What is the purpose of life?

Everyday life. How was your day?

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Saratonin
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Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2016 1:51 am

What is the purpose of life?

Postby Saratonin » Sat Apr 23, 2016 2:28 am

I'm not so sure I believe in God anymore. Life just seems so meaningless. If there is a God why are so many sick, depraved things allowed to happen to people especially children? I read that on the wall in one of the concentration camps a prisoner wrote, "If there is a God, he better get down on his knees and beg my forgiveness".

100footpole
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Postby 100footpole » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:39 am

Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl.

Ks81072
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Postby Ks81072 » Sat Apr 30, 2016 8:32 pm

I've often had the same feelings saratonin.......I get a lot of "it'a all part of God's plan." from people around me. Well I got news....if it's part of the plan that my whole life be a giant shit-sandwich, I have a SERIOUS bone to pick with the big man...........

100footpole
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Postby 100footpole » Mon May 02, 2016 10:07 am

We all try to create meaning.

It's OK to say that "God doesn't work for me." It's a different think to say that "I want to argue with you because your God won't talk directly to me."

I think the best way to view Religion is as a minority branch of philosophy. There are lots of metaphysical questions that can't be answered, and philosophy is the method of naming the approaches to those questions.

I kind of object to your answer because it sounds like you are simply reflecting back the feelings you have about religion, instead of acknowledging that there are different ways to approach a problem, and we can agree to disagree, and in fact still cooperate, even though our approaches are anti-thetical. It's simply a matter of knowing what things you can control.

Katcleo46
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Joined: Mon May 16, 2016 12:07 am

Postby Katcleo46 » Mon May 16, 2016 12:16 am

The idea and concept of a "god" was created by people who were not able to deal with unanswerable questions. Fact is there is no "god" and don't be ashamed to feel that way- you're 100% smarter and more attuned to your world than them. So regardless of the terrible reality we have to accept as everyday life, rest assured you are an enlightened one. That is why life is so painful.

nenkohai2
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Postby nenkohai2 » Mon May 16, 2016 10:19 am

There is a phrase that I am fond of saying in these kinds of discussions: the truth will be far stranger than we can possibly imagine. theologically, scientifically, mathematically. It will all come apart in the presence of what is.

How does it affect people with depression or anxiety? I believe that at some point in all of our lives we will be faced with what really IS, versus what we think we know. Self-perception will change, utterly. From the outside, looking in, none of it will make sense in any way. But, from the INSIDE of the process, it will seem as natural as breathing.

I can't tell you how to get there, because, I don't know myself. I can tell you a few things I do to help "till the soil:" meditate (it ain't a crazy mystic thing. It's so basic. People think it's more than what it is); read theological and metaphysical critiques (not the new age hash in lots of bookstores); read blogs from across the scientific and belief spectrum. A source of great interest to me is the SAND website (Science and Non-Duality). In all of it use your best discernment. There are things which you must take with a grain of salt. Perhaps take it ALL with a grain of salt.

Meanwhile, I'm keeping an eye out for what is AND what it is I think I know.

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CitM
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Location: United States

Postby CitM » Mon May 16, 2016 10:42 am

For what it's worth, there are two things that seem to hold true for Humans
1. They like challenges. Those can be in learning new things, going to new places, climbing mountains, going to the moon, accomplishing a new skill, etc.

2. There are two kinds of people presented with a difficult life circumstance.
a) Those that give up and live in despair and eventually poverty and death.
b) Those that dig deep and find the good things and endure to a better life, if not for themselves then for their families and the future.

This country USA greatest gift to the world was a "Can Do" attitude. That attitude helped defeat NAZI Germany, sent people to the moon, defeated small pox, polio, diptheria, mumps and measles. That attitude built Hoover Dam, the Brooklyn Tunnel, the Brooklyn Bridge, and created the air industry, computers, wifi and cell phones.

Often the men and women who worked on these tasks, their lives were hard, the work was dangerous, strenuous, and repetitive and men died or suffered horrible side effects. However, when putting of the American Flag atop the Brooklyn Bridge (still considered an engineering marvel today) I believe that every man felt proud at that moment.

When blaming God or random factors or the Great Spaghetti Monster or whatever it is you want to blame... the VERY act of blaming reduces learning, creativity, ownership of the problem (which is the only way to take ownership of the solution) and tends to lend itself to the first kind of human, the one that never gets to fly an airplane, never builds anything, never takes pride in working with a team through difficult circumstances, never sees the point in helping themselves or others.

I believe in God the creator and the giver of life, because here we all ARE!! I believe in the Holy Spirit that gives us another day of breathing to do our best to get through our troubles and ease the lives of others. I believe in Jesus who shows us that after death, there IS new life and that he is God's son and one of the wonderful things about God is that He does get 'into it' to see how it's going and shares.. literally shares our human conditions so that when we pray, He can better understand the situation of our plight, because then we are not just ANTS in a petri dish, but real persons with real feelings and real joys, able to do things, with real potential.

The purpose of our time of life as I see it, is to recover this planet from the mess made from the over industrialization, pollution, the assault and destruction of nature and the hurt cause by war and inequities.

No one likes to hear anyone tell you to "Clean up this Mess" be it child or adult. But that is exactly WHAT we are being asked to do while being good to each other and all other living beings on this planet. And that is OUR task for the next 30 years.


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