of the problems I have with believing in God is that for God to exist then he must know what is in the future and if that is the case then we have no control over our lives. How can someone be happy knowing there is nothing they can do to affect the course of their lives?

Anywho, I quite like this poem that my nanna has hanging on her wall:

SUCCESS

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded

I believe that "success" could just as easily be replaced with "happiness".

You don't need to pursuit happines. You just being it is enough. Just make yourself happy. It's not hard. Not hard at all.
I've been happy for as long as I live. Never had to pursuit it.

Also TS, did you just admit being bad at reproducing? Is this what happened? Did your "buddy" let you down or something? If so don't worry it can happen to anyone. Well not me of course but err... :runs away:

Edit: Miotas succes and happiness are to very different things. Look at poor africans. They usually have :daisy: lives, but are much happier than many of the suicidal rich Europeans and Americans. I think succes can even brake happiness. However on one point they are a like. You shouldn't need to pursuit succes. You just have to make it.

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Originally Posted by miotas

One of the problems I have with believing in God is that for God to exist then he must know what is in the future and if that is the case then we have no control over our lives. How can someone be happy knowing there is nothing they can do to affect the course of their lives?

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This is very much a matter of opinion, and there is no reason it must be this way.

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Originally Posted by Moros

Edit: Miotas succes and happiness are to very different things. Look at poor africans. They usually have shitty lives, but are much happier than many of the suicidal rich Europeans and Americans. I think succes can even brake happiness. However on one point they are a like. You shouldn't need to pursuit succes. You just have to make it.

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I wasn't talking about that type of success but the type of simple, genuinely gratifying success mentioned in the poem. You did read the poem didn't you?

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Originally Posted by lars573

You almost have it. There is no point, no purpose. We are, and that's all we have. Therefore we must work to keep it.

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But why work to keep something of no value?

Also, going strictly along scientific lines, what exactly are 'we'? What is a human being? Obviously they have a body etc, but what about the mental aspect? According to science, aren't we really just biological robots, acting according to all the chemical reactions in our brains? We have no control over these (other than the controlling methods we could use through other chemical reactions in our brains to make the decisions to control them, but that just starts a cycle...), and so there is no such thing as choice. Miotas was saying about how he couldn't be happy not being able to control his life under an all-knowing God, and I would guess that in saying such a thing he must have presumed he has some kind of conscience by which he identifies himself. But then, does science even allow for such an idea as a conscience/soul?

You could say your consciousness is the sum of the workings of your brain, but really that's not consciousness, that's just a set of complicated reactions which work every bit as mechanically and rigidly as the PC I'm sitting at right now.

What is the point of living under such circumstances?

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Originally Posted by rvg

God is the only thing that gives meaning and purpose to existence. And I'm not talking just about humanity; the Universe itself is nothing without God.

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I don't really understand why a belief in God implies a meaning and purpose to existence that an atheistic view does not. One could argue a religious person is simply mindlessly seeking pleasure for its own sake as much as a hedonist, the only difference being that the religious person believes their actions will result in happiness later rather than now. Either way, you still have to invent a meaning for it of your own.

As to your last statement, I totally disagree. I do not need to believe that a Universe so vast, so complex and so packed with layer upon layer of intricate and fascinating structure was created for a purpose to be in awe of it.

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Originally Posted by Miotas

One of the problems I have with believing in God is that for God to exist then he must know what is in the future and if that is the case then we have no control over our lives. How can someone be happy knowing there is nothing they can do to affect the course of their lives?

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I think you're slightly missing the point of determinism. The idea is not that the events in your life will play out according to a set script no matter how hard you try to direct them otherwise, but instead that while your actions and decisions have very real consequences for the outcome of your life, there are nonetheless clear reasons why you come to every decision you make, even if you don't always know what those reasons are. I've never understood why this is a troubling thought; I would like to hope I have reasons for all my decisions even if they are not always good ones.

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Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla

This is very much a matter of opinion, and there is no reason it must be this way.

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Indeed, my understanding of quantum mechanics is that we have good reason to believe it cannot be this way.

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Originally Posted by Rhyfelwr

What is the point of living under such circumstances?

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What is the point of living if one does have a soul and free will?

Ultimately, isn't a religious person motivated just as much as a cold, robotic atheist by the desire for pleasure, and more importantly, fear of pain?

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Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr

Also, going strictly along scientific lines, what exactly are 'we'? What is a human being? Obviously they have a body etc, but what about the mental aspect? According to science, aren't we really just biological robots, acting according to all the chemical reactions in our brains? We have no control over these (other than the controlling methods we could use through other chemical reactions in our brains to make the decisions to control them, but that just starts a cycle...), and so there is no such thing as choice. Miotas was saying about how he couldn't be happy not being able to control his life under an all-knowing God, and I would guess that in saying such a thing he must have presumed he has some kind of conscience by which he identifies himself. But then, does science even allow for such an idea as a conscience/soul?

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Of course. That is exactly why I keep an open mind and identify myself as an agnostic, I just find that it is terribly ironic, and even a little sad that an athiest has to have faith that no gods exist because science can't prove they don't. If a billion people believe something that science can't disprove then maybe there's something to it. :shrug:

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Originally Posted by PBI

I think you're slightly missing the point of determinism. The idea is not that the events in your life will play out according to a set script no matter how hard you try to direct them otherwise, but instead that while your actions and decisions have very real consequences for the outcome of your life, there are nonetheless clear reasons why you come to every decision you make, even if you don't always know what those reasons are. I've never understood why this is a troubling thought; I would like to hope I have reasons for all my decisions even if they are not always good ones.

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I was refering to the omniscent god in the bible. True omniscence would mean he knows all past, present and future, and maybe there are different ways to interperate it and maybe the choices are the ones I would have picked anyway, I just like the idea that I chose something because I wanted to, not because its what was going to happen.:dizzy2: Gah! now I've confused myself. :laugh4:

I reckon the ancient gods were awesome, basically just a bunch of very, but not all, powerful blokes going around, getting people to think they were awesome then getting drunk and absconding with the nearest shiela, kinda like AC/DC :idea2:

What could be more gratifying than getting drunk with your chosen diety and running around town causing a ruckus before he ditches you in the wee hours of the morning for the hot red head. Now that's true happiness right there :2thumbsup: I think I'm going to try and cause a revival of the worship of Dionysus, he is the perfect god for Australia after all. :yes:

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Originally Posted by Moros

You don't need to pursuit happines. You just being it is enough. Just make yourself happy. It's not hard. Not hard at all.
I've been happy for as long as I live. Never had to pursuit it.

Also TS, did you just admit being bad at reproducing? Is this what happened? Did your "buddy" let you down or something? If so don't worry it can happen to anyone. Well not me of course but err... :runs away:

Edit: Miotas succes and happiness are to very different things. Look at poor africans. They usually have :daisy: lives, but are much happier than many of the suicidal rich Europeans and Americans. I think succes can even brake happiness. However on one point they are a like. You shouldn't need to pursuit succes. You just have to make it.

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no ofcourse not. and i do egree with your edit.


We (in the west) have become the definition of our consumption. We are because we buy, not the we buy because we are. We would not be worthy humans in the eyes of the others if we would not buy the newest mobile phones, lcd TV's, computers, latest infashion clothes and furniture? If we wouldnt buy any of these things, if you wouldnt buy our own houses and etc, we would become sub-humans, beggars. We would be regarded with suspicion as deviators and therefor dangerous. We have to buy in order to maintain our place in society. We have to buy in order to justify our existance. Because why would we otherwise work 45 hours a week in a position that doesnt give us the respect we think we deserve, with people we dont like, a job we hate and a boss we despise, if we wouldnt be able to buy that new tv? That new tv that will this time, yes this time it really will, provide us that ever elusive happiness. But no it doesnt, we feel happy the moment we buy it, because it is the fruit of our labour, and we feel happy as long as it is new. But than it becomes normal and were already looking for the next throphy, the next justification of our otherwise meaningless life. How many girls do not buy alot of crap they dont need when they feel unhappy, just to make them forget about how they feel, to make them feel better. But they always feel guilty afterwards.

(the cursored is quoted from here Brian Massumi

Yes, that's what the guys in church always say as well but they add that only God can make you really happy and that it's the only happiness that lasts forever.

Is that what you're aiming at or do you have a better solution? :inquisitive:

I'm not religious.

I think happiness is state of mind, you either are or are not happy. its useless to pursue it.

But there are obviously things that can change that, even if it's just for a short amount of time, why is it wrong to pursuit those?

I dont think it is wrong to pursuit those, but it is wrong to let them become an obsession. Happiness means acceptance, it means that you accept that what you have is enough, and that you don't need anything more. It means that you will shut yourself from change, because change is unknown and uncertain. you dont know if it will change for better or worse. and if you would want change, that would mean that you are not entirely happy with the situation you are in. if we would be a happy race we wouldve gotten nowhere, we would still party, walk around naked, roast wild pigs and have orgies in our caves... and deep down that is all we still want.

I mean look at us, we have every reason to be happy, most of us in the west anyway, we are rich, we have good infrastructure, we have all kinds of luxuries, we have education, unlimited access to knowledge and information, and yet we have emo's. Yet we have lots of depressions and suicides. We have people who have no reason to be unhappy other than that there is too much choice to be happy. Give people the opportunity to be happy, the time to think about their lives and they will become unhappy. It is too much pressure. Tell people they have to succeed and many will break under the pressure, demand of people that they have to be happy and they will become unhappy.

Give people no opportunity to be unhappy, because being unhappy will kill them, and they will live in a state joy.

I see what you mean now.

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Originally Posted by The Stranger

I think happiness is state of mind, you either are or are not happy. its useless to pursue it.

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I would agree with that.

IMO, happiness comes when your dreams and hopes for something better is crushed. When you are content with what you have, instead of longing for what you don't have.

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Originally Posted by HoreTore

I would agree with that.

IMO, happiness comes when your dreams and hopes for something better is crushed. When you are content with what you have, instead of longing for what you don't have.

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i dont think that it neccesarily only comes when your dreams and hopes are crushed, unhappiness can also come from that. but i do agree with the latter part of your post. it is acceptence and content.

People aren't constantly happy--we evolved that way. Someone who is happy for a while but then becomes discontent and works at becoming happy again is more successful evolutionarily.

Buying new things does make us happy--for a short while. Nothing wrong with it as long as you can afford it.

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I mean look at us, we have every reason to be happy, most of us in the west anyway, we are rich, we have good infrastructure, we have all kinds of luxuries, we have education, unlimited access to knowledge and information, and yet we have emo's. Yet we have lots of depressions and suicides. We have people who have no reason to be unhappy other than that there is too much choice to be happy.

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People are very social, they need strong personal relationships in ordor to be happy. Some people are also genetically prone to depresion and not good at dealing with it. I don't believe the pursuit of happiness is artificial, it seems like a natural instinct to me.

there is nothing wrong with buying to bcome happy but there is with buying to justify your existance. we buy in order to be socially accepted.

have to catch my transfer more later

The Pursuit of Happiness, as an inalienable right, right up there with Life and Liberty in the American system, also implies a Right to Privacy, and the Primacy of the Individual citizen, over the collective.

In other words, it dictates that the individual citizen, using whatever method he chooses, decides for himself what will most likely make him happy (there's the Privacy bit: HE decides, not The State or his neighbors/family), and is allowed the freedom to use whatever means he deems fit to achieve that happy goal - restricted only in that he cannot deny the Life, Liberty or Pursuit of Happiness of another citizen.

I've read that early drafts of the US Declaration of Independence used the words: Life, Liberty, and Property, when talking about inalienable rights. I'm glad they changed that to "Pursuit of Happiness", it allowing more flexibility to the individual citizen.

that is true. in theory we are free (wether we subject to a covenant or not, eg roussaux) but we are social people and ranked amongst nr1 fear is the fear to be alone, the fear of not being accepted in a group, aka not being socially accepted. and that fear overrules any desire to be free in every but the most individual and stongest human beings. so even though by law we are free, by peerpressure we are not. and it is not tyranny, because we are all equally subjected in it.

im not glad they changed it to pursuit of happiness, there exactly is the demand of the government (who represents the people, thus actually it is the people demanding it from themselves and others) that you pursue your happiness, at all costs exept of another person. I say to hell with that and just enjoy the moment.

still stuck on the airport... almost home... home sweet home!

wwoooooot post 8000

Happiness from Buddhist point of view

Happiness is not the same as material gratification. "Unhappiness" is not the lack of possessing material objects. The Stranger says that happiness is a state of mind, and I do not disagree with him. However, does the fact that it's state of mind make it any less real? True happiness, in my opinion is smiling because you see a flower blooming, a happy mother with a child or simply enjoying the wind rustling through the leaves. Happiness is never materialistic and comes forth from compassion.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama explained that Buddhism is not natural, it's swimming against the stream. Keeping this in mind, distancing oneself from what in Buddhism are called "Earthly attachments" is vital.

In this respect, when it comes to happiness, well yeah, it is something that you can't buy.

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Originally Posted by Hax

True happiness, in my opinion is smiling because you see a flower blooming, a happy mother with a child or simply enjoying the wind rustling through the leaves. Happiness is never materialistic and comes forth from compassion.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama explained that Buddhism is not natural, it's swimming against the stream. Keeping this in mind, distancing oneself from what in Buddhism are called "Earthly attachments" is vital.

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I never really understood the distinction between material things and natural things. Why should only man-made material things be considered an earthly attachment? For example, what is the difference in being happy because you got a big new TV, or being happy because there's a new flower in your garden? At the end of the day, it's just your mind taking pleasure in a wordly object. And it's just as easy to become decadent with 'natural' things as 'material' things, for example I would consider having a fancy garden to be decadent. And depending on such things to be happy just leads to misery.

That actually makes sense rhy. Perhaps the only place in which we hold things that are truly immaterial is our mind. It is our thoughts and memories that we have 20 years later. By then we will most likely have bought a new car or tv.

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Originally Posted by Hax

Happiness from Buddhist point of view

Happiness is not the same as material gratification. "Unhappiness" is not the lack of possessing material objects. The Stranger says that happiness is a state of mind, and I do not disagree with him. However, does the fact that it's state of mind make it any less real? True happiness, in my opinion is smiling because you see a flower blooming, a happy mother with a child or simply enjoying the wind rustling through the leaves. Happiness is never materialistic and comes forth from compassion.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama explained that Buddhism is not natural, it's swimming against the stream. Keeping this in mind, distancing oneself from what in Buddhism are called "Earthly attachments" is vital.

In this respect, when it comes to happiness, well yeah, it is something that you can't buy.

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No that is true joy. Joy is fleeting. It's a moment. You enJOY the moment. and then its over. some joys take longer, others are quick and gone. joy is not to be confused with happiness. an unhappy people can enjoy, can have joys. and a happy person can have his sad moments. but theyre still respectively unhappy and happy. you are only happy when you accept that the joys in your life and all the sad moments are all that there is and that there will be nothing more.

Happiness requires you to denounce change. but most people will become fed up with their lives if nothing changes. theyll feel as if they dont grow. as if nothing new happens. they need change to stay happy. but happiness means that you dont want anything to change, that you are happy with what you have and dont want anything more. there lies the problem.

so instead of trying to be happy and eventually get caught up in the pincerproblem that haunts the idea of happiness, i say enjoy the moment and just live. just exist.

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Originally Posted by The Stranger

Happiness requires you to denounce change. but most people will become fed up with their lives if nothing changes. theyll feel as if they dont grow. as if nothing new happens. they need change to stay happy. but happiness means that you dont want anything to change, that you are happy with what you have and dont want anything more. there lies the problem.

so instead of trying to be happy and eventually get caught up in the pincerproblem that haunts the idea of happiness, i say enjoy the moment and just live. just exist.

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No, psychologically we require variance. If we could just live in the moment we could sit in a chair and listen to a song we like over and over again all day and be happy.

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I never really understood the distinction between material things and natural things. Why should only man-made material things be considered an earthly attachment? For example, what is the difference in being happy because you got a big new TV, or being happy because there's a new flower in your garden? At the end of the day, it's just your mind taking pleasure in a wordly object. And it's just as easy to become decadent with 'natural' things as 'material' things, for example I would consider having a fancy garden to be decadent. And depending on such things to be happy just leads to misery.

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A good point. However, there are some things that you may have misunderstood. Happiness does not come forth from dependence; true happiness does not, in Buddhism. There is a difference, as the concept of "ownership" is not really relevant when it comes to the natural world in Buddhism.

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And it's just as easy to become decadent with 'natural' things as 'material' things, for example I would consider having a fancy garden to be decadent. And depending on such things to be happy just leads to misery.

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That's about the number one thing that we try not to be, being depedent on material objects. As far as I'm concerned, a Buddhist would rather say he grows plants in his garden instead of "I own plants".

Tell me, who owns nature? Buddhism is positivism (I might have just made word that up), happiness coming forth from what is, acceptance that we can never "own" this and letting it be as it is.


Do not take this to be the truth, or even a truth. If you are happy as you are, you can simply disregard that and continue with your life.

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Originally Posted by Hax

That's about the number one thing that we try not to be, being depedent on material objects. As far as I'm concerned, a Buddhist would rather say he grows plants in his garden instead of "I own plants".

Tell me, who owns nature? Buddhism is positivism (I might have just made word that up), happiness coming forth from what is, acceptance that we can never "own" this and letting it be as it is.


Do not take this to be the truth, or even a truth. If you are happy as you are, you can simply disregard that and continue with your life.

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I find buddhism to be very interesting--however I find it to be a bit off the mark. Though better than many theories of happiness.

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert..._we_happy.html

A 20 minute talk, quite interesting I find. Similar to buddhism but a bit better imo (or maybe my understanding of buddhism is a bit off--though I remember finding it suspiciously adaptable when I read about it). The buddhist idea is that happiness comes from not striving for it. The guy in the video here shows pretty conclusively that people greatly overestimate the effect something will have on their happiness, and strive to hard to achieve it. So people should strive, but not too hard.

If I have to take it at face value I would describe budhism (or every religion really) as spiritual capitalism. Different bank, same thing.

So bitter, for what reason?

Nobody is forcing you to change your opinion though.

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A 20 minute talk, quite interesting I find. Similar to buddhism but a bit better imo (or maybe my understanding of buddhism is a bit off--though I remember finding it suspiciously adaptable when I read about it). The buddhist idea is that happiness comes from not striving for it.

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I try to keep the use of the words "better" and "worse" when it comes to religion as minimal as possible. I think all religions have aspects that affect people, and some are suited better for some people than others. Or no religion at all. As long as you're happy and don't stab random people.

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Originally Posted by Hax

So bitter, for what reason?

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The bushist monks always stole my lunchbox, and there is nothing I could do about it they know kung-fu.

buddhism isnt really a religion... it is a way of life. but afa religion is concerned (religions shouldnt be confused with belief) you are right. different bank and dictator same reason.

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Originally Posted by The Stranger

buddhism isnt really a religion...

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Uh........................................................................

buddhism is a religion. but i understand what you are saying. compared to some other religions out there it is much more of a life path.

You are both correct, in a way.

Buddhism does not have a God who judges people, in which it differs from most religions. There are deities, but they do not judge us. To become a Buddhist, there are three vows which need to be taken;

I take refuge in the Buddha
I take refuge in the Dharma (Buddhist "rules")
I take refuge in the Sangha (Buddhist community)

In this it greatly differs from both the Christian idea that Jesus was God's son, and the Muslim idea that Mohammed was God's final prophet, since there is no God to us. Maybe there is, but we don't really mind. That's not what Buddhism is about. The way I explained it to my (Islamic) family was that Islam (and Christianity) are religions of preparation on the afterlife. Buddhism is a religion which focuses almost solely on life. There is a Heaven, but the only way to get in there is by becoming a Boddhisattva or Buddha. If not, you reincarnate.

There is "belief", to an extent, in Buddhism, but it's mostly about improving our lives.

I love the concept of reincarnations. The whole you get another chance concept as compared to Christianity's belief that you get one chance so don't **** it up

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Originally Posted by Hax

Buddhism does not have a God who judges people, in which it differs from most religions.

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Actually, I'd say it's the three religions with the judging god who differs from all the other religions...

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Actually, I'd say it's the three religions with the judging god who differs from all the other religions...

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Yet these three religions together easily make 57 percent of the entire world population.

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Originally Posted by Hax

Yet these three religions together easily make 57 percent of the entire world population.

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Just gimme a couple of years ~;)

I don't think religions like christianity, judaism, islam will ever really "die out". They are just too firmly entrenched in our culture. In some ways they add structure to our lives. Buddhism even with such a different philosophy does much the same thing. In my mind religion is first and foremost a way of life. Being a "good" christian or Buddhist just means following a set of rules. The only really major differences between religions (not cultures) is the end result.