As I was driving home from bible study and worship service today I came to a realization.  It's not that all christians are joyful, even though they should be, but the only people I've come across in my life that I would consider joyful have been christians.  I see joy as different than happiness, in that it is a deeper contentment, and is there whether one's life is going well or not.  It's present even in times of great sickness and dying.  It's knowing that, no matter what happens, things are okay--not just that they will be okay, but they are okay.     

Ignorance is bliss.

Appeal to consequence.

Got evidence?

OK. How is this different to any other religion?

I've certainly noticed no such trend, if anything the opposite.

I'm not sure if you're just explaining your own reasons, if so that's cool. But I hope you can see that becoming a Christian, or joining any other religion, is not a choice a sceptic could make without just pretending to believe all the necessary stuff.

I guess the OP has never watched Neil deGrasse Tyson speak about...well anything! That man has more joy about life than anyone I've ever seen.

But there probably is some truth that Christians are often happier (I know OP wants to claim joy, but studies show happiness) than those who are irreligious. It's a lot like being 3 again. Knowing someone smarter and more grown up than you will take care of everything in the end, that you are safe, and that "someone" loves you, even in your darkest hour could be a comforting belief. Doesn't make it a true belief though.

Personally I've found that dealing with reality, however harsh it may be at times, is much more comforting and brings much more happiness than clinging on to a delusion.

It must be nice to be able to truly and deeply believe that there is an omnipotent being with our best interest at heart, but the mental gymnastics one must perform to remain ignorant of the reality which suggests otherwise must be exhausting. Just as it must be nice to believe Elvis is still alive, or that the Holocaust didn't happen. Generally it must feel pretty dang great to be sincerely able to pretend everything is peachy.

This may sound morbid, and it probably is, but I take a great deal of comfort in knowing that I'm going to die. In about 5 billion years, the sun will blow up and nothing I've ever cared about will matter. I'm happy with that.

Additionally, Christianity bears all sorts of pain with it - unjustified guilt, sexual suppression and the threat of eternal torture. Personally I've become much happier since I left religion. But hey, if it gives you so much joy, awesome. Congratulations. Keep being happy. Just bear in mind it does not necessarily work like that for everyone.

You should meet other people...

I guess I can sort of see the attraction. It's a bit like handing over some responsibility. It's a bit like getting drunk. It's taking a bit of a step back from reality.

I'd love to step back from reality. I'd quite easily get smashed off my face and not deal with anything. Sadly, I have to deal with the real world as it is.

Believing stuff is just going to be OK is fine, as long as it doesn't lead to complacency.

(April 19, 2015 at 4:54 pm)Lek Wrote: As I was driving home from bible study and worship service today I came to a realization.  It's not that all christians are joyful, even though they should be, but the only people I've come across in my life that I would consider joyful have been christians.  I see joy as different than happiness, in that it is a deeper contentment, and is there whether one's life is going well or not.  It's present even in times of great sickness and dying.  It's knowing that, no matter what happens, things are okay--not just that they will be okay, but they are okay.     

I think you need to get out more.  Seriously.  There are a number of religions that can produce what you are speaking of, Buddhism (which is atheist) is one of them.   Yoga with or without woo, seems to produce much of the same.  So does meditation, with or without god.  A number of artists, musicians, and deep thinking scientists seem to have it.  Terry Pratchet appears to have had it. And while I've met Christians who are as you describe, I've not met many. 

You should take a look at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_bias

Since you are a Christian, who spends a lot of time with Christians, you are likely to meet more Christians who are joyous than nonChristians who are joyous.  And more Christians who are not joyous than nonChristians who are not joyous.

Also, of course, you probably don't have a very precise method of determining who is joyous and who isn't.  Without that, your musings on the matter are of little value.


You are also discussing a motive to believe something, rather than a reason to believe it.  If you take a lot of morphine, you will feel no pain.  But it does not make one suddenly wise or correct in one's view of the world.