Ignorant Historian

Not sure why this is the first book review in 2 years on the Ignorant Historian?  Check out the reason here.

You knew this was coming right?  Though I read The Happiness Project after sharing my thoughts on our happiness idol, it contains some of the same thinking that’s so common to our culture but counter to a biblical worldview.

Though The Happiness Project follows a similar patern to The Year of Living Biblically (which I enjoyed) and Eat, Pray, Love (which I didn’t), it’s different, too.  Author Gretchen Rubin’s goal is happiness, but I felt like that goal was mis-stated or at least two-fold.  Most of her monthly goals dealt with self-improvement, not necessarily happiness (though obviously they can be related).

Interestingly enough, what I found least intersting about this book is the comments she included from her blog.  While I like to read blog comments (of course on my own blog *hint hint* but also on interesting subjects on other blogs), I don’t necessarily want to read them listed out in a book.  Perhaps they added to what she was saying, but I found whole blocks of comments without discussion from Rubin to be distracting and disruptive to the flow of the  book.

While Rubin’s endeavor for greater happiness was an understandable one, she was looking for happiness (or better yet, joy) in all the wrong places.  Nor can we truly change who we are on our own.  True, lasting joy and true, lasting change can only be found when we are in right relation to our Creator.

One of my favorite things about reading books and watching movies is analyzing the worldview presented (yes, I’m one of those people).  Most are easily placed in their time period based on this alone (though I always cheat and look at the publication date because it helps to interpret what the author/director is saying).

And increasingly I’ve noticed books and movies point to the fact that our culture idolizes happiness.  Elizabeth Gilbert admits as much in Committed that she forsook her first wedding vows simply because she was unhappy.  And most people would not fault her for it.

But God would.  I don’t mean to bash Elizabeth Gilbert; God is the judge and she has obviously not the only one at fault for our happiness idol.  In fact, I’m more than willing to admit that I fall on the “guilty” side in this matter: way too often my decisions (both immediate and long-term: what to do next, what to eat, where to live, etc.) are ruled by what I want simply because it’s what I want.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying we should don hairshirts or polar bear swim in the Atlantic.  The answer is not to avoid happiness and pleasure as has been a historical Christian misinterpretation.  Rather, the answer is to put happiness in it’s place.

Happiness is good and a blessing.  But it’s not more important than loving God and loving others.

Thanks for reading this…I know that I needed this reminder once again.

Photo by CarbonNYC

Did you catch the story a few weeks ago that happened on a beach in Italy? A couple of Roma (Gypsy) girls drowned, and while their bodies were still on the beach covered with beach towels, sunbathers continued enjoying the sun nearby as if nothing happened.

This story struck me for two reasons. First off, the fact that these were Roma girls means something. I heard a national talk show host talking about this story, and he glossed right over this fact, clearly not understanding the history behind it. Gypsies have been a despised people in Europe for hundreds of years, and have been subject to enslavement and ethnic cleansing. Because of the discrimination they face, they often are seen begging and often travel from place to place. Though I don’t know that the sunbathers knew that the girls who drowned were Roma, it certainly seems likely considering the reports say that they had been begging prior to getting into the water.

Secondly, the response of the Italian sunbathers to the death of those around them was a sharp reminder to me that I all too often take this attitude towards the spiritual death of those around me. Like those sunbathers, I have fun and pursue my own interests, not letting the thought that those around me are actually dying dampen my day of fun in the sun.

American Christianity is really good at this. We spend our money on Christian trinkets and read the latest self-help books with a Christian veneer trying to learn how to be happy. How easy it is to forget that my own happiness is not my reason for being here!

This story has spurred me on to try to be more purposeful in everything I do. May God open my eyes to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those He has placed in my path, and may He give me what I need to address them.

I have nothing really to say and no particular reason to be happy, but here I am writing and smiling anyway. There are so many things for which to be thankful. I’m loving my classes which are sufficiently challenging and interesting. My team is winning which always feels good. I’m loving the time I spend with friends. I enjoy my jobs and my work with the children at church. I love that I’ll be getting to be involved with a care group there. God has blessed me in so many ways.

No wonder I’m smiling.