The Purpose of Life

[AllieBaba]

I asked a question. I did not state an opinion. And heaven is irrelevant to the man who does not believe.

But to me motive means more than faith. The man greedy for paradise and fearful of hell is not necessarily living a good life out of a noble choice. He is merely looking out for his own selfish interests.

A man who believes there is no eternal reward to be had and who does not live in fear of a vengeful god and yet still chooses to live a good moral life expecting no rewards is making the more noble choice because his motives are more pure as the choice is not tainted by greed and/or fear.

I love the arrogance of man.

 

[Skull Pilot]

I love the arrogance of man.

What is arrogant about not believing in God?

And the reason a person does something is more telling than the action itself.

 

[Rhys]

I don't see how you think a man who thinks he can buy his way into heaven is a better man than the one who has applied himself faithfully to serving God.

God, who He? Heaven what he? Man-who-thinks, what he?

Obviously there is no 'purpose', but quite a good way to spend your time is to practise mediation, concentrating on the moment as it passes and learning the illusory nature of the self and its cranky obsessions. Any belief in something we can gain by doing anything in particular or satisfying our fantasized 'needs' inevitably, given the certainty of suffering and death, ends in pointless extra pain. Concentrate on breathing out!