Why do we live?

Question

Why are we mortal? Why can't we enjoy life forever? Why can't we be immortal? Why is life so short?

Answer 1

Great questions that we should ask ourselves-even if the answer is of of reach. An even close to satisfactory answer is not fit for this allocated space. Instead, great answers have been given through various books.
Why can't we enjoy life forever, and Why can't we be immortal? - Answered by science
Why do we live? - Viktor E. Frankl "Man's Search For Meaning"
Why is life so short? - Lucius Annaeus Seneca "On the Shortness of Life"

Answer 2

The best answer to this that I've found (because I'm the kind of person who needs a challenge) is as follows:

Our universe, such as it is, is just a crystal. Don't dismiss me yet, I'm not throwing out silly metaphors, check it out. Crystals form when there's a bit of matter in a particular arrangement, and then the molecules around it start taking that form, growing on it, and you end up with a big, shiny crystal. Well, beyond our universe is pure, 100% unadulterated chaos. The laws that make our world just happened to cohere, and unlike systems where lightspeed was slower, or faster, or gravity didn't exist, our universe was self-sustaining. So it grew. Crystalized, if you will, into this bigger and bigger thing. Matter evolved, life evolved, and here we are.

So, accepting that premise, we see that one could very easily (as I do) look upon sentience as a cruel twist of fate hefted on us by evolution, given then snatched away in what really amounts to the blink of an eye, and before too long, our entire species will be gone. Nothing anyone has ever done will last when that happens.

So, the reason we live is simply because in a grand, uncaring universe, we're the worst punchline ever. Any sentient species is. The universe is a killing jar that traps us all, and even if we could somehow escape, chaos would destroy us instanty. The only tool we have to turn that to our advantage is the potential of limitless intellect.

We live for no reason. That means, of course, we have the freedom to choose reasons of our own, because there's no hive-mind, no universal truth, no divine benefactor giving us reasons to live.

You want a reason? Pick. :)

Answer 3

We live to honor and worship God. He created us so we could reside with him. We are mortal here on earth till we die because it is during these many years that we, our souls, come to know Christ or not to know him, and to possibly if it your choice to accept him and your Savior. If we were to enjoy life forever, have a happy life while here on earth continuosly we as humans will create our own problems. And we will no longer appreciate happiness as we do when times are hard. it is because of the tough time that we readily accept the happy ones. Now, our physicaly bodies can not be immortal, for everything decays and dies. But our soul, which we had been given when first concieved and who we are was God created to live forever and be with him in Heaven. So, ever since we are born we are part immortal, and it is up to us if we are willing to fully accept it or look for another place to do so which will only fail. Christians are aliens, for we are in the world, but not part of it. We are here physicaly, but spiritualy we put our faith in God because our bodies won't last forever. Life used to be longer. Age wise before the flood people lived to be 800, you got to see your great great great great great great grandkids. but God decided that to continue such would be a bad idea due to the fact that the corrupt would live long eonough to hinder the growth of many generations, and so that we will treasure each day more. Every day is a gift, and a gift is only given wisely when it is of great worth. Sometimes we have a short life, some a long one. God knew all of us before he even created the earth (eph 2). So it is up to him when we are to live and die, but also our own will as God lets us choose our paths. tohers die because of the choices they make, some die of old age. It is not the length of a life that should matter but the worth. A person can have a short yet eventful life and be remembered compared to some who may live long and be forgotten from the day they are placed in teh ground. Life is short to only those who call it so.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!
K.K.

Answer 4

Hi .We live because we are alive. We are mortal because our bodies eventually wear out .Some of us believe that this is only a transitory life on Earth which precedes our eternal life to come.

Answer 5

We chose this life to attempt to bring Love where Love seems not to be. We do not die. We are immortal. We have no middle in time. Only our costumes return to dust not who we are. When you are done with this costume you will go to your true home and for a moment enjoy discussing with God what new costume and new place you will go to once again attempt to bring Love where Love seems not to be. Along with the rest of us, until we bring Love/God to a pure physical and pure non-physical Love in the same sphere.

Answer 6

Being immortal would rob life of its immediacy and romance. Things would eventually become commonplace and trite. In knowing that we've only a set number of years on this planet, we learn to cherish and appreciate every thing that comes ---

--- oops, gotta go! Jerry Springer's on!!

Answer 7

life is the ultimate game of poker. Do you put everything on one hand knowing you may fail. That is the thrill of life! Do you put off today what you may not live to do tomorrow. Nothing is promised and that is what makes each moment so special.

Answer 8

What makes you so sure that we even live at all? I mean what is "life" exactly? How do we know that there's any real substance to the concept?

Maybe Poe was right when he wrote "Is all that we see or seem/ But a dream within a dream?"

Answer 9

We are a beginning. If we do not die, then can it truly be called living? Some things That are forever might long for death, as some of us long for eternal life.

Answer 10

For other people. I find myself asking this very same question actually. I mean, we live to die is what it seems. It makes me so frustrated because I don't like that answer. So, my new answer is that we are here because we need each other. You goal in life is to impact as many people as you can because when you die, you will live on through other people. You will stay alive through memories. That way you always live. =]