UNLESS YOU ASSUME A GOD, THE QUESTION OF LIFE'S PURPOSE IS MEANINGLESS....................
I truely want your view on this statement. But, if you can't do it nicely don't do it at all.........
2006-10-03 17:50:36 · 20 answers · asked by ? 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Well, then my life has been meaningless for as long as I've lived...
No, I don't think so. So, I guess Bertrand Russell must be wrong.
2006-10-03 17:53:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 5⤋
The only meaning any of our lives have, is whatever meaning we assign to them ourselves. So, I agree with Bertrand Russell.
Don't believe me? Look at a picture of a crowd scene from 100 years ago. None of the people in that picture are alive today. Do you miss them?
We are here, and then, poof, we're gone. There's no reason, there's no meaning, for anyone else except ourselves. Life is a happy accident. Instead of spending it waiting for some fictional next one, enjoy what you have while you have it.
2015-01-23 06:51:05 · answer #2 · answered by SeaTurtle 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you ask me that quote is meaningless. I don't understand why it is so important to people that life has to have a purpose. Life doesn't need a purpose to be a wonderful thing. Or perhaps the purpose of life is one that does not require the existence of God. Or maybe God does exist and he is the purpose of life. Point is nobody knows and if God exists hes not doing much to clear the whole thing up. I'm Agnostic not Atheist. There's a bigger difference then you might think.
2006-10-03 18:15:47 · answer #3 · answered by been there 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Bertrand Russel was a genius. The question of life's purpose is meaningless.
I don't intend to come off negatively. But I believe this is true. It doesn't make me unhappy, my suffering is meaningless so why suffer, I cause it myself anyway. Just think if we are as small a part of the whole thing as men much wiser than I think, then what is the purpose, it is absurd that I would ask the question.
2006-10-03 17:59:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
I have read numerous of Russell's works, and have never run across this quote. But I'll presume that Rick Warren was not simply making crap up and that Russell actually did say this at some point.
That said, I agree with the quote. Life doesn't have any purpose. But, that does not in the least mean it is undesirable or unworthwhile. It simply means there is no puppet master pulling all the strings to enact some play of his liking. Is that really so awful?
2006-10-03 18:03:51 · answer #5 · answered by lenny 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
First we have to find out what is meaningful and what is meaningless
If for one life is meaningful, if he ejnoyed, drank, earned money, ***.. b'ful girls, owned house/car and luxuries....then bertrand Russel may be wrong
But life is far beyond eating, fu... g , and enjoying. This is done by animals too
Life has a deeper meaning for us. We have to explore ourselves, which animals cant do. We have to find the purpose of our life, the divinity in us and experience the Greater Truths of the universe.
And when we dont believe in God ( not a cruel, unjust king made by religions)...but God as supreme consciousness, as intelligence of the universe....as our source of divinity..... the life really becomes meaningless
2006-10-03 19:07:06 · answer #6 · answered by ۞Aum۞ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It seems to me that he is taking the stance that in an epistemological sense the question is meaningless.
Even though the question "What is the purpose of life" is syntactically correct it is semantically meaningless.
That is to say that it has no more meaning than the sentence, 'Why does the number seven get hungry'. The number seven can not get hungry since hunger is an attribute that can only be ascribed to living things that have the ability to comprehend hunger.
2006-10-03 18:09:13 · answer #7 · answered by zatcsu 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps Bertrand Russell is saying that it is meaningless to expect a single, external purpose to define our lives by. I think each of us creates our own purpose for life. Some of us need to feel that the purpose comes from outside of us, like a child who expects his parents to tell him what to do. Others of us realize that our selfish genes drive us to live and reproduce, but our intelligence allows us to define our own purpose.
2006-10-03 18:07:00 · answer #8 · answered by Jim L 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This statement makes the generalisation that the non-existence of a divine being precludes any meaning for life, but this is a flawed statement. In a universe without a god, there may be no pre-destined, ultimate meaning of life but there is a personal meaning in life. We make our own choices, follow our own consciences to find our own meaning and purpose in life.
Atheism may not be as emotionally comforting but that does not discount atheism.
2006-10-03 18:20:43 · answer #9 · answered by psicatt 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was taught when you assume you make an @ss out of u and me... so I try not to do it. As far as the quote... who's to say just because this guy is an atheist I have to agree with him. Purpose isn't necessarily set into place by God... as we grow in life we can make our own purpose... our own reasons for existing... our own intentional goals. Many people don't have purpose... some of whom are religious. My life is purpose-driven... but that purpose isn't to do the bidding of an imaginary being.
I agree with Jayelle... and to affirm her answer I can say that since becoming an atheist I do find myself appreciating life more, simply because this is the only opportunity we have to do it. I try to seize the opportunities to be successful in every area of my life and enjoy the process... especially with my family.
2006-10-03 18:03:54 · answer #10 · answered by atheist_2_u 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Oh my goodness!! You totally edited that to fit your belief. Bertrand Russell was as strong an atheist as me. You distorted that quote and I know it. He believed that religion was immoral, and that life had better meaning outside of belief in God. You are just wrong and have proved the dishonest ways of a Christian...
2006-10-03 18:03:23 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋