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2006-08-17 22:03:53 · 18 answers · asked by christiansarenotweak 1 in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

18 answers

"What is the meaning of life?" is a question many people ask themselves at some point during their lives. Some people believe that the meaning of life is one or more of the following:

Survival and temporal success

* ...to accumulate wealth and increase social status
* ...to compete or co-operate with others
* ...to destroy others who harm you, or to practice nonviolence and nonresistance
* ...to die having succeeded in your purpose
* ...to live
* ...to protect one's family
* ...to gain and exercise power
* ...to leave a legacy, such as a work of art or a book
* ...to produce offspring through sexual reproduction or asexual reproduction
* ...to seek freedom, either physically, mentally or financially
* ...to seek happiness and flourish, experience pleasure or celebrate
* ...to survive, including the pursuit of immortality through scientific means (see life extension)

Wisdom and knowledge

* ...to be without question, or to keep asking questions
* ...to explore, to expand beyond our frontiers
* ...to learn from one's own and others' mistakes
* ...to seek truth, knowledge, understanding, or wisdom
* ...to try to discover and understand the meaning of life
* ...to expand one's perception of the world

Ethical

* ...to express compassion
* ...to live in peace with each other, and in harmony with our natural environment (see utopia)
* ...to give and receive love
* ...to seek and acquire virtue, to live a virtuous life
* ...to serve others, or do good deeds
* ...to work for justice and democracy

Religious, spiritual and esoteric

* ...to turn fear into joy at a constant rate achieving on literal and metaphorical levels: immortality, enlightenment and atonement
* ...to achieve a supernatural connection within the natural context
* ...to achieve enlightenment and inner peace
* ...to become God, or God-like
* ...to experience existence from an infinite number of perspectives in order to expand the consciousness of all there is (i.e. God)
* ...to follow the "Golden Rule"
* ...to produce useful structure in the universe over and above consumption (see net creativity)
* ...to reach Heaven in the afterlife
* ...to understand and follow the "Word of God"
* ...to worship, serve, or achieve union with God

Other

* ...to advance natural human evolution, or to contribute to the gene pool of the human race
* ...to advance technological evolution, or to actively develop the future human
* ...to contribute to collective meaning ("we" or "us") without having individual meaning ("I" or "me")
* ...to die, or become a martyr
* ...to find a purpose, a "reason" for living that hopefully raises the quality of one's experience of life, or even life in general
* ...to live, and enjoy the passage of time
* ...to have fun
* ...to protect humanity, or more generally the environment
* ...to pursue a dream, vision, or destiny
* ...to relate, connect, or achieve unity with others
* ...to seek and find beauty
* ...to simply live until one dies (there is no universal or celestial purpose)
* ...to participate in the chain events which has led from the creation of the universe until its possible end (either freely chosen or determined, this is a subject widely debated amongst philosophers)
* ...still some do not even think there is any purpose whatsoever (see nihilism)
* ...(This is actually an extension of the point immediately above) There is no inherent meaning to life, existence, the universe, etc. They exist because they can. However, humans appear to inately give meaning, usually many, often conflicting, to what they are conscious of. So, to each individual, the "meaning of life" is whatever they decide it is. In that sense, every point above is potentially valid.

2006-08-20 01:12:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

That's #1 in a Christian's life, is to love God! You must also serve God,do right to your fellow human beings. Give to charity. Faith without works is dead! God will reward those the most, who love him and who are obedient, who act as innocent as a child.

Looking at the world, it's a shame that it's all lost in translation.

2006-08-18 05:11:34 · answer #2 · answered by snafu1 2 · 0 0

I think that is just fine.

As long as your God is one that loves people, and is not the one who commands the torture, slaughter, enslavement or subjugation of all who don't share your beliefs.

Religion gives meaning to life. It is a false meaning, but a better one in many cases than most people can find for themselves.

Often: Good people make good religions...and Good religions make good people.

At the same time, religions are responsible for most of the hate and suffering in the world, now and throughout history. It too often constitutes the chains rulers need to control and exploit the people. Popes and prophets have promoted wars and massacres, and even local pastors have abused their flocks.

What gives meaning to life is life itself, and its manifestations in the form of pleasure, love, truth, sensibility, humor, and respect for all lives, and all living things.

A long and happy life to you.

2006-08-18 05:31:03 · answer #3 · answered by Go Tech 1 · 0 0

I think the meaning of life is to do what God put you here to do, and walk that path of life and learn your lessons. I don't think it's to sit at church all day loving God. I think your loving God by living the way you were meant to on your path that was given to you.

2006-08-18 05:09:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I HAVE WRITTEN A POEM THAT DESCRIBES IT TO A TEE.

" Something in the meaning of every single Word."

There is something in the meaning of every single Word.
That my broken heart says needs to be heard.
Everything that was taken would soon come to pass
My memories are forsaken, my heart broken, but alas.
Today I soar with an Eagle on wings.
No longer do I desire worldly needful things.
Lord, today I wish to tell my story.
I swear that it is true and give ou the glory.
I was spent and broken this much is true.
Living a life that was not of You.
Pray for me Jesus from heaven above,
pray for me Jesus for mercy and love.
The man that He sees when we stand face to face
I hope was one full of mercy and grace.
what so ever I do and what ever I've done
To the throne of my Savior I chose to run.
That critical voice that lived inside me.
When Jesus moved in it had no choice but to flee!!!!

2006-08-18 05:26:21 · answer #5 · answered by Jesus freak 3 · 0 0

I love god and all but that is not the only meaning that you should have. He has something in mind for everyone also.

2006-08-18 05:10:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I loved also. Then I felt I am supposed to give a form to god. Then I felt It is better to have some storry around him like crucification. Then I felt the image of god hanging on cross is good becuase I saw my mom and papa praying infront of that image from my childhood. Now I am perfectly programmed to obey preists since they lived everyday under that image. Then, preists supported their source of money. their source asked to love the actions done by that money source so I loved catholics, church, politics. Now your programmed mind is fit for breeding hatred for people do not agree with your view. Keep killing and pretend as enjoying.

Keep the slogan...Love god...never love fellow human beings.

Just one Christain story, thus goes all other religious stories....keep killing in the name of god, mosque, temple, church, money, petrol, piece of land....at present the meaning of life is to keep oneself away from killing.

2006-08-18 05:31:23 · answer #7 · answered by r_govardhanam 3 · 0 0

I agree with you one hundred percent. But, to love the MIGHTY ONE makes you hopefully love his creatures. If you claim to love Rembrandt, but are active in burning his paintings, sane people will ask what kind of a love is this?

Those who love the MIGHTY ONE must serve his creatures in humility beginning with our own parents, to whom we owe everything. Then our immediate family members who depend on us, as they have a right on us. Then our neighbors and fellow community members who we are responsible for at the third level. Finally we are responsible for all humanity, as every single human being on this Earth was created under the WILL OF THE ALMIGHTY!!

I hope this makes sense.

2006-08-18 05:11:13 · answer #8 · answered by NQV 4 · 0 0

And if God is a fiction as I think he is then life for you would have no meaning..how awful for you!

2006-08-18 05:12:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

To me, The poem of "Abou Ben Adhem" exemplifies what Life is all about - Loving your fellow human beings.

2006-08-18 05:10:16 · answer #10 · answered by ks_anand_77 3 · 0 0

sorry I disagree.
The meaning of life is to find God and his purposes for you.

2006-08-18 05:09:44 · answer #11 · answered by chris_muriel007 4 · 0 0

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