Words about the Word - Doug Thomas - Trinity Episcopal
What gives you pleasure? I ask because there is an old and persisting point of view that pleasure is the fundamental motivator of human behavior. We can date this assumption back to the third century BC philosopher Epicurus who famously said: “Eat, drink, and be merry; for tomorrow we die.” More recently, the 18th century English philosopher Jeremy Bentham opined: “Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure.” We are impelled to avoid pain and seek pleasure.
In 1895, the founder of psychanalytic theory, Sigmund Freud, proposed that the pleasure principle is an instinctive drive that unconsciously and powerfully motivates us to satisfy our biological and psychological needs. And in 1930, he stated that “what decides the purpose of [your] life is simply the program[ing] of the pleasure principle.”
Now, let me ask two follow-up questions: What makes you happy? And, are pleasure and happiness the same thing? Freud and his philosophical progenitors seemed to assume that they are the same thing, and they are often used interchangeably because they both engender positive feelings. But recent research suggests that they have distinct physiological underpinnings.
Pleasure is primarily associated with increased levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine which helps us focus, work toward goals, and “feel good.”
Happiness, on the other hand, is primarily associated with increased levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin which induces feelings of satisfaction, contentment, and well-being.
Based on these findings, psychologists today tend to define pleasure and happiness somewhat differently. Pleasure is a fleeting sensation dependent on external stimuli; such as a delicious meal or an exciting event. It is a momentary feeling that brings immediate gratification. On the other hand, happiness is a deeper, longer lasting sense of well-being that can be cultivated through meaningful relationships, personal growth, and a sense of purpose.
Interestingly, Psalm 112:1 provides a prescription for happiness. It says: “Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments.” As used here the word translated as fear means the experience of awe when we recognize the overwhelming power and glory of God. Fear God, delight in His commandments, and be happy. Sounds good!
However, Isaiah 58:3 suggests it is not simple. Here, a group of Jews who are not receiving the blessing of God, say to Him: “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves but you do not notice?”
I suspect that there are countless Christians in churches today that ask themselves a similar question: “I go to Church, I pray and read the Bible: how come I’m not happy?” They want to know what it means.
In his 1946 book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl says that “our main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life.” By this he means we automatically try to find the “why” and the “why not” for the things we and others do, and for the events that occur over the course of our life.
For example: “Why was I diagnosed with cancer and what does that mean for my future?” Or: “Why didn’t my spouse kiss me when I got home? Are they mad at me?”
Or: “Why am I here? How should live? Does my life have a purpose? If so, what is it?”
Speaking as a Christian, Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard observed: “What matters most is to find a purpose, to see what it really is that God wills that I shall do.”
Dr. Frankl insists that Freud was wrong: that if we make pleasure and happiness the final goal for living, we will “live on the surface” and fail to build a deeper, more meaningful life. And that is exactly what the Jews to whom Isaiah spoke were doing.
They practiced religion in order to get blessings from God, rather than to seek and do God’s will.
And so, Isaiah says to them: “Look, you serve your own interests on your fast day, and oppress all your workers…. This [is] the fast that… [God] choose[s]: to loose the bonds of injustice…. To let the oppressed go free… to share your bread with the hungry…. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn…. Then you shall call and the Lord will answer….” [vs. 3b-4].
Likewise, Psalm 112, after telling us to fear God, delight in His commandments and be happy; gives further instruction and tells us to be “gracious, merciful, and righteous… be generous…conduct… [your] affairs with justice.”
You want to be happy for the rest of your life? Then love God with all your heart, and mind, and soul; and love your neighbor as yourself. In so doing, you will fulfill God’s purpose for your life, will be happy, and will discover meaning.
