Do you believe that we each have a purpose for being here? and if so, then how do we find out what our purpose is?
2007-02-12 04:15:06 · 16 answers · asked by finallyfree 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Life doesn't have a "default purpose", set by the Grand Poohbah's Human Resources Committee. This is what religion tries to convince you.
Make your own purpose. Live your life to fulfill that purpose... and then, when you do, make a new one.
Never pass up an unforgettable experience.
2007-02-12 04:20:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You are actually asking two different questions:
1. What is the purpose of life?
2. What is the meaning of life?
By way of example -- if I hold up an empty water balloon and ask you what it's purpose is, the most basic answer is 'water transportation via aerial mode.' That's all the purpose is -- it is a reason for existing. If it is sitting on a shelf in a store, it has that purpose, if it's in my hand filled and ready to go, it has that purpose.
Meaning, however, is something that is ascribed to an object. I fill such a balloon with water so that I can tag my mother during the next family reunion summer-fun party. That is now its meaning -- joy and playfulness. It did not have that meaning on the store shelf. There, at the store, its meaning was profit -- the owner of the store hoped someone would buy it and thus the owner would make profit off it.
So to go back to your questions -- what is the purpose of life? It has none. To have a purpose means that an intelligent being must have created it. Purpose is an intended direction, a best-suited direction, and life has no creator nor an intended direction. Life is inherantly purposeless.
What is the meaning of life? Because we are self-aware, even in acknowledging the purposelessness of life, we can ascribe a meaning to it. For many people, this meaning is little more than that they hope to live day by day. Some people make religion their meaning, others knowledge, others intentionally make hate or cruelty their meaning -- no one said all meaning has to be good. It just gives us a reason to wake up in the morning and defy our purposelessness.
2007-02-12 04:23:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
"For example a great artist will by the necessity of his need for self-expression become a great artist" Isn't asking questions also an expression of a need for a great asker? I'm not suggesting that some people don't ask questions for the wrong reasons, and therefore come up with the wrong answers. But I think it must also be true that some are asking for the right reasons. Those being that it's all they can imagine themselves doing and that it 'feels' instinctively right. So I don't think it's a good idea for everyone to ignore the idea of an after life(which seems to be what you're suggesting) although I do think that some people would be better off if they did. Good question, and answers. I don't think I can disagree with much that I've read here. Not sure if anyone has hit the nail on the head though.
2016-05-24 01:02:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that we each have a pupose for being here...
Through experience and knowledge u will find the purpose for being here...
It is not same people who have a knowledge and doesnt have because each of them will find different purpose..
Experience will give us a lesson in a future what should we have to do...
Even the sun, plant and soil is created to do a things like sun give us a light...Imagine world without day and light..From the light then plant will build a food through photocynteshis...
Try to pick out your all ur eyebrow then u will find it is a nightmare to have a difficulty to sleep ...It is not eyebrow have a purpose?
2007-02-12 04:35:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What Is The Purpose
of Your Life?
Serious question. Why laugh about it? Why not take off the to-cool-to-care mask for a few minutes? Answer that question and you'll find out some extremely important things about yourself. Really…
It's amazing how much corporate and educational America teaches that "we must have a goal and a purpose" for whatever they are about. Every where you look there are mission statements and goal statements and objective statements, etc. With all that focus on a purpose, isn't it amazing that it never really gets down to the individual and his/her life? Oh yes, an individual person can have short term and long term goals for careers or family or education or finances or hobbies or exercise, etc. Perhaps you have some for yourself regarding these things. But the question remains, WHAT ABOUT YOUR ENTIRE LIFE - WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE TO THAT??? Are you going to take, trophies or bank accounts or homes or cars or careers or family members or pleasure or "fun" times, with you after you die? What will your life mean after you die?
For more on this go to:
http://www.jesusfamilies.org/Articles/Purpose.htm
2007-02-12 04:19:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe we have a purpose, whether that purpose is affecting one person or a million. I'm sure everyone has heard the story of the boy who helped another boy pick up his books after he dropped them on the way home from school, and in doing so and showing a bit of care saved the boy from suicide. Its one of the reasons I'm careful about how I act, knowing that I could affect someone and not know it. I'm a Christian, so I believe that God shows us our purpose in life. I knew a little boy who had cancer and he knew it was his purpose to tell 20 people about God and upon telling the 20th person went back to his room and died peacefully a few days later.
2007-02-12 04:22:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Really our only purpose is life it's self, God gave us the will to live the way we want to, to find your purpose just look at the choices you have made, it is the choices that you have made or are making that will decide your purpose in life, and from that becomes your purpose for being here. God bless.
2007-02-12 04:47:40 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
Try this exercise...it may help.
Take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle.
Starting on one side...list all you see that is needed in the world now. What is missing? What is wrong? What - if it existed or there was more of - would make the world a better place?
Once done with this (take some time)...then start writing on the other side of the line all the things that you truly enjoy. What brings you the most energy and joy? What skills or abilities do you have that you really like?
When done - connect the lines. See what is one the side of what is needed...and see what is on your side to see what you have to offer.
~ Eric Putkonen
2007-02-12 04:35:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
For us to have a purpose means every human should have a purpose. If you can explain the purpose of 8000 children dying per day in Africa from starvation, I'd love to hear it
2007-02-12 04:21:03 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To find your purpose, decide, for yourself, what and where you want to put your focus. Once your focus is planted, you then behave with great passion and use your creative skills to build and create meaning for your purpose.
2007-02-12 04:27:09 · answer #10 · answered by gjstoryteller 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋