by Billie Meyers

Created on: August 09, 2009   Last Updated: August 10, 2009

HEAVEN ON EARTH: IS IT POSSIBLE?

Heaven can be defined several ways. Out of the six entries offered by the "American Heritage Dictionary," there are only two that the humanist would recognize: "1. The sky or universe as seen from the earth; the firmament." This first definition refers to a physical place other than Earth, so it is not applicable to this discussion. The last definition is the only form of heaven a humanist would recognize and perhaps dream of achieving: "6. A condition or place of great happiness, delight, or pleasure."

A place of great happiness, can there be such a thing? Happiness, being a "quality or state," cannot refer to a place such as Earth. Happiness can, however, be used to describe the state of Earth's inhabitants, humans included. The United States' Declaration of Independence recognizes happiness as being an inalienable right, yet happiness was left undefined because the state that evokes the feeling humans call happiness will differ from one individual to the next, it being purely subjective.

Since a particular condition cannot be created on Earth that would make ALL its inhabitants happy, it must be true that each human is responsible for his or her own happiness. That means that each individual must figure out just what happiness means to them and pursue it wholeheartedly. Finding happiness might mean adopting a particular worldview or religion, earning enough money to live a certain lifestyle, or relying solely on the Earth for one's subsistence.

Those who do embrace a particular worldview or religion and find happiness there should be congratulated. Of course, if they do find happiness there they may be inclined to share their beliefs with others so that they too might find happiness. There is nothing wrong with this. Things go terribly wrong, however, when people attempt to force their beliefs on others. That is what is so great about the United States. You are free to practice any religion you wish. You are free to hold any worldview that you desire, whether it brings happiness or not.

There are many things that happen on our Earth that are absolutely horrific. Must all of this horror be stopped in order for humans to achieve individual happiness? No. There are many people who claim to have found happiness, if only temporarily, in spite of the horror. How can we expect to be happy knowing of such horror? The answer lies in how we as individuals process information.

Religions offer ways of thinking that help some

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