Comments on: There is no happiness in life

By: Karel Donk

Karel Donk — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:39:59 +0000

This is easier said than done. Why does it have to be so difficult?

By: Consciousness

Consciousness — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:01:31 +0000

There is no God as a separate entity as such. But there is an Eternal state which is never born and never dies. Our birth and death is merely an illusion. In reality no one is ever born and no one dies.

Close your eyes for a moment and dive into your consciousness. This has no color, no form, no attributes etc. This is a reflection of that Eternal state. Only a reflection. That is the reason why religions say ‘We are made in the image of God’, ‘Son of God’ – In hinduism it is called as ‘Reflected consciousness. Intense meditation on your own consciousness will reveal the eternal state. Then the whole mystery of this universe, birth and death etc will be revealed. Mind creates an illusion of duality – I am Mr so and so and he is so and so – but the fact is the consciousness in everyone is same. So this world is called as ‘illusory’ by the sages.
Go to the source of your consciousness (which is the eternal state)and be done with all questions as no questions will arise then.

By: Karel Donk

Karel Donk — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:12:02 +0000

Hi Lamy,

Thank you for your interesting comment. I don’t think the bible is god’s word, and if you read here on my blog about what I have written about religion, you’ll find out why I think so.

I don’t know what is involved in voodoo, and I doubt anyone really knows for sure. What I do know is that there is a lot in this reality that we do not understand and we can’t see. David Icke writes about this in his book “Infinite love is the only truth, everything else is illusion.”

So you say those people see the power of demons and satan, but we don’t know for a fact what it is. And the last thing you should do in this case is believe in something which you cannot prove or verify because otherwise you open yourself up to manipulation. That’s what religion is being used for mainly around the world, to manipulate and fool people.

By: Lamy Aldophe

Lamy Aldophe — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:25:25 +0000

To be honest I agree with karel Donk that there’s no happiness in life. But, it is so for those who are seeking it. I usually answer the question what’s the meaning of life this way: The meaning of life is to live and die. The only difference between me and karel is that I believe in God and that one day there’ll be a new world. In this new world there’ll be no death. One of the reasons if not the reason why there’s no happiness in life is because of death.
Karel Donk, everything I say here is not to disagree with your first post. Believe me, I strongly agree with you. There’s no happiness in life, nice people die, bad people die. The only thing I disagree is that you don’t believe God exists.
Karel, don’t be faked out by your reasoning about the existence of God. Your clever little mind can’t comprehend the glory of almighty God. God needs not to prove Himself to anyone. If you’re looking or waiting for that it might never happen and you may find yourself sinking down to hell after you die. If there’s a God and the bible is the word of God then you’re in deep trouble. Why? Because I know in Romans 1 God says that you can only know His existence by looking at nature.
I was born in haiti where they practice voodoo.
Most people in this country believe there’s a God. You know why? Because they see the power of demons, satan every single day. There, people use voodoo power to destroy one another without the use of gun or knife. When they send evil spirits to come after someone, they obey. Haitians say “If satan exists then God exists”.

God exists.

lamyaldoph@yahoo.com

By: Karel Donk’s Blog » Blog Archive » Shiny Happy People

Karel Donk’s Blog » Blog Archive » Shiny Happy People — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:28:07 +0000

[...] I find it amazing that people can be like this, that they can forget all the bad things happening in the world and pretend that everything is nice and well, forget about the people dying on the other side of the world for completely unnecessary reasons, forget about the many children suffering and about the many problems we have to face. They forget about all that and about the bad things they have been doing all year long and go on to pretend to be nice and caring. And in January next year it’s business as usual again. They behave bad again, treat people bad, pursue their own selfish goals without thinking of others, fighting continues etc. [...]

By: Consciousness

Consciousness — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:01:36 +0000

While browsing the net I got to this page. I’ve been looking for meaning of life, life after life and God for past 4 years and I’ve found the answer. There is no meaning in life neither there is God. This is confirmed by persons who have found out this for a fact. All this is a play of consciousness which you may call ‘God’.
Read books by Nisargadatta who had realized this. In his books he writes his own experience. No scriptures are quoted.
His first book is ‘I AM THAT’ and his subsequent books just before he left his mortal being – ‘Consciousness and the Absolute, ‘Seeds of Consciousness’ and ‘Prior to consciousness’. All available on amazon or do a google and you can find pdf book ‘I AM THAT’.
These books will clarify the mystery and meaning of life, if you are seriously looking for answers.

By: Susanna

Susanna — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:27:33 +0000

Religion, in whatever form it may take, and the God(s)/god(s)/Goddess(es)/goddess(es)/idols, saints, etc., etc. associated with each belief system, is (and always has been) a way for people to NOT take responsibility for their own actions. This works two ways: 1) a person can justify their actions (whether it be killing, prejudice, theft, slavery, etc.) based on the tenets of their religion; the actions don’t need to be overwhelming in degree, it can be as simple as thinking that a person is stupid or wrong or demented because they do not hold the same belief as oneself; and 2) most belief systems (especially the major ones) make allowances for absolution of all actions, criminal or otherwise, through performances like confession, contrition, penance, or simply doing something “in the name of” some god or religion (think about how many criminals become Christian once they’ve been caught – not because of some enlightenment, rather a way of passing on the responsibility to someone else, in this case a historical figure named Jesus.

By: komel

komel — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:34:35 +0000

Hmm..there is only one God..Allah! =)

By: Uma

Uma — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 05:48:36 +0000

I feel the same way as you. I lost my younger brother six months ago and now I dont find happiness in anything. Im not feeling happy or amused about anything and I lost belief in god.
Life is not the same now.

By: Karel Donk » Blog Archive » 30 Years and Counting

Karel Donk » Blog Archive » 30 Years and Counting — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:49:54 +0000

[...] years ago, when I turned 27, I wrote a post titled “There is no happiness in life.” And I read it again today, and I still think the same way. That’s why this day is a [...]

By: Karel Donk » Archive » A World of Pain

Karel Donk » Archive » A World of Pain — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:47:08 +0000

[...] As you can no doubt imagine by now, I don’t think life is beautiful at all. In fact, I even wrote before that there is no happiness in life. I do believe that life can be, or could be, beautiful. But it’s not. There might be some nice moments in everyone’s life, but if you look at the overall picture, it just sucks. Badly. Just look at the way it always ends. Is there anything beautiful about that? [...]

By: nyd.

nyd. — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 13:12:25 +0000

Happiness or misery aren’t factual. The world isn’t anything in itself, or one can’t correctly describe it with adjectives, but nouns and maybe verbs. Your reaction to things, like a feeling of worry or despair, is just a reaction and not information about what the world is like.

By: FeriUz

FeriUz — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 13:01:52 +0000

Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction.
- Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

By: Karel Donk » Archive » Always focus on the negative things in life

Karel Donk » Archive » Always focus on the negative things in life — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 18:40:40 +0000

[...] Focusing on the positive things in life seems to be human nature. When I see people doing this, I don’t blame them at all. In fact, I can very much understand why they do this. Imagine if you didn’t focus on all those small positive things in life, where would you get the inspiration and energy to keep on living? Life is so full of problems and it’s not easy to be happy and optimistic. In fact, it is quite impossible to be happy in life when you realize certain things and when you want to be really honest to yourself. [...]

By: Michael Kavit Shenton

Michael Kavit Shenton — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 15:59:23 +0000

Where did the word: ‘happiness’, come from. Perhaps, it can only come, after sadness, to be appreciated. I can be at least a bit happy, for a while, to tell: Karen: ‘Positive Thinking!!’ Scientifiacally, (if you trust science): ‘Positive Thinking’, has been proven to work, at least a little, if not, a lot/90%, to; make people happy!!

GOD Bless and Be Happy – Michael Kavit Shenton.

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Sun, 13 Nov 2005 22:34:25 +0000

My english is too poor, so i’ll leave this post in spanish, hope u’ know.
Viendo lo que dec?s en cierto modo, hay mucha verdad, pero si ya ten?s aceptado que el mundo es una mierda (lo es), porque en vez de vivir penando no trat?s de pensar en lo contrario y poder llegar a superarte a vos misma?
Hay muchas cosas que son feas en la vida, pero asi como hay malas hay buenas, y para mi, creo que eso es lo que hay que ver y tratar de solucionar los problemas que siempre van a estar.
I ask to you, what is life if it is so easy? which things would fight for?
Si la vida es muy dificil, tambien habr?a complicaciones, pero hay que bajar la cabeza y darle para adelante, no nos queda otra. Si hay algo que es cierto es que en este mundo estamos para pagar el karma, pero pasa todo por un cuesti?n de ACTITUD propia el como sobrellevar ese peso.
Saludos, Gabriel….from C?rdoba, Argentina

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 13 Nov 2005 04:59:51 +0000

“One question which inevitably comes up in a discussion of this nature is what is the origin of God? If God created matter/energy, and designed the systems that have propelled matter into its present arrangement, who or what accomplished that for God? Why is it any more reasonable to believe that God has always been than it is to say that matter has always been? As Carl Sagan has said, ‘If we say that God has always been, why not save a step and conclude that the universe has always been?’ (Cosmos, p. 257).”

God created himself.

By: JustAVistor

JustAVistor — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:46:37 +0000

Karel, I highly recommend this book

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0849939437/103-1803012-4139813?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance

By: John

John — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 16:48:03 +0000

Sometimes people doesn’t forget the bad things in their lifes just because they want to do so, it’s something they can’t avoid. I do believe happiness exists even for while, when you do things you enjoy doing.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 03:13:32 +0000

I totally agree with everything you said. People try to dwell in this fake reality ither cuz they refuse to except everything arround them, or they dont deal with complex problems. I can relate alot due to my own circumstances. Keep doin ya thing and droppin the wisdom. 1

By: FeriUz

FeriUz — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 11:22:41 +0000

One question which inevitably comes up in a discussion of this nature is what is the origin of God? If God created matter/energy, and designed the systems that have propelled matter into its present arrangement, who or what accomplished that for God? Why is it any more reasonable to believe that God has always been than it is to say that matter has always been? As Carl Sagan has said, ‘If we say that God has always been, why not save a step and conclude that the universe has always been’? (Cosmos, p. 257).

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 22:02:28 +0000

“Richard, I want to believe in god. But he isn’t doing his best to convince me of his existence. There’s a lot of different religions, lots of different theories, and basically lots of confusion. Why doesn’t god make an end to that and show himself so I can 100% know he exists and what to believe?”

He did so 2000 years ago, and only 14 people believed him (Mary, her cousin, and the 12 apostles).

“I’m assuming he wants me to believe in him. Doesn’t he want to make some effort to get me to believe?”

He does, you just don’t listen.

“Do I have to rely on loads of different and confusing theories and information on earth, and hopelessly seek the right answers to be able to believe in him?”

No, you only have to rely on faith.

“Do you think I’m asking too much of him? I don’t think so.”

He has already done what you’re asking of him.

“If he exists, and values me worshipping him, he should make some effort to convince me and give me the answers I need.”

Many people have said that, but they haven’t specified anything that he hasn’t already done at some point.

“So like I said, I can’t have faith in something I can’t even begin to understand or validate.”

As I said before:

“However so long as you cannot take a leap of faith with no material certainty or evidence, you can never enter the Kingdom of God, and you will have all of eternity to think of what you could have had if you had thought otherwise.”

“I see many people doing it, and mainly they are because they look for some kind of comfort and hope in life. When you realize all of the things I mentioned in my post, it’s quite easy to imagine someone losing his mind over it. There has to be some comfort.”

People always needed comfort. Without comfort, you have nihilism.

“And this is why religion seems to exist. People need to believe in something, in a cause, in a happy ending, in a purpose. And like I said, I understand that, but I don’t like to fool myself.”

A rhetorical question – where is your happy ending?

“When someone does something bad to someone who believes in god, they’re often like ‘well i’ll just leave him to god, he’ll get his punishment one day, one way or the other’.”

During the dark ages, a muslim said something bad about the Virgin Mary to a christian solider at a fork in a road. The solider decided that if the muslim went one direction, he’d kill him, and if the muslim went the other direction, he’d let him live. Fortunately for the muslim, he went in the right direction. Believing in God doesn’t mean you wait for God to punish evil people. It means you know that God will punish them, one way or another.

“That’s just to find some comfort. When there are hard times, people are like ‘don’t worry, just believe in god and he’ll make sure there’s food on the table’. That’s also for comfort. Don’t work every day, and you’ll find out if god puts food on the table!”

God helps people who help themselves. Anyone who expects him to do everything for them knows nothing of him and is quite an imbecile.

By: Karel Donk

Karel Donk — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 19:21:55 +0000

Richard, I want to believe in god. But he isn’t doing his best to convince me of his existence. There’s a lot of different religions, lots of different theories, and basically lots of confusion. Why doesn’t god make an end to that and show himself so I can 100% know he exists and what to believe? I’m assuming he wants me to believe in him. Doesn’t he want to make some effort to get me to believe? Do I have to rely on loads of different and confusing theories and information on earth, and hopelessly seek the right answers to be able to believe in him? Do you think I’m asking too much of him? I don’t think so. If he exists, and values me worshipping him, he should make some effort to convince me and give me the answers I need.

So like I said, I can’t have faith in something I can’t even begin to understand or validate. I see many people doing it, and mainly they are because they look for some kind of comfort and hope in life. When you realize all of the things I mentioned in my post, it’s quite easy to imagine someone losing his mind over it. There has to be some comfort. And this is why religion seems to exist. People need to believe in something, in a cause, in a happy ending, in a purpose. And like I said, I understand that, but I don’t like to fool myself.
When someone does something bad to someone who believes in god, they’re often like “well i’ll just leave him to god, he’ll get his punishment one day, one way or the other”. That’s just to find some comfort. When there are hard times, people are like “don’t worry, just believe in god and he’ll make sure there’s food on the table”. That’s also for comfort. Don’t work every day, and you’ll find out if god puts food on the table!

There’s loads I can say on this subject, I’ve barely scratched the surface. I’ll save it for a future post.

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 22:55:09 +0000

“Happiness is a illusion created by the saddness/problems around us.
And secondly, I don’t expect and neither believe that if we die we will meet a man with a beard that says “Hi i am GOD, welcome to my kingdom?, or whatever. It has to be better then this, I hope. If not then life is the most beautifull experience that we have ever wittnessed.”

FerIUz, please speak for yourself. You might never meet God, as atheists are directed elsewhere at Saint Peter’s gate, but I certainly will, as I had the faith to say, yes there is a God.

“I don’t like believing in something just out of blind faith. I just can’t.”

Karel, you could live a happy, Christian life, truly believing in God and die, and either way, you will have already won. However so long as you cannot take a leap of faith with no material certainty or evidence, you can never enter the Kingdom of God, and you will have all of eternity to think of what you could have had if you had thought otherwise.

By: Karel Donk

Karel Donk — Sat, 22 Oct 2005 18:44:55 +0000

‘sup montae, how’s the beard?

By: Paul Montgomery

Paul Montgomery — Sat, 22 Oct 2005 18:19:07 +0000

Happy birthday Karel, me old mucky-muck. All work and no play makes Joker something something.

By: Karel Donk

Karel Donk — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 23:44:29 +0000

Richard:
I’m sure you know there are several issues with Pascal’s wager. The issue I personally have with it is that he’s making the assumption that if I believe god exists, and it turns out he doesn’t, I don’t lose anything. The way I see it, it would be a serious disappointment. Perhaps much more than when I didn’t believe he exists, and find out he does. I see people making decisions daily based on blind faith that god exists. Some decisions clearly to their disadvantage. When it turns out he doesn’t exist, all of that will be for nothing.
As for me, I don’t like believing in something just out of blind faith. I just can’t. I need to be able to verify that god exists somehow for me to believe. And right now, I have no reason to believe he does.

–

‘sup yot?

By: yotsuya

yotsuya — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 18:31:17 +0000

Happy Birthday, Mati.

By: FerIUz

FerIUz — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 09:05:48 +0000

Happiness is a illusion created by the saddness/problems around us.
And secondly, I don’t expect and neither believe that if we die we will meet a man with a beard that says ‘Hi i am GOD, welcome to my kingdom’, or whatever. It has to be better then this, I hope. If not then life is the most beautifull experience that we have ever wittnessed.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 00:51:46 +0000

I can summarize that in one word, Faith.

Karel, be sure not to forget Pascal’s wager, as either way, you can’t lose.