Is Religion good for you?
04/25/07 12:20 PM *Spirituality
These two studies say "yes"- you'll live longer and it's
good for kids. I have mixed
feelings about studies like these. On the one
hand, the Bible teaches that most religions are
NOT good for you. So there's that. And on the
other hand, telling people today that something
is good for them is practically synonymous with
"eat your tofu" or "spend twenty minutes every
day on the stair-stepper" - anything good for me
must be boring or tasteless or worse, right?
There's no JOY nowadays in things that are "good
for you". Make yourself miserable, you'll live
longer: If I'm miserable why would I want to?
Of course I believe that you can enjoy eating and exercise and other things that are truly good for you; including a lifestyle that follows Jesus passionately. But it seems like American marketers and promoters divide everything in two camps: Stuff you'll enjoy and Stuff that's good for you.
Actually, Stuff That's Good For You, is usually stuff that isn't pleasurable at first, but becomes more and more satisfying with time. And Stuff That's Bad For You is often stuff that offers immediate but shallow gratification with unpleasant and long-ranging side-effects.
If you live the way your Creator intends for you to live, things will go better for you than if you don't. But all religions are not created equal. And a spiffy life on earth is not the ultimate focus of Jesus' teaching.
Of course I believe that you can enjoy eating and exercise and other things that are truly good for you; including a lifestyle that follows Jesus passionately. But it seems like American marketers and promoters divide everything in two camps: Stuff you'll enjoy and Stuff that's good for you.
Actually, Stuff That's Good For You, is usually stuff that isn't pleasurable at first, but becomes more and more satisfying with time. And Stuff That's Bad For You is often stuff that offers immediate but shallow gratification with unpleasant and long-ranging side-effects.
If you live the way your Creator intends for you to live, things will go better for you than if you don't. But all religions are not created equal. And a spiffy life on earth is not the ultimate focus of Jesus' teaching.
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