by chellechelle 16 Replies latest jw friends
IMO what's important is to make the most of one's life, to live a life worth living, that contains ethics, triumph over barriers, growth, worthwhile contributions to the planet/society, and yes, pleasure.
If some day God or the gods choose to reveal themselves, and they are worth worshipping, then they will be happy to find beings who have made the most of this gift of life.
CHELLECHELLE - " Sit back and enjoy life ! " My sentiments exactly ! Good thoughts you have on not HAVING to have a purpose in life. Just enjoy the ride
I'm tending to side with some of the thoughts posted by StAnn.
My ambivalent take on this: Maybe its not so much that religion tries to manufacture in us the idea of a purpose just to enslave us, but it co-opts an innate (to many) desire and tries to redefine it so that its expression benefits the religion. Now I can see how it could be very hard for some born-ins to counter the dub view of how this impulse is to be thought of, so they throw it all out and even consider the impulse itself as external. But Like others pointed out people have expressed this impulse in a variety of ways and towards different ends.
I can't say how or why this desire for a purpose, for more than mere existence came about. Maybe its part of us being stroy-telling animals and a good narrative has interesting characters acting towards certain ends. Our own life is a narrative.
Then again Seinfeld was pretty popular and that was supposedly "a show about nothing" so maybe your right. Oh God, I think I'm George.
Take Care Chellechelle.
Iam surprised, chellechelle has some good and amazing points of view in the ways she expresses them.
Scott77
Hi,
I believe this
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.
And this
7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
All the best,
Stephen
I'm reminded of Fellini's movie La Strada: either everything (the pebble, the star, you) has a reason and a purpose, or nothing has.
The shoulds are tricky things. You start questioning and breaking free from them, and then you come to think they should not be there and you should fight them.
Why not just let them (and reasons, purposes, meanings, justifications, rationalisations) come and go, play their part in our lives like in everybody else's, use them or let them move us, without taking them more seriously than we need to (which may vary a lot from one person, or from one stage in life, to another)?
From Stephen Covey ("First Things First"):
The 4 areas of human need are: To Live (Physical), To Love (Emotional), To Learn (Mental), and To Leave a Legacy (Spiritual). To ignore one, some, or all of these areas means you will not feel whole nor happy. Your life will be 'missing something'.
JWs focus mostly on 'spiritual' to the detriment and sometimes, exclusion, of the other needs, especially when they 'dedicate their life to Jehovah'. I tried to explain this to my father that a harmony in life is needed and by pioneering, his life was not in harmony. Everyone's 'purpose' in life is unique to that person. The WTS definition of servitude to Jehovah is not balanced with the 4 human needs, nor is it unique to each person. If every single person on the face of this planet went door-to-door, who would do the doctoring, teaching, farming, road repairs, etc., etc., etc.? (Let alone, finding anyone at home! )
Trooper, a Canadian Rock band, had a song out back in my day called 'Raise A Little Hell' and the words from their song are very appropriate here:
"If you don't like what you got why don't you change it? If your world is all screwed up, re-arrange it."
We are the architects of our lives. We design it and make it what it is. The WTS (or any other religion) has no business doing this for us!
