Peace and pleasure

You asked:

What's that area like -- the area around Stonehenge and to the north? Is it barren and windswept? Or has it been developed? Are there trees, or only scrub and brush?

I've been to Stonehenge twice, once as a kid and once in 2001 to show a colleague around who was visiting from Germany. Maybe I'll get to go there again soon - the week of 27th Feb - as I am hosting four people from Croatia at work.

My recollection is that although the henge is near a major road - it is very barren and quiet. You can do a 360 degree swivel and see just grassland, maybe the odd copse, but pretty much just grass - slightly undulating, a bit like teletubbies land, or the default background of Windows XP :-) You feel like you are high up. You're not allowed to touch the stones now, as I kid I recall that I did. There is the usual guide telephone that you carry around as you tour Stonehenge.

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Today is the birthday of Nicolas Copernicus. Born in 1473, Copernicus envisioned the modern solar system model which explained the retrograde motion of the outer planets. Considering this was well over 530 years ago, and in a rather unenlightened time, his revolutionary thinking is astounding.

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I am wondering about the pursuit of peace over the pursuit of pleasure. Is this the secret to inner contentment and happiness? It's tied up with a lot of things I've mentioned in the blog:

1. Yoda (ok Buddha) saying don't get attached to things and physical pleasures
2. The Church enticing children with the pleasures of alcohol
3. Societal focus on more, more, more
4. Executives drawing down millions of dollars in share options

Are arguments (or wars) caused by one side wanting the pleasure of being right?

If we don't pursue sensual pleasure in this life then are we being anti-life? Not pursuing sensual pleasures in this life seems wholly valid if there is indeed an afterlife. But if there is not an afterlife then why not pursue pleasures in this life?

Thinking about it, the ultimate act of life, that of creating life, is a result of following sensual pleasure. So if we don't follow sensual pleasure then that would seem to lead to the end of life, and so possibly be "anti-life".

Sidebar: Humans are thought to reproduce sexually rather than asexually as sexual reproduction leads to less reinforcement of recessive genes, thus leading to more life.

Can we identify "the true" followers of Christ by observing those who are not pursuing the sensual pleasures of this life?

What would the world be like if our natures (and Hollywood) celebrated and sought peace rather than sensual pleasure?