28
Jun
2011
Matt

What is the Meaning of Life?

Life's BIG Questions

So Many Views!

If we turn to philosophy or religion, we find there are so many different views on the Meaning of Life. From the vast array of opinions, how do we know which one is right? Here are some examples:

Frankyl: Hoping in an ultimate meaning

Tillich: Being yourself

Islam: Earthly life is merely a test, determining one's afterlife

Aristotle: Living virtuously

Christianity: we're all going to heaven?

Humanism: Personal Fulfilment

Maslow: Using our creative powers

Hinduism: Through egoism and desire one creates the causes for future becoming

Fromm: Living productively

Zoroastrianism: doing good keeps chaos at bay

May: Being able to love

Buddha: Achieving inner peace

Kant: Acting in line with universal laws

Freud: Loving and working

Sikhism: Spiritual union with God results in Salvation

Heschel: Living in wonder

Boiling down all these views to a few words each is a little unfair but we're just trying to show the range of views that exist.

Most religions, including mainstream Christianity: “This life is a stopping off point for the next, better life” - leaves us feeling there is a disconnect between religion and life here and now.

And of course there is the view that there is actually no meaning to life – we are born, live and die, to no purpose. A sad view that when all has been said and done, our lives amount to very little.

However, turning away from the philosophers and theologians and speaking to friends and neighbours, we find that peoples personal views on the meaning of life centre around the following themes:

  • Education: achieving the very best education for themselves, or perhaps even more so for their children.

  • Wealth: having the very biggest house, the fastest car, the widest selection of exotic holidays ensures they get the most out of life.

  • Partners: fulfilling natural desires is at the top of the list.

  • Career & Hobbies: For some their job is everything, whilst others find life’s meaning in their hobbies and recreation.

  • Drinking: Many people think that the best thing to do in life is to drink a lot and “have a good laugh”

So is the meaning of life to be found in loving and working, getting rich, education, drinking & having fun?

If the finest human minds in applying philosophy, science and theology have reached so many different conclusions we saw earlier, how on earth are we supposed to find the answer?

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