Discussions

Suppose Life is a Test?  
 
Ok, so let's suppose that there is a purpose to this life – I mean everything in this universe seems to have a purpose, so why not us individually?  
 
So presuming then that we, like everything else must have a purpose, what do you think that purpose is? A lot of people I think try to find that purpose in science, and yet science has yet to have found the reason for the existence of matter. It seems impossible that science ever will find that reason, for before matter there was nothing, and nothing certainly can't make something, it is nothing after all. So therefore there had to be a reason that something was created from nothing in the first place, as it's pretty much crazy to suggest that something has always existed without a reason.  
 
So I think then it is safe to start off our question with the premise that there has to be a purpose for us, given that there is a purpose for everything, there must be a purpose for us. Further, given that nothing cannot create something, there must be something greater then us out there which has a purpose for us in mind.  
 
So then Brandon, what is it?  
 
Let me take a stab at it, if I might. What if the purpose for our existence has something to do with love? I mean even the perpetuation of our species requires love. First to make the baby, then to nurture it within one's womb for 9 months, and then I think for most in our society, 18 years of attention and sacrifice, and ultimately that is love. Everywhere I turn love appears to be the very best thing that people have to offer, even science appears to demonstrate that, so then why not ask if love is the point?  
 
Ok, but if there is no such thing as an existence after our death, why would anyone bother to love, especially if love requires sacrifice? I mean, wouldn't hedonism make a lot more sense? This seems to be the path of a number of people in our world, so why not me? I mean, yeah our world might fall apart if everyone was hedonistic, but that's a problem for them to worry about, not me, right?  
 
Ok, so if there is a purpose to this life, and if it seems most likely that somehow it involves love, and possibly an afterlife, and I mean something had to create this universe, then why not ask ourselves, has anyone throughout history claimed to have the answer or to know the source of the universe? Any philosophers? How about world religions? Or religious leaders?  
 
I think one such world religion goes so much further then the others in answering that question, for one religion makes the claim that God was a person, and that person came to earth and lived among us for a lifetime. This person only lived about 2,000 years ago. Further that religion came from a much older religion whose faith ran part and parcel to their history. A people who were chosen by God to be set apart for the purpose of bringing God amongst them into the world.  
 
Ok, you ask, but what about the other major world religions, do they not also make claims to the existence of the universe? Do they not also have miracles associated with them? Do they not also at times and in ways preach love?  
 
Sure they make claims to the existence of the universe, sure they have miracles associated with them, and yet at times and in ways they preach love. But did they ever claim that God became man at a time in history, lived amongst us, died in our midst, and then rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven? That is a God of incredible love.  
 
So if we were to ask ourselves if it is possible that Christianity may provide the answers to the meaning of life and some knowledge of who our creator is and why we were created, then we have to ask ourselves, is this the most important thing in our lives?  
 
There's a problem here, because society seems to be falling further and further away from a belief in Christian values. Sexual immorality is common, divorce is more and more frequent, our elderly population are less and less appreciated and offered suicide as a way out, our society murders their children in the womb because it is thought to be more convenient to do so, our entertainment world is constantly barraging us with an image of immorality as something that is cool and fun, significant alcohol consumption is often encouraged, Church attendance is way down, and most people today seem to have only a very base knowledge of the Bible. In addition, many of our western governments are continuously attempting to encroach upon the religious rights of Christians, most of the mainstream media is constantly attacking Christian morals, less and less people and in particular less and less of our politicians have the courage to stand with Christ. The gulf between the rich and the poor in our world is definitely at a high point and the charity of those who are in wealthy positions is less and less. Making fun of Christians and Christianity appears to be at an all time high, and claims to moral truth are often attacked with claims that the Christian is bigoted and intolerant.  
 
So what's going on here, if people have rejected Christianity, what form of belief have they chosen instead? Has it all gone back to hedonism again? What sort of a reason does that provide us for our very existence? How can that even come close to comparing to the love that Christianity has to offer this world?