Aw, Retro!!
Sorry I phrased my reply so harshly....
That's what comes of being a dragon/She-Devil...
Atheists, Agnostics or Theists .... So Who's Happiest?
by 00DAD 44 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Twitch
00DAD
Well, you certainly have the right to your opinion.
At the risk of basing a discussion on a false premise, lets table the atheism definition for the moment and look at the broader assertion, which I would surmise as the path of not knowing i.e. agnosticism being the worldview of the most balanced, thoughtful and understanding people, exclusively. Any True Believer or rather, anyone with strong and personal convictions are
very uptight, unhappy people always going around trying to prove everyone else wrong and themselves right, often in a rude, offensive and annoying manner with total disregard for the beliefs of others.
I disagree on the grounds that there are believers of all persuasions who can not painted with that brush. One of the realizations that helped me exit the JW world was because of meeting such people. Some of these believers may even be
able to get through life with calmness, dignity, grace and a certain serenity
There is evidence of this, here and elsewhere.
I'm not saying extreme beliefs don't shape extreme people and vice versa but more that not all believers are cut of the cloth you attempt to cover them with. I hope this isn't in conflict with one of the atheist commandments. Oh wait, I forgot, there aren't any....
Now whether or not we add all atheists to the believer column is up for debate. BTW, is that the black or white column ;)
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Retrovirus
Zid
Another angle on the topic - being a True Believer always begs the question why everyone else cannot see the Truth too? Only so much you can do with an invisible and not so powerful Satan. So nonbelievers cause a bit (or a lot) of strain to True Believers, whereas someone who doesn't have all the answers is also not threatened because there are different opinions out there.
Maybe less strain leads to more happiness?
Retro
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mindseye
Brain scans show that Buddhists are the happiest. (where they fall on the theist/atheist spectrum is a whole other subject)
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Twitch
The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.Atisha (11th century Tibetan Buddhist master)