If there is no god. What's the purpose of this life?

[YoursTrue]

It might be.

To me, it is just not very obvious that this is what a God with such power would be interested in. If God simply finds enjoyment in us enjoying life, there would be no need for suffering as life for a lot of people is not an enjoyment or have more bad times than good.

If by forever you are referring to eternal life, then I think you run into issues with people that have suffered in this life and how they are going to cope in the afterlife. If it is as the bible says that there will be no suffering, then our current existence is pointless and is purely for the entertainment of God.

From what I can see, there is no way one can make these things fit together without ending up with them being contradictive.

People who have suffered greatly (because I believe we all suffer in varying degrees) need to know there is a God who cares. We, as a human race, and experiencing the effects and misery that Adam put on us when he blatantly sinned against his maker. And chose death. rather than live withoiut the woman he loved. Jehovah can remove the suffering, meaning He can enable those who have suffered to live again in a far better world than this one. A life filled with joy and happiness never to end. Not just a box of chocolates by your side.

 

[Trailblazer]

It might be.

To me, it is just not very obvious that this is what a God with such power would be interested in. If God simply finds enjoyment in us enjoying life, there would be no need for suffering as life for a lot of people is not an enjoyment or have more bad times than good.

Good reasoning. God wants us to partake of the good things in the world, as long as they are allowed under His Laws:

“Should a man wish to adorn himself with the ornaments of the earth, to wear its apparels, or partake of the benefits it can bestow, no harm can befall him, if he alloweth nothing whatever to intervene between him and God, for God hath ordained every good thing, whether created in the heavens or in the earth, for such of His servants as truly believe in Him. Eat ye, O people, of the good things which God hath allowed you, and deprive not yourselves from His wondrous bounties. Render thanks and praise unto Him, and be of them that are truly thankful.”​

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 276​

But as you said, for a lot of people life in this world is not very enjoyable since they have more bad times than good. Since God created this world knowing people would suffer that means that God intended for people to suffering to exist alongside the joys of this life.

If by forever you are referring to eternal life, then I think you run into issues with people that have suffered in this life and how they are going to cope in the afterlife. If it is as the bible says that there will be no suffering, then our current existence is pointless and is purely for the entertainment of God.

From what I can see, there is no way one can make these things fit together without ending up with them being contradictive.

I can make them fit together.
People who have suffered in this life will not continue to suffer in the afterlife since the causes of suffering that exist in this life will not exist in the afterlife. Since the next life is a spiritual world and not a material world, there will be no need to struggle to make a living, and there will be no accidents or injuries or diseases. The only suffering we might experience is the suffering of the soul, not the body. The soul might suffer if it does not have the spiritual qualities that are necessary to exist and be happy in the spiritual world. The reason we have to suffer in this life is to acquire those spiritual qualities.

Our current existence is not entertainment for God, it is for us to acquire perfections. Another reason for suffering is so we will cry out to God for help!

“While a man is happy he may forget his God; but when grief comes and sorrows overwhelm him, then will he remember his Father who is in Heaven, and who is able to deliver him from his humiliations.​

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Men who suffer not, attain no perfection. The plant most pruned by the gardeners is that one which, when the summer comes, will have the most beautiful blossoms and the most abundant fruit.​

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The labourer cuts up the earth with his plough, and from that earth comes the rich and plentiful harvest. The more a man is chastened, the greater is the harvest of spiritual virtues shown forth by him. A soldier is no good General until he has been in the front of the fiercest battle and has received the deepest wounds.” Paris Talks, pp. 50-51​

 

[Nimos]

People who have suffered in this life will not continue to suffer in the afterlife since the causes of suffering that exist in this life will not exist in the afterlife. Since the next life is a spiritual world and not a material world, there will be no need to struggle to make a living, and there will be no accidents or injuries or diseases. The only suffering we might experience is the suffering of the soul, not the body. The soul might suffer if it does not have the spiritual qualities that are necessary to exist and be happy in the spiritual world. The reason we have to suffer in this life is to acquire those spiritual qualities.

Imagine a person experiencing something extremely tragic, like losing their whole family in a car or plane crash or having their child tortured or violated, being at war and having experienced awful things.

Is your point that this just goes away in the afterlife, whether you are talking about the child, parents or soldier?

My point is, that if these experiences are magically cured in the afterlife so no suffering from them will exist, then there is no reason for them in the first place. Tragical experiences are pointless if you want to make the argument that people can learn anything from them if they do not remember them, to me that seems contradictive. Psychological suffering can be just as bad as physical ones.

 

[Trailblazer]

Imagine a person experiencing something extremely tragic, like losing their whole family in a car or plane crash or having their child tortured or violated, being at war and having experienced awful things.

Is your point that this just goes away in the afterlife, whether you are talking about the child, parents or soldier?

My point was that these things will not happen to anyone in the afterlife because they cannot happen in the afterlife since there is nothing material in the afterlife. As such there will be no cars or planes or war. There will also be no more death, since everyone will already be dead!

My point is, that if these experiences are magically cured in the afterlife so no suffering from them will exist, then there is no reason for them in the first place. Tragical experiences are pointless if you want to make the argument that people can learn anything from them if they do not remember them, to me that seems contradictive. Psychological suffering can be just as bad as physical ones.

It is not the 'memories' of these tragic experiences that people benefit from. The memories themselves serve no purpose at all.
It is how people grow stronger in 'this world' that benefits them in the next world because suffering helps strengthen a person's character.
Our character is who we are as a person and it is the only thing we take with us when we die and go to the next world. That is why it is so important.

Yes indeed, psychological suffering can be just as bad as physical suffering. People do not normally commit suicide because of physical suffering but rather because they are so depressed that they have lost the will to live. I have felt that way many times but I am still here because I feel a responsibility to the cats and I love them, and because I have my Baha'i responsibilities.

 

[osgart]

Without God the purpose of life is to live and do the most worthwhile things before you cease to exist. Find peace in reckoning with finality of death and living.

With God the purpose of life is everlasting joy, peace and love found in the virtues.

Without God virtues are still important survival necessities. Without virtues we perish.

The purpose of life depends on whether your heart wants genuine joy, or artificial substitutes. The seem of happiness and joy is fleeting, and fake. Genuine joy could be defending your country, or falling in love, or other meaningful things that fulfill the heart. It all depends on what you are willing to live and die for that's true and good.

 

[Whateverist]

With no belief in gods one can contemplate the mystery that has given rise to the phenomenon of god belief unencumbered with idolatrous worship.

 

[nPeace]

Without God the purpose of life is to live and do the most worthwhile things before you cease to exist. Find peace in reckoning with finality of death and living.

With God the purpose of life is everlasting joy, peace and love found in the virtues.

Without God virtues are still important survival necessities. Without virtues we perish.

The purpose of life depends on whether your heart wants genuine joy, or artificial substitutes. The seem of happiness and joy is fleeting, and fake. Genuine joy could be defending your country, or falling in love, or other meaningful things that fulfill the heart. It all depends on what you are willing to live and die for that's true and good.

What you are describing, is not the purpose of life, but the fulfillment on one's choices in life.
The purpose in life without God, cannot be known, becase no one can tell you why there is life, and for what purpose there is life... if there is.
The purpose of life, with God, can be known,
That's why life without God has no purpose... is meaningless, and with all we know about life... makes no sense... imo.

 

[syo]

I believe Human beings were created, for way more than working a 9-5

I want 6 hours work a day. For five days. Or less.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

I believe Human beings were created, for way more than working a 9-5, raising a family, then dying. What are your thoughts?

We have to make our own because life is literally about becoming alive, reproducing, and dying.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I believe Human beings were created, for way more than working a 9-5, raising a family, then dying. What are your thoughts?

I think there are two opposite and logical but opposing views of this. Logic fails to scan every possible nook. Not every curve can be modeled nor every space mapped. Therefore our logic proves itself inconsistent. There is some more complicated answer than what humans are able to give, presently.

There is purpose without God There is only purpose with God. Both are true, sometimes or given particular conditions.

 

[Whateverist]

Just as difficult to determine as for believers and just as needful of faith. Believers have the advantage in already knowing faith is needed (unless they are fundies in which case they may already think they know God’s will in its entirety. Atheists have the advantage in already knowing God’s will can never be known with certainty.