Kurari Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 This is sort of a half rant, but I decided to put it here because it also discusses "purpose" as an atheist. I've seen Christians twisting themselves into knots over the subject of "God's Purpose" for them. It's sad and pathetic to watch. They agonize over it because they haven't "heard" God's voice and don't understand why they haven't been called. I used to do this as well as a Christian. I never found a "purpose" that God wanted me to do. I was told to wait, and I would know. I was constantly anxious over the thought because I heard nothing. Did this mean I wasn't good enough for God? The epiphany never came. I never did figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Which saddened me and made me feel hopeless. When I graduated high school, my friends were all taking their SAT's, picking majors, going off to college, and working at things they really wanted to do. I never had that. I dropped out of college because I was just aimlessly taking classes and wasting money for no purpose. It really hurt me inside and made me feel useless, worthless, aimless, and depressed. I've got about 15 years worth of soul searching, religion searching, and experience under my belt since then, and I'll just skip to the chase and tell the rest of you what I found out. Life doesn't have a reason to be here or any sort of purpose for being here. It's just here. And that's GREAT. Can you imagine how much it'd freaking suck if this world depended on us having one purpose and fulfilling it? What do you do if your purpose relies on somebody else's purpose, and they don't fulfill theirs? The world would probably implode or explode or do something else really horrible. :/ Purpose is a human construct. We're humans. We like to use our brains. We enjoy having meaning in our life. Some people have one really big passion in life (a "calling") that they are really driven to do. I know a guy who is a commercial airline pilot, and ever since he was a little boy, that was all he ever wanted to be. He's in his 60's and still as passionate about flying now as he was back then. I used to envy him. He had one purpose and he achieved it, and it's sustained him through his whole life. I used to think guys like him were the norm, but I learned they're pretty rare. I think most people are like me. They have no "one big thing" that drives them, but they have a lot of little things. I think I have a bunch of little purposes. Like, I have a knack for being in the right place at the right time to help people out or offer a bit of advice when they are receptive to it. It makes me happy when I can help out people and animals because of that. Why not run with it? I'm also really good at making people laugh. Another purpose is to give people laughter. That makes me happy. I'm a really good typist and I enjoy it. I work as a transcriptionist. That's another purpose. I probably won't be a transcriptionist forever, but it's my purpose for now, and that's cool. Most of all: I learned it's OK not to have a purpose. You can just be like the rest of life. Just be here. It's OK just to enjoy being here and know you deserve to be here. Of course, if you like the idea of purposes, go for it. If you don't, go for that too. There is nothing mandated, nothing essential, and no wrong decision in this case. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephie Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Pus +1!! Absolutely! I can relate with wasting time and money on a "purpose". It's the little purposes that make life tick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I thought God did call me to be a musician, a missionary, and a profitable and successful business owner (so I could donate money to good and godly causes). None of them worked out. But I was so damn sure it was God's will... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephie Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 When I think of all the $$$ I spent on college "following God's will" I get sick to my stomach. I have, however, discovered that it is something that I want to do and I decided to do it. My success or failure is on me not some invisible nonexistent sky god. No more "thank you lord for...." nope, it was my ass that worked hard to finish school and it will be my ass that is gonna work hard to pay off those loans. I will advise anyone against student loans though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
par4dcourse Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Life doesn't have a reason to be here or any sort of purpose for being here. It's just here. Exactly. I agonized over the same thing, wishing I could find my "purpose" and I came to the same conclusion. I'm here to be me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Positivist Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Yay! I too struggled for purpose and my "calling". Like many believers, I had prophecies, words of knowledge and voices that told me I would do certain things for God. None of those things have come to pass. Thank goodness I moved on from waiting. I put my hand to the plow (plough) and have not looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 This is sort of a half rant, but I decided to put it here because it also discusses "purpose" as an atheist. I've seen Christians twisting themselves into knots over the subject of "God's Purpose" for them. It's sad and pathetic to watch. They agonize over it because they haven't "heard" God's voice and don't understand why they haven't been called. I used to do this as well as a Christian. I never found a "purpose" that God wanted me to do. I was told to wait, and I would know. I was constantly anxious over the thought because I heard nothing. Did this mean I wasn't good enough for God? The epiphany never came. I never did figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Which saddened me and made me feel hopeless. When I graduated high school, my friends were all taking their SAT's, picking majors, going off to college, and working at things they really wanted to do. I never had that. I dropped out of college because I was just aimlessly taking classes and wasting money for no purpose. It really hurt me inside and made me feel useless, worthless, aimless, and depressed. I've got about 15 years worth of soul searching, religion searching, and experience under my belt since then, and I'll just skip to the chase and tell the rest of you what I found out. Life doesn't have a reason to be here or any sort of purpose for being here. It's just here. And that's GREAT. Can you imagine how much it'd freaking suck if this world depended on us having one purpose and fulfilling it? What do you do if your purpose relies on somebody else's purpose, and they don't fulfill theirs? The world would probably implode or explode or do something else really horrible. :/ Purpose is a human construct. We're humans. We like to use our brains. We enjoy having meaning in our life. Some people have one really big passion in life (a "calling") that they are really driven to do. I know a guy who is a commercial airline pilot, and ever since he was a little boy, that was all he ever wanted to be. He's in his 60's and still as passionate about flying now as he was back then. I used to envy him. He had one purpose and he achieved it, and it's sustained him through his whole life. I used to think guys like him were the norm, but I learned they're pretty rare. I think most people are like me. They have no "one big thing" that drives them, but they have a lot of little things. I think I have a bunch of little purposes. Like, I have a knack for being in the right place at the right time to help people out or offer a bit of advice when they are receptive to it. It makes me happy when I can help out people and animals because of that. Why not run with it? I'm also really good at making people laugh. Another purpose is to give people laughter. That makes me happy. I'm a really good typist and I enjoy it. I work as a transcriptionist. That's another purpose. I probably won't be a transcriptionist forever, but it's my purpose for now, and that's cool. Most of all: I learned it's OK not to have a purpose. You can just be like the rest of life. Just be here. It's OK just to enjoy being here and know you deserve to be here. Of course, if you like the idea of purposes, go for it. If you don't, go for that too. There is nothing mandated, nothing essential, and no wrong decision in this case. I could never understand how someone could enjoy one passion to the exclusion of everything else, forever. It seems that these people miss out on a lot with their one-pointed focus. I'm glad you posted this thread. "Life purpose" is just a meme that keeps being passed along from generation to generation. There is no good reason for it. When you question it, its falseness is revealed. But it is a meme that for the most part goes unquestioned. I've done the same thing with my children. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I've never figured out what I wanna be either, but life just sorta happened anyway. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overcame Faith Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I think you have expressed one of the essential essences of true freedom. Well done!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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