The True Meaning of Life

[Tutankhaten-pasheri]

42

[theSOURCE]

Life has no meaning. That's why we die.

[fullywired]

I was browsing the other day when I came across some .excerpts from a book entitled "How life really works" by Gregory Spohr

Here are a few quotations from it

In his quest to find a purpose in life that might help him cope with the adversities of life, man has invented supernatural beings. Since he could not cope with the mysterious forces of his environment, he invented gods or other mystical forces that might enhance his survival and security by responding to prayer, sacrifices or similar devotions.

Man thus invented the fiction that gods had created man and that man was under the control and in the service of such superior beings. Consequently, man believed that it was his purpose in life to placate and please these gods by subjugating himself to their will in order to ensure their goodwill and protection.

There is no objective evidence whatsoever that such omnipotent beings actually exist or, if they existed, that they have any effect on individual human lives, or that they can vest human lives with a preordained purpose. If someone claims that there is a preordained purpose to human life, such claim is merely a completely undocumented opinion, at best, or a hallucination, at worst. Not only is such extraordinary claim without any shred of evidence, but it also stands in contradiction to all factual evidence available to man.

If there is no preordained purpose to human existence, what are we to do with our lives? Randomness and the dog-eat-dog world of evolution may be a disappointing and uninspiring way of looking at life and human existence.

However, this is how life is and no flights of fancy into delusions or illusions will alter this fact. We need not whine, merely because there are no gods and no ghosts, holy or otherwise, that can imbue our life with a preordained purpose. Instead, we can benefit from the utilization of our rational mind to enhance our happiness and our joyful experience of life.

i found myself agreeing with most of what he said and lf you consider all life on the planet then it is more compelling, life as no meaning

fullywred

Dum vivimus, vivamus, . (Since we are living, let us live well) Horace

Edited February 6, 2013 by fullywired

[White Crane Feather]

I was browsing the other day when I came across some .excerpts from a book entitled "How life really works" by Gregory Spohr

Here are a few quotations from it

In his quest to find a purpose in life that might help him cope with the adversities of life, man has invented supernatural beings. Since he could not cope with the mysterious forces of his environment, he invented gods or other mystical forces that might enhance his survival and security by responding to prayer, sacrifices or similar devotions.

Man thus invented the fiction that gods had created man and that man was under the control and in the service of such superior beings. Consequently, man believed that it was his purpose in life to placate and please these gods by subjugating himself to their will in order to ensure their goodwill and protection.

There is no objective evidence whatsoever that such omnipotent beings actually exist or, if they existed, that they have any effect on individual human lives, or that they can vest human lives with a preordained purpose. If someone claims that there is a preordained purpose to human life, such claim is merely a completely undocumented opinion, at best, or a hallucination, at worst. Not only is such extraordinary claim without any shred of evidence, but it also stands in contradiction to all factual evidence available to man.

If there is no preordained purpose to human existence, what are we to do with our lives? Randomness and the dog-eat-dog world of evolution may be a disappointing and uninspiring way of looking at life and human existence.

However, this is how life is and no flights of fancy into delusions or illusions will alter this fact. We need not whine, merely because there are no gods and no ghosts, holy or otherwise, that can imbue our life with a preordained purpose. Instead, we can benefit from the utilization of our rational mind to enhance our happiness and our joyful experience of life.

i found myself agreeing with most of what he said and lf you consider all life on the planet then it is more compelling, life as no meaning

fullywred

Dum vivimus, vivamus, . (Since we are living, let us live well) Horace

It's a tad bit disturbing though. Focusing on your own ego and gratification has dire consequences for others and future generations. Even if you are a decent person, under a utilitarian philosophy like this, you might be concerned with the greater good, but the majority would not, so you would be out voted.... Hmmmmm is this happening now?

[Bendy Demon]

Life has no meaning. That's why we die.

We die regardless of this ambiguous 'meaning'. All life dies eventually.

[Grandpa Greenman]

I think life is what you make it. The most important thing is your health. A serious illness can be a living hell. Take my word on that one. Next is enough food and clean water to maintain it. Then comes shelter.

I find, the more love I put out the more I get back. As the man said "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

Edited February 7, 2013 by Darkwind

[Lilly]

Life has no meaning. That's why we die.

I (on the other hand) think that life has great meaning. That's why we die.

[aryannatimothy]

Personally, I think the true meaning of life is quite subjective. What makes one happy is what makes life fulfilling for that person.

[Hasina]

Why does there need to be a meaning? Just enjoy it while it lasts.

[Asadora]

There are moments, for me, when I have this sensation that for a split second, everything becomes clear and meanings can be defined; however, as quickly as that second comes, even quicker it leaves. I try to force myself to remember, as if it is something on the tip of my tongue, yet, I get so caught up in trying to remember that one 'meaningful second', that I've spent several moments where I could have been contemplating things that define Life itself or baked a batch of cookies instead.

"Each man must look to himself to teach him the meaning of life. It is not something discovered: it is something molded."

-Antonie de Saint-Exupery

[Mr Walker]

I was browsing the other day when I came across some .excerpts from a book entitled "How life really works" by Gregory Spohr

Here are a few quotations from it

In his quest to find a purpose in life that might help him cope with the adversities of life, man has invented supernatural beings. Since he could not cope with the mysterious forces of his environment, he invented gods or other mystical forces that might enhance his survival and security by responding to prayer, sacrifices or similar devotions.

Man thus invented the fiction that gods had created man and that man was under the control and in the service of such superior beings. Consequently, man believed that it was his purpose in life to placate and please these gods by subjugating himself to their will in order to ensure their goodwill and protection.

There is no objective evidence whatsoever that such omnipotent beings actually exist or, if they existed, that they have any effect on individual human lives, or that they can vest human lives with a preordained purpose. If someone claims that there is a preordained purpose to human life, such claim is merely a completely undocumented opinion, at best, or a hallucination, at worst. Not only is such extraordinary claim without any shred of evidence, but it also stands in contradiction to all factual evidence available to man.

If there is no preordained purpose to human existence, what are we to do with our lives? Randomness and the dog-eat-dog world of evolution may be a disappointing and uninspiring way of looking at life and human existence.

However, this is how life is and no flights of fancy into delusions or illusions will alter this fact. We need not whine, merely because there are no gods and no ghosts, holy or otherwise, that can imbue our life with a preordained purpose. Instead, we can benefit from the utilization of our rational mind to enhance our happiness and our joyful experience of life.

i found myself agreeing with most of what he said and lf you consider all life on the planet then it is more compelling, life as no meaning

fullywred

Dum vivimus, vivamus, . (Since we are living, let us live well) Horace

I agree with most of this except the bit I bolded There is as much individual objective evidence for the existence of god as for most things. I know, objectively, god exists in precisely the same way I know every object exists ie i have or take an objective view on gods existence i may alos take a subjective view as i could with any person or thing.

And the last bit is also wrong inmy opinion although it is certainly an opinion. Every human employs psychological props to survive the self -aware state in which we exist it might be; self denial, irony, or simply not thinking about death or the future. It might be materialism, hedonism altruism or any other ism.

But a sense of the human spirit, and even a codification of that human sprit into group religions, is not a prop or a sign of weakness; it is an evolved coping mechanism which works, is useful, and for many may allow them to live rather than commit suicide or live a life of depression, at the ultimate pointlessness of life. So, real god or god construct, the connection of god and man is much more positive than you describe

[White Crane Feather]

I think life is what you make it. The most important thing is your health. A serious illness can be a living hell. Take my word on that one. Next is enough food and clean water to maintain it. Then comes shelter.

I find, the more love I put out the more I get back. As the man said "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

Actually my friend, shelter before food. You must maintain your core temp before you can do anything else. Water and shelter are most essential at first... Food being more important as time goes on.

[fullywired]

.

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. There is as much individual objective evidence for the existence of god as for most things..

Please share this evidence with us

fullywired

[Frank Merton]

Why does there need to be a meaning? Just enjoy it while it lasts.

That is meaning.

[Frank Merton]

Since God has given us the papacy, let us enjoy it.

Pope Leo X

[Hasina]

That is meaning.

[+Liquid Gardens]

Many people have commented on the meaning of life, most of whom are far more qualified then I am to discuss such things, but nevertheless I felt I could throw my two cents in anyway.

As Jake mentioned, this is false; you are as qualified as anyone to discuss the meaning of life so I wouldn't sell yourself short.

[Grandpa Greenman]

Actually my friend, shelter before food. You must maintain your core temp before you can do anything else. Water and shelter are most essential at first... Food being more important as time goes on.

I live in Florida, shelter is a hammock and a couple of trees. zzzz.....

[Sean93]

My point is simply the fact that one day you'll die, the earth will collide with the sun, all the stars in the universe will run outta fuel and go dark, and then there'll be nothing again just like before the universe's existance. If you find your way of communing with nature fun then more power to ya. Fact is though it's still has no meaning whatsoever.

Your entire life meaning works towards death though, the be-all-end-all of the cult of Christ is physical death. Life can have a lot of broad meanings and we can choose that meaning or it may just come along and 'feel' right. Preparing for death through life isn't the kind of life I would like to be living and sucks all the 'life' out of life itself because it's looked at as some speck compared to death and that seducing eternity found in scripture. Like you said, without god, death would just be empty so you're working towards meeting your god and the only way you'll really ever be in his eternal embrace is when you're dead, something Christ's followers seem to veer on obsession over - a life of servitude and serf it seems with constant thoughts of how wonderful it will be to be dead.

Of course, death to Christ's people doesn't matter if they meet him as they simply transist to another part of life; death itself seems to mean being cut off from god according to the bible: "Those who believe in me shall never die."...not very life-fulfilling for the 4 billion non-believers in Christ is it? They might as well make the meaning in the 'now' rather than hope for a meaning in death. Sure you can say that your kids or family give you meaning to live but the whole consensus among Christ's followers is that this life is but a mere preparatory stage for the real deal and that those kids and family members should be saved for the hereafter - their life is spent preparing for death because everything else is futile in the end...**** that, We pay or this life with death, hardship, sadness and sickness; to have the mettle of our souls weighed at the end of something like life, which we were giving without a choice or say in the matter, is sadistic. If i'd have kicked and screamed to become a human then I would have no need for protest...but I didn't choose it.

[Frank Merton]

It occurs to me that maybe one of the reasons for religion is not so much fear of death as fear of being meaningless.

[Mr Walker]

I (on the other hand) think that life has great meaning. That's why we die.

You mean that the fact that we die is what gives life meaning, and that if we were immortal life woud tend to be less meaningful for us?

[Frank Merton]

It strikes me that the fact that we die might have the effect of building a fire under us to get something accomplished, and young people tend to think that way, but over time life has a way of squashing such ambition, and we settle for doing our best to bring the next generation safely and soundly into the world.

That we want to have purpose in our lives is what is behind all this "Doing God's work here on earth" stuff.

[Mr Walker]

Please share this evidence with us

fullywired

I have done so. I can see touch, hear, speak to, feel etc. god, just as I can my wife or dog. God leaves the same physical traces of hs interaction with the environment he engages in, as does my wife or dog. When god pushes me out of the way of a bus, it leaves bruises on my skin.

Personally I have as much and the same objective physical evidences for the existence of god as I do for any entity; like my wife or dog or house. One cant walk through a manifestation of god any more than one can walk through a solid brick wall.

[Mr Walker]

I live in Florida, shelter is a hammock and a couple of trees. zzzz.....

Interesting comment. I was going to also point out that where I live, I could live quite comfortably for most of the year without artificial shelter (and indigenous people did so for thousands of years) but not for long without food or water

[Frank Merton]

I think if one actually tried to live on the streets for awhile, no matter how benign the climate, one would find it a horrible experience. One is subject to crime, harassment, the inability to get clean, undesirable food, all sorts of discomforts (insects, rocks for pillows, etc.), rain, loneliness and isolation, and the absence of a million little comforts we take for granted.