It is said by atheist Bertrand Russell, "Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless." Without the idea of an afterlife or the belief in something beyond ourselves, all of our work in life comes to nothing. How can you have a purpose if you don't believe in some afterlife because in the end, your work comes to nothing? How can you have a meaning without? Even Russell agrees that a God is needed for purpose.
2007-07-23 09:42:53 · 19 answers · asked by One Odd Duck 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Gods purpose in creating life was to love and dwell with man.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Our purpose is to love and obey God.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
The key to the purpose of life is Love
1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
Godd bless you Cap'n Arlo
2007-07-23 09:51:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Russell is correct. Here is my opinion on some of the other answerers:
1. Under evolution, nothing is a purpose, not even reproduction. Our reproducing and water flowing downhill are in the same category, i.e. just a natural process that came to be by accident and not "on purpose".
4. "How about "To become the best person you can be". That doesn't depend on a God." If we are the products of evolution, then we invent "purposes" on the basis of how they make us feel. Saying I want to be a good person makes me feel good; I praise myself and imagine other people praising me. But if evolution is all there is, this so called purpose is only a feeling, foisted on us by a meaningless evolutionary process, and there is no reality behind the feeling.
7. "However, Scientists believe the purpose of life is to carry on your genes to your next generation." This is simply not true. Science doesn't speak of purposes, i.e. the "why" question. Science speaks of the "how" question. Purpose requires a God by the very definition of the word.
9. "The only meaning life has is what we ourselves bring to it, but even that is empty and hollow in the long run, as everything we do is inevitably going to turn to dust." Yes, we can admit Russell is correct but we can't live without purpose. So for those who reject God, they invent something on the basis of how it makes them feel and then pretend that the invented purpose gives them a reason for living.
11. "A cold beer at the end of the day." This illustrates one of the major techniques (psychological crutches) for avoiding thinking about a life without real purpose. Focus on the small good (but meaningless) feelings you get every day. Substitute feelings for reality.
13. "have a cause,help others,laugh and sing,enjoy nature,love others,work with passion,volunteer ..." This illustrates another major technique. Keep busy, very busy and you can then avoid thinking about a life without purpose.
Okay, I'm tired.
2007-07-23 23:16:26 · answer #2 · answered by Matthew T 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even though Bertrand Russel couldnt Understand the reality of His Creator; he did realize that without God in your life, the equation of existence becomes meaningless.
So even he as Atheist believed that he was Brought into existence by Our Creator. Could he reason other wise?did he have a choice?
Did he in his last day come to terms did he finally have a personal relation ship with God. We cannot really Judge.
Jesus the Lord of the Universe said ; I am the way=the truth= and the life . There is no other way. If some one tries another way ,he is considered just like a thief that climbs thru the window. The Lord Jesus did mention that there would be One that people would follow ,but that would be a false prophet ; Therefore we see also that he would be cast into hell with the rest of the other false prophets.
So it is said that wide is the door to perdition.
2007-07-23 09:56:33 · answer #3 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The purpose of life is to do what you want, and if you like the Author: Bertrand Russell, then go ahead and think of it as meaningless, what a waste of life, no imagination, lack of respect, to himself and others, sounds like a book that I would like to burn, same with the Bible, of you need to have someone tell you what to believe then you are lost and I hope you don't make it to any afterlife, for there isn't enough room for the unwanting!!
2007-07-23 09:51:45 · answer #4 · answered by billiards_bar 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What Bertrand Russel said is very true. However, Scientists believe the purpose of life is to carry on your genes to your next generation. I believe in Afterlife and in God, otherwise, we may as well not even suffer the pressures of everyday life on Planet Earth.
2007-07-23 09:46:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Who said I believe life has a purpose? As far as I'm concerned, Bertrand Russell is completely right -- life is purposeless.
The only meaning life has is what we ourselves bring to it, but even that is empty and hollow in the long run, as everything we do is inevitably going to turn to dust.
Sleep tight.
2007-07-23 09:47:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What is the "purpose" of the sky being blue? It JUST IS because of light scattering - there is no specific "reason". Only things that we invent for a purpose have what could be called a "purpose".
2007-07-23 09:52:12 · answer #7 · answered by Angel Maco-roni 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A sunny day.
The fish are biting
A cold beer at the end of the day.
2007-07-23 09:48:19 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes,the purpsose of our being here is to serve God
Anything we do outside of God, in reality is vain,amounts to nothing after this life.
2007-07-23 09:47:03 · answer #9 · answered by Maurice H 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
This will help you
http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.3933737ad2ff28132eb22a86942826a0/?vgnextoid=bbd508f54922d010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=45af9daac5d98010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____
Open the Additional Information Tab in the center of webpage once you get there
2007-07-23 09:48:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋