what is the meaning of life? what is our purpose on earth?

Answer 1

"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.

Answer 2

I don't usually answer this question, but there isn't much else out there today, so I'll give some opinion on the matter.

Part of our purpose here on earth is to make the decision of where we are going to spend the rest of eternity. We either chose Jesus Christ or refuse Him.

Part of our purpose on earth is to use the gifts that we have been given to serve God. The primary way we serve God is to teach people the truth (God's Word) and help them to become believers (The Great Commission).

Part of our purpose on earth is to praise God, to worship Him, and recognize what He has done for us

Part of our purpose is to manage and watch over the earth, as God assigned Adam to do

Part of our purpose is to procreate, to populate the earth. We have done this very well

Part of our purpose is to follow the will and law of God, which means that part of that is to learn the law and try to understand to parts of God's will which we are capable of comprehending

Part of our purpose is to take care of widows and orphans, and in a broader sense, all of those who are needful, either physically or spiritually

Part of our purpose is to love each other

Answer 3

Who can tell us what the purpose of life really is? Well, if you were to visit a machine designer and saw him working on a complicated piece of machinery that you did not recognize, how could you find out what it was for? The best way would be for you to ask the designer. So too the designer of this magnificent
solar system of which earth is a small part which sustains living
humans beings, animals, vegetation and microscopic life has
a purpose and an instruction manual (The Bible)

The Bible, is the oldest book ever written, parts of it being composed some 3,500 years ago. It is many centuries older than any other book considered sacred. The first of the 66 books that it contains was written about a thousand years before Buddha and Confucius and some two thousand years before Muhammad. It is truly a unique source of superior wisdom.

The Bible shows that God prepared the earth especially with humans in mind. Isaiah chapter 45 verse 18 says regarding the earth that God "did not create it simply for nothing, but formed it even to be inhabited."And he provided the earth with everthing that people would need not just to exist, but to enjoy life to the full.
(Genesis chapters 1 and 2). Humans were to have oversight of "all the earth and its animal creation. Our first human parents were in a parklike garden in an area called Eden, located in the Middle East; their bodies were created perfect, so they would not get sick, grow old or die. They were also endowed with other qualities, such as that of free choice (they weren't created as robots); and since we were created in God's image we were given not only physical and mental attributes, but also moral and spiritual aspects and these must be satisfied in the right way if we are to be truly happy. They received the mandate to bring forth children and as the human population increased, they would have the delightful work of expanding the boundaries of the original paradise.

It is evident that humans were to use the subdued earth for their benefit. But this was to be done in a RESPONSIBLE WAY. The destruction of the earth today is against God's will and those who share in it are going contrary to the purpose of life on earth. The
penalty for that can be read in Revelation chapter eleven verse 18
"...bring to ruiin those ruining the earth."

FROM THE BEGINNING IT WAS GOD'S PURPOSE FOR A PERFECT HUMAN FAMILY TO DWELL ON EARTH FOREVER IN A PARADISE SETTING. AND IT IS STILL HIS PURPOSE! WITHOUT FAIL, THAT PURPOSE WILL BE FULFILLED. The Bible states: "JEHOVAH OF ARMIES HAS SWORN, SAYING" 'SURELY JUST AS I HAVE COUNSELED, THAT IS WHAT WILL COME TRUE.' " "I HAVE EVEN SPOKEN IT; I SHALL ALSO BRING IT IN. I HAVE FORMED IT, I SHALL ALSO DO IT." ISAIAH 14:24; AND CHAPTER 46:11.

Jesus Christ spoke about God's purpose to restore a paradise on earth when he told a certain man who wanted hope for the future: "You will be with me in Paradise." Luke chapter 23 verse 43. The spostle Peter too spoke of the coming new world when he foretold" "There are new heavens [a new governmental arrangement ruling from] and a new earth [a new earthly society] that we are awaiting according to [god's] promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell." 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 13

The psalmist David also wrote about the incoming new world and how long it would endure. He foretold: "The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside FOREVER upon it,"Psalm 37:29 that is why Jesus Promised: "Happy are the mildtempered ones, since they will inherit the earth." Matthew chapter 5 verse 5.

What a grand prospect that is, living forever on a paradise earth free from all wickedness, crime, sickness, sorrow, and pain! in the final book of the Bible (Revelation ) GOD'S PROPHETIC WORD SUMMARIZES THIS GRAND PURPOSE BY DECLARING: "[God ] will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away." It adds: "And the One seated on the throne said: 'Look! I am making all things new,' Also, he says: WRITE, BECAUSE THESE WORDS ARE FAITHFUL AND TRUE.' "

So take heart our Creator will soon evict earth's bad tenants in order for our fondest dreams (in harmony with His will) to be realized.

Answer 4

Bertrand Russel, an atheist once said this "Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless."

The meaning of life is and has always been one of the most controversial questions of all time... philosphers in ancient Rome were asking themselves the same question we all are today. God put us on the earth for the sole purpose of serving him, loving him, worshiping him. I know it seems out of our mind's limits to think that we are not here to serve and provide the best life possible for ourselves, but we are here to have a relationship with God. Once we dedicate our lives to God, he will show us our life's purpose and help us achieve all he has planned for our lives. I know it seems like a lot to take in at once... I recommend you read "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren... it really opened my eyes.

God Bless.

Answer 5

The meaning is your definition of your purpose for being here.

Answer 6

Ecc 12:13 Everything has now been heard. And here’s the final thing I want to say. Have respect for God and obey his commandments. That’s what everyone should do.

Answer 7

Our purpose in life is to come on Yahoo Answers and answer stupid questions and gain some points. LOL.

Answer 8

i am here because God put me here. He expects me
to love Him and to use my time here to help to make
this a better place for others as and when the opportunity
is given me.

Answer 9

To prove to God we love him!
To choose a side!
Satan, or Heavenly Father!

Answer 10

I don't think anyone will know the meaning of life until it's over.

I'm here to learn.