Meaning of life???

[yar]

Being a "Bible Basher", I tend to take my cue from the Bible
"Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."
"Fear" not to be seen as being scared, but reverence.
"Keeping commandments" may be answered by Jesus' comment on the greatest commandment:
"Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. "
It is when we follow this, that man experiences greatest happiness - a relationship with his Creator and with your "neighbour".
If you want to know who your neighbour is, you can refer to the parable of the good Samaritan
Luk 10:29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
Kind regards
Andre

"Bible Basher",
In my neck of the woods They are referred to as "Bible Thumpers" Because the preachers of this long boring old story, beat upon it when trying to get across a point that is misleading or just an outright lie.
Sorry if I have offended anybody it was not my intentions I was merely expression my belief. This Bible is so new in the context of time and if it was created by a God , I have one question . Why is their not only one true CHURCH. Sounds like a comity compiled it . Just remember I still love all of you.

[CardShark]

Do you know Jesus was a Buddhist??

I thought he was jewish

[yar]

CS you are so right, sort of a hippy but still a Jew.

[sox-and-the-city]

Sox, I'm glad you replied, since I was actually thinking of you as an example of someone who has, in contrast to what one generally finds, clearly thought at length about these issues ... which I believe I have acknowledged elsewhere...

I may not have made a "fair assertion" in your view, but the vast majority of believers among whom I have spent a substantial part of my life have surrendered willingly their freedom of thought, personal accountability and the sheer effort of thinking to the blanket of off-the-peg beliefs

Gee, shucks, *looks embarrassed*. Sorry, reading it back it sounds a LOT more accusatory than i meant it to. Just because it isn't fair doesn't mean it isn't true. You're bang on. But that's not really what being a good Christian is about. We're still supposed to take responsibility for our actions, paying unto ceasar and all... Perhaps it's just my idealism showing through, but i always try to look to the good that religious people do. The negatives are nearly always caused by misuse or in the absolute best case misinterpretation of what it's all about.

Maybe I am blocked or something??? But does it really matter? If ya live a life where ya are as good as ya can be, or you live a life as horrible as can be, if ya can acknowledge your repentance just before ya die and the gates open with those sexy bitch angels motioning ya forward

Well, i'm not really sure it QUITE works like that. Being all powerful and all knowing, i'm pretty sure He has a contingency plan for peeps who try to cheat the system...

And yes it DOES matter!! We have a responsibility to each and every person we come in contact with, and if you can do something good, it's far better that you do it, non?? Leading a good life is gonna set yuo in WAY better stead than one of wickedness and them some presto-changeling repentance. You have to MEAN the repent part...

The bible may be old, but that does not excuse the way it is used by many. It is an account of the failings of men and women, dressed up as the word of a divine creator and used mainly to justify the actions of the power-hungry, the suppression of the dispossessed and, sadly, their complicity in their own abuse.

"Bible Basher",
In my neck of the woods They are referred to as "Bible Thumpers" Because the preachers of this long boring old story, beat upon it when trying to get across a point that is misleading or just an outright lie.

Actually the Bible, solely as a historical document, is regarded as being pretty accurate. It is indisputable fact that a man called Jesus walked this earth performing what were regarded by many as miracles and informing those who listened that he was the son of God. Whether or not you actually believe what he said is what we're disputing, right??

As i've already said, so much of it goes into the interpretation. You may argue that seeing as the bible insists that God is real that makes it pretty inaccurate. But can you really disprove the existence of God??

You have a point about translation. For instance in arabic the word for 'virgin' is the same as the word for 'young woman'. There are plenty of points you can dispute anytime you translate anything. I don't really think you can blame a text which sets out strict rules like 'Thou shalt not kill' if people who have the oppotunity hijack it for their own ends. For me that's just not fair.

Furthermore i notice not once has there been any meniton of the countless GOOD things that religious faith inspires people to do. Examples include missionaries who go to do development work in deprived countries, often risking their lives to do so when times get difficult and they don't leave. Even something on a far less grand a scale like teaching people to be charitable so they might, just once, give something of theirs to help someone who needs it more.

[yar]

As far as the Bible being correct, it is compiled of story's from the beginning of written history. Example the laws of Hammurabi. The travails of Gilgamesh,etc. to calim they are the word of God, is belittling.
The translations are very pore at least. You have to understand the customs at the time they were written, example it was the custom for a Jewish man to take a concubine until she proved to be fertile before taking her as his wife.
Missionary's are an another thing they have a way of destroying the indigenous cultures. Who is to say that is a good thing.

[marshlander]

...Actually the Bible, solely as a historical document, is regarded as being pretty accurate. It is indisputable fact that a man called Jesus walked this earth performing what were regarded by many as miracles and informing those who listened that he was the son of God. Whether or not you actually believe what he said is what we're disputing, right??

Actually, no. Could you point to your indisputable facts? This report in The Times from 3rd January 2006, suggests that it is not so clearcut. However, you are right in saying that were there to be evidence of contemporary documentation that I would be prone to doubting any claims (especially the more supernatural ones) attributed to such a character. Folklore and history become entangled quite soon after purported events and pulling out the threads is sometimes impossible. There are events in my own lifetime, in which I took part, where my account of what happened can only rely on the "evidence" of what I recall - shaky at best :redface: . Filter the mythology of a humble carpenter from Nazarerth through decades of oral history and multiple translations of the eventual written word and that, I think, is where faith begins to play a part.

As i've already said, so much of it goes into the interpretation. You may argue that seeing as the bible insists that God is real that makes it pretty inaccurate. But can you really disprove the existence of God??

Fair point, but why should the superstitious aspects of the bible do anything more than mask the historical context in which they are supposed to have occurred? Surely any historian looks to multiple sources of data before making conclusions?

Of course I cannot "disprove the existence of God"! Life is too short for such a futile exercise. What I have said all along though is that I prefer to weigh up available evidence and make judgements accordingly. I know this will only happen to the limited extent of my own understanding. On a balance of probablilities there would appear to be more evidence in favour of natural processes that can be explained through observation and the testing of ideas than there is of a supernatural creator who has never seen fit to reveal him/her self let alone the secrets of his/her methods in any way that is testable by rational method.

Furthermore i notice not once has there been any meniton of the countless GOOD things that religious faith inspires people to do. Examples include missionaries who go to do development work in deprived countries, often risking their lives to do so when times get difficult and they don't leave. Even something on a far less grand a scale like teaching people to be charitable so they might, just once, give something of theirs to help someone who needs it more.

I really hope you are not suggesting that that a religious faith is a prerequisite for doing "good things"? We all have that choice. If someone is inspired to help others through the teachings of their faith all is well that ends well. I might question their motives, but is the desire to earn the right to go and live in heaven in an eternally blissful afterlife really so much different from the wage anticipated by a doctor who saves life every day, or the anticipated karma effect of doing as you would be done by?

Taking a ride back to the beginning of this thread there are a number of posts by contributors here who live in the hope that what gives some meaning to their life is to spread a bit of sunshine around. That does not have to have anything to do with having a religious faith.

[Marlborolad]

Interesting subject!!!!

Christopher McCandless (Alexander Supertramp) kinda sums up what I feel the "Meaning of Life" is far more eloquently than i ever could when he expanded upon an original quote by Henry David Thoreau.

"Rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness... give me truth."

Truth - a seemingly rare commodity nowadays- can bring expansive and unbridled joy, or bitch-slap you to the depths of despair. Which i guess is why many shy away from it and would prefer to live in a state of comfortable denial.

Afterall, Ignorance is bliss!

However, I really feel like we are here to discover certain truths - both postive and negative. Truths about ourselves, our world, the people and places in it...

Truth broadens our perspective and stretches our understanding.

Accepting truths about ourselves gives us the strength never to comprimise our values.

So..I would have to say Truth is the "Meaning of Life".

C x x x

[fjp999]

[COLOR="Purple"]I really love that Marlborolad. I have always incorporated that into my being, truth - frank (ness) - and it has brought me great joy and peace but sometimes great losses.

Just wondered how this fit in our subtopic of Christianity - truth...

If it was found, beyond a doubt, that God, JC, and the Holy Ghost existed it would be easy for me to accept. I would still have questions as that is just how I was built - I know myself pretty well but still have questions about myself...

But I wonder how the other side would accept it if somehow The Bible was shown to be 100% false and what kind of bloody wars would erupt... or would most accept the Truth?[/COLOR]

[Marlborolad]

Hi FJP!

Yes, it's really interesting to think about how Truth correlates to the idea/ideas of organised religion.

The fantastic thing about truth is that it is as individual as the person - my truth is different from yours etc.

So, what is Truth to Mohammed may be contrasting to that of Michael. This is splendid because it allows us limitless possibilities to locate and secure our own beliefs and opinions (Truths).

As a staunch humanist my truths are in direct opposition to that of most organised religions. But i freely concede that the truths of those with faith are as valid to them as mine are to me...even if i struggle sometimes to see how these can be accepted as truths in the face of such contrary evidence.

Which is another prime example of how individual truths can be...some people do not require evidence for something to become their truth. They "feel" it is right. I myself cannot accept this personally, but i have the respect for others to allow them their freedom in this matter.


C x x x

[sox-and-the-city]

Righto Marsh, gimme some time and i'll rustle up some of the reading i've done.

And no, i wasn't saying religious faith is a prerequisite for doing good things. I was just pointing out that people are very quick to demonise and forget that religion has the capacity to inspire good in people. Or maybe i'm just hopelessly idealistic...