Don't Worry, Be Happy? Unrealistic

Rabbi Marc Gellman writes a very enlightening article for Newsweek about happiness. He very rightly points out that villains and sinners are often quite happy, and superheros and saints are many times realistically uneasy. This goes against the current modern assumptions that happiness equals pleasure. Anyone can experience pleasure, sometimes in some very evil ways. That is not happiness.

Happiness, Rabbi Gellman asserts, comes from doing GOOD. There is a difference. The major world religions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism, according to Gellman, all teach that doing good equals feeling good.

But there is a catch. Doing good over and over again is hard, but it is what equals happiness. Gellman says the obesity problem in society is not caused by caloric intake. It is caused because "we eat what gives us pleasure. It is more pleasurable to sit on your tush and play videogames than it is to run around and sweat."

So, the nebulous modern goal of "happiness/pleasure" is actually a goal of hedonistic sin. Real happiness, lasting happiness comes from doing the hard work of doing good.

In Catholicism, we call this doing works of mercy.

The Works of Mercy

The Corporal Works of Mercy
To feed the hungry
To give drink to the thirsty.
To clothe the naked.
To visit and ransom the captives.
To shelter the homeless.
To visit the sick.
To bury the dead.

The Spiritual Works of Mercy
To admonish sinners.
To instruct the ignorant.
To counsel the doubtful.
To comfort the sorrowful.
To bear wrongs patiently.
To forgive all injuries.
To pray for the living and the dead.

Hat tip to MK for the article.