Session 2 of the "Myth of Happiness" discussion guide.

1. Session 2: Nothing But a Yuppie Word
1. What makes you happy?
Be honest!
Playing Call of Duty with Justy
Going out to eat with Kim to North End
Finishing a deadline early
Working on a Mac
Cup of coffee or a great glass of wine - happiness or joy?
2. “We donʼt want happiness in the next world. We want it next Monday.” How
does this quote from the French Revolution capture the spirit of our
contemporary culture?
Our focus on now instead of eternity.
Our impatience.
Focus on material over immaterial.
I want my tic-tacs!
How does this get at the root difference between happiness and joy?
Happiness - oriented towards now
Joy - towards eternity
3. Contrasting with earlier generations, our entire contemporary society seems to
orient itself towards the pursuit of happiness.” Agree or disagree? Why the
change?
• Individualism - tech, political, societal
• Thought process - “deserve happiness”
“I deserve it” is a common expression we hear in contemporary culture.
When do we feel that we “deserve” something? From Christʼs perspective,
do we ever “deserve” anything?

2. What are the implications for the believer living in this world?
We need to recognize the unique difficulty that we have compared to believers
from the past.
The realization that this will and does seduce us.
C.S. Lewis - Screwtape Letters today...
4. Philosopher William James believed that happiness is the secret motive inside
the heart of every person. Is it a motivator of you personally? Why or why not?
Think of recent television ads youʼve seen. How do these ads emphasize
happiness as a motivation for people buying their products?
Think about your past week. How much have you focused your time and
energies on “being happy”?
5. What are some of the ways in which people have believed happiness is
attained?
• Aristotle/Founding Fathers - pursue virtue. It is the reward of a well-lived life.
• Medical scientists - genes. Some people are wired for happiness and some are
not.
• Buddhists - making one’s inner life right through meditation. Get away from self-
centeredness. “The purpose of life is to be happy” -- Dalai Lama.
• Common - Eliminate the bad stuff; fill your life with good stuff.
• Career
• Relationships
• Things (The Next Big Thing)
6. According to the book, what are the two basic rules that most people follow to
pursue happiness? As you look on your life, do you see yourself following these
rules, consciously or unconsciously?
• Eliminate the bad stuff; fill your life with good stuff.

3. • The Next Big Experience/Adventure
8. Culture tells us to “find something that makes you happy and do it.” Is this
biblical?
Implicit statement - happiness is what life is all about.
9. Job 20:5 says that “the joy (or happiness) of the godless is momentary”. Yet,
for righteous or unrighteous people, does happiness last?
“Happiness, no matter how it is attained, has an expiration date.”
“Luck, virtue, genes, meditation, shopping, experiences, and Mickey Mouse ears. Each
is said to offer happiness. But the real issue is not so much what to do to be happy.
Instead, it is our inability to stay happy. For no matter how we get into a state of
fulfillment and contentment, we just can’t stay there.”
10. Describe an instance in your life in which you experienced happiness, only to
see it diminish as time passed. Was this avoidable?
Why are the The Next Big Thing or The Next Great Adventure dead-ends?
“Once it becomes ordinary, I lose the happiness I received in pursuing the thing
in the first place. Continuing the cycle, I then start looking for the Next Big Thing
to pursue.”
11. We all want it, but see its pitfalls and trappings. Whatʼs a biblical, Christ-like
approach towards happiness?
1. Embrace the gift of happiness.
Happiness is a good thing, but its not the best thing.
2. Pursue as a hobby, not a vocation.
“Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of
pursuit and it leads us on a wild goose chase and is never attained.”

4. 12. Read John 15:1-11. How does the joy that Christ talks about here contrast with
the happiness weʼve been discussing?
13. In the end, how big of a deal is joy to the Christian life? Is it really much
different than happiness?
Thesis: If you believe the Scriptures, joy is far more than a thesaurus entry for
happiness or a by-product of Christian behavior. While grace is God's priceless gift to
the unsaved, joy is his most tangible and transformative gift that he gives to his
followers this side of heaven. Joy is dynamic proof of our future hope as believers and
our greatest distinguisher to a cynical world held hostage by life's circumstances.
G.K. Chesterton - "Joy is the gigantic secret of the Christian"