What do you think is the purpose of life/ what keeps you going?

I'm one of the few Christians you'll meet who does not believe that everything happens for a reason. I don't believe that. I believe that almost nothing happens for a reason.

And I believe that it's dangerous for us to feel a purpose in life. If we do that, and then fulfill our purpose, we may then feel that our lives lose there meaning. This is what happens to many old people. They spend their lives believing that "everything happens for a reason" and thinking that their purpose in life is to give life and love to their children and grandchildren. Then when the kids and grandkids are old enough to be on their own, the old people feel like they've fulfilled their purpose. Nothing else is interesting to them, and they just die.

Not me.

Almost nothing happens for a reason. I believe that the only thing that God gives us is our life and his love (and that's enough for me). I either have no "purpose" or, if there is a purpose, there's no way for me to know what it is. With that in mind I will spend the rest of my life trying to enrich my life and the lives of those I love. That's not a purpose, it's just a quest that will never end.

That's not necessarily true. I pray to God, but I always pray the same two things: I thank him for giving me my life, and I thank him for giving life to others who have enriched my life. I believe that those are the only ways that God makes things happen in this existence. Everything else is just happenstance, and not his influence.

 

Someday I'll find out what my special purpose is.

 

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Fish making a moral choice:



Procreation is a moral choice? Maybe not procreating is a moral choice:



No evolution in Humans? Lucy begs to differ:



Our conscience is a survival technique where cooperative behavior within the group assists the survival of the individual. It is learned behavior, made possible by the evolution of human intelligence.

We still have a ways to go....if we are to survive.

 

Good input! Here's my thoughts about your thoughts...

Scientifically, that's correct. But I believe that's where it ends. A tree falls down in a forest. There's a scientific cause there: it fell because physical forces that pulled the tree down were stronger than the forces that kept the tree up. And that's the only reason it fell. I don't believe God intentionally made the tree fall. If a tree falls on top of a little girl and kills her, I still believe that there are only scientific reasons that the tree fell, and that God did not intentionally do it. Additionally, if a tree falls on a little girl and she is completely uninjured, I do not believe that God miraculously saved her, either.

You contradict yourself here. First you say, "Purpose is not a result but a cause" (2nd sentence). Then you say "...is a cause that results in meaning and purpose." (2nd-to-last sentence). In the first sentence you say purpose is a cause, then you say it's an result/effect.

Let's be clear: purpose is an effect, not a cause.

When I say "purpose" I mean the dictionary definition of "the reason for which something exists or is done". Another definition for it is "an intended or desired result". RESULT (not cause). A causes B. A is the cause, B is the effect. Let's use your sleep example. Lack of sleep (A) causes grogginess (B). Sleep(A) causes refreshment(B). Why do we sleep(A)? rephrase that -> what is the purpose of (A)? Answer: refreshment(B) is the purpose of (A). B is the effect of A.

I will now try to interpret some of your statements:

"I love my children and I give purpose to my relationship to them."
- this doesn't have a clear meaning. I think you mean that you pursue certain activities in life because you want to enrich the lives of your children (they are your purpose). Yes?

"Giving is a result of purpose"
- again... no clear meaning. Let's sub in the definition. "Giving is a result of a reason for doing something." No.. still doesn't make sense. Sorry, but by definition, this doesn't seem to make sense.

 

The difference between instinctive in the animal kingdom and moral character in humans is the significant point. Animals can only rely upon instinctive behaviors. Humans put yellow lines down the highway where they don't want people to pass in traffic. Humans have moral expectations in relationships- if you've ever been married you will understand. Survival is instinctive, but living as a human being is a moral choice and humans go beyond survival- for example animals don't go on diets they eat to live- survival instinct, we have to make choices based on our understanding of right, wrong and consequences. Bees sting, dogs bite and lions chase antelope by instinct, people are packing guns by choice. It goes beyond survival and instinct or every human would be governed the same internally. I guess the more we move away from moral character the more we will act like animals.

Procreation in the animal kingdom is also instinctive. Adultry, rape and child p*rn don't exist in the animal kingdom. My Lab just killed 4 of her puppies and ate one of them. She is not a murderer, she is a dog.
Hormones cause nothing, they reinforce choices. If hormones caused sex by instinct in humans and there were no moral choice then - we'd all be doing it like stray cats every day - Maybe we are experiencing some reverse evolution- we are one day going to be moral-less and just acting like animals

It would be nice to talk to Lucy, but we can't. Without going down the evolution hole one more time, what I meant was is that I don't see you evolving and you don't see anyone evolving either. We assume the possibility because we assume that old bones are ancestral. If you start with the premis of evolution, then you should be able to go backwards and connect the dots- there should be a trillion missing links in that long drawn out graduated, mutated, transitional process. Since everyone argues about a very small number of missing links between any species and because I cannot observe any human evolving I don't get to strong about Lucy. I love Lucy.
But she is proof of what?

 

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women

 

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Just got to watch, really cool - except what is the deal with playing a C major chord through out the song (guitarsynche)- that was grinding on my nerves.

A very good D&D question- "Do you realize everyone is going to die?"
What is the purpose of death?

 

The purpose of death is the same as the purpose of birth. Change. One can not exist with out another. It is a part of a whole, and it is constantly evolving.

Ultimately there is no death, or birth. There is only change of form. But we are usually stuck on the concept of "I" so we fail to see it.

 

rhester,

I choose to enrich the lives of those around me.
Why? (i.e. what's the purpose of that?)
I do so because I take enjoyment from making other people happy and I believe that if we ALL did so, the world would be a whole lot better.
That's my purpose for enriching the lives of others.

That's not my only quest - I have others.

And when you say, "that's your purpose in life" I disagree. It's something I've chosen to do, but it's not the reason I continue to live.

Does God act in our lives?
I believe that the only way God acts in our lives is by creating more babies. That's it. That's the only way he acts in our world.

Why do bad things happen to people?
Because God doesn't act in our lives. Some good people are killed every day. Some bad people find success every day. It's not fair. It happens because God doesn't interfere - for good or for bad.

Aside from thanking God for life, love, and forgiveness, prayer is useless. God doesn't heal bodies. He doesn't help those in need. He doesn't punish those who should be punished. Prayer groups are religiously useless. Asking God for something (anything) is useless. Holding your hand up in church to project your prayer for someone is useless. He won't help your sick friend. He won't stop that lady from dying of cancer. He won't help you get a better job. He won't help you when you need it.

He will love you. He has given you your life, and he has given life to others who touch our lives. That's all he does, and the only prayer that's worthwhile is to thank him for it.

 

Sorry, not to nitpick, but that has been demonstrated to be incorrect in a variety of ways now. Animals reason, plan, and use tools. They literally teach one another things. It is proven that they grieve and play and think.

 

i'm with you. it's not good. so what are we gonna do about it? children dying of starvation in a world where there's enough food to feed them is outrageous. you should be offended. have you been involved with any projects to feed them? have you donated any money for that? have you ever taken a trip over there to serve those people? do you let your congressman know that your vote depends on his stance on those sorts of issues?

i'm not trying to call you out, because i fall short of that, too.

i used to be really interested in these sorts of discussions. i'm not anymore. i'm far more interested in being part of what i understand to be his redemption of this world, TODAY. and that includes working to make sure those children are fed. the theoretical does me no good in that endeavor.

if that's your sole goal...there are tons of books you can read from Chrisitian apologists from the past 2000 years. heck, stick with C.S. Lewis of the 20th century if you'd like. he has a book called The Problem with Pain that addresses a lot of your questions. but i don't find words are very convincing. it's easier to read a book or discuss it on the internet than it is to go out and really find for yourself. on one hand you reject a "religious" god but you seem to only be seeking "religious" answers....philosophy built on tradition...instead of your own answers built on experience, which can certainly be influenced by tradition.

again...i dont mean this to be calling you out...i just think you're going about this a strange way.

 

All male-specific behaviors can be reduced to fxxk?

Pulling dick out to piss, how's that related to sex. I dont think about sex when I take a pee, do you?

What are other male specific behaviors? Of course fxxk is related to fxxk.

 

what keeps me going?

My ambition(more money and respect) , my family(making them happy), and thus make myself happy.

Simple.

 

Thanks, I am not an animal expert and I don't consider that nit picking.
I fail to see a moral animal kingdom.

And you weren't talking about the raptors in Jurassic Park because those dudes were definately thinking like us.

 

A good thought for all.

We can do something or we can talk.

Philosophies are for politicians and clerics, love is for every single person on earth.

(I confess that I come to D&D to rest and argue, not to convince or solve problems- in other words I kill time here often )