We Have No Right To Happiness

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"-Decleration of Independance

When i read this i cant help but imagine all of the people who missunderstand this. That they have the unalienable right to do whatever makes them happy. This could mean running around punching people in the face, cutting people down with humerous sarcasm, or hugging strangers. In a way its amusing but it is also a scary thought. just think about the situations people will create on the premise that they have a right to do whatever makes them happy.
Lewis brings this idea up in "we have no righty to happiness." He gives the example of Mr. A and Mrs. B divorcing thier spouses to be with eachother, because they had a right to be happy. This happiness, lewis explains, is sexual happiness. this thought, that we have a right to sexual happiness throws us in a downward spiral of ideas that we can and should give in to our impluses, whether they appropriate or not. Lewis states that, "Absolute obedience to your instinct for self-preservation is what we call cowardice; to your aquisitve impluse, avarice."
In a way always indulging in your impulses makes you weak. It would appear that one is not strong enough to resist ones own sexual impluses, therefore making one weak.

i agree with lewis when he says that "our sexual impluses are thus being put in a position of preposterous privilage. The sexual motive is taken to condone all sorts of behaviour which, if it had any other end in view , would be condemned as merciless, treacherous, and unjust."
This is completely true. We now justify leaving a spouce because sexually you are not satified...thats not what marriage is and it certainly is not what love is. Love isnt just being intimate with someone....that can be a product of love, but love is a struggle, ask anyone whos been married for 25 years. Its not easy and once you're in a commitment you just cant say peace out and leave. It is wildy unjust as Lewis says. If only we as a socitey could realize the difference between true hapiness in love, (the true love of a spouse and the love of God) and momentary happiness in sex and pleasure. I think our relationships would last much longer...and the divorce rates would go down....
but heres to hoping...
and praying for that matter.

-fin-