What is the meaning of life? And if there is no meaning, how do you make meaning? Or at least the illusion of?

Question

It's becoming clear to me that humans need meaning in their lives. And not just a pet, or a girlfriend, or whatever makes people happy temporarily. But a true meaning. A purposeful life. For most its religion. But it's hard for me to believe that because most things people see as "Devine" can be explained through science. And the things that aren't explained by science, aren't proven by anything. How do you believe that there is a god looking down on you with no evidence other than a book by man? You'd think that a god so powerful wouldn't have trouble making themselves known without the help of humans. Which leads me to believe God is a creation of man, not the other way around. For others it's finding a job they believe in, or fighting for a cause they believe in. Like a soldier, or freedom fighter. But I'm white, so I don't really face injustice, so I can't be mad at anything enough to make it a cause. And I don't believe in a pointless war. I respect soldiers to no end, not trying to be disrespectful but I just don't see this war as worth fighting for. It would be different if I was around when Hitler was doing his thing, would have jumped in guns blazing to stop that assshole. But this one? I can't find the motivation. Plus the mystery behind 9/11 makes it hard for me to fight for my country. As much as I want to be a soldier, should I really join if I don't believe in the war or our government?

Idk, I'm drowning in nothingness. I really have no purpose.

Answer 1

1. Learn to spell divine.

2. Realize that the US army or the Catholic Church can give you a motive but the best motivations come from within yourself.

3. Fight for your country from the inside rather than from the army. Support candidates that are not controlled by Wall Street.

Answer 2

Searching the meaning of life is perpetual because what you find out today as right will be wrong tomorrow. Since it's personal, for me, it's gaining knowldedge on things that interest me, getting to know other people and getting to know better my family and my friends. Doing things I am passionate about have helped me find the meaning of life. Why? Because I am so absorbed in doing all the things that make life enjoyable that I have no time thinking about my existential worries. Embrace your thoughts regarding the meaning of life. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the ride!

Answer 3

This is a very complex issue, but here is a simply way to tackle it..........

Meaning comes from purpose...... purpose comes from intent...... intent comes from aims and objectives...... ambition is essential for that, but too high an ambition also leads to disappointment and misery...... we therefore simply need to learn to have the right kind and degree of ambition in life in order to lead a meaningful life positively.

Answer 4

maybe you should ask the Dalai Lama

Answer 5

What makes you think "life" has a specific meaning you are capable of understanding?

Answer 6

Quantum physic's understanding of top scientist that there just has to be some "Intelligent Ultimate Observer" who is doing tha manipulating of all matter .

Answer 7

Everyone has their own particular reason for wanting to get up in the morning. Some to continue to be a celebrity, some to simply go to work, and some just to see if they can get through another day. Life's meaning can change moment to moment depending on circumstances.

Answer 8

Nothing of the Eternal God, who is outside of space, time, and dimension can be explained by science He created.

Answer 9

Even scientists agree someone made this planet habitable. With the amazing plants and animals.

Being the right distance from the sun and thousands of other things to complex to explain by any other

than we were put here by aliens or God or someone else. Even a single cell is very complex. So there

has to be a creator. So we search for God and in most religions it has been hidden from us because of the wicked spirit persons. It is enough for me to live and love and have pets and take care of the animals and other people I love. So his purpose is the same as most parents. They just want their children to be happy.

Answer 10

It's up to us. We make make our own purpose.

That is no illusion.... That's reality.

"Meaning" implies a metaphysical realm.



“Life has no meaning*. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer.”

-- Joseph Campbell



“The theist can only find meaning by leaving this life for a transcendental world beyond the grave. The human world as he finds it is empty of ‘ultimate purpose’ and hence meaningless. Theism thus is an attempt to escape from the human condition; it is a pathetic deceit. “

- Paul Kurtz

Answer 11

Nothing of the Eternal God, who is outside of space, time, and dimension can be explained by science He created.

Answer 12

(Everyone Wants To Be Happy)

Please watch this short animated video on YouTube. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YOKWdwSVRYo

Answer 13

Eat drink and be merry

Answer 14

You need to find Jesus and he will lead you to find your purpose.

Answer 15

You have used the word 'meaning' 3 times in 17 words. The first thing to get 'meaning' in life is to get that down to a single use of 'meaning', in other words, focus. Hope that helps.

Answer 16

The meaning is, unlike animals you must do some remarkable things in this world to make others to follow your footsteps.



Life is to live. Wherever you go and whatever you read, at last you will come to a mere conclusion that life is to live, just to live. First of all you must know what a human being is. Human beings are just robots made of flesh and bones and toys of the spirits for their games. The soft-wares for these robots are spirits or invisible elements. These robots are programmed by different people by oral talks, writing and actions too. During this process the spirits possess a human being according to the programs. Further these robots can program themselves when they wish. Whatever it is they are all just spirits. A human being during his/her lifetime is living with many spirits which have joined one by one since birth. They are knowledge, skills, feelings, emotions, interests and everything. Even thoughts are not these robots' own. One after another they think and these robots either choose or reject the ideas which they transmit to their minds through brains in the form of thoughts. Memories are different spirits. Spirits determine the destiny of a human being from his/her daily activities, talks and thoughts too. On death these spirits leave the body and go to different places. No one lives in any form after death. But people who did great things in this world are remembered again and again and they live permanently in the minds of the living generation. Only because of these people's greatness, good will, adventure, hard work and sacrifice you enjoy a modern, peaceful and happy life with all the facilities on this earth.

Answer 17

The period from birth till death is called LIFE.



Meaning is obtained through my General Knowledge. It is not an illusion.

Answer 18

You think too much. Empty you head and focus on what you

Need to do each day. The Japanese put their emotions aside

And live by doing what needs done to live. Do their work, run

Their errands, do their chores, eat, sleep, exercise, western

People are misled into thinking they need people's approval

Or status or acceptance or respect. Find your place on contentment.

Just live a moral, Christian life, and ignore other people's.

Mind your own business. Stay out of other people's business.

Reduce your stress and reduce your burdens in life. Take on

Only what you chose to spend time doing. Avoid peer pressure

Or being played or used by others.

Answer 19

You're an open minded person I can tell.

Don't try to find the meaning, let the meaning find you. Whether it's through your art, through building business, through writing a novel, through travelling the world, what ever.

In terms of God, the origin of it all comes from people who tried to explain Non-Duality.

Answer 20

you said that you find it difficult to fight for the country,it show you are a reasonable man,



but you seem very pessimistic ,most of men live for money,woman,family,



if these things don't interest you,then your life will become unmeaningful,



why are so many people hardworking ? because they value social status



why are some people promiscuous

they enjoy excitement and sex

but sex addiction will usually cost you dearly





games,mobile phone,are just for killing time

Answer 21

Are you a really hard working person? If not then you will always be in nothingness. Hard working does not mean you go to work but it means you make loads of time to study. I used to study 16 hours each day and the rest of the 8 hours I do housework; cooking, gardening, shopping, etc and sleep. I don't take day off.

Answer 22

Life has no clear objective meaning. The meaning of life is what whatever makes your life meaningful.

Answer 23

Are we simply animals? Looking at classical music, beautiful art, architecture, the govts we've created, our societies, our communities, thousands of years of human history, sacrifice, belief in God, religion, I don't think we simply animals.

So if we're not simply animals, what are we? Part animal(material), part spiritual(God-like), then.

I’m a Baha'i, a member of the Baha'i Faith. We believe there is only one God, that sent Buddha, Jesus, Moses, etc to humanity, now Baha’u’llah has come.

hearttoheart.net

Bahai.org

Answer 24

There is no meaning of life since that concept doesn't really make any sense. However, you can give yourself purpose and meaning just fine on your own. Just try not to infringe on the rights of others to do the same.

Answer 25

The meaning of life: 42



Take apart the 4 and the 2 and translate it to Japanese "shi" and "ni". If you put them back together you get "shini" which means death.



The meaning of life is death, because it is death that gives life meaning.

Answer 26

GOD IS WORKING OUT A SALVATION PLAN DOWN HERE...THOSE WHO SEEK HIM THRU PRAYING & REPENT WILL BE SAVED AND LIVE AGAIN FOREVER!!! HE IS JESUS!!

Answer 27

I am a Christian,



For the Christian, our lives purpose can be summed up through the Bible in this particular passage, "...Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13 KJV).



You wrote that most things that those who are religious see as divine is explainable by science. Really? Science cannot tell you where you or the origin of life on earth. Yet, you believe science has all the answers!.



If you believe in evolution in that man naturally evolved, then you believed the hype. Evolutionists believe that life started by itself. This is a scientific falsehood. According to science, abiogenesis or spontaneous generation has been proven over, and over, and over false. Scientists have been convinced that life COULD NOT have started by itself. Scientists do not have even a theory anymore that life started by itself.



It has been proven countless times that life comes from life. God is life and He created all life. Scientifically, this is accurate. Life coming from non-life is not accurate or valid nor is it scientific.



You say there is no evidence of God. You are very wrong. The Bible is evidence of God. God wrote the Bible through men to not only acknowledge to man that God exists but who God is.



Test the Bible. I know you have not done so. Test the prophecies of the Bible. There are over 300 prophecies of Jesus Christ. Jesus said He has fulfilled every one of those prophecies. See if that is true.



Test the archaeology of the Bible. The ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah was still there at the shores of the Dead Sea. The metal carcasses of the Egyptians chariots that pursued Moses into the Red Sea are still there. Those metal parts are found in the Gulf of Aqaba which on ancient maps was also known as the Red Sea. The walls of Jericho are still on the ground in ancient Jericho city.



Do you know that the only book in antiquity that identifies the Hittites is the Bible? Do you know that the Bible was laughed at for centuries by those who thought the Bible made up people and cultures? Do you know that in the late 19th century, the capitol of the Hittite Empire was found in an archaeological dig in Turkey?



Test Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was The Son of God. Jesus Christ was also God-The Son. There is an empty grave in Jerusalem and it is still there. Even the enemies of Christ in the very day He lived do not dispute that Christ's grave is empty. Even Christ's enemies did not dispute the miraculous powers of Jesus Christ.



Test the scientific principles of the Bible. How did the Hebrews know when to circumcise a male child on the 8th day? On the 8th day of birth, a male child's resistance will be the highest that it will ever be for the rest of the child's life. How did the Hebrews know this? The Hebrews knew this for God told them.



How did the Bible know that the earth was hung on nothingness? The Romans and Greeks thought that Atlas carried the earth. The African thought that the earth rested on the back of a great tortoise. The Bible was again right. Job 26:7 King James Version (KJV): He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.





It was the Bible that first said that the earth was round. Isaiah 40:22 King James Version (KJV): It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth.



Test the sanitary laws that the Hebrews and Jews obeyed. As a result of their obedience, the Hebrews and Jews never suffered from a plague or widespread disease. Yet, plagues and pandemics are found on nearly every continent of man and in every civilization of man.



Oh, there is plenty of proof of God and you have lied. Further, since you have lied, I do not believe for one moment you would have volunteered for World War II. Why would an atheist volunteer for a war that he might be killed. For the atheist, living on earth is all there is. For the Christian, there is life beyond the grave. The atheist do not believe in God so this world for the atheist is all that they have. Tell me why an atheist would put his life on the line? I do not believe you and its makes no logical sense.



Furthermore, how do you arrive at God being a creation of man? Past histories have shown that mythological gods do not last long. Roman, Greek, African, and etc., religious cultures come and go. Between Judaism and Christianity, God has been here from the beginning some 6,000 to 10,000 years. Further, if man made up God, why does not man continually change God to his liking? Why have the idea that man would ever go to hell for being unfaithful here on earth? Why have wives having equal rights within a marriage? Ephesians 5:21 KJV: Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. This scripture is regarding a Christian couple in marriage. Husband and wife must submit to one another. Why not have man to be the head of the wife and let the man rule without constraint? Yet, the Bible say the husband is the head of the wife and the head of the husband is Christ. Husbands have to answer to Christ for the treatment of their wife by the husband.



Through close examination of your life as you put it out there, I can see that you are drowning in atheistic nothingness. The Christians have duties to do that will lead them to happiness.



In Christ's name

Answer 28

Find something that you love to do. A sport, gardening, painting, writing, etc. Humans need to have something they love to do. Are you close to your family?



Don't think about religion. Think about your own heart. God isn't looking down on us. He's in us. Read what Jesus taught. It's not a matter of 'Look, here.' or, 'Look, there.' for the Kingdom of God is within you.



There is much more in front of us than we can see. Read "The Mind of God" by physicist Paul Davies. It's fascinating.

Answer 29

Spike, first, I find nothing wrong with your logic or your line of thinking. Well done. Second, and most important, if all you are able to believe is science, you will have missed the sweetest parts of human life. Things like beauty, love, honor, hope cannot be proven scientifically. They are exclusively human and spiritual.



Third, there is a difference between meaning and purpose; they are NOT the same. I expect you are single. Married with children purpose becomes abundantly crystal clear.



Now, "meaning." The wise man said, "Life has no meaning. All that mystical stuff is just 'what's so.' A master is someone who found out." In other words Life, Truth, is merely what is. Nature doesn't have "meaning." Pizzas, mathematics, and walnuts have no meaning. These things DO have "purpose" however.



Human life has no meaning, but it DOES have purpose. What's the purpose? Here it is: The purpose of life is exactly what you say it is, no more and no less. So, pick a good purpose for your life.

Answer 30

I think everyone has a varied answer to your questions. Like you said, for some people that purpose is filled with religion. For others, they don't have that drive to have a specific purpose and just live life as it comes. For others, they have a desire to do something meaningful, like helping those in need, or working towards a cause (like finding a cure for cancer).



Personally, my lot in life is to make my livelihood doing something I'm excited about. I want to wake up in the morning happy and ecstatic that I get to go to my job. If that job also works towards a cause or helps people, that's even better, but I want to do something with books - publishing, writing, editing, etc.



I don't believe you can make a meaning in your life - you either have it or you don't. And if you don't, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Like I said, everyone has different things that they want while they're alive.

Answer 31

"The just one shall live by faith.



"the righteous person will live by his faithfulness --

Answer 32

Each person needs a 'reason to live'. And for each person it's different.

Most people feel good after they accomplish something. Try and set

some goals for you to work on.

Answer 33

We are incarnated spirits here to learn how to become more perfect in harmony truth and good character, to seek the God of Heaven through Christ and to learn how to follow those holy spirits so that one day we might return to that realm of light in Paradise in Heaven.

We are those fallen spirits who fell to the Earth (this realm not just this planet) who fell with lucifer to the Outer Darkness. God brought light into this world with materialized suns and planets to help us return by levels of gradations of purity to return to Heaven eventually.

No one is rejected from Heaven. We reject Heaven's patterns of life and so are not ready to rise, and continue to make mistakes that make us miserable, with selfish behavior, greed, lust and other self centered beliefs.

Answer 34

we therefore simply need to learn to have the right kind and degree of ambition in life in order to lead a meaningful life.

Answer 35

(1.) * LOVE & care for one another. FORGIVE, not only others, but yourself. (don't confuse Love with Sex, they're two Vastly, different, things) (2.) The World,*(Earth) is NOT, your home, it is a place of choosing, "freewill" to return TOO your place with God. ( * Earth, the World, is SATAN'S, domain. satan was cast TOO, Earth it is "Its" playground of DECEPTIONS / DISTRACTIONS & the True "ILLUSION." (Time itself, is a creation of Man) WHERE to go? (Matthew 16:18,19) (John 10;16 ; 21:17) (Eph. 4:3,6; 4:4) (1611 AD, K.J.V. 69 Bks. is ok, but the Saint Ignatius or Saint Augustine Bible 73 Bks.was the Org. 50-100 AD) - Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta; " Do small things, but with great Love."

Answer 36

I found answers in the Bible. I suggest starting in the New Testament, Gospel of John first.

Answer 37

Humans usually find meaning by becoming a part of something bigger than themselves. for some people it's a religion, for some people it's science, for some people it's art, and for some people survival is a reason to live, just to live another day.

Answer 38

Life has no inherent meaning, since that would require someone to have created life with a purpose. If you study Buddhism, particularly Zen or Theravada, you would recognize that asking about meaning is the wrong question most of the time. The first principle is, "Here is this thing. What will I do about it?"



You have a life. What will you do about it?



If you want this life to have meaning, you must find something that will give it meaning. For some, it is a career in entertainment. For others, a life of service (military, police, medical, religious, domestic, charity, education). For some it is all about family. But here's the catch. NOBODY can answer questions about the meaning of your life except you.



Your answer will be yours. My answer will be mine. And it is unfortunate but true, we cannot even answer how you make meaning. You have to choose a path for yourself.

Answer 39

True meaning is to do all things to make you happy, and with as less evilness as possible.

Answer 40

Sex

Answer 41

The 1st two Commandments are the meaning of life.

When we can follow the latter everything else in life will fall perfectly in place.

Answer 42

To know God.

Answer 43

What does being white have to do with facing injustice? Everything in this shows you have been given everything in life. Now that you have it, you aren't happy. So, give it all away. Make someone else happy. Volunteer at a homeless shelter or senior's home. Plant a community garden in your backyard. Get a job and start earning your way. Maybe then you will see what you have been missing.

Life is hard.

Answer 44

The meaning of Life.



When we question the meaning of Life? Please read Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

Written by a Man of much GODLY Wisdom. Also Luke 10:27

Answer 45

Jesus Christ is the meaning of life...



John 1:1-14 (NKJV)



1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.



6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.



10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.



14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Answer 46

The meaning of life is to gain eternal life and enjoy life with the Lord forever. He can bring true meaning to anyone if you want Him too.



John 3:16-17



"“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him."

Answer 47

I never understood the question "what is the meaning of life?" I always just saw the world as existing and I could decide how I'd live in this world, along with everyone else. Meaning? What kind of meaning would you want? Do something with your life that you find meaningful.

Answer 48

This should clarify everything

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=buqtdpuZxvk

Answer 49

(Ecclesiastes 12:13) The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole obligation of man.

Answer 50

Strictly speaking, the meaning of life is the survival of the species, which is to say, reproduction. Our job on earth is to make sure the species goes on.



If that's too stark for you, however, then think of it this way: because this life is all we have, it is precious. It is incumbent upon us to make it the best it can be, for ourselves and everyone else. What can you do to help ensure that? How can you make it better, so that at the end of your life, you can say that you didn't waste your brief time on this planet?



That doesn't mean you have to devote yourself to selfless works of charity. Artists -- painters, sculptors, musicians, and writers -- make our lives better; actors and other entertainers do; teachers do; police officers do; politicians do. Even businesspeople who give us better products improve human life.



So, look at your short life that way, think about what will make it meaningful no matter what sort of career (or hobbies) that you choose. What will leave a mark of some small kind, long after you have ceased to exist?

Answer 51

God made by man, that you have evidence for sure. What you can't count is are there how many of such man made Gods and more, how many that you have no clues whether being man made. In short, how much do you know to assume you can judge?

Learn more, in itself it's a purpose of an intelligent being.

Answer 52

You are a victim of the school/education system. They never taught you how to THINK!



You must FIRST learn to think, clearly, honestly, and critically. You could start here: http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php

Answer 53

Thank you all for answering. I would reply to all of you but I wasn't expecting this many answers. But I respect all your opinions even if I disagree with some. Appreciate it.

Answer 54

... without self-affirmation there is not individual life !

Answer 55

42.

Answer 56

Life has no meaning other than that a physical body has capacity to think and act, feel pleasure or pain. Life itself is a product of nature. There is no purpose of natural events including births and deaths.

Answer 57

There is no cure for birth and deaths save to enjoy the interval. - George Santayana



Birth and death are minor events it is what you do between them that counts! - David G Manley



‘Tisn’t life that matters! ‘Tis the courage you bring to it. - Sir Huge Walpole



Why waste the one life you get in the vain hope of getting another to waste? - David G Manley



Be thankful that you have a life, and forsake your vain and presumptuous desire for a second one. - Richard Dawkins

Answer 58

A person can know true joy and meaning in life by practicing true devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

Answer 59

faith in christ jesus...is the only meaning of life, and life abundantly.

Answer 60

GOD is LOVE and Meanings! As you have pointed out, as a Atheist, you canNOT feel any meanings in your life!

Look back when prayers were still said in schools: Crimes were remote, jails had empty cells, and everyone would run to help others!~ Cuss words were not even used!

As the Bible tells us: We are ALL here being tested to see IF we will Decide to Love and Obey GOD; or Follow the devil! Each of our own decisions!~

Foe LOVE and meanings in your life; would you be willing to pray to and LOVE GOD also?

Answer 61

It seems so sad that you can't seem to do that which animals can do and find a meaning for your existence.