Americans, and people around the world, are getting happier all the time according to an article at the National Science Foundation. This is consistent with an article I read in Scientific American a few years ago that indicated that most people, in most parts of the world, most of the time, are happy. I wonder if we make a mistake when we accept Voltair's assumption, and that of most critics of theism, who argue that the world is an awful place and that therefore the horrendous suffering of the planet means that there can't possibly be a good, loving, all-powerful God. If most people are happy and getting happier, wouldn't that argue against Voltair's assumption?
Leibnitz argued that if we assume that God is good, loving, and all powerful, then in fact this must be the best of all possible worlds--given the existence of human free will. Perhaps the data supports Leibnitz's position?
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2 comments:
Thanks for the article. It actually made me feel happier! I thought it interesting, though by no means surprising, that happiness levels seem well correlated with freedom, tolerance and wealth.
Food for thought: If we assume a mostly happy populace, how does that change our Gospel message?
How about, "If you think you're happy now, just imagine what HEAVEN is like!"
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