Is This the Way to Happiness?

IN PURSUIT of happiness many go to extremes. Consider, for example, the case of Caterina Fieschi. She came from a well-to-do family in Italy, was intelligent and very religious. Mental depression from an unhappy marriage caused this young lady to seek relief through the gaiety and comforts that her position in society made available.

That changed, however, when Caterina reached the age of 26. At that time the young woman experienced what has been termed “conversion.” Thereafter she “made great penances, so that all her senses were mortified. . . . So soon as she perceived that her nature desired anything, at once she deprived it thereof. . . . She wore [a garment of] harsh hair, ate no meat nor any other thing that she liked; ate no fruit, neither fresh nor dried . . . and she lived greatly submitted to all persons, and always sought to do all those things which were contrary to her own will.”

That account is from the biography of one who came to be known as “Saint Catherine of Genoa.” When asked the reason for engaging in self-torture, she replied: “I do not know, but I feel myself drawn inwardly to do this . . . and I think it is God’s will.” She believed that torturing herself was a means of purification for gaining God’s favor and true happiness.

A like viewpoint was held by the Spaniard known as “Saint John of the Cross.” He recommended, among other things, that people seek out ‘not what tastes best, but what is most distasteful; not what most pleases, but what disgusts; not what is highest and most precious, but what is lowest and most contemptible; not the best in everything, but the worst.’ He advised: “Despise yourself, and wish that others should despise you; speak to your own disadvantage, and desire others to do the same; conceive a low opinion of yourself, and find it good when others hold the same.” Similar views have supporters even today.

But is such extreme self-humiliation the way to find real, lasting happiness? Not according to the Bible. The apostle Paul writes:

“Did you not die with Christ and pass beyond reach of the elementary ideas belonging to this world? Then why behave as though you were still living the life of the world? Why let people dictate to you: ‘Do not handle this, do not taste that, do not touch the other’—all of them things that must perish as soon as they are used? That is to follow merely human injunctions and teaching. True, it has an air of wisdom, with its forced piety, its self-mortification, and its severity to the body; but it is of no use at all in combating sensuality.”—Col. 2:20-23, “The New English Bible,” margin.

Extreme “self-mortification” is a sham, with merely “an air of wisdom.” It is neither pleasing to God nor of any use in attaining happiness.

What about the opposite extreme of living mainly for pleasure? Is that perhaps the way to the genuine joy of living? Many believe so. Some of their exploits at pleasure-seeking are set forth in the next article.

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‘She wore a harsh hair garment, ate no meat nor any other thing that she liked’

THE wedding drew hundreds of spectators. During the procession, onlookers sang the wedding march. The mayor worded his ceremony somewhat different from what was usual, and the reason was obvious to all present. The occasion was not a marriage of people, but of two hermit crabs.

The whole affair was devised by residents of Ocean City, New Jersey (U.S.A.), as an entertaining way of spending leisure time. It serves to highlight a growing obsession with leisure today. Many are determined to go all out for play.

In America some refer to leisure pursuits as the number one industry. Despite massive increases in the cost of living, money spent on leisure rose from $58,300,000,000 in 1965 to $160,000,000,000 in 1977. “America is developing a leisure mentality,” observes a recreation analyst for the U.S. Department of Commerce. “This current boom shows no signs of slackening.” It is believed that by 1985 Americans will be spending $300,000,000,000 a year for leisure.

Finding New Ways to Play

Recent years have seen a remarkable increase in the ways people spend their hours away from work. For example, one group has established a “primitive camp” that permits use only of items developed before 1820. The campers spend two weeks dressed in costumes characteristic of the French and Indian Wars.

Then there is the Society for Creative Anachronisms. During leisure hours its members dress and carry on their lives as if in the Middle Ages. They are divided into four “kingdoms” that are subdivided into smaller areas such as baronies and provinces. Activities include combat in full suits of armor, but with blunted weapons. Someone is selected to judge whether a blow would have maimed or been fatal if struck with a real weapon.

Another playful innovation is ‘bathtub racing.’ At Saranac Lake, New York, individuals attach outboard motors to real bathtubs and go buzzing about the lake. Similar is activity of the Waterbugs of America Racing Association. However, rather than using bathtubs for clipping over the waves, this organization employs discarded Volkswagen “beetles.” After removing the top and making the vehicle watertight, they attach a propeller to the drive shaft.

Why Such Interest in Leisure?

Why is there so much interest in leisure activities today? Some give an unexpected reply. “The meaning of work has changed,” notes Dr. John W. Churchill of the University of Maryland Department of Leisure Studies. “I think we have a compulsion to be productive, to achieve, to produce. I think it’s a very basic need. Since so many people cannot achieve this in their job, then leisure is the only place to be successful.” Dr. Churchill sees the current emphasis on leisure as “a shift over to productivity,” rather than a turning away from it.

Another reason for increased interest in leisure today is that many have quit viewing success in terms of income or status in the community. Instead, they equate success with a self-image achieved from bizarre leisure activities. Their desire is not only to play, but to gain recognition from playful exploits.

A deeper reason for so much interest in leisure is the recent explosion of concern for “self.” But is self-interest wrong? Is displaying it by having fun something bad? Not necessarily. A measure of interest in oneself and wholesome recreation is beneficial. But, as the following article will show, frequently the pursuit of play gets out of hand.

When Play Does Not Pay

CONTRARY to the thinking of some, the Bible does not condemn having a good time. As his first miracle, Jesus contributed to the merriment of a wedding feast by replenishing the depleted supply of wine. (John 2:1-11) That Jesus was often present at festive occasions is evident from the fact that his opposers falsely accused him of drunkenness and gluttony.—Matt. 11:19.

The Scriptures encourage putting forth effort to enjoy life. “I myself commended rejoicing,” states a wise Bible writer, “because mankind have nothing better under the sun than to eat and drink and rejoice, and that it should accompany them in their hard work for the days of their life, which the true God has given them under the sun.”—Eccl. 8:15.

But what if the pursuit of leisure and pleasure activities become excessive? What if pleasure becomes the principal pursuit in a person’s life? In such cases play does not pay hoped-for dividends of rest, refreshment and enjoyment. Rather, harm may result both to oneself and to others.

Harm to Oneself

Many spend leisure hours in the excessive drinking of alcohol. The Bible’s book of Proverbs contains a graphic description of the harm that comes from this:

“Show me someone who drinks too much, who has to try out fancy drinks, and I will show you someone miserable and sorry for himself, always causing trouble and always complaining. His eyes are bloodshot, and he has bruises that could have been avoided. Don’t let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, and it sparkles in the cup, and it goes down smoothly. The next morning you will feel as if you had been bitten by a poisonous snake. Weird sights will appear before your eyes, and you will not be able to think or speak clearly. You will feel as if you were out on the ocean, seasick, swinging high up in the rigging of a tossing ship. ‘I must have been hit,’ you will say; ‘I must have been beaten up, but I don’t remember it. Why can’t I wake up? I need another drink.’”—Prov. 23:29-35, Today’s English Version.

However, the harmful effects of alcohol abuse are only one area of personal injuries that come from too much emphasis on pleasure. Jon Nordheimer reports in the New York Times: “Leisure time and the spreading affluence of the middle class have swelled the number of Americans seeking psychic renewal, exercise or just plain thrills by exposing themselves to some degree of danger under the guise of recreation.”

The same reporter explains that “statisticians for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company calculate that approximately 10,000 Americans die each year as a result of some avocational planned risk taken for fun or adventure. And the figure is growing.”

They “Crack Up on Their Vacations”

Leisure time may lead to psychological problems too. An item in Parade magazine (June 11, 1978) begins: “Why is it that many people crack up on their vacations? What is it about vacation-time that triggers psychological upsets? Dr. Heinz Brokop of the Innsbruck (Austria) Clinic blames the disorders on the loneliness of many vacationers, the problems of adjusting to a new environment, boredom, and the letdown following the period of vacation preparation. ‘We have more than 2-1/2 million vacationers from all parts of the world,’ he explains, ‘who visit Austria each year, ostensibly for rest and relaxation. Yet I am kept busy by so many of them who get anything but.’”

It is clear that simply having available free time does not result in happiness. Moreover, many of the ways that people use their leisure hours produce both physical and mental disorders. Sadly, adverse effects from leisure activities frequently are not limited to individuals hurting themselves.

Consequences to Others

What you do with leisure time affects others. As an example, consider the results of tourism in many places. Since tourists require hotels, swimming pools, campsites and roads to gain access to them, frequently the ecology and economy of a particular area suffer. Writer Guy Mountfort explains:

“Biologically valuable swampland is drained, streams are diverted, irregular contours neatly leveled, and natural vegetation destroyed or replaced by more decorative imported species. Soon the site looks precisely like any other man-made resort—modern, functionally efficient, artificially gay, with neither charm nor soul. Although some local employment is generated, transient specialist labor is usually imported and much of the profit goes either to foreign investors or to other regions of the country.”

Many vacationers think nothing of defacing natural scenery. According to Mountfort, in the Galápagos islands “hundreds of inscriptions, some of them in letters a foot high, have completely disfigured many rocks and cliffs.” Add to this the ill effects from careless pollution of air and water, driving under the influence of intoxicants, and other evidences of negligence by pleasure-seekers, and the result is truly lamentable.

How can people avoid going to harmful extremes in pleasure-seeking? The next article will provide some helpful guidelines.

You Can Get Real Joy Out of Life

EVERYONE wants to get enjoyment out of life. People often try to fulfill that desire by various forms of recreation during leisure hours. There is no denying that recreation can bring benefits both mentally and physically.

However, higher wages and more available leisure time during recent years have led many to an interesting conclusion. They have learned by experience that ‘living the good life’ neither solves problems nor brings lasting happiness.

How, then, can people get real joy out of life? It will be profitable to consider an experiment made by King Solomon, who carefully investigated the reasons why most people have failed to achieve true happiness. Under inspiration of God, Solomon wrote down his experiences and conclusions in the book of Ecclesiastes. As to seeking happiness by pursuing pleasures, he writes:

“I explored with my heart by cheering my flesh even with wine, while I was leading my heart with wisdom, even to lay hold on folly until I could see what good there was to the sons of mankind in what they did under the heavens for the number of the days of their life. I engaged in greater works. I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself. I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them fruit trees of all sorts. I made pools of water for myself, to irrigate with them the forest, springing up with trees. I acquired menservants and maidservants, and I came to have sons of the household. Also, livestock, cattle and flocks in great quantity I came to have, more so than all those who happened to be before me in Jerusalem. I accumulated also silver and gold for myself, and property peculiar to kings and the jurisdictional districts. I made male singers and female singers for myself and the exquisite delights of the sons of mankind, a lady, even ladies. And I became greater and increased more than anyone that happened to be before me in Jerusalem. Moreover, my own wisdom remained mine. And anything that my eyes asked for I did not keep away from them. I did not hold back my heart from any sort of rejoicing, for my heart was joyful because of all my hard work, and this came to be my portion from all my hard work.”—Eccl. 2:3-10.

The Bible writer carefully investigated the euphoric feeling that comes from drinking alcoholic beverages and which also is sought today through drug abuse. He amassed great wealth and surrounded himself with paradisaic beauty. He explored every type of leisurely enjoyment, including the best of musical entertainment and the delights of “a lady, even ladies.”

Pointing to the thoroughness of his investigation, Solomon writes: “And I, even I, turned to see wisdom and madness and folly; for what can the earthling man do who comes in after the king? The thing that people have already done.” (Eccl. 2:12) The point is this: Solomon’s investigation was thorough, since as king he had available sufficient time and resources. With far fewer resources than the king, “what can the earthling man do who comes in after” him? An ordinary person could cover only some of the same ground, doing what people have already done. To the person who firmly believes that he can find genuine happiness through pleasure-seeking, the king can answer: ‘I’ve already been there. It doesn’t work.’

It is important to note that Solomon did not say that all pursuit of pleasure is a waste of time. On the contrary, he acknowledged gaining a measure of enjoyment from what he did (“my heart was joyful because of all my hard work, and this came to be my portion from all my hard work”). But what was his verdict as to finding lasting happiness in the pleasures of wine, riches, entertainment and similar things? He answers straightforwardly: “And I, even I, turned toward all the works of mine that my hands had done and toward the hard work that I had worked hard to accomplish, and, look! everything was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing of advantage under the sun.”—Eccl. 2:11.

This observation should not be viewed as negative, pessimistic. Instead, it is realistic and can aid individuals to avoid wasting many years of life pursuing happiness in ways that do not lead to it. On the other hand, the same Bible writer gives fine positive admonition on how to get real joy out of life. Among the things that he recommends is getting work and leisure into correct proportion.

Work Hard, but “See Good”

After describing overemphasis on pleasure as “vanity and a striving after wind,” the wise Bible writer goes on to say: “With a man there is nothing better than that he should eat and indeed drink and cause his soul to see good because of his hard work. This too I have seen, even I, that this is from the hand of the true God. For who eats and who drinks better than I do?” (Eccl. 2:11, 24, 25) Certainly the Bible commends hard work. “The stupid one is folding his hands [in refusal to work] and is eating his own flesh.” (Eccl. 4:5) But there is a need for balancing hard work with ‘seeing good,’ enjoying the fruits of one’s labor. “Better is a handful of rest,” says the inspired penman, “than a double handful of hard work and striving after the wind.”—Eccl. 4:6.

Likely you are acquainted with persons who work long hours of overtime each week or perhaps hold down two jobs. While this may be necessary in cases of special need, or to meet emergency expenses, many who spend nearly all their waking hours at work need not do so. Wherever possible, the Bible encourages incorporating “a handful of rest” into your daily routine. Take time regularly to enjoy eating, drinking and engaging in pleasant communication with loved ones. This is expressed beautifully in the following words:

“Go, eat your food with rejoicing and drink your wine with a good heart, because already the true God has found pleasure in your works. On every occasion let your garments prove to be white, and let oil not be lacking upon your head. See life with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life that He has given you under the sun, all the days of your vanity, for that is your portion in life and in your hard work with which you are working hard under the sun.”—Eccl. 9:7-9.

Closely related is another important lesson from the book of Ecclesiastes.

Do Not Lose Sight of the Present

Ability to meditate on the past and to contemplate the future is a God-given gift to mankind. Making the future all the more appetizing is the Scriptural assurance of a new order of ‘new heavens and a new earth where righteousness is to dwell.’ (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1-5) It is fine to look forward to such blessings.

Perhaps you have noticed, though, that frequently people dwell upon the past and the future, to the neglect of the present. Habitual reminiscing about ‘the good old days’ only accentuates a person’s dissatisfaction with the way things are right now. The Bible warns against this, saying: “Do not say: ‘Why has it happened that the former days proved to be better than these?’ for it is not due to wisdom that you have asked about this.” (Eccl. 7:10) It is equally unwise to center all one’s hopes for happiness on the future.

Getting real joy out of life calls for a realistic appraisal of the present. Solomon puts it this way: “Better is the seeing by the eyes than the walking about of the soul. This too is vanity and a striving after the wind.” (Eccl. 6:9) Even wealthy people who have all that they desire in a material way recognize within themselves soulful desires that wealth cannot satisfy. Unfulfilled desires ‘walk about,’ so to speak, by driving people continually to seek changed circumstances. Though an occasional change from a person’s regular routine can be of benefit, some go to extremes by constantly changing their places of residence and employment, continually bounding from one thing to another in a vain quest for happiness. Much better, according to the Scriptures, is “the seeing by the eyes.” The truly wise course is for an individual to be content with and to enjoy what he can look at right now, that is, what he has at present. In this regard it will be profitable to consider the observations of two individuals who reflected on how to gain joy out of life.

“It’s the Present That Belongs to Us Now”

McCall’s magazine (May 1978) published the experience of a woman who, after her children had grown up and gone on their own, abandoned suburban life for a remote fishing village. She writes:

“Nothing in our society teaches us how to live now; everything in our society circumvents it. When we reach school, our parents and our teachers are already saying, What next? Get ready! We enter college and the pressure increases: What next? We become conditioned early to thinking ahead, and apply it everywhere; it has become a habit of thought. We look ahead to arriving somewhere—anywhere, it scarcely matters. We anticipate the wonderful day when we find the magic ‘other’ with whom life will be so much richer, and then to next year’s vacation, or to what we will do when the children are grown, or to retirement. We are always in suspension, and when the future arrives that is to magically heal and change us, it turns out to be no different from today.

“It is possible—it has to be possible—for us to cultivate a different kind of life, to live with more joy and awareness, with heightened consciousness, so that we deepen each moment and fill it with content. We pass over moments lightly, our eyes on tomorrow, but it’s the present that belongs to us now and is trembling with possibilities, not the future, which hasn’t arrived yet. It is only when we enter a moment and live it with attention that we become truly alive.”

“Success Is a Journey”

Forty-five minutes of meditation led to a similar conclusion on the part of Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. In his book Pulling Your Own Strings, Dyer writes:

“One of the biggest turning points in my life came many years ago when I happened to spend forty-five minutes supervising a study hall as a substitute teacher. On the back bulletin board of that room were written the words, ‘Success is a journey, not a destination.’

“I studied those words for the full forty-five minutes, letting them sink into my very soul. Up until that day, I had, in fact, viewed life as a series of destinations and events. Graduations, diplomas, degrees, marriages, childbirths, promotions and other similar events were all destinations, and I was going from stop to stop.

“I vowed right there in that room that I was going to stop evaluating happiness on the basis of arriving at destinations and instead see the whole of my life as a continuing journey, each moment of which was there for me to enjoy. That key study-hall assignment gave this teacher one of life’s most important lessons: Don’t evaluate your life in terms of achievements, trivial or monumental, along the way. If you do, you will be destined to the frustration of always seeking out other destinations, never allowing yourself actually to be fulfilled. Whatever you achieve, you will immediately have to plan your next achievement so that you will have a new gauge of how successful and happy you are.

“Instead, wake up and appreciate everything you encounter along your path. Enjoy the flowers that are there for your pleasure. Tune in to the sunrise, the little children, the laughter, the rain and the birds. Drink it all in, rather than waiting to get to some always-future point where it will be all right for you to relax. Indeed, success—even life itself—is nothing more than moments to enjoy, one at a time. When you understand this principle, you will stop evaluating your happiness on the basis of achievements, and instead look upon the whole trip of life as something to be happy about. Or to sum it up, there is no way to happiness, because happiness is the way.”

The Importance of “Godly Devotion”

Determination not to lose sight of present blessings will surely make your life happier. But to get the very best out of life requires something more. How so?

The apostle Paul describes it, saying: “To be sure, it is a means of great gain, this godly devotion along with self-sufficiency.” (1 Tim. 6:6) The requisite quality is “godly devotion,” which refers to a way of life that exhibits reverence for the Creator. It is manifest in acting in a godly way toward one’s fellowman. The person desiring to live with godly devotion must take time to study the Holy Bible carefully, which will enable him to learn the type of conduct which God approves.

Learning and conforming one’s life to the will of God is truly a means of great gain. Such a course leads to future life in a new order where “death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”—Rev. 21:4.

As for the present, living by Bible principles results in favor from God and the best of relationships with fellow humans. When a person displays the compassion, kindness, humility, patience and generosity that mark the Christian “new personality,” people reciprocate and the lives of all involved become happier.—Luke 6:38; Col. 3:10-14.

Real happiness is not attainable merely through pursuit of pleasures. The Bible encourages mingling hard work with “a handful of rest” each day for enjoying the fruits of one’s labors. Additionally, the Scriptures stress the importance of learning accurately about God and living by Bible principles.

“The conclusion of the matter,” observes Solomon, “everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole obligation of man.” (Eccl. 12:13) Will you meet that obligation by patterning your life according to Biblical guidelines? If you do you will have peace of mind with contentment. It is the only way to get real, lasting joy out of life.

No Longer “Missing Life’s Purpose”

CAN the Bible really help people to achieve contentment and happiness in life? The following experience from the western United States is interesting:

“Before I knew the truth, my life was preoccupied with material things rather than intellectual or spiritual things. I thought that life’s purpose was to acquire as much as possible. I gave little attention to God or the Bible; but I found such a life very dissatisfying and disappointing. After going to college for two years, and buying a house, a new van, an expensive sports car and other things, I still wasn’t satisfied or happy with my life. I could see myself going through more of the same for the next 40 years and then finally acquiring a grave.

“In addition to this, I was having problems with my marriage. My wife and I had sought out such help as guidance groups and even a psychiatrist, but nothing improved our marriage.

“Then a part-time position for a welder experienced in ultra-high vacuum systems developed at my place of employment. That same week the company received a telephone call from a man with the needed experience who was looking for part-time work. Even the supervisor was surprised and asked him how he knew the position was available. The man said he didn’t know that it was and simply had come across the company’s name in the yellow pages and was glad he found it, since he couldn’t find part-time work anywhere else.

“The man turned out to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I was curious as to why he was working only part-time, since I was holding down two jobs but still couldn’t keep ahead. Later he told me of something humorous heard while on a ‘Bible study.’ That broke the ice and I started asking all kinds of questions. It was all he could do to get me back to work that day.

“For the first time, I heard of the new earth. (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1) I was finally beginning to understand what Jesus meant when he said: ‘Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven also upon earth.’ (Matt. 6:10) From that first day I realized that I had been missing life’s purpose. Within two weeks I was having a weekly Bible study in my home. However, in a short time I felt that one Bible study per week wasn’t enough; I asked for another one, and a short time later, I asked for a third. So, within five weeks I was having three Bible studies per week and going to all meetings at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. One year later I was baptized.

“The first effect the truth had on me was a feeling of relief—relief from bondage to the world’s materialistic thinking and relief in my marriage. The more I would apply Bible principles in my marriage, the more it improved.”