Theos-Talk Archives (November 2003 Message tt00004)

Mauri, often I enjoy your meanderings. Sometimes I don't read them all the
way through, but I still enjoy them none the less. While it is certainly
possible to observe that having an attitude that "happiness is helping
others" is nothing but a disguise for a self-centered conviction that one's
personal happiness is somehow important in the great scheme of things, such
an observation would not necessarily be true just because one uttered it
aloud (or in print).

In my experience, I have come to the conclusion that "wondering" in silence
often brings me more "happiness" than public speculation. It seems to be
different for you. That is good. Our differences may ultimately unite us.

regards,

Bill

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mauri" <mhart@idirect.ca>
To: <theos-talk@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 9:37 AM
Subject: Theos-World re "happiness is helping others"


> John wrote: <<Philotes, thanks, happiness is
> assisting others, John>>
>
> I seem to recall at some point coming across
> words to the effect that one ought to love
> one's neighbour and hate one's enemy. I'm
> trying to figure out if that was attributed
> to Jesus by somebody. I have an excellent
> memory, but all too often it seems to be kind
> of short on particulars, for some reason, so
> for all I know, maybe Jesus never said
> anything like that. Aside from whatever
> contextual, broader meaning that comment from
> John might be seen to have, or "does have" or
> "might have" from John's point of view ...
> Anyway, that comment brought to mind that
> "love/hate" topic. Maybe somebody can
> correct me about it. At any rate, if one
> tends to go with "happiness is assisting
> others," (in general?), then one might wonder
> (as in my case) whether one ought to assist
> one's "friends" (however defined?) as well as
> one's "enemies" (however defined?)---ie,
> "assist" (possibly?) without (apparently?)
> all that much defining of "others" or
> "happiness" (apparently?) or ... So, for
> example, if one considers the case of RC
> Churchman Eugenio Pacelli and his
> associations with the Nazis during WW2, one
> might wonder about the nature of the "help"
> and "happiness" with respect to "others,"
> that might be "seen to apply in his case" ...
> (not that I'm suggesting that John's "help,"
> "happiness" and "others" to me seem somehow
> comparable to Pacelli's case in some way).
> I'm not suggesting anything much, just wonder
> about a few things.
>
> ^:-/ ...
> Mauri
>
>
>
>
>
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