The meaning of life.

9/21/2008 5:50:34 PM	The meaning of life.
ja2020 Coupeville, WA age: 29	Does anyone know the meaning of life and why the hell we are all here?
9/21/2008 5:59:13 PM	The meaning of life.
busybee59 Bonney Lake, WA age: 59	God put you here for a reason, don't question it.
9/21/2008 6:32:10 PM	The meaning of life.
ominvorous Olympia, WA age: 54	Are we here to question anything and everything?
9/21/2008 7:13:58 PM	The meaning of life.
painterly28 Cinebar, WA age: 58	that does not deserve a one line answer. that's one of those questions that you have to look at the person's profile and try to figure out what they're really asking, or why... you look like a great guy. Aaahh.. the meaning of life. Wish we all knew. You're 29? I'm 58, still don't know. What I thought I knew early on in life has changed significantly. What has meaning to you now will change throughout the years. I was married to a man I truly loved for 30 years, that had meaning. I had 4 kids with him and they are still a huge part of the "meaning of life" for me. What you can't control is what happens in life. You may be at home, innocently, sweetly making a pecan pie one day, and get a phone call saying your entire world has been taken away from you. What I'm trying to say here is that the "meaning of life" may always be elusive to you. Love the people you have in your life, and if you choose to live in the face of all obstacles and heartache, just do it well. Otherwise, what' the point? I live for my children, I live for whatever potential I have in my future, and I live with hope that I can find that one person that I can be happy with. Good luck to you... Maria
9/22/2008 1:52:25 PM	The meaning of life.
brashdoc Chehalis, WA age: 55	Great question jaja2020. What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? For what purpose were we designed for? I may be a little long but bear with me. Questions like this one are worth a longer answer and not to be taken lightly as Maria so truthfully pointed out (~~~~ waving to Maria, my neighbor down the road a short ways). Have a friend from my college days who grew up in mighty Coupeville!! Blaise Pascal, the famous French mathematician & philosopher had these words to say concerning your question. Belief is a wise wager. If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists. He that takes truth for his guide & duty for his end, may safely trust to God's providence to lead him aright. If man made himself the first object of study, he would see how incapable he is of going further. How can a part know the whole? People are usually more convinced by reasons they discovered themselves than by those found by others. We conceal it from ourselves in vain - we must always love something. In those matters seemingly removed from love, the feeling is secretly to be found & man cannot possibly live for a moment without it. We know the truth, not only by the reason, but also by the heart. It is good to be tired & wearied by the futile search after the true good, that we may stretch out our arms to the Redeemer. Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride & before whom we can humble ourselves without despair. There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus. The well-known Oxford Literature professor, C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia fame) had these words to say: Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil. Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality. If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap & wishful thinking to begin & in the end, despair. Aim at heaven & you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth & you get neither. Christianity, if false, is of no importance & if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. I believe that the God cannot give us a happiness & peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. God is love, God is light, God is life. I gave in & admitted that God was God. I, too, (as most of of us) have asked that question & several others. I could not figure out why I had to endure growing up in a drug & alcohol addicted family & the many struggles & heartaches & anger & despair & repressed emotions I had to experience. I made excuses, I played the blame game until one day I realized either I was addicted to alcohol like my father & grandfather before him. I was going to either get better or I was destined to be bitter & probably die like my grandfather in the bondage of alcoholism. I had a Christian friend that could beat me in handball. I was the best at my school except for him. Yet he took the time to show me blind spots in my technique. Soon I was able to beat him. I asked him why he did that. He said that as a a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, he learned his purpose for being here. He said Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive. By helping me, I became a better player. By becoming a better player, I challenged him to be better since no one could beat him. I knew another Christian I admired for his peace & joy & he challenged me to find out why those who follow Jesus Christ are the largest population in the world & why the Bible has been the best seller of all time, even to this day. So I began to read the Bible through & study what Jesus actually taught for myself & to ask questions. At college I saw carved on the stone wall of the campus library the phrase: 'you will know the truth & the truth will set you free;' nothing else & no person given the credit for saying it. It seemed to imply that knowledge would set you free. I found out it was only half a quote from Jesus Christ. Here is the whole quote in context: Jesus had a woman caught in the very act of adultery brought before him by the religious leaders of his day, who only wanted to catch test & have something to accuse him of, to discredit him since so many were following him & saying they had never heard such teaching concerning the kingdom of God or seen such love in healing people of spiritual, emotional & physical illnesses.
9/22/2008 1:54:53 PM	The meaning of life.
brashdoc Chehalis, WA age: 55	Gospel of John Chapter 8:verse4 & following: They said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?' This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down & wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up & said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.' Again He stooped down & wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. Jesus was left alone & the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up & saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?' She said, "No one, Lord.'' And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go & sin no more.' I learned Jewish law states you must have at least 2 witnesses in order to verify the broken law. They also didn't care about this woman. They also didn't bring the man, who was also according to Jewish law to be stoned. They thought Jesus was in a quandary, because Roman law kept Jews from killing others without a trial. (why they went to Pontius Pilate to get Jesus crucified) Adultery so tears up the trust in a relationship & breaks the heart. Jesus understood this & showed compassion when she called him Lord (the one who has the power to take life & to give life). He chose to give life. He also said don't do it anymore, it only brings heartache. He didn't excuse the wrong who's penalty was death. He was willing to give life instead. 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life...you are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I AM (He) (Jewish memorial name for God, YaHWeH) you will die in your sins.' Then they said to Him, "Who are You?' And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. When you lift up the Son of Man (his prediction of his crucifixion), then you will know that I AM (He), & that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. Then Jesus said to those...who believed Him, "If you continue in My word, you are My disciples indeed & you shall know the truth, & the truth shall make you free.' 33. They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, `You will be made free'?' Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin (wrongdoing) is a servant of sin. And a servant does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? Jesus stated He is the light of the world. Jesus stated those who believed & followed him would never walk in darkness but have the light of LIFE. Jesus is the One who gives us light, illumination so that we might choose Him, the source of life, eternal life, not just existing or surviving. We don’t need to stumble around in life aimlessly. As Busybee said, God gives us purpose & uses us for helping others & bringing joy to Him which fills us with joy. Jesus admitted He is God & claimed that if a person continued in His Word, they would truly become a follower of Him & in the process of continuing & following, He would set anyone free from all that binds us up. Makes those quotes from Pascal & Lewis make more sense. When I made that decision to follow Christ & remain in His Word, He has been setting me free & healing me emotionally, psychologically & even physical healing on various occasions & has made me spiritually alive by His Spirit when I was spiritually dead. He guided me into counseling & those things of my past became my an actual joy when I was able through those life experiences to help other’s healing & seeing them set free from addiction. Pick up a Bible & began to read what Jesus taught & learn about who He claimed to be & what it means to follow Him and being set truly free. I started with the Gospel of John in the New Testament. Later on, I also read 5 of the Psalms in the Old Testament a day for awhile (covers all of the spiritual heart issue chapters in a month) & one chapter of Proverbs a day (covers the wisdom book in a month). Feel free to continue the discussion & thanks for your honesty! The magnanimous & effervescent Doc There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus. Blaise Pascal, 6/19/1623 to 8/19/1662.
9/22/2008 2:07:34 PM	The meaning of life.
painterly28 Cinebar, WA age: 58	Hey there, Brashdoc.. big wave back to you!! Maria
9/22/2008 2:10:53 PM	The meaning of life.
wish2bagain Olympia, WA age: 58	God put me on Earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind, I will never die.
9/22/2008 3:51:32 PM	The meaning of life.
painterly28 Cinebar, WA age: 58	I love that, Gary.. that's really good!!! I must learn how to be less proactive!
9/22/2008 4:14:32 PM	The meaning of life.
wish2bagain Olympia, WA age: 58	Does there have to be a meaning for everything? I think we question to many things, sometimes accept things as they are...I sure have learned that. Gary
9/22/2008 10:30:41 PM	The meaning of life.
lilguppy2bit Auburn, WA age: 53	yeah Gary
9/23/2008 9:39:07 AM	The meaning of life.
brashdoc Chehalis, WA age: 55	Wooooooooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooooooo. There, now that I have got that out of the way and feel so much better. Nice waves~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ there Maria~~~~~~~~~~~~~. Waving back with both hands. Good thought there Gary. Too much questioning and introspection can do a number on the brain and we only have one LOL and the older I get the less cells are left. Isn't it nice to have computers to help us out.One of the wisest guys around once said: God has put eternity into our minds, yet so that man cannot find out all that God has done from the beginning to the end. I was a biology major in college and had a professor I enjoyed chatting with who studied the life and mating habits of the grey crowned rosy finches who only lived between 8,000 and 12,000 feet up! I determined then that I didn't want to spend my life minutely studying critter behavior. I went into education & counseling instead. Life is too short. Just got back from 2 weeks vacation archery hunting for deer and elk. Didn't get any but had a good time relaxing and out in the woods and with friends, dad and my uncle. Last year I got an elk on my dad's 78th birthday and told him on the radio I had his birthday present but he would have to drive the truck up to get 1/2 an elk. Seems like a good site here and some very nice people. Well, today I'm back to work at my computer shop and then the USDA on a night job after 2 weeks off, trying to get my mind geared for computers now. Well, I started off right so I'll end right. Woooooooooooooooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooooooooooo. Take care all, the Magnanimous & Effervescent Doc
9/25/2008 3:37:08 AM	The meaning of life.
stinachris Grandview, WA age: 34	you where put here to ask that question.

megaperosnals

megapersonla