The Meaning of Life

[Super Universe]

It's always been the eternal question, one of many really. Why are we here? And maybe even more importantly, what am I supposed to do?

Sometimes I think all of this is here simply because...God was lonely.

I believe that God created the universe so that intelligent beings could form and grow and create that which they wanted. We can all build our own lives by choice. You choose your spouse, your home, your clothes. You choose your occupation, your vacations, your charity, and your friends.

It's really incredible when you think about it. God has created such an incredible universe and He has given us the ability to create. Now I don't mean that we can create simply by thought but by work, building, painting, writing, and jotting down notes in a perfect new way.

Purpose
Since you have complete choice your purpose is what you choose. If you decide to become a nurse, then that is your purpose. A homemaker? Then that is it. An artist? Then that is your purpose. Certainly things in life don't always work out the way we would like, I always wanted to be an NFL quarterback, but that is our fault. God's intention for us is pure.

 

[mormonman]

We believe that we were sent to Earth to gain a physical body and be tested to prove ourselves worthy to live w/ our Father in Heaven (God) again.

 

[Pardus]

*Dances around singing "Every sperm is sacred, every sperm is good"*

 

[finalfrogo]

You talked about why you think God created the universe. Though I know I'm not Hindu, I know that some Hindus believe in a theological idea called "playa". It is the concept that the universe is like God's place; the cosmic dance that God performs. The concept, as far as I understand it, states that the universe is a product of God's creativeness.

For example, why does a writer write novels, or why does a painter paint? Usually it's not to make money, and sometimes it's not even done in expression of an idea or feeling; occasionally, it just the joy of creating that causes us to create. Perhaps it is the same with God?

 

[Cordoba]

It's always been the eternal question, one of many really. Why are we here? And maybe even more importantly, what am I supposed to do?

That's a Super topic.

From a Muslim perspective, we are here for three purposes:

The first purpose is to worship God. Worship here is in the wider sense of the word, so it's not only prayers, but also all other types of good deeds which a believer does in life.

The second purpose is to purify our souls in preparation for our return to God. Each human being has both good and evil, and one of the priorities in our lives is to grow spiritually and try to reach the state of inner peace.

The third purpose is to make this world a better world. God has entrusted Adam and his descendents to establish peace, justice and goodness on earth.

The first purpose is our relation with God, while the second is our relation with ourselves, and the third is our relation with the rest of mankind.

One day, we will all return to God, and we need to be ready for that.

All the best.

 

[finalfrogo]

Oh whoops, I think that concept is called "lila", not "playa".

 

[Pardus]

So i can get away with the joke about god creating multiple eves and beding them all.

 

[ch'ang]

Your purpose in life is whatever you make it. Nothing more nothing less

 

[standing_on_one_foot]

42...sorry, but someone had to say that.

 

[ch'ang]

yeah I was waitin for it

 

[Cordoba]

What is the Purpose of Life?

They say that a fool lives to eat and a wise man eats to live. But then the question remains: for what purpose does the wise man live? Living is not an end by itself. There has to be a purpose for man to live for. So what is this purpose?

Where from? Where to? And Why?

 

[Super Universe]

Any man's purpose is exactly this-everything they have done.

A child may say "I did my chores because my father made me, not because I wanted to do them."
A man may say "I obeyed the law because I did not wish for the police to come after me."

But they still had a choice. Each could have chosen the other path but they decided not to.

Our purpose in this life is not exactly what we all would like it to be. We don't all have the perfect job or the perfect spouse or perfect children.

But someone has to deliver the mail. And you still can decide that delivering the mail is not for you and go out and find another occupation.

 

[Cordoba]

I would say the idea of purpose and meaning of life would be very different if one believes that there is a Hereafter or not.

If there is an eternal Hereafter, then we are only here on transit for 70 or 90 years.

With this in mind, the purpose of life would be to have a good transit and to safely reach the final destination.

 

[Of a Happy Ending]

Here, I am in line with the Westminster Confession of Faith - "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him thoroughly."

Its that simple: Live a life that honors and glorifies God.

Brandon

 

[Cordoba]

I agree with you on that Brandon.

All what is in the universe glorifies The Creator.

Believers are no exception.

 

[Super Universe]

We believe that we were sent to Earth to gain a physical body and be tested to prove ourselves worthy to live w/ our Father in Heaven (God) again.

Do you test your own children?

It's all for us. It really is. We should be happy, ecstatic with joy. But instead we can only question God, "Why did you do this?"

Like a child who has everything but thinks their life is terrible because their father asks them to pick up their toys.

 

[Fluffy]

I do not believe there is any underlying purpose to my life or life in its entirety. We cannot "make" our own purpose either because this devalues the term. I am happy with this though; I like life enough to stick with it, even if it can get rather tenuous at times and I don't need an overall purpose to keep me in. Sometimes I feel it might be nice but it is not the kind of thing that my god and goddess can accomodate me on.

 

[Super Universe]

It sounds like you are saying that humans are unworthy of having a purpose. If so, why would you think that?

 

[Fluffy]

It sounds like you are saying that humans are unworthy of having a purpose. If so, why would you think that?

Not at all. My reason for saying we cannot make our own is that it wouldn't be one of comparable value to that when we traditionally say the "purpose" of life. It would simply mean something we work towards and perhaps place value in. But the purpose of life should be independent to whether it exists or not and these kind of personal purposes are not since upon death, they become meaningless except when another places value in them.

In a similar vein, I do not believe my god and goddess can give me purpose, not because they believe me to be unworthy, but because have purpose for the sake of accomodating my feelings undermines that purpose making it no longer purposeful.

The thing is, I do not believe in "worth", I feel it is entirely relative and so I can't very well believe in unworthiness either.