what is the meaning of life? Can you answer the question truthfully?

Question

I allways ask myself that question but I never am able to figure it out.

Answer 1

Theistic beliefs about the meaning of life
Main articles: Religion and Religious humanism
There are many different interpretations to the "Word of God", and therefore many interpretations to the meaning of life. However, reaching Heaven in the afterlife can be seen as a universal meaning of life or goal for followers of Abrahamic religions. Also universal teachings, or meanings, to be followed in virtually all religions are "The Golden Rule" and simple living.


[edit] Relationship to God
Most people who believe in a personal God would agree that it is God "in whom we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). Although belief is also based on knowing God "through the things he has made," the decision to believe in such an authority is called the "leap of faith".


[edit] To "be fruitful, and multiply; fill the earth, and subdue it"
An example of how religion creates purpose can be found in the biblical story of creation in the Old Testament of the Bible:man is told to "Be fruitful, and multiply; fill the earth, and subdue it" Genesis 1:28. This indicates that the propagation of the human race, the care and population of the earth, and the control of the earth are the first three commandments God has set for man.

Another Biblical example is given in Micah 6:8, which states "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."





[edit] Spiritual and mystical views of the meaning of life
Spirituality Portal
The Book of Light presents the nature of God and the purpose of creation.[6] According to Michael Sharp, God is consciousness and the purpose of creation is to have fun (alleviate boredom). Creation exists "as a dream inside the mind of God" and we are all Sparks of the One Creator Consciousness.


[edit] Mystical views
The view of mysticism varies widely according to how each speaker describes it. In general the view is broadly that life is a happening, an unfolding. There is no duality, it is a nondual worldview, in which subject and object are the same, the sense of doer-ship is illusionary. This view is central to Buddhism, and is also found in certain non-dual sects of Hinduism.


[edit] Popular beliefs of the purpose of life
"What is the meaning of life?" is a question many people ask themselves at some point during their lives, most in the context "What is the purpose of life?"[3] Here are some of the life goals people choose, and some of their beliefs on what the purpose of life is:


[edit] ...to survive
...to survive,[7] that is, to live as long as possible,[8] including pursuit of indefinite lifespan (the closest thing to immortality that is theoretically possible) through scientific means (see life extension)[9]
...to Evolve[10][11]

[edit] ...to succeed
...to seek happiness[12][13][verification needed]
...to acquire wealth[14]




[edit] Humorous and entertainment media treatments
The concept of life having a meaning has often been parodied in popular culture.

In reference to the popular comedy book series The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the meaning of life is sometimes said to be 42, but this is incorrect. Rather, 42 is the answer to the ultimate question about life, the universe and everything (which was derived over a period of seven and a half million years by a giant supercomputer called Deep Thought, which was built by an incredibly intelligent pan-dimensional race). Unfortunately, the ultimate question itself remains unknown despite the incredible effort to calculate it. After much confusion from the descendants of his creators, Deep Thought explains that the problem is that they do not know the question, and they would have to build an even more powerful computer to determine what that is. This computer is revealed to be Earth, which, after 10 billion years of calculating, is destroyed to make way for an intergalactic bypass moments before it finishes making its calculations.
Later, in the hopes that his subconscious holds the question, Arthur Dent attempts to guess at the question, and comes up with "What do you get when you multiply six by nine?" Although this equals 54 in base ten, making the question either nonsensical or incorrect, it does equal 42 in base thirteen. After being told this, Douglas Adams replied that even he doesn't "make jokes in base thirteen".[15]
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life: In this comedy, it is suggested that there is no meaning to life. At the very end of the film, Michael Palin is handed an envelope, opens it, and says "Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try to be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations."
In The Simpsons episode "Homer The Heretic", a representation of God tells Homer what the meaning of life is, but as usual the one who really wanted to know (the viewer) is left disappointed. The dialogue goes as follows:
Homer: God, what's the meaning of life?
God: Homer, I can't tell you that.
Homer: Why not?
God: You'll find out when you die.
Homer: Oh, I can't wait that long.
God: You can't wait 6 months?
Homer: No, tell me now...
God: Oh, OK... The meaning of life is...
At this point, the credits music starts and the show ends. The writer's original idea was that a commercial would come after this scene and before the credits, thus having the commercial interrupt God's explanation to humorous effect .
In episode 2 of season 5 of the sci-fi britcom Red Dwarf, the Red Dwarf's crew is captured while flying around in Starbug by a powerful being called The Inquisitor. The Inquisitor is a self-repairing simulant who survived until the end of time and, coming to the conclusion that there is no God and no afterlife, decided that the only point of life was to make something of yourself. So he embarked on a journey throughout time, to seek out the worthless and remove them, to allow a different person to exist in their place — allowing what would have happened if a different sperm had met a different egg. On the way back to Red Dwarf, Kryten explains the legend of The Inquisitor: "he prunes away the wastrels, expunges the wretched, and deletes the worthless. Rimmer replies matter-of-factly, "We're in big trouble." The Inquisitor then proceeds to put each of the the Red Dwarf misfits on trial and forces them to justify their existence. Failure to do so will result in a sentence of being erased from history.
Peanuts: Charlie Brown explains he thinks the purpose of life is to make others happy, to which Lucy responds that she doesn't think she is making anyone happy, and—more importantly—no one is making her happy, so someone isn't doing their job.[citation needed]
Paul Gauguin's interpretation can be seen in the painting, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?
Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey: Bill and Ted end up meeting God. Before being admitted into his presence, St. Peter (billed as The Gatekeeper on IMDb) asks them what the meaning of life is, and they reply with the lyrics to the song "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison.
Alchemist and the movie City Slickers both present a similar theme: the meaning of life is an individual journey to find one's own "path". In this context, the "path", similar to what is defined in Buddhism as the "4th Noble Truth", is best explained simply as the overall way one chooses to lead their life.
A Man Without a Country: Kurt Vonnegut sums up life with the words: "We're all here to fart around. Don't let anyone tell you any different!"

Answer 2

You put the meaning into it. For me it's about travelling and seeing as much of this amazing planet as possible, creating great relationships with people I meet along the way, sharing laughter and love and getting satisfaction out of being a good person and knowing that you had a positive effect on peoples' lives. I think it's such an incredible thing that human life evolved on this planet and feel lucky to be here - now I feel I owe it to myself to make the very most of it.

Answer 3

The meaning of life is to live. Your purpose (or what you think is your purpose) is an individual thing, but the meaning of life is just to live. It'll end soon enough. Might as well get out there rather than ponder away your all too brief time here.

Answer 4

"The meaning of life is within the circle."
The circle of life.
The earth feeds the plant, the plant feeds the animal, the animal leaves a present on the ground that feed's the earth (compost). Is one example.
You can find the circle in everything. The air our trees feed us and we feed our trees. Water that goes into the sky and falles down as rain.
The meaning of life is within the circle and the circle is linked to other circles. Passing it on, and pay forward I add into this theory.
Life cycle, Life circle
I still find it hard to explain in simple terms but it is a simple concept, I'll get there one day.

Answer 5

The meaning of life is defined by the person granted the opportunity.

Humans in this day and age seem to like to have everything explained to them, everyone wants an instruction manual for everything. Why?

Life is to be defined by you. What is your purpose? What exactly do you want to achieve in life?


The purpose of life is a life of purpose.

"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."

Answer 6

If you want your life to have meaning, you are going to have to put the meaning there by yourself. I would strongly suggest that you get a copy of Viktor Frankl's book. "Man's Search for Meaning". Dr. Frankl was a psychiatrist who spent three years in Auschwitz. The people who survived the camp were people who realized that Auschwitz was not going to last forever and had places to go and things to do when they were released.

Answer 7

The meaning of life is to be an infinitesimally small cog in the gears of the universe. The meaning of the universe is to have "something" instead of "nothing."

To attach meaning to something is a human invention.

Answer 8

Life is a journey full of obsticles that the soul and body are meant to overcome.

Answer 9

The meaning of life... is to live. Be happy and feel good about yourself. And just live your life.

Live. Laugh. Love.

Answer 10

Life is that basic thing that Others give us which we spend alternately thanking and curseing them for...that part between Birth and Death. We fill the time between thanks and curses seeking pleasure and ease in often strange ways.
C' est la vie!

Answer 11

Lying Internally For Everyone... I dont wanna write down what i think wholly cos it's too long and zigzaggy...