I used to enjoy reading Polly Toynbee in the Guardian. But she has taken her faith in the National Secularist Society too seriously of late, with regular rants against religion, particularly Christianity (see 'Media Watch: Art as Religion' for another example of irrational approaches to Christianity). It now appears she has become a devotee of American civil religion, however. In today's Guardian she states," It is not fanciful to make the pursuit of happiness a political imperative." Although she cites David Cameron, that liberal icon, as the source of her thinking, this clearly comes directly from the US Declaration of Independence, whose preamble states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men (obviously sexist) are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator (obviously religious) with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (this is the pertinent part)."

The pursuit of happiness as essential to being human is so ingrained in American consciousness that even Christians tend to believe it to be based on the Bible (rather than a product of the deistic philosophy of Thomas Jefferson). A poll of the average Evangelical American Christian (a different category from American Evangelical Christian, or Evangelical Christian, or even American Christian) would probably find a fair percentage who believe that the 'pursuit of happiness' can be found in Scripture. It seems Toynbee is one of their number.

Whatever the notion is, it is not Scriptural, nor is it particularly Christian. One of the things that is so surprising about Toynbee's adoption of the 'happiness is the goal' philosophy of life is that pushes issues of equality and justice aside--in favour of happiness for as many people as possible. Thus this statement for Labour: "What is all that ministerial toil and effort for, if not a constant attempt to allow the greatest number to live in as much happiness as possible?" Hmm. 'Greatest number' suggests that, 'the unhappy you have with you always', might leave some people out. Of course, these will not be the poor and powerless.

What is most revealing in the Utopia envisioned by Toynbee is the materialist reductionism:

It is now possible to quantify people's levels of happiness pretty accurately by asking them, by observation, and by measuring electrical activity in the brain, in degrees from terrible pain to sublime joy. Happiness is a real, objective phenomenon, scientifically verifiable. That means people and whole societies can now be measured over time and compared accurately with one another. Causes and cures for unhappiness can be quantified

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On this basis, all political parties have to do is promise--here is the punchline--the proper therapy. The Saviour of the World of Happiness is revealed by Polly Toynbee to be (drum roll, please)------Richard Layard, 'the distinguished economist', who, together with 'a distinguished team of psychiatrists and economists set out a New Deal for depression and anxiety that would change millions of lives.' Are you shouting 'Hallelujah' yet? Here is 'the point':

The point about this report, spelled out in the clearest terms, is that the right effective treatment with cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) provided by well-trained therapists works.

This is wonderful news. All we now need is for a government to be elected which will promise therapy to the population which will guarantee happiness. The problem of sin has been solved. I'm so glad there are now 'accepted scientific proofs' which can sort it all out.

Oh. I shouldn't mention the 'S' word, should I. Sin doesn't exist. Evil only occurs amongst the Religious Right. We are obviously on the verge of Utopia. Now, how can we persuade the whole world to go into therapy?

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