The obviously brilliant Bertrand Russell asks us to consider his methodology for life in his book, "The Conquest of Happiness”. In 1930 it was the social ethic of happiness. We just need to learn about ourselves and how to get along, a path that will lead to happiness. The description of the methodology is engaging, accurate, clear and to some extent an enjoyable read. Over the last eighty years Americans have been content to swallow and chew on Russell’s happiness hypothesis.
The result was and is the often advertised American dream. As Americans we can lift ourselves by the boot straps to achieve upward mobility. To this point Dr. Russell says nothing wrong or that is injurious to our society, however, his thinking does have one flaw. It is merely a human endeavor to shape life around human priorities, it is secular thinking that has no divine imperative. Does God lead by the happiness hypothesis?
The Scriptures say no but instead of confronting Russell, the church decided to co-mingle the Gospel and the hypothesis of happiness. In ignorance, I hope, the church advertised itself by using self help methodology offering happiness, upward mobility, prosperity, success, health and social acceptance. This partnership with Russell, whom the church despises on paper, has denigrated the authenticity of the church. The Scriptures have no patience with Russell or the church at this point.
Moses was asked to go from the happiness of Midian to confront the other God, the Pharaoh of Egypt. Jesus was asked to leave the happiness of the countryside to go to the conflict in Jerusalem. The Pharisee of Pharisees was asked to leave the confines of his religious community to be a Christian renegade. A monk in an Egyptian monastery is asked to leave the comfort of his garden tending to go to Rome and their to be slaughtered in the Arena, shaming the audience for their unethical understanding of happiness. These are only a few of the inherent contradictions between the happiness hypothesis and the Gospel of God.
The Gospel is about giving it up, happiness that is, under the direction of God. Bertrand Russell considered God talk human insecurity and of no concern in his hypothesis of happiness. Instead of siding with Dr. Russell the church should be presenting the truth of the gospel, as unattractive as that may be.
G.Goslaw
Victorville, CA.
