~LenasLover

It shouldn't be a partial holiday. It is the celebration of Jesus' birthday. I don't think we should be dancing around choclate eggs as the celebration of Christ's death and resurrection, either.

I think they may have may have been referring to the fact that most of the major Christian holidays are actually placed on holy days that pagans celebrated simply because it was easier to convert them if they were celebrating the same holidays for different reasons, if you will. Easter, Halloween and Christmas all fall into this category. Nobody can actually prove the day that Jesus was born, but I have read some literature which suggests it may have been sometime in October. Not that there's any concrete evidence for that either. So I suppose after that it turns out to be a faith thing for most people. In any case, calling it a partial holiday because it had pagan heritage was silly nonetheless.

In any case...contentment. If you mean overall, I think that one should never become complacent, and always be hungry and striving to achieve as much as one can throughout their lives. I don't expect there to be a point in my life where I stop growing, changing and wanting different things, and I don't mean material things. One of my greatest wants in life is to always learn more than what I know, so I hope in that respect I am never content.

As far as material things, and technology...This past year has been a hard one because it was my first year out on my own and because I didn't have very much money left over after having to pay for bills and rent, I had to make do with sacraficing a lot of luxuries. No internet, no cable televion, no television at all, and even if I did have it, not much time to watch...Microwave came from goodwill, and for a while even having a cell phone was too expensive. And yes, it was inconvenient, but you learn to take satisfaction from other things in your life.

fluxbox

LenasLover

It shouldn't be a partial holiday. It is the celebration of Jesus' birthday. I don't think we should be dancing around choclate eggs as the celebration of Christ's death and resurrection, either.

Then what qualifies as a full holiday? Unless your advocating that we just sort of "ban" everything but what the core meaning of the holiday is. I guess that's a very... correct approach, but not much fun =P

Actually a lot of the "other" stuff from these holidays is sort of the fault of the Catholic Church. Many holidays were an attempt to make pagan celebrations into Christian Holidays. Easter in particular comes to mind.

I didn't mean to imply that I thought you were wrong. I agree that holidays which once were Christian holidays have become less and less such, I just don't think it should be that way. I know there is nothing I can do about it. I was just sharing my very off topic opinion. ^_^

Kirjavaa

As far as material things, and technology...This past year has been a hard one because it was my first year out on my own and because I didn't have very much money left over after having to pay for bills and rent, I had to make do with sacraficing a lot of luxuries. No internet, no cable televion, no television at all, and even if I did have it, not much time to watch...Microwave came from goodwill, and for a while even having a cell phone was too expensive. And yes, it was inconvenient, but you learn to take satisfaction from other things in your life.

I know what you mean. I do find satisfaction knowing that I have grown up a little and can achieve things and buy things on my own, though. Do you find that satisfaction? In that respect, it seems it is possible to be content without owning the latest and greatest in technologies.

Hello everyone,

Some of you say that we as humans can be content. And i agree with you, but just for how long can we be content? I think for humans, contentment is placed beyond infinity!
Well...... i have not learned Buddhism completely yet (I am learning), but i do know that Lord Buddha has mentioned a certain 'Eightfold Path' which tells us to control our desires to have more and more, which is indirectly related to contentment (Please correct me if i am wrong, i do not like to be ill informed), but i want to know just how many people are following the eightfold path? i mean... the eightfold path is not just for Buddhists now is it? it's a way of life which i think anyone can follow. I am not talking about just Buddhists, i am talking about the masses, the people, just how many people follow or are willing to follow it? With so much to have around you can you restrain yourself? Don't you think that materialism is taking over us and over our wills?

I would like to listen ('read', in this case!) to your honest thoughts and opinions about it.........

(Please do not take this in an offensive way)

Warm regards,
The Firestorm.

LenasLover

I didn't mean to imply that I thought you were wrong. I agree that holidays which once were Christian holidays have become less and less such, I just don't think it should be that way. I know there is nothing I can do about it. I was just sharing my very off topic opinion. ^_^

Well I wouldn't say it's that far off topic. I mean if you follow the white rabbit you'll probably find contentment isn't that far removed from fulfillment in holidays. I hear all the time people saying "I hate Christmas, it's all about gift giving and blah blah" - I used to be one of them. But after a few changes in my life I realized that Christmas is what you make of it. Valentines day is another one that used to disgust me. But here's the thing. If you believe it's just a chocolate giving frenzy with no soul, then go out of your way to show the person you love the real meaning of Valentine's day. Actually does Valintine's day have a real meaning? I don't even know *L*.

In the same way your iPod is what you make of it. It plays your music and gives you convenience. If it does not fulfill your desires, ask yourself why. Is it because it is actually making your life lacking in some way, or because society is telling you you need something shinier?

Contentment eh.. not when you're as greedy as meeee. Seriously, i have so many things that i want and there is so much i want to achieve that i don't think i'll be feeling content anytime soon. I believe it's still too early for me to be feeling happy and content without having done much in life yet. Maybe in my old age.

However i'm feeling abit content on the technological side, just got a brand new pc with a 400gb hard disk and a new phone. Now all i need is a Wii and PS3 to be content eheheh. I are GREEDY.

gat

Humans will always have a desire. Once a desire is satisfied, there be another one to take its place, and then another one, and another one ..................

Oh lucky me.. My desire is to be better person then I am now.. ^^

Anyway, my thought on the material stuff..
Some people love to act cool and they feel they can be kooler if they have cooler stuff.. it's really that simple.. it has nothing to do with being on the cutting edge.. if something isn't very well know even though it's technicly proven superior people still won't flock to it..

Well, I'm personally one of those people that likes to have only the nececery.. (for example after one of my periodic formats I don't just go and install every little program I own.. until I need it for something it doesn't exist to me)

Well anyway, I think there's a very simple way to seperate (at least partialy) the uncontent people form the less uncontent people..

SPOILER (click to view)

Just ask them how often they play video/computer games ^__^

fluxbox

LenasLover

I didn't mean to imply that I thought you were wrong. I agree that holidays which once were Christian holidays have become less and less such, I just don't think it should be that way. I know there is nothing I can do about it. I was just sharing my very off topic opinion. ^_^

Well I wouldn't say it's that far off topic. I mean if you follow the white rabbit you'll probably find contentment isn't that far removed from fulfillment in holidays. I hear all the time people saying "I hate Christmas, it's all about gift giving and blah blah" - I used to be one of them. But after a few changes in my life I realized that Christmas is what you make of it. Valentines day is another one that used to disgust me. But here's the thing. If you believe it's just a chocolate giving frenzy with no soul, then go out of your way to show the person you love the real meaning of Valentine's day. Actually does Valintine's day have a real meaning? I don't even know *L*.

In the same way your iPod is what you make of it. It plays your music and gives you convenience. If it does not fulfill your desires, ask yourself why. Is it because it is actually making your life lacking in some way, or because society is telling you you need something shinier?

Well, I don't agree with you about 'making things what you want to make of them'. I hope that is what you are saying. If not, I apologize for misunderstanding. It is like people who change meanings of words or phrases to suit themselves. Just because you think something is a certain way doesn't make it true. I'm not trying to attack you- I'm just speaking in general. ^_^ But I am glad you have settled your differences with Christmas and are able to enjoy it in some fashion or form.

As to Saint Valentine's Day- I was going to write a big, long descrption of how this religious holiday came about, but- I think I've already steered this topic entirely in the wrong direction, and I better not make it worse. But, Wikipedia did a fairly decent job laying out the basics, so check it out HERE if you are interested. ^_^

I think i agree with arron the most here. the materialistic side of contentment is just the surface. its like the outward expression of what dissatisfaction one feels inside. so in my opinion, one needs to change his mindset in order to be fully content. ya cause then he would be able to resist all the temptetions of the world. frankly contentment is something i hope to achieve. i replied earlier to a topic about dreams & goals saying that i wanted to become a designer ( but am unsure ). well if i have dreams, will i ever be content? how can i be content if i have a dream that i want to accomplish? then how about my hope to be content? isnt that a dream too? oh man im confusing myself! xp

about all the holiday stuff, i dont have anything to say actually. yup in my country we celebrate holidays of different races / religions so we respect each other. mostly my family uses holidays to meet together with all the extended families so the essence of the holiday is still there, like to meet with friends & exchange good wishes. well i think this is quite off topic.

In today's world very few can actually be content. At a given point you may be happy, but as the time goes by you get bored of the things that once made you happy. For instance, about 20 years ago children used to play outside 'in the dirt', now they play on their computers. The children of yesterday were content with their way of having fun and so are the children of today. I think that our expectations change with the society and none of us will ever really be content unless we stop going with the flow and remain true to ourselves.

LenasLover

Well, I don't agree with you about 'making things what you want to make of them'. I hope that is what you are saying. If not, I apologize for misunderstanding. It is like people who change meanings of words or phrases to suit themselves. Just because you think something is a certain way doesn't make it true. I'm not trying to attack you- I'm just speaking in general. ^_^ But I am glad you have settled your differences with Christmas and are able to enjoy it in some fashion or form.

Well that's a matter of opinion I guess. ^^; What is truth if it isn't something that you believe is true? There is never any absolute truth, only what you perceive to be true. Your reality is forged by your perceptions. If you view something as contenting you, then it is so. Contentment is internal, not something which can be given to you by any person or thing. Actually I wouldn't say this is all my opinions. It's partially what I've thought about in my own philosophies, and a lot from "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" - The book that changed my life =P Anyway I think lack of contentment has more to do with filling some sort of void, but chasing the wrong things.

I never knew Valentine's day had any religious themes at all. Well you learn something new every day. I have to admit I have know clue what is involved in "February fertility festivals" but it sounds like a lot of fun. Especially the part about running through the streets naked and whipping people with shaggy thongs.