{"id":4341,"date":"2024-07-10T21:55:58","date_gmt":"2024-07-11T01:55:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/ichasesunsets\/?p=4341"},"modified":"2024-07-10T21:55:58","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T01:55:58","slug":"the-pursuit-of-happiness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/ichasesunsets\/2024\/07\/the-pursuit-of-happiness\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pursuit of Happiness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

The Pursuit of Happiness image by JillWellington @ pixabay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The Pursuit of Happiness<\/strong><\/h2>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness\u201d (<\/span>Declaration of Independence, <\/span><\/i>July 4, 1776).<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n American children learn the words early in life. They hear them quoted often and for many reasons; they are taught in history classes, sometimes earlier than junior high. But what is \u201cthe pursuit of happiness,\u201d and how has it been complicated by this present society?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n First of all, the<\/span> pursuit of happiness <\/span><\/i>is not a new concept. The idea came about long before our American <\/span>Declaration of Independence <\/span><\/i>was written.<\/span><\/p>\n According to John Locke<\/h2>\n In <\/span>An Essay Concerning Human Understanding<\/span><\/a> (1689), John Locke wrote, \u201cThe highest perfection of intellectual nature lies in a careful and constant pursuit of true and solid happiness.\u201d He also declared that \u201cThe Necessity of pursuing true Happiness [is] the Foundation of Liberty.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Many of this country\u2019s founders were influenced by Locke, but others also contributed similar ideas to their worldview.<\/span><\/p>\n According to Burlamaqui<\/h2>\n Jean Jacques Burlamaqui<\/span><\/a> (1747) was another \u201cnatural rights\u201d philosopher who certainly influenced the American founding fathers, and was quoted notably by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison concerning \u201cthe pursuit of happiness,\u201d a concept originally rooted in property. In his <\/span>Principles of Natural Law<\/span><\/i>, Burlamaqui identified the pursuit of happiness as the purpose of all human actions. Burlamaqui maintained that \u201cNatural liberty is the right which nature gives to all mankind, of disposing of their persons and property, after the manner they judge most convenient to their happiness.\u201d He went on, \u201cNature, I confess, has put into man a desire of happiness and an aversion to misery.\u201d Locke referred to these as the \u201cinnate practical principles,\u201d that \u201cDo continue constantly to operate and influence all our actions without ceasing: these may be observed in all persons and all ages, steady and universal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n According to Mason<\/h2>\n Thomas Jefferson\u2019s decision to include \u201cthe pursuit of happiness\u201d as an \u201cunalienable right\u201d was a close association to George Mason\u2019s claim in the <\/span>Virginia Declaration of Rights<\/span><\/a> (1776). Mason (also a reader of John Locke) wrote that all men have certain inherent rights, including \u201cthe enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.\u201d Sound familiar?<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n These days, people are constantly demanding what they perceive as their <\/span>rights<\/span><\/i>, especially those rooted in the third clause\u2013happiness. It\u2019s the right of all Americans to be happy, correct? Hmmmm\u2026That\u2019s <\/span>not<\/i><\/b> what it says. In fact, I believe the demand for constant happiness is at the root of many of the problems in this country, and that demand is nurtured early in the lives of our children.<\/span><\/p>\n According to Koch<\/h2>\n Author and speaker <\/span>Kathy Koch<\/span><\/a> teaches that, due largely to the readily available technology, there are 5 lies in which we are raising children:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \nI am the center of my universe.<\/span><\/li>\nI deserve to be happy.<\/span><\/li>\nI must have choices.<\/span><\/li>\nI am my own authority.<\/span><\/li>\n Information is all I need.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n********* ** \u00a0<\/p>\n ** Note the first two: <\/span>I am <\/i><\/b>the most important human to me, and <\/span>I deserve<\/i><\/b>\u2013I am entitled\u2013to be happy. At a recent conference that I attended, Koch spoke these sobering words: \u201cEntitlement will send people to hell.\u201d We are allowing our young people to be taught that they <\/span>deserve to be happy<\/span><\/i>, not just as a goal for which to strive, not just as something to pursue, but a thing to be demanded here and now. It is a <\/span>right.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n ** *********In addition, one must consider that it is often in the valleys that growth and progress take place. Mountaintop experiences are great, but they don\u2019t usually promote \u201cpursuit.\u201d When one is in a valley of unhappiness or unfulfillment, forward movement toward happiness is encouraged.<\/p>\n According to Definition<\/h2>\n However, the problem is that the unalienable right of the <\/span>pursuit <\/span><\/i>of happiness is not<\/em> the same as the promise of happiness itself. According to <\/span>Vocabulary.com<\/span><\/a>, \u201chappiness<\/span>, in psychology, [is] a state of emotional well-being that a person experiences either in a narrow sense, when good things happen in a specific moment, or more broadly, as a positive evaluation of one\u2019s life and accomplishments overall\u2014that is, subjective well-being.\u201d Although it is possible for everyone to pursue happiness, happiness is not a guaranteed result. Since everyone\u2019s idea of happiness is different, and everyone\u2019s circumstances are different, and many circumstances are impossible for a person to control, <\/span>happiness <\/span><\/i>can not be assured.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The scriptures allow:<\/strong><\/h2>\n************* ** *************Listen:<\/p>\n Ecclesiastes 3:13<\/span><\/a> \u2013 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.<\/span><\/p>\n Galatians 5:1<\/span><\/a>\u2013 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.<\/span><\/p>\n Matthew 6:31-<\/span> 33<\/span><\/a> \u2013 So do not worry, saying, \u2018What shall we eat?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we drink?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we wear?\u2019 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Matthew 7:7-8 <\/span><\/a>\u2013 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s All About the Verbs<\/strong><\/h2>\n*************** ** None of these scriptures say that one will be handed happiness as a right, not even a \u201csaved and born again Christian.\u201d There is always a verb: work, stand fast, ask, seek, knock\u2013<\/span>pursue! <\/span><\/i>Do you see a theme here? If you want to be happy, you have to make an effort. It is not an entitlement. Period.<\/span><\/p>\n ** God bless you! Have a happy day!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n ** \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ** ***************The Pursuit of Happiness \u00a0 \u201cWe hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness\u201d (Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776). \u00a0 American children learn the words early in life. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5055,"featured_media":4347,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1311,1320,1317,1323,1314],"class_list":["post-4341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-declaration-of-independence","tag-entitlement","tag-happiness","tag-rights","tag-the-pursuit-of-happiness"],"yoast_head":"\nthe pursuit of happiness<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Children learn the term early in life. 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