Why Why?

[The Grand Nudger]

Wouldn't have made it this far if we weren't, eh. We have jokes about curiosity killing cats, but it seems to work the other way for us.

[brewer]

That philosophy should take you far in life. Say, from bread to donuts.

We bake all kinds of delicious goodies in our bakery. I can make you a raspberry danish if you want.

No Thank You.

[emjay]

To the OP: some of us are intensely curious..."Know thyself"..."Man by nature wants to know"...etc.

Does that always have to include a purpose though, in your view or just generally if different? Ie in terms of Aristotle's causes, does a Final Cause always mean a purpose? There are many words for it... the end of something, the good of something, maybe goal... and for a lot of things, that sort of explanation makes sense... but not everything, IMO at least, so that seems to me the most problematic of those four causes on account of that. For instance I'm no geologist, so forgive any factual errors here, but a beach for instance is IMO an effect of erosion, but not the goal of it... so in one sense in can be said to be an end, but not in the sense of a purpose.

[T.J.]

To the best of my knowledge, Christianity does not provide a reason for our existence, other than saying God created us but his purpose is so unknowable and obscure that we shouldn't ask.

Funny story, I once read a live application bible that made the claim God created us because he loves us. First time I heard that as an answer to the reason of our existence, but I found it interesting.

[Fake Messiah]

Funny story, I once read a live application bible that made the claim God created us because he loves us. First time I heard that as an answer to the reason of our existence, but I found it interesting.

It is funny because when you read the Bible you see that God feels nothing but hate towards humans, like "The lord regretted that he had made human beings on earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the lord said, 'I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created- and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground-for I regret that I have made them.'"

[The Grand Nudger]

You, your wife...and all her bridge playing friends......

[Neo-Scholastic]

To the OP: some of us are intensely curious..."Know thyself"..."Man by nature wants to know"...etc.

Does that always have to include a purpose though, in your view or just generally if different? Ie in terms of Aristotle's causes, does a Final Cause always mean a purpose? There are many words for it... the end of something, the good of something, maybe goal... and for a lot of things, that sort of explanation makes sense... but not everything, IMO at least, so that seems to me the most problematic of those four causes on account of that. For instance I'm no geologist, so forgive any factual errors here, but a beach for instance is IMO an effect of erosion, but not the goal of it... so in one sense in can be said to be an end, but not in the sense of a purpose.

I think of final causes as range of possible outcomes rather than a single goal. So really, it could be thought of as a disposition towards a limited set of future states. An acorn can become an oak tree in many different ways, depending on circumstances. It could also never sprout but it will never become a maple tree no matter where you plant it or how much you water it.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

To the best of my knowledge, Christianity does not provide a reason for our existence, other than saying God created us but his purpose is so unknowable and obscure that we shouldn't ask.

Funny story, I once read a live application bible that made the claim God created us because he loves us. First time I heard that as an answer to the reason of our existence, but I found it interesting.

Interesting?

Ask them to explain  the transactional nature of that love. IE God demands that we love him back. If we do not he sends us to a place of eternal pain and anguish.

A biggie is the existence of evil.

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”  (Epicurus)    

[T.J.]

I can't. I read it in a book and I don't know how to contact them. I found it interesting they would go that route with it. There was no purpose or destiny. Just something creating people out of love. Don't get me mistaken I don't believe this. I treat the bible like I do pure fiction.

[slartibartfast]

To the best of my knowledge, Christianity does not provide a reason for our existence, other than saying God created us but his purpose is so unknowable and obscure that we shouldn't ask.

Funny story, I once read a live application bible that made the claim God created us because he loves us. First time I heard that as an answer to the reason of our existence, but I found it interesting.

The answer to why do we exist being "God created you because he loves you" might make some people feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but it just makes me feel nauseous. 

To me it provides the same intellectual satisfaction to "why" as a parent saying "BECAUSE I SAID SO!".