Meaning of Life -_-

[infidel666]

The meaning of life constitutes a philosophical question concerning the purpose and significance of human existence. The concept can be expressed through a variety of related questions, such as Why are we here?, What's life all about? and What is the meaning of it all?. It has been the subject of much philosophical, scientific, and theological speculation throughout history and there have been a large number of answers from many different cultural and ideological backgrounds.

The meaning of life is deeply mixed with the philosophical and religious conceptions of existence, consciousness, and happiness, and touches on many other issues, such as symbolic meaning, ontology, value, purpose, ethics, good and evil, free will, conceptions of God, the existence of God, the soul and the afterlife. Scientific contributions are more indirect; by describing the empirical facts about the universe, science provides some context and sets parameters for conversations on related topics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meaning_of_life

[chatpilot]

I'm agnostic to the idea of being a nihilist, there could be a meaning to life but what's wrong with admitting we don't know, it's the same as saying you know there's no god, how could we know for sure. It's not an admission of unintelligence to say we don't know in fact it's quiet the contrary. Why does man always think he has to have all the answers, that's what I dislike about religion.

Considering the fact that the idea of god comes from not knowing is proof enough to me that he does not exist.Man created god to explain those things he did not understand.Hence the birth of religion,mythology,and folktales.

[Edwardo Piet]

'There is no ultimate meaning of life. We humans make one. There isn't an objective ultimate meaning of life. Well there's at least no evidence of one anyway!
At all! As far as we know.
In the question of 'our purpose' it should be a question that is less of a "why are we here? What is our purpose?" and more of a "How did we get here? And what's really important?" My own answer to the latter question is: "We almost certainly got here through evolution by natural selection, we don't know exactly how life or the universe originated yet but perhaps one day we will. And there is no evidence that 'God did it' and its incoherent and absurd to just postulate that he did. And I myself think that the important focuses in life are truth, morality, curiosity and pursuit of what's interesting. To name a few values of mine.'
I think that's pretty much what I'd put for the essay.

[Daystar]

I have seriously been assigned this as an essay. It's due in 2 and a half hours. I cannot even start because I'm constantly changing issues and my views. It's quite frustrating. I might post what I've written when I'm done. Anyone care to share their views or sources to other ideassss.??

What if I'm Nihilst!?
Then what?

I'm sure 2 hours have passed, but ... from the Bible's perspective the only purpose in life is that man enjoy himself. The earth was created for his delight. What we call nature, our senses, each other ... most Xians try and imagine a place that is better than that. Heaven. But the Bible says that heaven was created for Jehovah and Earth was created for man. Heaven is like a void which doesn't stimulate the human senses. It is like space. Looks good from here but you wouldn't want to live there. Heaven isn't a utopian reflection of imperfection.

If I were doing the essay I would deal with the subjective nature of the meaning of life. From a Nihilist perspective?

[chatpilot]

Daystar I disagree,as far as the purpose of man according to the bible I believe it's to worship god and fan his ego.Most of the things that we enjoy are considered sins in the scriptures such as fornication,lusting after women,vanity,gluttony etc.

According to the New Testament we are here to do one thing and one thing only:

Romans 8:12,13
12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

When we choose God we are supposed to live for him and no longer live to satisfy or enjoy ourselves according to the "flesh".

Hebrews 12:9:

9Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?


1 Peter 4:2:

2That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

That is a literal interpretation of the meaning of life according to the bible.Just by being born we have incurred a debt that we did not even own due to Adam and Eves disobedience of God.Now where is the justice in that!That is why I am an atheist I live for me and what makes me happy.

[Daystar]

Daystar I disagree, as far as the purpose of man according to the bible I believe it's to worship god and fan his ego. Most of the things that we enjoy are considered sins in the scriptures such as fornication, lusting after women, vanity, gluttony etc.

That is a literal interpretation of the meaning of life according to the bible. Just by being born we have incurred a debt that we did not even own due to Adam and Eves disobedience of God. Now where is the justice in that! That is why I am an atheist I live for me and what makes me happy.

The scriptures you give are not in support of the purpose of man when it comes to the Bible, instead they demonstrate how, when man worships God the creator in the correct way it is beneficial to man, not God.

I used to drink quite a bit and use drugs some, and ran into the law and problems with my family because of it. In my mind they were just preventing me from having a good time, imposing their fake morals upon me. I wanted to live my own life and be happy.

But they weren't doing it for them, they were telling me what I really needed to do in order to be truely happy. These where atheists, by the way.