(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.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god. If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.
