The purpose of life. What is your quest?.

[User-E]

I disagree. Those who embrace the fact there is no afterlife, great purpose, rainbow up the butt, enlightenment, 77 virgins, or whatever are the realists who don't commit suicide because they have accepted the fact there is no meaning to life, other than what we get. It's those who are promised all that stuff, realize it's crap, then get depressed at the reality and commit suicide.

The simple fact is most people can't accept it, so they choose not to. They believe in a god, an afterlife, a higher purpose, or whatever SIMPLY to make their own lives have meaning.

I didn't say they have to believe in a religion or an afterlife. People just need something to believe in, a reason to hope that their life has meaning somehow. If you live for golf - that's what keeps you going. If you live for your career, that's what inspires you to get out of bed every day.

Hopelessness is deadly.

 

[RAWD]

Perhaps hedonism is the rule of the day....

 

[Baz]

My question to you is what proof do you have that there is beyond a shadow of a doubt no afterlife? How can you rule out what you do not know? Isn't it healthier and more comforting to believe in a positive outcome at the end? In your theory you are reducing humanity to mere animals or worse yet insects.

 

[HOF]

Everyone wants a legacy. To be remembered for something they did, or the contributions they made to another life. In the end, we get buried or cremated, and, ten years from then, no one remembers you at all unless you're that one in ten million that did something others notice, whether that's writing great music, being a famous author, or murdering 12 people!

We strive our whole life for meaning and value, almost always to fail. That, unfortunately, is the reality. That's also why religion is there. (The belief in the happy afterlife gave some meaning to a boring life.) One of the truly great failings of the human species is trying to justify their existence. Do bees worry about it? Do ants? Are we really any different? Philosophy and religion are the attempts to validate life...and both fail.

We now return you to your normal programming...

Not everyone cares about a legacy, trust me on this! Because I don't care about it.

 

[HOF]

And sometimes life just isn't fair:

That still gets to me!

 

[Baz]

Not everyone cares about a legacy, trust me on this! Because I don't care about it.

It's not always about a legacy but do you not find it comforting that maybe just maybe you one day may be re-united with your dear departed parents you speak so fondly of?

 

[HOF]

I'll be re-united with them as ash! Dead is dead, I don't believe in after-life nor am I religious or have faith in any type of religion or such beliefs. I'm here until I'm not and that's all folks.

 

[oldguyzer]

My question to you is what proof do you have that there is beyond a shadow of a doubt no afterlife? How can you rule out what you do not know? Isn't it healthier and more comforting to believe in a positive outcome at the end? In your theory you are reducing humanity to mere animals or worse yet insects.

And there is the perfect example. You DON'T want to accept the fact there is no meaning, so you cling to the hope there is something after. Can I prove there is no afterlife? Of course, not...at least not until I die, but you have ZERO evidence there is something after. Zero. Nada. Just a hope and a prayer, as they say...

Am I reducing humanity to animals or insects? Does it matter? Does you life get impacted more by some random guy in India or a bee that cross-pollinates plants you eat? At the macro scale, humanity is just a hive. The difference is worker bees KNOW they are worker bees...humans refuse to admit and accept what they are.

Of course, you won't accept it because YOU need to believe there is a purpose in your life. And hence, God, the afterlife, and so on. Notice the terminology: BELIEF. There is ZERO evidence. Just a hallucination and delusion.

 

[oldguyzer]

Not everyone cares about a legacy, trust me on this! Because I don't care about it.

Actually, I doubt that's true. Everyone wants to feel as though they have been part of something else. If you have kids, you want to be remembered by them. Or your friends, or relatives. You want to be remembered as a nice guy, a funny guy, a helpful guy, whatever. It's human nature to want to be missed when you are not here. Those who say they don't care are usually the ones who care the most.

 

[oldguyzer]

I'll be re-united with them as ash! Dead is dead, I don't believe in after-life nor am I religious or have faith in any type of religion or such beliefs. I'm here until I'm not and that's all folks.

Hallelujah!

 

[papasmerf]

If believing in God or science makes you a better and more compassionate person, then this is good.
However if it makes you an obnoxious twit who insists all others believe as you do then it is destructive for yourself and those around you.


This post is not directed towards anyone in particular

 

[User-E]

If believing in God or science makes you a better and more compassionate person, then this is good.
However if it makes you an obnoxious twit who insists all others believe as you do then it is destructive for yourself and those around you.


This post is not directed towards anyone in particular

Good post.

 

[oldguyzer]

If believing in God or science makes you a better and more compassionate person, then this is good.

Fundamentally, I agree, but if you are being more compassionate and a better person ONLY because you want a reward after, that's kinda cynical, ain't it? Shouldn't you be a compassionate and kind person because it's a good thing to be that, not just for the threat of a better afterlife?

 

[papasmerf]

Fundamentally, I agree, but if you are being more compassionate and a better person ONLY because you want a reward after, that's kinda cynical, ain't it? Shouldn't you be a compassionate and kind person because it's a good thing to be that, not just for the threat of a better afterlife?

no matter the base reason for compassion the act itself is good when given freely with no strings attached.

The same argument could be made for the medical field some doctors are very committed and give because they really do want to help and some work the job.

 

[oldguyzer]

no matter the base reason for compassion the act itself is good when given freely with no strings attached.

The same argument could be made for the medical field some doctors are very committed and give because they really do want to help and some work the job.

Indeed, and some of us just want to meet naughty nurses in the X-ray room :no:

 

[papasmerf]

Indeed, and some of us just want to meet naughty nurses in the X-ray room :no:

too easy
I was once married to a nurse

 

[oldguyzer]

too easy
I was once married to a nurse

I was married to a dental hygienist. The X-ray booth is more comfortable than a dentist's chair.

So I'm told...

 

[Art Mann]

You've been seeing the wrong dentist.

Need to switch to one who has a

 

[User-E]

You've been seeing the wrong dentist.

Need to switch to one who has a

I want one of those so bad.

 

[Blank_Dave]

It's not always about a legacy but do you not find it comforting that maybe just maybe you one day may be re-united with your dear departed parents you speak so fondly of?

How do I put this politely.....