Only logged in members can reply and interact with the post.
Join SimilarWorlds for FREE »

I Am Spiritual But Not Religious

Read this beautiful article. ^^

"More than individual happiness, if we decide and work for the betterment and welfare of the people, for the happiness of everyone, together as a whole community...that benevolence will in itself bring happiness and well-being, not just personally to us, but also to everyone.
Those who are entangled in only their own personal happiness struggle more, because their thoughts are limited only to their own selves. Then there are some who are a bit more developed and they try and work for the happiness and welfare of their family, for the neighbors. Then others who are more developed include more and work for the welfare of the state, the country, and the world, etc. Those who are the most developed try and remain firm in the welfare of the whole world, never harming or hurting others on any level.
The more we expand our thoughts for the welfare of everyone, the more our ego will expand. There are two ways to destroy the ego - either we expand it to include everything and everyone, or to shrink it down to nothing. So the more expanded is the ego, the happier that person will be. The more constricted one is, thinking only about himself, the more unhappy that person will be. Even in the family, the more narrow-minded someone is, he is not respected by the family. Family and society respects those who work for the welfare and betterment of the family and the society.
Those who think and work for the welfare of the whole world, wherever they go, they always find people who support, help and assist them in their work for the benevolence of the world. Examples are great men like Swami Vivekananda, Swami Rama Tirtha etc.
The more and more expanded our thoughts and ego are, including the benevolence and welfare for everyone, the more our happiness increases."
-Anonymous.
This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »
Some1umayNo
I disagree with this almost entirely.
Too often, people feel the need to act on behalf of others, when no assistance was ever requested.
We should work hard to pursue our own happiness. Period.
We should never pursue happiness in a way that actively denies someone else to pursue their own.
And that's it. Simple. Put a bow on it.
ethereal · F
"We should never pursue happiness in a way that actively denies someone else to pursue their own." I agree. That is what benevolence means, everyone has the right to pursue happiness, but at what cost? Pursuing happiness of our own, when others around us, in family or friends are not happy with our pursuit, would that bring happiness?! If we all pursue our own happiness, wouldn't the terrorists say they are pursuing their own happiness too, depending on their religious beliefs? So shouldn't we allow them to pursue their own happiness by letting them kill people? But the families that lose those dead people, are they happy?!
Pursuing individual happiness isn't bad, but at what cost are we pursuing it is important..if it doesn't actively harm or hurt others, then it's alright.
Some1umayNo
Terrorists' pursuit of happiness is invalid on it's face: they are actively denying others.
People who claim that others make them unhappy are generally disingenuous.
ethereal · F
So no one should work for the welfare of the community and just pursue their own interests and happiness? I wonder how the world would end up if we all did that.
Some1umayNo
If we all pursued our own happiness, worked hard doing it, and ensured not to step on one another? That would be excellent. Community wouldn't form on obligation, it would be a natural outcome of the pursuit of happiness.
ethereal · F
There are no obligations. Maybe we all have different pursuits. :)
Some1umayNo
Precisely my point. :)