Discussions
Why do you exist?
Posted by thefrontline • 11/17/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: exist, existence, life, living, love, pleasure, purpose, reality, reason, truth
Is there a reason for the continuence of being if our lives don't have purpose?
If your kids are your reason for existence, then what will you do when all your kids are gone?
If you exist for the mere acquisition of pleasure, then why exist when life becomes too hard to bear?
if...if....if...
So, why do you exist?
(Not, "what" you do: doctor, nurse, teacher, etc., but "why", what guides your life?)
User Comments
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Why does one need a purpose to exist? Is not existence an end unto itself?-
Most of the things that surround us have a purpose (chairs, cars, the sun, the moon, the trees, water, oxygen, the clouds, nuclear bombs, a table, even a mere cell)
Could it be that human beings, being as complex as we are, simply exist to exist?
And, I would say that existence is a means to an end, that end being death. If we were infinite beings than we could say that existence could possibly be an end in itself. Although, we are finite, and therefore existence is a means to death. -
What purpose does a tick or a leech, mosquito or flea have?
I don't see that a purpose for existence is a necessary case. In fact, I think that believing we must have a purpose in order to validly exist is a dangerous concept. Extrapolated to an extreme, it can be a rationalization for genocide. -
I am not an entomologist, so I could not answer what purpose these insects fulfill by existing.
You are right, some would use such an argument for the justification of genocide (because there are many indviduals that are idle and seem to have no purpose whatsoever).
Although, I could also make the argument that if you take that to the other extreme, and say that all we are doing by existing is merely extending our pain of existence by "being" instead of dying and resting in peace, this kind of thinking could create mass suicide of epic proportions.
I am not talking about extremes, I am simply saying that if we choose to continue existing, then there must be a reason "why". Because we all suffer, and if we simply exist for "no reason", than most of us would choose suicide as a way out, and the fact is that we dont. So why do we continue being? -
If you want to know why we choose to continue to exist...a more pragmatic question than the existential question of one's purpose in existing...then the answer is simpler: hope that we might discover a purpose, fear of death, ignorance that a purpose is necessary to justify continued existence.
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I think everything has a purpose. Ticks and fleas have purpose, as part of the ecosystem. I think humans have purpose in general to take care of the things on the earth (which we generally do, but not very well). I think personally one should find a purpose to their lives (career, family, love, fashion, food) and pursue it, otherwise they might lack direction.
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The condom broke.-
Mwahahaha! -
I did not ask "how" it is that you came to exist! I want to know, now that you have come into the realm of existence, "why" is it that you exist? (Maybe we need to offer some reading lessons at blogcatalog)
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In my Christian faith, I believe in a Biblical worldview, and that my temporary existence here is to serve and glorify him.
James 4:14 - "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away."
The Truth Project Trailer
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m292pbDSH1U-
Awesome!
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Why do we exist??
- We exist to live forever...
What makes you live forever??
-A masterpiece of you
What is a masterpiece?
- Anything that stays forever and makes you reminded by other people..-
Can anything finite last "forever"? I think not.
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Why not?
Anyway i don't focus on the term of "forever".
I focused on living.. -
You focused on forever here..
"Anything that stays forever and makes you reminded by other people.."
But still, why would you like to be remembered "forever", this only points out your egocentrism.... this doesn't tell me anything about "why" you exist. -
I've already told you "why"... To live a life
And it should be "forever" bcs it's in the nature of existence.
When you think about existence regardless of time, you cannot prove it existed if it is not infinite.
And Yes, it is completely egocentric. Because you'r asking the question in the degree of yourself.. If you ask "why community exists" or "why human race exists" or "why god exits", you'll see it's not egocentric at all and the answer is same..
So what is your masterpiece?? -
When I poop the earth gets a piece of me that it's not gonna forget a long, long time
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I think it is more important to experience what you can until you no longer exist.-
But "why" continue existing?
Why? = (For what purpose, reason, or cause; with what intention, justification, or motive) -
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My mom wanted 12 kids. My dad wanted 0. He figured he would give her and and that would be that. So came my big brother J.
My mom still wanted 12 kids and my dad wanted a motorcycle. She allowed him to have a motorcycle. So came my big brother G.
My mom still wanted 12 kids and my dad wasn't always careful. So came my big sister J.
My mom still watned 12 kids and my dad still wanted zero (although he allowed the first three to stick around the house). He got drunk at a neighborhood holiday party. He covered three flights of stairs going up to their appartment in throwup. My mom cleaned up those three flights of stairs at 3 am. And so came I.-
So, now that you exist, "Why" do you exist? (To repeat the same story over again, and then simply die, and have your kid repeat, and again....and again..and..........)
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You assume there is a why.
Basically, I believe it is "why not?" -
You are right, I assume a "why"..... I see too much design and purpose in everything around me to settle for the argument that humans simply exist to exist with no real purpose.
But, you are free to believe what you wish.
By the way there are many reasons "why not" to want exist, you should speak to a psychiatrist or psychologist and find out plenty of reasons why people want to cease to exist. (note: one of those reasons is ironically "purposelessness") -
My "why not" is more of a teenage response of "why are you doing X?" "Why not?"
No answer is really required or expected.
Those seeking "why?" but finding no rational answer need the psychologist. -
Thanks for clarifying that, I guess I don't need a psychologist, since I have a reason "why" to exist. You are also right in that many people donn't even ask themselves "why" they exist, they just exist and don't ever really worry about why, and nobody must force them to ask themselves either, I just wanted to see how many actually had an answer.
Hopefully, others searching for a reason to exist won't lose hope.
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i exist because the world would be less without me
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Good answer!
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You don't care about why I exist. Scrap that. Why do YOU exist?
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To give satisfaction to the tastebuds. -
Yes please tell us Why do you exist? -
We exist because we are the only species in the world who knows how to take of ourselves and other species. -
I looked at the tags on this post because I smelled religion. There were no religion or Christian or Jesus tags, so I clicked on the BC username of the member who posted this - Bingo!
"This Podcast focuses on spreading the bold truth of Jesus Christ by bringing Music Videos and Podcast that connect the word of God to life.…"
The bold truth is that there has never been any empirical evidence presented that has confirmed the existence of a creator God or that Jesus of Nazareth was his son. Therefore this is what I characterize as a "bait" post and I'm not taking the bait.-
Please try Thomas Aquinas
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Please try Thomas Aquinas
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I miss you TT.. you saved me from this yet another stupid god sonversation
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our primary purpose is to serve god.-
which god?
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who needs a reason?
that stuff seems uncivilized to me.
a step or two above savages sacrificing animals in the moonlight, at best.
all that hocus-pocus and mumbo-jumbo about fate and purpose.
it's nonsense designed to either enslave the weak-minded, tame the wild or placate the restless.
so maybe life IS pointless? maybe EVERYTHING is pointless.
who cares?
i have a mind, a well-defined concept of morality and a great abiding love for my fellow beings.
i take pride in the fact that i live my life in a decent fashion.
i don't need a purpose or a god or any threats of damnation or promises of heavenly rewards to give my life meaning or to entice me to behave in any way.
that's what being civilized is all about.-
Bravo! Very well said!
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@loverofjazz
have a mind, a well-defined concept of morality and a great abiding love for my fellow beings.
i take pride in the fact that i live my life in a decent fashion.
i don't need a purpose or a god or any threats of damnation or promises of heavenly rewards to give my life meaning or to entice me to behave in any way.
that's what being civilized is all about.
I'm with you. Well said.
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TimeThief: I like you... Feel the breeze :-)
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I serve as an example of "what not to do" for others ( at no extra charge either! )
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Me, too!
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Damn, he was gonna say that thingys!!!
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I exist to because I can. -
I suppose god makes a mistkae. -
I exist because ..... I believe my parents mentioned their condrum broke. I know I misspelled it. -
Funny!
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It is like sitting in a running train compartment without any know of where is coming from or to what destination..a free jolly ride.
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I'm the sum total of my ancestors
I carry their DNA
We are representatives of a long line of people
And we cart them around everywhere
This long line of people
That goes back to the beginning of time
And when we meet - they meet other lines of people
And we say bring together the lines of me.
//"My culture" -
What is "existence"?-
According to cartesian philosophy, existence is thinking of it: "I think, therefore i am"
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To blog and discuss ! -
there must be a reasons for existence, one thing i know we are here exist to do good things
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//But "why" continue existing?
Why? = (For what purpose, reason, or cause; with what intention, justification, or motive)//
For many, it is the FEAR of the unknown/death. If that is known it will easier for them to take a call.
and for few like me, there was no REAL need to evolve/create human beings. Hence, this unknown process (life to death) looks entertaining and every second is an exploration...nothing specific! -
We don't exist or said differently, in universe time, our 100 years existence are statistically more than neglectable.
In short, I would love to have a smart answer to that question but I don't, does not make any sense. -
WHY do you sleep, WHY do you eat, WHY is the sky blue, WHY do you pass wind? Anybody remember Nancy Kerrigan? ...and her selfish screams of "Whyyyyy?" "Whyyyyyy?". What was the answer? Jealousy. So, why ask why? ..sometimes the answer is not so nice. If you read Sitchen, we exist because we were created as slaves for an Alien race that the Sumerians called gods and goddesses. And some people believe that Jesus himself was an Alien, or at least more "pure-bread". So, WHY is relative, unless of course you're trying to convert people to "your" way of thinking.
Now, I'm thinking about the band Ministry: "Praise Jesus, 69 69 69 69 69 69..." Remember that song? Anyway, 666.-
I sleep because the brain can only process so much information before it needs to reboot. I eat because the body requires energy to function. The sky is blue because most of the other colors of light are absorbed by the atmosphere. You pass wind because excess gases build up in your bowels and the alternative, if you were completely plugged up somehow, would eventually be to explode.
Also, I exist to answer silly questions whether I have an answer or not. -
...Route 666, White Zombie La Sexorcisto. ..I relate so much to music. ..and Seinfeld. Remember when Elaine's boyfriend thought she was the devil and was going to hell? Funny.
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To absorb Karma from the Universal Conscience. -
I exist because fluctuations on the quantum level led to a zero-energy system that split into 4 fundamental forces and expanded at inconceivable speeds, cooled for several billion years. During this cooling, several "generations" of stars formed and went supernova, distributing heavier atoms across the universe. A large cluster of stardust formed around a star in a remote part of the Milky Way galaxy and formed a red hot ball of molten astronomical metals. This fireball cooled and water began to form (either from the original stuff that made up this fireball or from comets and meteors). This ball began to form a gaseous atmosphere, and the sunlight caused many simple molecules to form together into a reproductive cell (but probably not all in one step). This cell in turn began to produce other cells, but the replication was imperfect. Several billion years later, multicellular creatures began to appear in an event known as the Cambrian explosion.
A few extinction events and many instances of primary and secondary succession later, a group of apes in Africa began to walk on two feet. This species of ape would eventually become the human race. As a member of the human race, I exist as the result of an unbroken chain of evolution. Billions of years of natural selection led to me and my fellow humans.-
absolutely correct answer of wrong question
Why do u exist... not How you/ humans came into existence -
That is why I exist. Those events led to my existence.
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I think I have just witnessed so much overinflated quantum BS that I need boots now... somehow giving things more time to work makes it more believable? and how does this actually make more logical sense than believing in GOD?... turns out evolutionist may actually have more faith than Christians... whoda thunk!
while its not my definitive method I think Occam's razor tends to satisfy me here."Of two equivalent theories or explanations, all other things being equal, the simpler one is to be preferred."-
Yeppers, it takes more faith to believe that man evolved from primorial ooze than he was created by a Creator!
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this will be a new topic in my blog this week... I can't wait to write about it!
(saving the rest of you from my "religious BS") -
Great! Because it certainly is NOT about "religion!"
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@jasonthebaldguy
(saving the rest of you from my "religious BS")
Thanks so much for saving the rest of us from your religious BS - it's much appreciated by me. -
@timetheif no problem! the least I can do
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Actually, it takes a little more understanding than faith to see ooze to human.
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Evolution and religion aren't necessarily exclusive. God may have created monkeys and they turned into your great granddad, voila a miracle.
Back to the purpose the fact that we don't know doesn't mean there is no purpose. The purpose of life is running after your goals. Your goals are: getting what you want. Finding out what you want: priceless
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its a good question,
i want to be an IAS officer so that i can keep my district empty of crime and can able to strict action to those rapist, killers, to those who beat anyone on road for without any reason. so i exist for that reason. -
I highly recommend the book "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren, especially if you are searching for answers to this question.
You can find the first 7 chapters here:
www.purposedrivenlife.com/en-US/AboutUs/AboutTheBook/FirstSevenChapters.htm-
I like Rick.. but ... I think he is wrong on this one...
keep an eye out for my post and you will see why... -
But certainly not wrong in the key areas.
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@TBR
some things are better between friends... following comments were redacted by me..
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Hot topic...
Well as Albert Einstein Quoted....
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.”
Some things are better left unthought!
~D~ -
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Wow! I find Rick just as simple and basic as one could get!
One point... God's Church is bigger and works in more ways than we can understand. That's why we have a multitude of ways people have arrived at a faith in Christ.
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this is your argument.
1 + 1 = 2
so today the Numeral one decided it wanted to know where it came from..
it looked around and only saw itself and decided that it must have accidentally showed up.
unknowingly- a human had written the numeral there to perform a math equation.
suddenly the numeral one saw a strange symbol and named it a fladdle. it took care of the fladdle and loved it very much. - little did it know that the fladdle was actually a plus sign. soon after numeral 1 saw another numeral 1 and realized it was not alone. both numeral ones started talking about the fladdle and decided to take care of it together. suddenly a numeral 2 appeared! both numeral 1's discussed together and decided that obviously the numeral two was the result of the fladdle learning to act like a numeral.
when discussing the origin of numerals one day the both the numeral 1's and the numeral 2 decided that somehow.. lots of peices of carbon floated together and slowly formed somthing that looked like a fladdle but not quite and then slowly changed to numeral one's over millions of years.. then soon after that a special fladdle morphed into a numeral 2
little did they know... all I did was just write out 1+1=2 on my notebook.
odd eh? that they thought they could figure out where they came from without ever considering.. that maybe they didn't know everything. even though it looked like it to them. -
The idea that someone doesn't understand something, therefore it must have been done by some magical creature sounds like a lot of faddle.
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I skimmed by and saw "today the Numeral one decided it wanted," and now I am damn thankful that I didn't bother to read that post.
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@xmarks, so believing in magical energy, coming from... where? is more logical?
look I'm not arguing my point.. I don't "need" you to believe anything, I am just bringing up the fact that you discount other opinions without validating your own properly.-
You offered Occam's razor. Magic vs. science and you choose to accept magic as the more logical choice. I choose science. You have offered no support for your position other than the faddle comparison. My support for science is a series of empirically testable theories based on observations of our known universe. Is our current set of science based theories "Correct"? Probably not but to me they make much more sense than some magical creature (god) creating us over a long work week.
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I have a problem with the sentiment that "Science does not have all the answers." The statement is true, but inaccurate.
"Science does not have all the answers... YET," is much more accurate. Science is not static. Tomorrow they could prove/disprove the existence of a god, or it could never happen. We won't know unless we try.
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@ voodooKobra,
hah! you read it ... you know you did.. besides it was good fun! don't be mad. ok ok I will give it to ya, the "zero energy" comment was gold... I had to read it twice.-
Well someone is certainly proud of their ignorance toward physics.
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@voodooKobra, in spite of your mean spirited remark about my ignorance I agree with your post containing "Science does not have all the answers.. YET" I think that Science has always eventually discovered the truth, we are constantly learning about things we would have absolutely denied existed before "proving" their existence. And from that perspective I continue to seek truth in whatever form it holds.
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But in your quest for truth, you're ignoring the evidence. What kind of quest for truth is that?
In my case, I only strongly believe in things that have been proven. Sure, I have personal conjecture based more on logic than on fact, but I'm willing to drop the conjecture the second conflicting evidence appears.
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It is all a matter of perspective, to me the evidence does not disprove what I believe. There remains the possibility that what you think I believe and what I actually believe are different and our perspectives are just off.
also, from the perspective of believing in creation vs. evolution in my opinion most of the disagreements against creation in science are superficial. Science has still not "proved" or "disproved" origin of existence, only sought to explain the process.
I will admit that it is the tendency of "religious types" to attempt to hijack science for their own reasons to promote their agenda that is not my objective.
I however am more than satisfied to take on the labels of "wacko" "crazy" and any other labels assigned to someone that believes something before it is proven. If you look at all the early scientists it was a hugely popular thing to do!
and ultimately, I have personal experiences that have given me the level of "proof" that to me is more than satisfactory.
beyond that I do not require for anyone to accept my opinion because I understand the need for proof... and eventually for each of us we will find the level of proof we seek.-
[to me the evidence does not disprove what I believe]
Then formulate your beliefs into a falsifiable theory that has no conflicting evidence and present it to the scientific community. If you're successful, it will better society (no matter WHAT the idea is).
Evolution is (100 - 1/infinity)% proven. What has YET to be proven is abiogenesis. I mock everyone who says evolution is weak because it doesn't explain the origin of life because all evolution does is describe what happens once those reproducing molecules are there.
[and ultimately, I have personal experiences that have given me the level of "proof" that to me is more than satisfactory.]
Anecdotes be damned.
[I do not require for anyone to accept my opinion because I understand the need for proof... and eventually for each of us we will find the level of proof we seek.]
Or the lack thereof.
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Ah it's all an illusion, but it's better than nothing, I'll answer this one properly (or not) when I'm dead...
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evolution does not explain how organisms gain DNA information, in fact it consistently shows that DNA information has been lost over the eons, as species intermingle and everything moves towards equilibrium. Most significant mutations are lost due to atrophy they do not refine. Extinction is the trend not re genesis.
again, my friend, I understand your position.. and your perspective on this. And I am sure that I speak for both of us, that to some extent further discussion would not move either of us significantly away from our position. and I respect that.
I respectfully withold my further comments to avoid beating the proverbial "dead horse"-
[evolution does not explain how organisms gain DNA information]
Wrong. Mutations can add or delete DNA information.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutation
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So, I come back and see that we all got somewhat offtrack by starting to talk about evolution and science and religion and so on. And, even if I am glad I got people to think about something, I would have liked people to delve deeper into their reason for being.
Now, of course, if you are an atheist you are going to have a completely different answer (if any) to this question as opposed to someone who believes in a Creator.
Those that believe in God (or "That Than Which Nothing Greater can be Thought"), will seek their purpose in relation to the creator.
Also, I see some individuals saying that they are pure empiricists, that only that which can be perceived by the senses and proven scientifically is real. So what about those things that we have accepted as "realities" like, love, hate, pride, honor, etc, are they merely illusions and non-existent or do they actually exist (would these concepts that we have come to know through experience simply dissapear into nothingness if we did not think about them).
I believe in God as a Christian, I find my purpose in Him. I surely say that He will never be disproven by science (never). It is absurd to think that God could ever be proven or disproven by something much lesser than Him, Him of course being the Supreme Being, the one that holds all that exists in His Hands. Science will simply stick to the visible world (as it should), and people will continue creating their thoeries about everything they don't completely understand.
I myself don't believe that science and religion are at odds with each other, in fact as I said science (being properly used) will never ever disprove God, but science can help us understand many things around us, as it has for many many centuries.
So, glad you all had fun with this, just hope that you all actually start asking yourself "Why in the world do I exist?", because it is a horrible thing to live a pointless life.
Here are some defintions: (to clarify things)
science:
The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena.
phenomenon:
An occurrence, circumstance, or fact that is perceptible by the senses-
i want to ask you a question....
if god created all of us, then who created god?, where did god come from?
P.S sometimes living a pointless life is the biggest contribution to a much wider picture. -
Dude, that is a good question and a very easy one to answer.
If God is the ultimate baing, "That Than Which Nothing Greater can be Thought", than nothing greater than Him can possibly exist. This is what you would call an "Eternal" being, He had no start and will never have an end, he has always been and will alway be. He is the initiator of reality as we perceive it.
You assume a finite god that must have had a start, if this is true you misunderstand the concept of an eternal being, the uncaused cause of all things that have been put into motion, that force that scientist have sought for hundreds of years to identify and test.
He did not create Himself, the very thought is utterly ubsurd. He was not created by a greater being, since he is "That Than Which Nothing Greater can be Thought", there is no one greater than Him. This means that God, in order to be God, must by necessity be eternal, otherwise you are thinking of something that is less than God and therefore not God.
So when thinking about God, you must go beyond thinking about out mere finite existence as human beings, God is the supreme being and he transcends infinitely our human experience. -
If your God can exist without being created, why can't reality?
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ok so if you believe that then why can't you concider that the universe is the same??? why did it have to be created?, why can't it be eternal?
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Reality:
That which exists objectively and in fact
Do you believe that we can ever completely grasp reality (I think not), there are many things that we have no idea about that exist in reality.
Reality as humans perceive it is a very small part of the whole picture of the "whole of reality", now humans have been seeking the answer as to when reality (as we perceive it) started, since it appears to have had a start.
Something, as the definition points out, must exist in order for reality to be viable. God therefore is that which makes "now" and "always" has made reality a possibility. Isn't this a logical inference? -
dude you logic is back to front, reality is defined by what actually happens not about ones thoughts or perceptions of what happens
"Something, as the definition points out, must exist in order for reality to be viable. God therefore is that which makes "now" and "always" has made reality a possibility. Isn't this a logical inference?"
what is this defintion? -
Dude, maybe you need to buy a dictionary. Because my definition is correct.
Oh, by the way, I never said what you imply that I said:
"dude you logic is back to front, reality is defined by what actually happens not about ones thoughts or perceptions of what happens"
I never said and never will say that reality is about "ones thoughts or perceptions of what happens", because that is absurd.
Here is the definition again, hopefully you understand it now:
reality:
That which exists objectively and in fact -
ok then i either miss read your comment or you changed it, now as i refer to your comments as i type, i dont know.
"reality:
That which exists objectively and in fact"
"Something... must exist in order for reality to be viable. God therefore is that which makes "now" and "always" has made reality a possibility. Isn't this a logical inference?"
objectively : refers to something that actually exists
real : being or occurring in fact or actuality
actual : presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible
at no point does the definition include a god or gods, in fact god excluded from the definition of reality -
siralmo,
What I am saying is that "something" must exist in order for "reality" to be viable.
If nothing exists, then reality is not viable. In other words, you must believe that something is eternal in order to assert that reality is a possibility. Something makes "reality" a possibility.
If God is eternal and has always existed, then He makes reality possible. Or, you must believe that something is eternal and has always existed in order to make reality a possibility (whatever that might be for you is another story).
Now, do you understand me?
By the way, I was answering voodoocobras remark, when I started my discussion about reality:
He said:
"If your God can exist without being created, why can't reality?"
Well, voodoocobra was wrong, and you must accept it, since reality depends on the existence of something. -
No.
let me re-iterate
"reality:
That which exists objectively and in fact"
objectively : refers to something that actually exists
real : being or occurring in fact or actuality
actual : presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible
now i am going to include the definitions in your definition
"reality:
That which exists objectively and in fact"
"reality:
That which exists 'refers to something that actually exists' and in fact"
"reality:
That which exists 'refers to something that 'presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible' exists' and in fact"
now to condense
"reality:
That which exists 'refers to something that 'presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible' exists' and in fact"
"reality:
That which presently in fact and not merely potential or possible exists"
in other words anything that has physical attributes is real, what does not is not...
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while we are changing comments i might as well add
reality depends on something existing but at no point does god come into reality -
So, let me clear things up:
reality:
That which exists objectively and in fact
I asked you a while back: "Do you believe we know the whole of reality?"
You have not answered, so let me answer it, "NO", that is the answer.
Just because we do not perceive something to exist, it does not mean it does not exist.
I choose to believe in God, and from that I conclude that God makes reality a possibility.
You may have your theory, saying that "(Blank) exists and validates reality"
But, I am talking about the origin of reality, reality cannot be eternal since it depends on the existence of an object.
That "object" must have come from somewhere, we can say that the universe has always been OR that God has always been and He created the perceived universe.
So, God can exist objectively, even if you don't perceive Him. Just as much as some extremely distant galaxy exists, even if we have never seen it.
Reality is objective, not subject and limited to what we perceive. -
dont you see that is where your logic is back to front
Do i believe we know the whole of reality? No
"Just because we do not perceive something to exist, it does not mean it does not exist."
True but it does not make it real either
"I choose to believe in God, and from that I conclude that God makes reality a possibility."
Fair enough that is your desicion
"You may have your theory, saying that "(Blank) exists and validates reality""
the universe exists and therefore is real
"But, I am talking about the origin of reality, reality cannot be eternal since it depends on the existence of an object."
if the object is eternal then reality is eternal, why do you assume the the object can not be eternal
its a bit like asking does velocity exist because there is time or does time exist becasue there is velocity?
"That "object" must have come from somewhere, we can say that the universe has always been OR that God has always been and He created the perceived universe."
refer to last answer
"So, God can exist objectively, even if you don't perceive Him. Just as much as some extremely distant galaxy exists, even if we have never seen it."
No.
objectively : refers to something that actually exists
actual : presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible
"Reality is objective, not subject and limited to what we perceive."
Yes, but reality as we understand it can only be defined by what is physical.
this is the difference between theory and fact -
Here is the question we are having trouble with:
Must something be eternal in order for reality to be a possibility?
Now, as we have stated over and over again:
Reality:
That which exists objectively and in fact
So, I am not arguing for the existence of God, I am simply saying that I believe in God and therefore (I) personally believe that He makes and Has for all eternity made reality a possibility.
Now, Why "must" something be eternal in order for reality to be a possibility?
If you conceive something (for example the universe) as "finite", and therefore not eternal, then you are implying that the "finite" object must have had a beginning and that it will have an end. So, if you hold to the belief that the universe is finite, then how did the universe come into existence? Some other force must have caused the universe by necessity to start (or to "come into existence").
So, you must believe that the Universe itself is eternal OR that some other eternal force caused the universe to exist. All that exists, could not have come from nowhere and simply all of a sudden have appeared.
You must hold that the universe is either eternal OR an effect of some eternal cause.
Something never comes from nothing. (And if you believe that something can actually come from nothing, then you are utterly absurd.)
Note: If you are having trouble with the idea of "eternal", here is the definition and others that might help:
eternal:
Being without beginning or end; existing outside of time. (See Synonyms at infinite.)
infinite:
Having no boundaries or limits
finite:
1) Having bounds; limited 2)Existing, persisting, or enduring for a limited time only; impermanent. -
i will sum up my answer to everything now
No.
i believe that the universe is enternal and infinate
eternal:
Being without beginning or end; existing outside of time. (See Synonyms at infinite.)
infinite:
Having no boundaries or limits
believing that there was a beggining and will be an end, would have to be the most ridiculous thing i ever heard of. because one how do you create something out of nothing and it would certify the presence of your "GOD".
haivng said that it would bring me back to my original question
"if god created all of us, then who created god?, where did god come from?"
to which you will reply
"Dude, that is a good question and a very easy one to answer.
If God is the ultimate baing, "That Than Which Nothing Greater can be Thought", than nothing greater than Him can possibly exist. This is what you would call an "Eternal" being, He had no start and will never have an end, he has always been and will alway be. He is the initiator of reality as we perceive it.
You assume a finite god that must have had a start, if this is true you misunderstand the concept of an eternal being, the uncaused cause of all things that have been put into motion, that force that scientist have sought for hundreds of years to identify and test.
He did not create Himself, the very thought is utterly ubsurd. He was not created by a greater being, since he is "That Than Which Nothing Greater can be Thought", there is no one greater than Him. This means that God, in order to be God, must by necessity be eternal, otherwise you are thinking of something that is less than God and therefore not God.
So when thinking about God, you must go beyond thinking about out mere finite existence as human beings, God is the supreme being and he transcends infinitely our human experience."
to which i will reply
"ok so if you believe that then why can't you concider that the universe is the same??? why did it have to be created?, why can't it be eternal?"
and thus bringing me back to my conclusion that reality and "eternal being" (GOD) can not coincide within the same definition.
rather that the universe (that which has phsical traits easily noticeable to us) is real, which is made up of matter, which can not be created nor destroyed and thus being eternal and real.
oh and by the way, i read through some of your earlier comments and in response to this
"So, I am not arguing for the existence of God, I am simply saying that I believe in God and therefore (I) personally believe that He makes and Has for all eternity made reality a possibility."
i would like to point out that you actually said this a couple comments earlier
"God therefore is that which makes "now" and "always" has made reality a possibility" -
Ok:
You believe and I quote: "i believe that the universe is enternal and infinite".
So, you believe that something, as I have been trying to explain for the longest, must be eternal (for you that is the "universe", for me that is "God")
Conclusion: "Something" MUST be eternal.
Therefore, your answer is, Yes (not no), because you also conclude as I have, that something must be eternal (God, universe, etc.). Again, here I am not arguing for the existence of God, what you quoted is simply my personal belief and that which I hold to be true.
Which is that:
God has "always" made reality a possibility, since I believe Him to be eternal. (You can disagree with this, but you can't prove it wrong.)
You simply hold to a "theory" that one day you believe will be proven by science (but hasn't yet!). I hold to the belief in the existence of God, which I believe one day will actually be undeniable.
(Can this be any more clear?)
Note: Just to clear things up, if you have ever read the Genesis narration of the creation you will find out that as a Christian I believe:
1) Create: (definition) To cause to exist; bring into being; to cause to come into existence
1) As Genesis points out: God simply "spoke" and whatever he order to "come into existence" came into existence (Now, I know this is utterly absurd to you, but if you actually believed that God is "That Than Which Nothing Greater can be Thought", then you would conceive Him as being the only one that has the ability to cause something to come into being by his mere command.)
S -
No.
set aside what i believe and look at the definition you and i both believe to be true,
that reality is That which exists objectively and in fact
which i then expanded further on to show that
reality means That which presently in fact and not merely potential or possible exists (in other words anything that has physical attributes is real, what does not is not...)
therefore eternal or infinate by defintion is not real
besides if god "commanded", and the universe "was".
then what did he "command", in order for everything to be?
do you believe that we just *poofed* into existance? from nothing?
what was god doing before god decided / made a concious effort to command the universe into existance?
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Because if I didn't you would have to make me up. -
"Is there a reason for the continuence of being if our lives don't have purpose?" - We don't need a purpose. If we are supposed to exist, we will. If not, we won't.
"The goal of all life is death." - freud-
if the goal of life is merely death, then why seek to survive when in a state of suffering. If I believed that I don't have a reason to live, except as an extension to my goal (death "resting in peace"), then I would simply end it all when life gets to hard to bear.
Why wouldn't you? Or, would you end it all?
Seems like the logical solution. -
Because the living struggle against death. We are biologically programmed to fear death.
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I am not going to contradict you, that is correct, we are afraid of death and in our natural state we seek to survive. But, a pointless life seems aweful, just living for the mere reason of being alive. I believe that rational beings should rise above the idea that we simply exist to exist, this somewhat implies that we are useless and pointless, when in fact we are not.
I see too much design and purpose around me, and like I said I can't escape from the fact that I believe in God, so if humans craft objects for a reason then I conclude God must have a reason for our existence.
(Note: I will not get into the argument of the problem of Pain) -
Just because it's awful doesn't mean it's false.
Think about it this way: We are products of natural selection so complex that we can resist it. We can resist the dog-eat-dog world and strive for a less wasteful society. Shouldn't we work towards our own purpose, rather than falling back on some nonexistent "default" purpose? -
How ya' doin' VK? Did you go outside today? Seriously!
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How is that relevant? What's your obsession with me going outside? Do you have cameras set up outside my house or something and want to know when to retrieve the film?
FYI, I go outside everyday for very short periods of time.
Now, back to the topic. -
I'm concerned about you. That's great that you go outside a bit everyday! Try to extend those periods to longer amounts of time. Just a suggestion.
I mention this because your previously described a bit of your daily routine and I hadn't chatted with you about it lately.
Hope you are having a good evening. Catch up with you later! -
@voodookobra
Sheesh ... how odd and obsessive. Setting aside the condescending and patronizing language used, it does look as if TheBigRuski has a patterned behavior of tailgating you and harassing you in forum threads. -
Shouldn't we work towards our own purpose, rather than falling back on some nonexistent "default" purpose?
I believe our the inevitable consequences of our deeds, words and thoughts carries from this life to the next and so on. IMO we should work towards contributing to the greater good of all by demonstrating compassionate deeds, words and thoughts in this life. In that way the merit we accumulate in this life will carry the seeds of compassion from this life to the next and so on. -
@timethief: chat forum stalking? neat! can i stalk vk too?
@voodookobra: don't go outside! there's a torrential rain of flaming fecal matter that's scheduled to last for about forty days. i guess there is a god.
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What a question? but u have point, why we have are existing. For me I exist because its God's will and gift to me. Its the greatest challenge to make my existence worthy of the time and love given to me by my Creator as well as the people who are around me. I exist merely because I have a purpose. -
So, why do you exist?
My wife told me that I had to. -
For me I exist because its God's will and gift to me. -
I was created for His good pleasure and I am His workmanship. -
we exist to get paid $$$$$-
I'm eagerly waiting for the truthness in that.
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Truthiness?
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I don't excist - I live. -
I don't exist either - I survive. -
Sexistence.
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why not? -
The Westminister Shorter Catechism (v.British, don't worry!) says... "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever" - sounds good to me! -
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@crankychick
I think the time has come for you to become thoroughly acquainted with the guidelines for BC forum postings. This is NOT either an R rated or a X rated forum.
Pornography & Swearing
Foul language or porn will result in your posts being removed
www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/read-before-posting-1
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I don't care about why we exist! I just care about what for we exist and how to exist. I don't want to ask God about why. I don't want to make God upset of my question... -
it is within God knowledge and reasons of my existence
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Lots of interesting thoughts here, including TT's discovery of the background of the person who started the discussion.
But no one seems to have asked what is meant by "why", which is very ambiguous in the seemingly simple question "why do you exist". Whenever someone asks me that question, I ask say: "clarify".
As for eternity or forever, good luck with that. Even the protons that make up the atomic nuclei of baryonic matter will decay eventually (about 10^31 years from now, give or take an order of magnitude).
As for God and religion, I'm still waiting for clarification about which God and which religion has it right. There seems to be a lot of debate on that subject. -
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I blame the big bang.-
Afterwards followed by the Big Cigarette.
*runs*
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This sounds a lot like, If a tree falls in the forrest and no one is there would it make a noise? We'll never know. -
hahaha yes
does the passing of time exist because there is movement or does movement exist because there is the passing of time?? -
Why do we exist???? duh!!!! because GOD wanted us to exist!!!! People make things way to complicated.-
i think people want to think its simple because they don't understand
e.g. "layman's terms"
but you know really there is much more to it than layman's terms
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Because I am -
I exist for a special reason like anybody else, a mystery beyond our comprehension. -
To be enjoyed by the masses.
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Perhaps one conclusion could be: In life, there are two kinds of people: wayfarers and permanent residents.
Dukepro25 voodookobra, timethief, SpiritualBloggers, SweetViolet, and most bloggers here are permanent residents.
Thefrontline,HollytheHousewife, Historytimes, and I are wayfarers.-
What do you mean by those two groups of people?
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"wayfarers and permanent residents"
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To perform a role in the ecosystem and the foodweb? -
To show love, compassion, charity, and more -
MY boss thinks I've been sent to punish him -
My parents made love one night and I slowly developed in my mum's uterus and on one morning, I was born and existed on this earth until now. -
It is simple.
Imagine God looking at people.
He or She or It must be incredible baffle by human stupidity.
Then why God created stupidity?
The only logical answer is for God's own amusement.
Our purpose in life must be divine entertainment.
If not then what?-
I believe he also sees the beauty of struggle and resolve, the hardiness to take all the shit thats thrown at you and make something beautiful out of it all. The way that we're out gunned, outrunned, outsmarted and outpowered and somehow we still stubbornly hang on through sunrise I believe is the most beautiful thing about mankind.
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to experience life and taste death -
I exist because a strange ten armed inside out light bulbed eyed elephant came to me when I was a splotch of black matter and said "See these people?" and he snorted a pile of endoplasmic slime that the world was entrenched in. "You must go into their mist, and scramble up their perception, you must stick your ethereal lightning D**k into their mind P(*sy's and scramble them about. Till they have lost themselves and finally can find the chaos that should be their happy home. These people are lost Lucifer, he snorted to me. They are lost perpetually, and you must save them -
Right now..... I exist to dig up all the crap I can on UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX so that we can get our Class Action Law Suit against them.
They ripped my daughter off for $15,000 with all their freakin lies.
**screaming** -
idk. who knows? -
To live with God's beautiful creation -
to evolve -
Existence is a funny phenomenon. Apparently, it cannot be helped and wished to be Undone; then strikes the word DEATH- Remember Hamlet? "Death is an Undiscovered Country..." Ah!...
Philosophers burned their brains and darkened the pages to explain It's definition; One came up with 'Existencialism' on one end, the other went up to another end to paste 'Objectivism'. Two altogether different theories and perhaps, Perfect Antonymns for each other!
While, some smarties manipulated the word to a phrase called, "Meaning Of Life".
Huh!
In the end, everyone has lived; some Peacefully in Their Homes, others Aggressively in Our Asylums!
So My friends, Live On!-
Live On, And You Will Exist!
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For my God, who is wiser then I (understatement of the century) and knows the details. I do my best to clean my thoughts and actions and bring him further in to my life and heed all wisdom and gift he gives me (do my best to anyways.)
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@siralmo.......dude I think this is the thread I met u on,now I remember. I was re-reading some of ur answers!!!!hmmmmm u really do make it more complicated than it has 2 b. GOD is infanite,he is allowed 2 create a univere that is infanite if he wants 2. Helloooo he's GOD baby! Now u say the universe is physical,well so is GOD,his name was Jesus Christ. Now.....point counter point........It really doesn't matter bc I know I could never change ur mind and vice versa.......so it would be pointless to argue about it......just had 2 put my 2 cents in
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What about discovering the answer to this very question
And that the answer is: you will only know it when you die ... or would you ? not even sure !
Ask the same question to a cattle ? They are born to be eaten. Maybe that's also our purpose: being breeded by ET to entertain or being eaten our energy (that is they may not feed with flesh like us but pure energy when we have emotions) ... hmm I should create a sect with this idea It will make me rich -
Hmmm, an interesting question -
Personally, I've always thought I was not from this planet, do not belong here and am not a part of the "Human" Race, therefore, I exist because some half-witted Alien put me here for some kind of disabolical experiment! -
Life would be awfully dull if I didn't. -
go to your nearest church and they will set you straight. -
I probably did answer this question,a long time ago,but I just don't feel like findin' it,so here's my answer again.
DUHH,GOD WANTED ME HERE!!! -
Oh,and u don't have to go to church to fig. that out either
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Oh no!
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Gee, what would we do without your magnificant powers of observation.
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hmmmm wonder y???
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I exist?
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Define 'exist.'
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I don't exist,I live
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If "you" don't exist than there is no "you" to live.
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I exist somewhere on a sand mound sitting next to a Weeble.
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whatever that is,well I think I'm gonna call it a night. gotta go check some of my emails,and hit the hay.......
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That's just a joke. I live in the Coastal Plain around a lot of sand. My daughter buried a Weeble in a sand mound. We couldn't find it. But two years later as we were walking up the dirt road, that same Weeble was sitting in the road in perfect condition.
And I exist because God created me. -
becouse i am god's creature. -
Perhaps it's useless to ask why we exist, and far better to determine what we do with our existence in order to best use the all too brief time we have to improve the world around us.
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I think there doesn't have to be a good reason for people to stay alive, all we need to do is... not die?
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My existence is for the expense of God's humour. -
To be loved and admired by everyone at Blogcatalog and have my words eternally ringing in their ears.
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to eagerly await cherry season, then gorge myself sick. -
Profound and right on, brother!
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To keep human rise. :-) -
Someone has to. -
I'm here to stop Cthulhu from killing everyone on earth -
My creator was bored.-
That's not very flattering, for either of you LOL
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i exist because it's too dark and boring inside my mama's uterus -
Well, babatope, "God" must be having a real laugh over the horrors he has created for us humans to do to each other, some "God"!
@edgecrosser, a foetus cannot see inside the womb...LOL -
I don't exist. I mean, I AM! But I thrive. I live for the sheer joy of experiencing Life as fully as I cam. I don't want to miss a moment of it. This does not mean that everyday is pure bliss, it's not. But it's how choose to respond to each moment and what I make of my life that counts for me. I cannot stress enough that we get out and fully live our lives. Don't waste it.-
Three cheers for that! I couldn't agree more
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To cause trouble and torment others -
LOL!
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Why we exist is not only a personal question, it is central to cosmology. Why is there something instead of nothing? Why was there a Big Bang? It is not only a religious or philosophical question but also a scientific question. We don’t know the answer to “why” yet, which is why its an intriguing question open to speculation. My guess is whatever answer we imagine is the wrong answer. We are all only guessing.
Maybe the new Large Hadron Collider will discover the answer. There are new discoveries to be made! -
WELL... when two people love each other very much, a stork comes and knocks up the one that has a vagina -
I exist because someone loves me. She is the"why" in my existance. Without love we have only questions and answers. Count Sneaky -
I have wondered about that question many times when really down but now just try to live and enjoy life. Too much asking makes me crazy. -
The question is not why... it is how. -
we must to understand that, and we will change our view of the life, we change. We human beings are full of mutations. Life is our field of battle and we are like the animal who defend oneself changing in a better one from the outside. -
I exist to find out why I exist!
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Beats me. I had nothing to do without it.
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Why do I exist? To wonder why.
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I live for God, and I will return to the god, too. -
It depends of the time of the day. I exist to eat, to sleep, to dream, to love, to hate, to be sad, to be great, to be famous, to be depressed, to be mom, to be wife, to be daughter, to be friend, to be silly, to be funny, to be angry, to be artist...but most of the time, I exist TO BE. -
save the world from self destruction! -
I have existed for a number of reasons. I was the hope for the future for my parents. I was an element in the lives of whomsoever knew me. I am the guy who promised to bring in the dough to someone. I am the guy who is in charge of bringing up a little one
I exist because I make life meaningful at a number of people. And their existence makes mine meaningful as well
And - to the BC members, I exist to torment, challenge, laugh at and get laughed at-
quote , I exist to torment, challenge, laugh at and get laughed at unquote
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Wasn't the most original but thot it was good
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yea, i like the blood n gore
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My purpose is the same as mankind's: to be made in the image of God.
Either that or I'm gonna be a rodeo clown. -
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What makes you so sure any of us exist? -
My purpose is to serve Jesus Christ by doing his will, not mine. -
Because mummy and daddy did the wild thing. :-))-
Wait a minute... so did mine! I'm starting to detect a pattern here. I think we are on to something.
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You bet we are. I shall join the junior Anti-Sex League. :-))
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I exist because I exist. -
I live by and for the god. living in the world are equipped to prepare a more eternal life
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to join the army...serve the nation...-
I take a more worldcentric view.
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So you exist to kill other people? -
yup..but for my country...
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I am an economic unit. My purpose is to serve the greater collective. The global economy. My value depends on my economic contribution, which is my ability to make the rich richer. Resistance is futile.
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I exist to be Source Blogger. -
What a loaded question. One that nobody has ever answered to the satisfaction of the masses, yet almost every intellectual attempts.
My beliefs are a product of my faith, and my existence, the more I think about it, is beyond my comprehension. The only thing that makes sense to me is that I exist today in my current form so that I can exist after I die in another. A cycle of energy which manifests itself by various means for an eternity.
Since I believe in God, I also believe my energy (soul) will continue to exist.
The more I know, the more I realize I know nothing. The universe and its vast mysteries have humbled me to the point where I don't even question it, existence, or God anymore. I'm from the school of thought that the more you try to figure it out, the closer you get to madness.
One thing is for sure, however, that we as human beings have a conscious. A conscious that has risen from the dust (or primordial soup) of this earth. If consciousness could develop from a planet in this universe, what's to say the universe itself hasn't developed a conscious of its own? How ignorant to assume the universe in which we live and have inherited the means to think cannot think on its own? -
Maybe because this must happen -
I exist because God created me to have fellowship with Him.
He has given me an exciting, full, satisfying and sometimes challenging life. I enjoy telling others about Him in person, through blogging, facebook and writing.
What do you think God sees when He looks at you?-
Actually, I believe He sees in us a reflection of Himself. It's as if every single living thing is God intelligence. We keep Him entertained, like a never-ending movie.
Disclosure* This is just one more way I have come up with about the reason we exist ... AT ALL! If it is just science, then I really do not see the point in going through the motions of living and dying to become ... NOTHINGNESS. So ... Easy question. Yes.
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I exist to tell people like lynnecole that god died a long time ago. -
TO: cook, to eat, to laugh, to enjoy, to communicate and to create.
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I exist because I exist
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Small thing like a paper, pen, leaf has a purpose. So how can we deny our purpose?
As a Muslim we believe there is only one creator, who has created everything with a purpose and as human our purpose in this life is to believe in him and follow his ways.
So we can prepare ourselves for the life after death remembering the life in this earth is only temporary but the hereafter eternal. -
To make the most out of every day. We can't control what goes on around. Why not just be all that I can be every day?-
@honeychuckles---Nice statement!
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well when a mommy cat and a daddy cat... -
To make All Things complete. -
There is a purpose of our existence. Once we die it means that we have fulfilled our mission.
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