Ultimato 2009-04-27 15:48:57

We are here not to just give questions, but answer them. We are here to be here. We ARE here so that's it. We can do whatever we want because we are here.

Godlimations 2009-05-02 17:59:05

"We ARE here so that's it" doesn't explain the meaning of life. We can't do whatever we want because we abide by human morals. You wouldn't rape your best friends sister... why? Because it's morally degrading. So if we are born, crawl our way through life and then die, you'd raise a question about our moral conduct and why it's not in our blood to act the same as animals do.

I asked the same question about the meaning of life a few years back. So I came to find myself in a relationship with Christ, and to love Him with all my heart, soul and strength. You first need to acknowledge the existence of the supreme deity to go down this road though. I acknowledged, because the practices we do within the Christian faith works. Other people would try a different path to acknowledgement. What I'm saying is, if you want to know the meaning of life, your best bet is to find out how we came to existence. Like returning a car to its manufacturer to get it serviced. We have lost motives and need to get our foundation right.

S3C 2009-05-05 05:13:30

OH MAN i hate philosophical questions haha.

"I've finally realized it... The true meaning of life..."

"You mustn't allow yourself to be chained to fate; to be ruled by your genes.
Humans can choose the type of life they want to live.

"The important thing is that you choose life...and then live!"

That's from Naomi Campbell of metal gear solid 1.

There is no specific, objective purpose set for anyone's life. I cannot find a single logical reason how there could be- or even if there was a predestined path that an individual is supposed to follow, whether being obligated from a familial figure or even a "divine" source, how it could arbitrarily make sense. I will say that everyone strives for contentment, which can come from peace/security, love, free time which allows us to engage in activities that we enjoy (music, watching movies, drawing, etc.), When you say "crawl through life" some enjoy and look forward to the pleasure that life (may) brings, and ultimately that is all that matters, right?

Zero123Music 2009-05-15 12:38:32

We don't know... yet.

That's why we live almost - kinda ironic if you think of it like this ;P :

"The meaning of life, is finding out that meaning"

>>Zero123Philosophy

DevilDog016 2009-05-18 14:39:53

The meaning of life is to make us open our eyes to the horrors and all the disasters caused by mankind, to really discover how cruel and evil we are - in essence we are nothing but treacherous beasts born to relish in the pain and suffering of our kin, but we have been granted a superior mind, allwing us to constantly find more and more distructive, fearsome ways to kill ourselves. All the fun and games we made are just a means to pass time and ease our tainted conscience a little. They say life gives you purpose...the only thing this life has given me is the ability to openly welcome death's embrace, once it's my time to leave this godforsaken existance. I can't piece up one part of my past without cringing and getting disgusted at how cruel and stupid this whole world is. Not that I won't live my life as good as I can - it's a mix between a curse and a blessing, but it's a gift. A poisoned golden apple, nonetheless, but it's something special; It's a good way to try and forget about everything. Don't know about you, but I don't fear death, I accept it with all my heart, just because I know that one day it'll all fade away and I'll be at rest. And since the whole "purpose of life" implicitly brings a God-reated question, I therefore ask you: IF God existed or octually gave a shit, would he have let us decline like this? The Bible mentions God as the always-loving, always-caring father-of-all; if all of this was real, why weren't we saved? For 2000 years we have been worshipping our God almost everyday, begging for help, hope and forgetting of the sins, but to no avail. Where is the answer? The only thing coming back is that awful, dead, mind and soul-burdening silence. IF there is a God, then he's abandoned us.

Darkmaster603 2009-05-24 02:07:31

My question is, once you find out the meaning of life, is there meaning to living?

DevilDog016 2009-07-03 22:36:38

I can't agree more with DarkMaster603... Ultimately, our set goal is to find the meaning of life. Once we find out, and once the following, inevitable scientifical "rape" takes place, the impact on us will be more or less...negative. Will there be anything to live for? The things we do, we do because we know we have only so much time to experience what life offers us. Then genetic immortality and/or revival steps in - you can lead a life of crime and when you finally get shot and killed, that revival process you paid for with looted money will be applied and you'll be back to robbing banks a few months later. The motivation that drives us through our lives is that our lives themselves have an end. Remove that end, and the whole world will turn upside-down. Paradoxically, the meaning of life is...NOT to find the meaning of life. Think about July 20, 1969 - first man lands on the Moon. For thousands of years the space, even the one so close to us as the Solar system, was a mystery and it fascinated people. Now, 40 years later, the fun is gone; everyone takes the Solar system for granted, it's all known and familiar, so on. As for the God approach, I think that if God created this world, he is an observer - He has created the Universe based on a strict set of laws, but he does not actively change them; he observes all living beings' actions and he lets the Universe shape itself by the rules lifeforms follow - or break. Sort of like a giant, very complex test subject, which the scientist (God) lets loose and follows without interfering.

mrRedux 2009-07-14 16:12:25

A more interesting question for me is "What is death"?

Krayon 2009-11-12 00:22:57

A much better answer, perhaps, for the meaning of life is the search for truth, and for beauty.

Seek either of them and you will find your meaning. We can leave our legacies through the understanding of these two simple concepts. For in seeking them, we can also create them. One thing I have heard about being an artist is that art should speak to the truth of things.

And truth. Real truth. Does not change regardless of opinion or prevailing knowledge. It is simply the truth. And to seek the truth is perhaps one of the highest things to which man can aspire to.

Go find the truth, and create a little beauty.

I'm a Christian, but I'm sure you don't want a discussion on the concepts of meaning according to the Bible. Though it does seem to have a lot to say on the matter.

Happy searching!

palaniaiwaiwa 2009-11-20 18:19:06

Haha, I'll try to keep this asap (as short as possible).

I can't say too much without repeating Godlimations statements, but I CAN offer an argument to DevilDog016.
so...

@DevilDog016:

What is suffering? It is merely nerve's sending signals telling you something is bad, wrong, or unhealthy. For example you accidentally place you're hand on a stove , skin cells are destroyed by the instant pummeling of particles accelerated by heat, Surrounding nerve cells detect this and send signals to your brain telling you to move your hand. These signals are sharp, and have come to be described as pain. This pain was caused by an unbalanced force, a break in equilibrium a group of fast moving particles bouncing against the atoms in you're hand, in essence a lack of balance. Notice, a LACK OF balance. So pain and suffering do not exist by themselves, but are merely a lack of molecular balance, or health, which in turn can lead to a lack of happiness.

Another example of this phenomenon is cold. What is it in the scientific sense? decreased movement of particles. Temperature is simply an average of the kinetic energy of an objects particles. Cold is when one objects particles are moving slower than another objects. So cold is a lack of kinetic energy, and in turn a lack of heat. Cold is merely a word to describe an emptiness.

So how about morality? As you said yourself man is essentially evil, but what is evil? A lack of good. A destructive action is much easier than a constructive one is it not? For example, a house of cards has been built, now does it take more energy to knock it down, or keep building it? Another example, you lift a heavy abject to about waist height, is it easier to drop the object or lift it to eye level? This phenomenon is also describable through science. The second law of thermodynamics, or the law of entropy describes that a system falls into disorder without energy put into it. Here's a more applicable example: You leave your house for several months, upon your return their is a layer of grime and dust coating everything. So you go and get a mop, vacuum, duster, whatever and clean your house. Why? because your house won't clean itself (I'm sure you heard that expression before). Now think of this in scientific terms. Your house is a system, like an atom, an organic object, the galaxy etc. It falls into a state of disorder without your input of energy. Now put this in terms of people, life and morality.

Here's what you get: A child is born, crying, he is already dissatisfied with pain, and imperfect both physically and mentally. However his moral system is nonexistent. His parents can either allow him to continue to grow, and merely serve as benefactors feeding him nurturing him etc. but giving no discipline or retribution for his actions and he will become a selfish brat putting his well-being in front of the suffering of others. One day he goes to a party. A drunk girl is there, he takes advantages of her drunkenness and rapes her. She becomes pregnant but has little money her life's goals are ruined i.e. suffering. Later after he is drunk from the party he drives home and gets in a car accident. He severely injures himself his friend and the driver of the car he collided with i.e. suffering again.
Now what about in the hands of parents who put energy and time into disciplining the baby? He grows into a successful young entrepreneur who is loved by the people around him because of the kindness, restraint, and self-control he exhibits. Where did these qualities come from, the morals his parents raised him with.
Well where did they get their morals? "Their parents" you say? well where did they get their morals? Say we wind back the clocks to the first of mankind, who told them what was right and wrong? Where did their morals come from? They can't have taught themselves, that would imply that they ordered themselves as a system, and therefore put energy into themselves which is impossible, because energy is not created. The only option left is a creator (aka God) who created them.

Now this God gives his creations a choice: Free will, or perfection. What do they choose? Free will. So hence it begins, the first murder is committed shortly after and the down spiral of humanity begins. But who committed that first murder? God or man? Man. So God is not the source of suffering/(the lack of happiness), but rather the source of it. Man is the hole in the system, the proverbial drain, the lack of happiness. But this "lack of" is by their own will, their own curiosity led them to reject perfection and replace it with freedom. In essence God gave them two choices: a) Heaven and happiness if we would follow his commands, and b) Hell, free will, and fulfillment of our curiosities. However, God knew that his people would choose the latter, in fact he wanted us to choose free will so that we would worship him by our own will, as he had already allowed Satan to tempt them. So he predestined a proverbial cork to put in the proverbial drain mankind had created. In other words a way that an individual could turn back and say, "wait I change my mind I want to got to Heaven". So God condemned his only son to die so that mankind immoral as they where could turn back and ask for forgiveness and be accepted in heaven. Some people say that it was too easy for him to kill his son rather than himself. But now I want you to put yourself in his position: In order to save a group of despicable drug dealers, rapist, murderers, along with those people lost in the tide of life, you must sacrifice the greatest love of your life. (This is the epitome of the plot for the new Spider-man movies if you haven't noticed). Not to easy anymore is it?

So you ask if God existed or actually gave a ****, would he have let us decline like this? The Bible mentions God as the always-loving, always-caring father-of-all; if all of this was real, why weren't we saved? For 2000 years we have been worshiping our God almost everyday, begging for help, hope and forgetting of the sins, but to no avail. Where is the answer?

Here's my answer, God has given his answer over 2000 years ago, the year Christ died, and you turned you're back on it. It's not He who abandoned us, but us who abandoned him in return for our own self pleasure and curiosities. If humanity wants to put the proverbial gun of immorality to it's head and pull the trigger who is God to stop them? Especially since they told him to let them do as they please?

Now what about you? You said you would embrace death? Where do you think you will go after death. Do you think you're good enough, nice enough to avoid hell? Compared to perfection you're still just as selfish as the rest of the world. Perhaps you admit to that, then why embrace death when you know it will only amplify your suffering? Maybe you still think you're good enough. Have you ever lied? cheated? stolen? Ever lusted after someone. Aren't those all selfish things aren't those sins? The thing is, being good won't get you to heaven. Only belief, acceptance, and commitment to God will. it won't end your suffering here, I can guarantee that, I can't even guarantee peace or happiness throughout life, it might even make life harder, but it's the hope you said you've been asking for, the light at the end of the tunnel. It's a life completely absent of suffering promised to you after death. So what do you say?

@popraz:

Everything written above is as much directed at you as it is at DevilDog016. It's the meaning to life that I have found, as I said before, the light at the end of the tunnel. You can accept Godlimation and my views for what they are, the truth. (not relatively, not kind of, but the complete truth) or you can keep searching for the meaning of life, your "Bigger Picture". I can only pray (an believe me I have) that you choose the former before it's too late, eternity is a much longer than it seems like.

Well the short as possible thing didn't work out to well did it? ;) of course maybe that is the shortest I could say what I wanted. Anyways, I sincerely hope that this pulls on both you're hearts, well I better go, I'm just out of characters.

Music-story 2009-11-30 18:27:24

Well I didn't read everything you said palaniaiwaiwa. Very long, but you know what, I couldn't have said it better myself. Nice quotes. Hope it does bring hope to people because I agree with you.

As just a reassurance for some who will take your quote as ridiculous (I can easily imagine many well unfortunately), think like this.

Why do people believe in a religion. It brings a sense of hope in life. If god never existed, than there is no purpose in life. It would be you study for 1/4 of your life in school, work for about half your life, and than wither in age for the remainder of your life. However, what if god existed and there was "eternal life". You would be hitting yourself in the head if you find out after your dead that there is a god because its too late then. Don't take that chance. But so many religions to choose from!!! Which one is right? Well I hope this next paragraph makes some sense to you. I can't force anyone to believe something...its up to you to make the decision.

In today's world there are thousands of religions. Which one to choose? The answer: none of them. What? How does that make sense? Well, a religion is generally a belief in something supernatural. It provides a sense of hope. However, all religions have one flaw. Their gods have a grave. Their gods have died. A god that can be defeated by death? Some powerful god that is. Religions are based on work. If you try hard by either putting yourself through unnecessary suffering (eg. walking on hot coals or crawling on broken glass, or suicide bomb runs) then that is your ticket to pleasing your god or reaching a higher being in the after life. Eg. reincarnation.

There is one religion only, which frankly isn't a religion at all. This one god has defeated death. There is no grave for this god. It is empty. Christianity is exactly this. Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship with God. Like what palaniaiwaiwa said, you don't have to make yourself go through pain to please this god. Yes, you heard god is loving, caring, etc, but as a warning this god is also a wrathful one. He hates sin and will truly punish you for it if it. So why would anyone want to believe in a god that would strike you down? Well, remember this.....God has willingly sacrificed his son, Jesus to take your place of death. We all sin and all of us deserve death, but to have a god so loving that he would sacrifice his own son for you should be seen as a great love for you.

Yes, you have heard the horrific flooding that kills millions in the world. Why would a loving god do such a thing. Honestly, I am not the be all and know all. What happens in the world is a mystery that only God knows. However, though you may not see it, there is a spiritual war going on among angels and demons. The bringer of pain and suffering is the devil himself. Why god does not smite the demons and make the world a perfect place? It is possible that the demons are allowed to stay as a way to "test" our true love to God. God gave us a choice and if he were to take away the demons there would be no struggle to show our love to God. True love comes from loving a person through the good and bad times.

Another warning, there are many types of Christianity. Catholic, baptist, presbytarian, etc. Unfortunately, I humbly say that I am not a good christian myself, but at least I admit it and I want to get better. I do not know all the answers as to which Christian version is correct. All I can say is that Christianity you can NEVER stop learning. I am still searching for the right one and I hope that you and others can wish me the best to solve this issue. As for now, the bible is the authentic source of information and we all know that God likes to speak in parables. Misinterpretation is bound to happen so take reading the bible extremely seriously.

This is only the tip of the iceberg. However, I don't want to portray so much info to overwhelm you. Again, this is your choice to make. Time is running out for none of us know when we will die (via car accident, heart attack, gun shot, etc.). Take initiative while you can.

Bye for now