A Psychologists thoughts on Happiness and Religion

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-beast/201305/religion-and-happiness-further-thoughts

Two tales of pleas for help ignored, and two different reactions

Two tales of pleas for help ignored, and two different reactions

Culture is something many of us don't think about in the context of our daily lives often. At least I know that I don't. What is the American culture anyway? I'm reminded of being prodded for answers on American culture by my sophomore history teacher. Instinct guides many to define American culture with hamburgers, Coca-Cola logos, and a white picket fence. Often we don't even consider what is called our non-material culture. This doesn't mean our language or the way we communicate. To me our culture also involves the character of our nation. The kind of people we are, and our society's capacity for compassion is central to our American culture. There is an Island of Japan that holds on of the highest population of elderly in the country. In the movie "Happier" it depicts the community centered lifestyle of these Japanese people. They all interact and help each other survive day to day. If someone is sick, the village will come together to pray for their health and make sure they are treated. When someone dies, they are buried along with the villages deceased, and they all rest in peace together. It is this sense of community and family within their culture that helps them attain such longevity. It is this aspect of culture that is lacking severely in American society, and as Stu Tarlowe discusses in the above article, it speaks highly of the moral standards in our country.

Trees planted in a crowded forest
All one yet they stand alone

Humans rush in crowded street
All connected by time and place

A tree falls in a quit forrest
A human cries out on a busy street

No one is there to hear that tree fall
No one hears the pleas for help

If no one heard that lonely tree fall
Did it even make a sound

No one stopped to answer the humans cry
On a street filled with empty souls

The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998

So after I wrote that entire novel for you all about the effectiveness of the Committee for International Religious Freedom, I felt a little like I had jumped the gun and deemed the entire thing useless when I had really read one silly page about it. I looked further into the subject and figured out that the committee was created because of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. This was some legislation that Clinton put into action, creating an Office for International Religious Freedom in the Senate, an Ambassador for Religious Freedom position, and of course the committee itself. The idea was that this system would research further into which countries were persecuting it's people for their religious beliefs, and they would suggest actions that could be taken to the president. Now that I have thoroughly bored you, the point behind my vivid description of this whole idea, is that maybe I was too quick to judge. (Shocking for someone my age, I know). I tried to find some reading on how effective the act has been or any idea of what they have accomplished, but to no avail. All I could find was reviews of the act from Christian websites, which actually were not entirely a dead end. Being a student in AP U.S. history, I am very aware of the stubborn, fearful, and often irrational nature of our American   society. For most of our history it has been very difficult for us as a whole to consider the lives of others around the world and of different nationality, valuable. So for me to deem the committee of Religious Freedom "ineffective", I will admit is a bit forward. In fact it is enormously progressive for our nation because it entails further acknowledgement and acceptance of other religions. It may be a stretch but one could also argue that this progression foreshadows the acceptance within our own country of Homosexuals and Illegal Immigrants on social and civil rights issues. I believe it is a large step for America to include religious freedom in it's policy, and whether it is really making effective change in people's lives every day or not, it is an appropriate and necessary move in the right direction...finally. Again, hope I didn't bore. I get really excited about ideas like this after immersing myself in the oppressive and awful conditions people lived in during the 1890's-1920's. Which was of course following the ever mood improving unit on slavery and their unwinnable battle. So anyways. Enjoy.

Zen Stories

More Is Not Enough

There was once a stone cutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life. One day he passed a wealthy merchant's house. Through the open gateway, he saw many fine possessions and important visitors. "How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the stone cutter. He became very envious and wished that he could be like the merchant.

To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever imagined, but envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. Soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a high official!"

Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around. It was a hot summer day, so the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. "How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!"

Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. "How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a cloud!"

Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. "How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the wind!"

Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, feared and hated by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it - a huge, towering rock. "How powerful that rock is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a rock!"

Then he became the rock, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the hard surface, and felt himself being changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the rock?" he thought.

He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stone cutter.       Zen Stories

This is the first in a series of stories I found on this website "Zen Stories". I think it is someone else's blog, but regardless, I really enjoyed this story in particular because it depicts a struggle that everyone goes through in there life. Wanting more that what we have. In particular it is an interesting topic for someone my age, because I believe we are the most selfish, passionate, hopeful, and scared creatures that this time in our lives. My favorite part of these stories is that they are so wonderfully simple. In no way do I want to offend anyone, but when I compare these to the stories I was taught from the Bible as a child there is so much more logic, and intention to be understandable and have attainable goals within them. Maybe that is why I am so drawn to them, it could also have to do with how young I was when I learned the biblical tales. In any case, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

When I was baptized as a baby it was decided that I would be a Christian. That was fine with me growing up because I didn't know left from right. I knew I hated going to church, but I dont think that had much to do with what I belived in. I didnt realize that I believed in things until High School I think. I began learning more about the world and the reality of religion from teachers who werent afraid to tell the truth. So now I dont really know what I am. I go to church because I probably should, and I listen because I didnt when I was little. Except now I have more questions. I wonder why quotes from Buddha make more sense to me than the things I hear in the Bible. I guess I am Christian but I really agree with a more of Buddha's teachings, the little that I know. I feel like Im cheating on my mom and dad, but I just don't agree with all things Bible anymore...

A Poem About Humans

The Change We Arranged

"All things were together. Then mind came and arranged them." –Anaxagoras

We strive to understand our earth

We search high and low for its meaning

To think that such a place as this

Could have one simple feeling

Mountains high and oceans deep

We have all we could ever keep

Here below our homes lies

The ground that keeps us all alive

And creatures big and creatures small

Across their home land all crawl

We are given life and expected dead

But still we ask for more

Could there ever be a more fulfilling life

Than that which earth affords us with little strife

Yet day after day we fight for more

Battle after battle, unceasing gore

We use and abuse lands we are given

To make us what we want to live in

We never stop until wells are dry

                                                  Asking more and more of the sky

We changed our earth and never thought twice

That maybe we should conserve its life

Our minds did wonders on our souls

Ourselves we arranged human’s natural goals

And so we changed the course of the earth

Determining ourselves the tale of its birth

When truly what it wants for us

Is peace and love and enduring trust