Purpose of life.

[jeffrey]

What is the purpose of life? Why are we here? Is it instinct to survive? What is happiness? Is that the only reason to want to live? What good does our individual life do? Some will make a difference, but most won't. People die every second, but does anybody really care, except for maybe 1 or 2 people that were close to that person, and that caring is selfish for their loss, not for who died.

 

[jeffrey]

Why is life such a struggle? You bust your a$$ to make others happy, but they never really are. So if you try and live for yourself, you are selfish. If there is a God, why did he make life so hard? And we have it somewhat easy here in America, Canada and the U.K. Does God enjoy watching us struggle? Animal eat animal, dog eat dog, man kill man. Makes no sense.

 

[michel]

What is the purpose of life? Why are we here? Is it instinct to survive? What is happiness? Is that the only reason to want to live? What good does our individual life do? Some will make a difference, but most won't. People die every second, but does anybody really care, except for maybe 1 or 2 people that were close to that person, and that caring is selfish for their loss, not for who died.

The purpose of life ? My, but you ask the simplest of questions..........

I can only hope to present the reason why I am pretty sure I am here.

I believe in a God. Now why that God chose to make us all "go through the hoop" (so to speak) is beyond me, but I am happy to accept that that is what he has done.

As you most likely know, I believe in Reincarnation; I believe we are all here, to live as many (or as few) lives as it will take us to 'become at one' with God.

What does our individual life do ? - what we want it to do.

Many try very hard to make positive changes to the World in their lifetimes; at best, all I seem to manage is to survive, and try to make life 'comfortable' for those around me. If along the way, I can inspire someone with some positive thoughts, then that is an achievement.

One of the main themes of life is the Yin-Yang aspect; Growth (from a NIL point, up to the maximum potential, and then decay, again to the NIL value)- for ever and ever. Well, I guess our lives can be seen that way.

The only positive I can see is the "Growth"; again, through my belief in reincarnation, one hopefully grows spiritually until one is perfect enough to re-join God, from whence we came in the first place.

Why the whole rigmarole ? Heck, I don't know; I've stopped worrying about that a long time ago; better to concentrate of what growth I can still achieve in this life.
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[jeffrey]

Good answer, michel. But look at death. Natural death. Most of the time, it's guite painful. Cancer. Just to name one form. Why? Look how many people starve to death.

 

[Atheist_Dave]

I believe we are survival machines, built to pass on our genes to our offspring, when our reproductive days are over, we weaken quickly, and die, for our purpose has been served. Sounds a bit harsh, but it isn't all bad news, we have developed a brain that lets us enjoy the journey, we can make our own purpose, as many people have.

My purpose is to enjoy the ride, see lots of cool things, and generally have a great time

 

[jeffrey]

Maybe they only purpose of life is an entertainment value to some cruel God that enjoys watching people suffer. Maybe the story of Job was true. "Let's throw a hurricane into a crowded city and see how many people we can kill!" Or "Let's stop it from raining in an already struggling country and starve a few million people!" Or "There's a good person that's done well. Let's give him cancer!"

 

[cardero]

Jeffery writes: What is the purpose of life?

It could be anything it could be many things. What it is not is subject for debate.

Jeffery writes: Why are we here?

For the experiences.

Jeffery writes: Is it instinct to survive?

Not if you incarnate as a lemming.

Jeffery writes: What is happiness?

Jazz

Jeffery writes: Is that the only reason to want to live?

It’s enough to bring me back down here again.

Jeffery writes:What good does our individual life do?

It effects other lives.

Jeffery writes: Some will make a difference, but most won't.

Most will make an impression somewhere.

Jeffery writes: People die every second, but does anybody really care, except for maybe 1 or 2 people that were close to that person, and that caring is selfish for their loss, not for who died.

Most people do not realize that over 2,000,000,000,000 entities (animal, fish, plant, mammal, insect, one celled, multi celled) die every day.

Jeffery writes: Why is life such a struggle?

Because struggling is a valid experience. Not everyone struggles, some people just make things difficult for themselves.

Jeffery writes: If there is a God, why did he make life so hard?

Why would you have GOD plan your life for you? It is your life, you make it as easy or as difficult as you want.

Jeffery writes: Does God enjoy watching us struggle?

GOD takes the position as neutral observer. GOD is the great Watcher.

 

[jeffrey]

Look at a successfull business man. Stress. Always under pressure to keep his company in the red. In the end he dies. Takes nothing with him to the grave. A school drop out. becomes an alcoholic. His only ambition is to get drunk and be happy. No pressure in doing that. He dies, takes nothing with him. Both end up dead, buried in the same dirt. Who had the better life?

 

[jeffrey]

You have starving kids all over the world... That's just a valid experience? Watching your parents get murdered. That's just a valid experience?? The majority of the people in this world struggle to survive. That's just a valid experience?

 

[retrorich]

What is the purpose of life? Why are we here? Is it instinct to survive? What is happiness? Is that the only reason to want to live? What good does our individual life do? Some will make a difference, but most won't. People die every second, but does anybody really care, except for maybe 1 or 2 people that were close to that person, and that caring is selfish for their loss, not for who died.

So much for the easy questions, now how about a few difficult ones?

 

[retrorich]

Look at a successfull business man. Stress. Always under pressure to keep his company in the red.

He's under pressure to keep his company in THE RED? Perhaps he should work for the government. :biglaugh:

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I believe we are survival machines, built to pass on our genes to our offspring, ...

Even here teleology raises its ugly little head. And from an atheist! :slap:

 

[Green Gaia]

"Grandfather, what is the purpose of life?"
After a long time in thought, the old man looked up and said, "Grandson, children are the purpose of life.
We were once children and someone cared for us, and now it is our time to care."
-Eddie Belleroe, a Cree elder from Alberta, Canada

 

[Maxist]

The purpose of life is, again to make a change in other people's lives. The lives around you. So that they too, can make a change yours or somone elses.

 

[Evenstar]

I think the world is a very sad place, I don't know why the world is full of suffering, but what I do know is this, I am not God, and I couldn't sit back and watch someone go through pain and suffering.
Why is it, some people have such a hard life? We see single mothers, who struggle to feed their children daily, cant buy maybe Christmas presents for them....... Where is God when this is happening?
I don't know how many times I have thought I wish I knew that mother, because I want to help her.
What a horrible way to die, to be straved to death...... How can someone sit up there, and watch this?
My list could go on and on! Sad and painful, even to type this its painful to me but not to God.
I can see why so many people don't believe in him.

 

[jeffrey]

The purpose of life is, again to make a change in other people's lives. The lives around you. So that they too, can make a change yours or somone elses.

But why is there so much struggling? Why do people have to starve to death? Why so much pain in life?

 

[jeffrey]

Knolcu my mother. A wonderful woman, never cheated anyone, always honest, would give you her last dime if you asked. Always helped whoever asked. Her 1st husband was an alcoholic and beat her. Her 2nd, my father, died at the age of 36. She lost an unborn child in an auto wreck. Another was born retarded. Her 3rd husband only married her for his daughter to have a mom, ignored her for the most part

 

[Peace]

God created us to be His trustee on earth. He created us to know Him and worship Him and submit to Him, and to do good and learn and help those in need. The essence of God's message through all His prophets was "O Mankind, worship Allah, you have no deity other than Him". He also created this life in order to test us and recompense us in the hereafter according to our deeds "He who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving"(Quran, 67:2)
When we undergo hardships and suffer from diseases... we must be patient and resort to God for healing and to remove all hardships we are undergoing. You may ask "why must we undergo hardships in this life?" the answer is simply because we are being tested, because this life in not meant to be an eternal life for us, and so it's not perfect. Perfection and eternal happiness and content and bliss is there after death awaiting every believer who believes in the one God and doesn't associate partners with Him. If we are live in a perfect state, having all that we want and suffering from nothing,so what will be the purpose of being created and living on this earth? We have to strive and work hard to deserve the best place PARADISE.
God doesn't want us to believe in Him blindly, He wants us to know Him through intellect and reason and logic, He wants us to use our minds to know Him, and if everybody does, certainly all humans will be believers, and what a beautiful world that would be.
Since this life is not eternal so there must be death in order to pass to the other eternal world that awaits us. What's the purpose of life if there is no recompense of our deeds. God is just and won't let people's deeds go in vain.
May our dear God guide our way and grant us happiness and success in this world and the world to come, amen!!!

Peace

 

[Evenstar]

The purpose of life is, again to make a change in other people's lives. The lives around you. So that they too, can make a change yours or somone elses.

Yes I agree with you, but we cant do it all, its impossible, so many people pray to God for a simple change in their lifes, does the change come? Some do and some don't.
Our money that Jeff makes just covers the things WE need, but I would still give to anyone that was in need.
This is just the way I am, but we have very rich people, God who can change their lifes forever but do they? Nope!

 

[jeffrey]

So to top it all off, what does my mom get for all her struggles? Cancer. Dies a slow, painful death. Why? Why would God, if there is one, allow this? Is this a joke to him? Are there Gods up there making bets on how painful they can make someone's life? Bets on how many they can kill?