I think life is meant to be endured, not enjoyed.

[ananda]

What makes you think such a thing is possible to learn?

I have some experience in doing just that.

 

[grasping the after wind]

I have some experience in doing just that.

Has this fulfillment of your purpose, as limited as it has been, struck you as worthwhile. I know in pursuit of what I have said I believe my purpose to be I have been quite satisfied that it is well worthwhile. I might contend that perhaps life is not what has the purpose but the individual that experience life do?

 

[ananda]

Has this fulfillment of your purpose, as limited as it has been, struck you as worthwhile. I know in pursuit of what I have said I believe my purpose to be I have been quite satisfied that it is well worthwhile. I might contend that perhaps life is not what has the purpose but the individual that experience life do?

Yes, I can say that my journey has been worthwhile and rewarding. As I see it now - life, and the journey through life, are to be used as tools for the individual to transcend himself.

 

[Rebecca12]

Is the following question too disrespectful?
Did Jesus enjoy His life?
Well the end part was certainly endurance.
But I suspect He enjoyed the rest of it. Growing up as a child for instance. Still the Bible doesn't tell you much of whether He enjoyed it or not. maybe it's not important for us to know?

What a wonderful question. I can envision Jesus and the disciples sitting around in the evening, singing, eating and laughing.

Or not.

 

[MehGuy]

Enjoy the enduring.

Find the beauty in suffering and all that.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

What a wonderful question. I can envision Jesus and the disciples sitting around in the evening, singing, eating and laughing.

Or not.

Enjoy the enduring.

Find the beauty in suffering and all that.

Is dark sarcasm one of the criteria for becoming an atheist?

 

[MehGuy]

Is dark sarcasm one of the criteria for becoming an atheist?

Why do you think my post is sarcastic?

 

[Rebecca12]

Is dark sarcasm one of the criteria for becoming an atheist?

I think it is my nature.

 

[Rebecca12]

Enjoy the enduring.

Find the beauty in suffering and all that.

I'll take you on face value and I'll pass.
My niece was raped by her stepfather and killed herself. My sister was in a car accident and is anxious, confused, with a muddled memory and will never be the same.
My best friend is dying of cancer.

It isn't beautiful.

 

[MehGuy]

I'll take you on face value and I'll pass.
My niece was raped by her stepfather and killed herself. My sister was in a car accident and is anxious, confused, with a muddled memory and will never be the same.
My best friend is dying of cancer.

It isn't beautiful.

Yeah, obviously it shouldn't apply to all sufferings one faces in life. I still see no reason to chuck the whole concept away though. Thus far in my life I've been able to find meaning and beauty in most of my difficult trials, and I'll say such a mindset has been the better for me.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

I'll take you on face value and I'll pass.
My niece was raped by her stepfather and killed herself. My sister was in a car accident and is anxious, confused, with a muddled memory and will never be the same.
My best friend is dying of cancer.

It isn't beautiful.

I'm sorry to hear that. But do you need to take it out on us?

 

[MehGuy]

I think everyone finds many difficult times in life bittersweet to an extent.

Some are just more hardwired to mix the good and bad more than others. Growing up it was just my natural state for suffering and happiness to pretty much be blended. Not that I didn't also have my limits.

 

[jayem]

What is that purpose, in your view?

In the biological sense, there is only one purpose of any individual's life. And that's to reproduce. To get his/her DNA into subsequent generations as often as possible. Now of course, we human beings create purposes above and beyond reproduction. And these are perfectly legitimate. But at the most basic level, we are here to expand the population of our species. Curiously, that's one of the few points on which biology and religion sort of agree. God's very first command to Adam and Eve--even before warning them not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge--is to be fruitful and multiply.

 

[ananda]

In the biological sense, there is only one purpose of any individual's life. And that's to reproduce. To get his/her DNA into subsequent generations as often as possible. Now of course, we human beings create purposes above and beyond reproduction. And these are perfectly legitimate. But at the most basic level, we are here to expand the population of our species.

That seems pretty meaningless to me, in the grand scheme of things.

Curiously, that's one of the few points on which biology and religion sort of agree.

I would have to disagree ... that is not what my religion teaches

God's very first command to Adam and Eve--even before warning them not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge--is to be fruitful and multiply.

I do not know of this alleged god (one out of countless many) and its alleged command, or of its interactions with an Adam or Eve.

 

[grasping the after wind]

In the biological sense, there is only one purpose of any individual's life. And that's to reproduce. To get his/her DNA into subsequent generations as often as possible. Now of course, we human beings create purposes above and beyond reproduction. And these are perfectly legitimate. But at the most basic level, we are here to expand the population of our species. Curiously, that's one of the few points on which biology and religion sort of agree. God's very first command to Adam and Eve--even before warning them not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge--is to be fruitful and multiply.

Why do you consider it a command? If someone says to you "Have a nice day" or " Live long and prosper" would you feel you are being given instructions to follow ? Seems to me for God to say "Be fruitful and multiply " is in the same vein.

 

[Dave-W]

I cannot vote in the poll.

The whole purpose of life is to Serve God our Creator.

Sometimes that is enjoyable; at other times it is to be endured.

 

[grasping the after wind]

I do not know of this alleged god (one out of countless many) and its alleged command, or of its interactions with an Adam or Eve.

I find it difficult to accept that claim of ignorance from one that has been so often on this site. Had it been made elsewhere or by one that had only recently stumbled across the site and decided for the first time to post a comment, I would not find it so strange a thing.

 

[ananda]

I find it difficult to accept that claim of ignorance from one that has been so often on this site. Had it been made elsewhere or by one that had only recently stumbled across the site and decided for the first time to post a comment, I would not find it so strange a thing.

Perhaps you might have misunderstood my post?

The key word in my post was "know" (in "I do not know of this alleged god ..."). Yes, I am aware of claims about it, and have read about it, but I do not know of it in the sense that I have no direct personal experiences with it.

 

[jayem]

Why do you consider it a command? If someone says to you "Have a nice day" or " Live long and prosper" would you feel you are being given instructions to follow ? Seems to me for God to say "Be fruitful and multiply " is in the same vein.

I hate arguing semantics, but...here's the KJV version of the entire verse, Gen 1:28.

"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

That's clearly more than just a friendly greeting, or salutation, or expression of good wishes. It's an assignment. God is giving them a mission, and telling them what they are to do. How is that not a command?

 

[grasping the after wind]

I hate arguing semantics, but...here's the KJV version of the entire verse, Gen 1:28.

"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

That's clearly more than just a friendly greeting, or salutation, or expression of good wishes. It's an assignment. God is giving them a mission, and telling them what they are to do. How is that not a command?

I do not see it as a command at all. Why command someone to do what they want to do anyway. No It is permission, not command. It is God telling them he approves.