What is the purpose of our lives?

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
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Back in the nineties I met so many people who agonized over their purpose. How silly. I think the purpose of life is to be happy in spite of all the madness around you. If you can be happy no matter what, that is what you offer to the world. There is no greater gift than joy. And you will be healthier too.

I agree, with all the agonizing and praying and guilt, and praising and argueing,
about religion, who's is best, and trying to get brownie points, so one will get
into heaven with top marks, people forget and ignore their true spirit, and that
is to be 'happy', enjoy their lives, love their families, take care of our earth, and
'notice' everything around them, and accept all others, be kind to all, and don't
judge.
 

L Gilbert

Winterized
Nov 30, 2006
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the-brights.net
Back in the nineties I met so many people who agonized over their purpose. How silly. I think the purpose of life is to be happy in spite of all the madness around you. If you can be happy no matter what, that is what you offer to the world. There is no greater gift than joy. And you will be healthier too.
That's pretty much what I've figured out, so far. Nothing mystical or mysterious about it.
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
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Nakusp, BC
That's pretty much what I've figured out, so far. Nothing mystical or mysterious about it.

After forty years of studying all the stuff I looked into, that is what it all boiled down to. But in the process, I found that all that "mystical" stuff was not mysterious or magical at all. It could all be explained by quantum physics. It bridges the rift between science and ancient mysticism.

I experienced too many unusual events that did not fit into the status quo view to deny they happened so I looked for other explanations. Quantum physics works for me but I can't speak for anybody else because they have their own experiences to explain in terms they can understand.
 

AndyF

Electoral Member
Jan 5, 2007
384
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"so that we can merit"

No, there is nothing we can do by merit of our own volition.

Andy
 

jimmoyer

jimmoyer
Apr 3, 2005
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www.contactcorp.net
Gandalf in the Lord of Rings had an answer to this.

Something about, we have to find something to fill up the time and it has to mean something to us.

I wish I could find the exact quote, but perhaps there are Tolkien followers out there to ferret the quote out.

What is the purpose of our lives? That we even pose this question to ourselves exposes the consciousness we have that there may be no reason at all.

We just are.

Like Pirates, we just arrrrrrrrrgh.
 

AnnaG

Hall of Fame Member
Jul 5, 2009
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I'll go along with that, Mr. Moyer. :)
Les and I both found that the purpose of our lives is to enjoy them. There's nothing profound and Earth-shaking about it.
 

SirJosephPorter

Time Out
Nov 7, 2008
11,956
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Ontario
Gandalf in the Lord of Rings had an answer to this.

Something about, we have to find something to fill up the time and it has to mean something to us.

I wish I could find the exact quote, but perhaps there are Tolkien followers out there to ferret the quote out.

What is the purpose of our lives? That we even pose this question to ourselves exposes the consciousness we have that there may be no reason at all.

We just are.

Like Pirates, we just arrrrrrrrrgh.

I am a great fan of Lord of the Rings; I have read the trilogy more than once. If you can recall in what context Gandalf said it, I will see if I can ferret out the exact quote. Gives me an excuse to read Lord of the Rings yet again.
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
41,035
201
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RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
Gandalf in the Lord of Rings had an answer to this.

Something about, we have to find something to fill up the time and it has to mean something to us.

I wish I could find the exact quote, but perhaps there are Tolkien followers out there to ferret the quote out.

What is the purpose of our lives? That we even pose this question to ourselves exposes the consciousness we have that there may be no reason at all.

We just are.

Like Pirates, we just arrrrrrrrrgh.

We was reeding a bit o majic the other day what indicated Mr Tolkiens apetite in ould thyngs hermetic. It seems filling up our time with personally meaningful observations of nature and further observations on the observations may fulfill the necessary worship of the one. We may just simply be observational devices purpose built to report back to headquarters.
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
193
63
Nakusp, BC
We was reeding a bit o majic the other day what indicated Mr Tolkiens apetite in ould thyngs hermetic. It seems filling up our time with personally meaningful observations of nature and further observations on the observations may fulfill the necessary worship of the one. We may just simply be observational devices purpose built to report back to headquarters.

I've heard that expressed as "we are the human eyes and ears of god". I know, that is a loaded statement. God can mean a lot of different things, too many to go into here. Then again there may be no purpose at all. As Monty Python indicated in the Meaning of Life, we may be just replicating DNA.

There you are my bright little star,
You are miles and miles of files
pretty file of your forefather fruit
And now to suit
our great computer
You are magnetic ink,

I'm more than that,
I know I am,
At least I think I must be,
I think.

There you go man,
Keep as cool as you can
Face piles of trials with smiles,
It riles them to believe
That you perceive
The webs they weave
So keep on thinking free. - The Moody Blues
 

In Between Man

The Biblical Position
Sep 11, 2008
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The purpose of our lives is so that God could have us, love us, save us, have us love him, and for us to overcome the evil in the world through his power.

"Enemy occupied territory - that is what the world is." - C.S. Lewis
 
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Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
193
63
Nakusp, BC
The purpose of our lives is so that God could have us, love us, save us, have us love him, and for us to overcome the evil in the world through his power.

"Enemy occupied territory - that is what the world is." - C.S. Lewis
What a bizarre way to view a world you believe was created by your god. He must be a lunatic to have made a world so dangerous then placed us here to overcome his creation. Does this sound like a loving god? Does this sound like something a sane person believes in? Holt Cow, Dude! Gi' yur hed a shaik, eh!