As a counselor I see many people who chose to remain unhappy and live in bad situations, no matter how much help that you offer them; it is like they are addicted to their trauma and pain so much so that they would live their entire lives in misery than to choose happiness. It baffles me continually. I think the answer is to choose the life you wish to live and live it without apology - speak your mind and be who and what you want and don''t listen to anyone who expects you to fit into their 'ideal' of you. That is the ONLY happiness in my book!

Your point is a very good one. This is why the 'theory' of the Bodisatva is relevant here. The Bodisatvas are supposed 'incarnations' of god-beings, avatars, or previously enlightened fully conscious beings who are reborn over and over (Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, Vishnu incarnations, etc), in order to aid in the Spiritual development of the humans who are still alive on earth and wish to help stop the misery that resides here. These beings are often able to perform miracles of healing etc. on those whom they come into contact with. Because of 'free-will' the Bodisatva, or God being cannot 'force' enlightenment or happiness or PEACE ON EARTH upon anyone as some people simply choose to remain tortured, at war, sociopathic, or to live in ignorance and sadness. That is as much of a choice as it would be to become enlightened. Each person must choose their desires of what they want from this experience and it is not a blanket concept for all humans to be forced to accept.

The Bodisatvas, Buddhas and Christ figures cannot stand to BE IN HEAVEN while people on the earth are suffering still. It is their belief that they can help humankind by returning again and again (Dali-Lama, Jesus, Buddha, Krishsna etc... Vishnu 10 incarnations total), to continue their work in trying to help spread enlightenment and awareness to rid the world eventually of this 'torture' that is real and on going - they refuse to be in 'Heaven' while others are suffering.

The theory of the Bodisatva also goes on to mention that these are 'actual incarnations' of God to teach humans how to live that would allow them to become happier. Now many of these Avatars who have supposedly come in all religions are often persecuted, worshiped, live long lives and share much wisdom, yet not everyone in the world understands them, nor cares. The general idea is that this will 'continue' to happen as long as the earth has people on it.

Now, I can say all of this, yet you and all others still must chose whether this Theory is total bupkis, or a 'real' intention of beings who have lived on this earth and whether or not God sent them - as his avatars, saviors of humanity, or not to help man, woman, child and animal kind. Because whether or not you 'believe' that this theory is real, or is irrelevant, doesn't matter - it is a theory that does exist and millions of people have seen evidence of these persons who have made these claims and you can look up the meaning of bodisatva below.

My vote is that because these people did exist at one time historically, and did bring this message to mankind, they cannot all be crazy, or lying, there are simply too many of them over thousands of years to negate them all. So either some crazy divine M.F. has nothing better to do and keeps coming back like a terminator, or a bad rash who is trying to indoctrinate us all and rehabilitate us into just being happy, or we are all on acid and these people never existed to begin with. There is much on the net about Bodisatvas to inquire further and there is generally one for each religion to boot! So one can even 'pick' their poison in whatever flavor they want, but to say that no one cares may not be completely accurate? The problem is that no one, not even a bodisatva avatar from god's anus possesses the power to negate free will and if people - so many people love war, and torture then so be it.

[en.wikipedia.org]

Very good observation

The heaven described in the bible and in chrch has always sounded like a terrible place I have no interest in going to.

Don't plan on heaven or hell existing.

Wise words

Yeah, I never got the concept of divine schadenfreude. Pretty twisted. Assume Catholicism is the true religion. You could go to heaven while your Moslem orthopedist and your Hindu accountant are in Hell and you're supposed to be happy?