What Is The Purpose Of Life? (Part 1)
They say that a fool lives to eat and a wise man eats to live. But then the question remains: for what purpose does the wise man live? Living is not an end by itself. There has to be a purpose for man to live for. So what is this purpose?
Where from? Where to? And Why?
Any ignorance, however great, could be forgiven except for man to be ignorant about the secret of his existence, his aim in life and what will be his outcome after death. Some thinkers express these questions in simple words: where from? Where to? And why? Meaning: where did I come from? Where am I going? And why am I here?
Those who only believe in the material world and who do not believe in a Creator- the atheists- only believe in sensory data. They say that this universe and everything in it came by itself. All its order is simply due to blind coincidence. They say that man is simply like an animal or a plant and that he will exist for a short period and then end like any other animal or plant.
An Arab Poet, Elya Abu Madhi (a born-Christian), not long ago expressed his uncertainty about the purpose of life in his Arabic poem Al-Talasim, meaning “puzzles,” which I have translated into English. He says in his poem:
I came not knowing from where, but I came.
And I saw a pathway in front of me, so I walked.
And I will remain walking, whether I want this or not.
How did I come? How did I see my pathway?
I do not know!
Am I new or am I old in this existence?
Am I free and unrestrained, or do I walk in chains?
Do I lead myself in my life, or am I being led?
I wish I know, but…
I do not know!
And my path, oh what is my path? Is it long or is it short?
Am I ascending in it, or am I going down and sinking?
Am I the one who is walking on the road,
or is it the road that is moving?
Or are we both standing, but it is the time that is running?
I do not know!
Before I became a full human, do you see
if I were nothing, impossible? Or do you see that I was something?
Is there an answer to this puzzle, or will it remain eternal?
I do not know ... and why do I not know??
I do not know!
This feeling of doubt and confusion about the presence of a Creator and whether He sent messengers and prophets to guide mankind must be quite painful because it deprives the Atheist and the Agnostic of tranquility, security and peace of mind. The unbelievers do not have credible answers to the purpose of one’s existence. And thus they say that man lives for himself and for the pleasures of this life. So what happens when life turns sour? What happens when one goes through hardships? It is no coincidence then that the largest number of suicides takes place amongst Atheists, Agnostics and people who do not know their purpose in life. Do you know which country has the largest number of suicides? It’s Japan. In the year ending March 2000, there were 33,000 suicides in Japan. That is 91 suicides per day or 1 suicide every 15 minutes! This despite Japan being the second largest economy in the world wherein people do not have to worry about providing a roof over their heads or about food or medical care.
TO BE CONTINUED
Always return to the ultimate question, why am I here? what is the purpose of my life? For some people it is not acceptable that we are just here to born, to perpetuate are specises and then die. We as the superior specises on this planet and are not just here for the same reasons as the other animals on this planet. The inablity of people to accept that there is no Great Meaning to there existance pushes them to the theory that there is a great unknown power that has formed there life and gives them a reason for some mystical existance on this earth.
The need of people to believe in some higher existence that made them and forms there life, is the need to answer the Ultimate question, which we cannot answer, so we find a God that did it all. In this way the lack of an answer is Ok because God has has higher purpose for us which we dont at present understand.
Having said that it doesnt mean a God doesn't exist, he could well do but of course a well written book about him doesn't prove his existence, just that someone wrote a good book.
When I look at the various faiths of this world, which have a greater benefactor who wisdom and knowledge is far behond our comprehension, I ask myself, then why are so many faiths so HUMAN. So full of the humans good and bad points, why? because these faiths are devised by humans and therefore carry the mark of their founders, us, not some other being.
It cannot be in the interest of any God, whatever his name, that we kill each other in his name, or maybe there is a Greater Meaning to it all that he hasn't told us yet.
I do wish to be disrespectful to those who beleive in a God, that is their right, all I would ask is please respect those who do not beleive in God, it is their right too.
i know i agree thats why i m trying my 2 bit to diffuse
If you can't change your fate, change your attitude.
To the gentlemen and ladies who read and commented on my topic, I would ask you to be Patient with me till I finish posting the rest of the topic so we can discuss about it.
I'm sure this topic will be different than what you might read before and I'll be happy to answer any of your questions whatever they are.
have a good day
MOHAMED FATHI
We have very diligent and capable people on QL if they would get together and form and institution they would be great and QL would have reached its task in having a multinational advice committee which IO think would be the first of it's kind in the world.
However terribly busy for a meaningful contribution........most of us r like lost sheep , just wandering without a purpose till such time our number is up.
Life is too short and if u r not living on the edge then u r taking up too much space.
Albert Einstein was the one who explained the importance of considering the time as the fourth dimension in his famous theory, but my topic doesn't discuss about the cosmogony but it's just an invitation to try to find out our purpose in this earth and what we created for.
I hope you carry on following the rest of this topics then we can discuss it better.
Have a good day.
MOHAMED FATHI
hehehe thanks but its the truth .... dont like to drag this topic also into religion as that is whats happening here nowadays
If you can't change your fate, change your attitude.
You have the oddest of comments sometimes lol but always pleasant.
We are part of the food chain circle .... thats our purpose
If you can't change your fate, change your attitude.
Timbo, whenever we think about religion, why we are saying about killings?
Think about Love... Love... Love and some compassion too to others.. thats what all humans, religions and the nature needs
Not blind coincidence mofathi but natural selection. Selection being the critical word. Learn about it before you knock it.
I am perfectly happy in my life whilst being an atheist. I don't believe in religion or god in the slightest. i think it bizarre that anyone does. However the weirdest thing and the thing that I really can't get my head around is how so many people believe in organised religion. Books written 2,000 to 1,400 years ago about every other subject are now disregarded but millions still chose to live their lives and kill others based on fairy tales from a similar era.
Nuts
Frankly I like not knowing for sure. Means there's always something more to learn.
"You should try living by my rules for a day nobody would die and there'd be lots of stuff to say." Ani Difranco
As I couldn't sleep last night I went outside of my house this morning at 2 a m and saw the stars shining it was cool and nice I sat there for half and hour - It reminded me of the stars I once saw in the sky in Scotland promising myself I would see the stars under foreign skies in the future - there we have it
No...but then again you probably have already reached that conclusion.....fyi, this is a topic that has been coverd before on MANY threads....but I have no problem with it, or anyone's belief system as long as they are not harming anyone, and they leave the choice to others to find what works for them.
Stay safe all.
Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?
Thanks for your comment. I noted that when I read some of your topics (they were interesting for me) but my question is: do you believe there is GOD?
MOH@MED F@THI
its a fact that we are living here for something!! yes, thats the question.. whats this something..
With proud, we say, we, human beings are great! Even, may be the ANTS say the same thing ( in their language). Of course.. elephants too!!
I know its maningless to ask , why? because that answerless is the meaning of our life( minimum I think so).
The night before yester, was starry... I was simply telling my wife..that the earth is only a .planet in this universe... thousands of stars.. planets... and do you think that all these stars are created only to seen by us... that means its for something other...
I am just posting this not to confuse... but only for a curiosity.. otherwise... let it be like this
At the end of time we will know where we came from and what was our purpose and destination.
We are just on a visit here, we all have to fight for our lives - each of his own accord.
It is too much too ask us to worry about the suicides in Japan, when we are concerned with our own surrounding.
Many Japanes are for your nformation, sleeping in undergrounds in carboard boxes because they cannot afford a home - check out your facts and then continue you preaching. Check out the standard of living in Japan before you offer a comparison.
Don't preach unless you know the suffering of others in your vicinity - spend your time helping them, and then come back and tell us what you experienced perhaps then I might pay attention to your words.
Please let the Japanese take care of their own troubles.
Read the Holy Quran it will help you.
great post mofathi:)
I believe having no confirmed truths in mind may confuse and disturb the stream of anyone's life. I believe in God and I'm sure of two main things : Where I get from as a human, an where I'm going eventually.
We need to believe on whom we did not see, because just for the creation we can conclude that there were a Great Designer who made the universe.
Some are Wise ... Some are ...Otherwise
Sorry, I consider myself to be quite a tranquil person and I have no belief whatsoever in the 3 major religions.
"You should try living by my rules for a day nobody would die and there'd be lots of stuff to say." Ani Difranco
Japan does have religion...ever heard of shintoism?
Unless of course you mean only YOUR religion gives peace of mind.
Sorry to burst your bubble...not everyone needs that crutch...some of us are frightened out of out wits not knowing the answers and we make stuff up...just ask most humans a few centuries ago when they worshipped Zeus their "creator"....and some of us are perfectly content admitting we do not HAVE to be know it alls....we MAY someday have all the answers...then again we MAY not....so lets make the best if it while we ARE here....whatever the purpose is!
Stay safe all.
Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?
Mofathi, my understanding of religion may be little, but personally I feel and believe that it is beyond the perception of human mind to understand where life originated from, i.e. the beginning of beginning. As humans we understand 3 dimensions only x,y, and z. The fourth dimension 'time' is unknown to us.
I like to read spiritual/philosophical stuff... What's the purpose of your life? Don’t tell us to enlighten us with your spiritual knowledge and to teach us the meaning of life. Not many people can understand complicated things.