What is the point of life?

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Permalink Reply by Rawk and Roll Princess on October 17, 2008 at 12:21am

"Do good and good will follow you..."

I agree. It's like looking at Micheal Phelps and saying what you eat doesn't matter. Based on watching Micheal Phelps eat 12,000 calories of crap a day and still win more gold medals than any other person in history, you could come to the conclusion that we could all eat 12,000 calories of junk a day and feel like Olympic athletes. But he's the exception to the rule.
Katrina and things like that are tests that help us find our inner strength and point us toward the things that we should actually value and pursue in life.
Tragedy in my own life has done nothing but make me a stronger, better person. I could sit around and complain about the horrible things that happened to me as a child or are happening in my life now.
Or I can stand up and say god damn it I leanred from this and this was a meaningful experience in the journey of life that helped me have empathy and become a better, stronger person.

It is about taking the unlucky things that happen to you and doing the best you could do under the circumstance, that is what defines who are in life, not how may lucky/ or unlucky things happen to you.

The people who live happy disillusioned lives are like the boy who tripped you on the playground and put mud in your hair because he had a crush on you. Secretly insecure and unfilled. Do you think the president of Nike has fulfilling relationships with his family and time for meanigful friends? Doubtful. Does he know he is missing out on some of the best things in life? He has to on some level, or if he hasn't admitted it now, he will.

I agree with you Charles in that the world is not a math equation where you reap exaclty what you sow, but I think all any of us can do is eat health food and hope that, by doing so we bolster our chances to swim faster than Micheal Phelps.

Permalink Reply by Asafoetida on October 16, 2008 at 11:42pm

This is sticky. I have a sharp political/social justice awareness, so I think I understand where you are coming from. And the term karma is often tossed around too easily, sometimes callously. I certainly don't believe in the caste system.

From my understanding, karma doesn't mean anyone deserves to be treated poorly--in fact those who are responsible (and there are people who are responsible for starving orphaned children) will face reprocussions, because we are connected and you can't harm anything without harming yourself. It is just cause and effect. Every action has an effect. Something happened before that put those children in that position, something probably beyond our comprehension. And for ourselves, we have a duty to act with compassion towards such people, regardless of why they are there.
I know that sounds--spotty, maybe. But experiences with plant teachers have helped show me a piece of this, and ever since, I see karma in everything. If it doesn't work for you personally, no big deal. What matters is that we act right regardless of the reason.

Permalink Reply by Asafoetida on October 16, 2008 at 11:46pm

Funny, you added while I was writing. I guess I have found karma to be cause and effect. I don't know, maybe it's all the same, either way...
At least, I bet you and I probably have the same views on this, regardless of language:)

Permalink Reply by Sara on October 16, 2008 at 11:51pm

accountability for our own actions to make positive contributions, no matter how small affects the universal web of life, this i definitely agree on.

Permalink Reply by Asafoetida on October 16, 2008 at 11:52pm

:)

Permalink Reply by Chris Carlton on October 17, 2008 at 3:30am

life is Heaven!

The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand.

Permalink Reply by Lightlover on October 17, 2008 at 5:57pm

well, IF there is a god... I think he/she did give EVERYTHING.

So giving a free will in some cases, in some other cases no free will.
etc...All the apparanently contadictions are given.

So every topic/question will be different.
There is nothing to say, nothing to do.

The worst is to confine things with definite conclusions.

Debating/thinking is the same as the natural not-confined live around you.

LL

Permalink Reply by YogaBrudder on November 9, 2009 at 7:18pm

Wow, so well put. Incredibly well thought out.

Permalink Reply by foxy man on November 9, 2009 at 8:18pm

Many interesting answers here, but I must write that like Mica's the most, only one without dogma, religions and superstitions mixed to it...............

Permalink Reply by Mica on November 10, 2009 at 5:30am

ahaha thanks! I couldn't even remember I took part in this discussion, NO superstition? Well you gotta believe in alien life forms at least...;)
I was half joking of course, but who knows really. Aliens make a lot more sense to me then the conventional picture most religions paint of god to be honest....

Permalink Reply by AwesomeUniverse!!! on November 9, 2009 at 10:01pm

This turned into a really interesting discussion. Thanks everyone!

Permalink Reply by YogaBrudder on November 10, 2009 at 5:46am

These are great questions.

Hopefully, the "answer" is simple.

Maybe life is answers. Not questions.

It's easy to get caught. Creation is sheer magic.

Mind-boggling. All religions have a central figure, at least the main ones.

Wonder if one of these folks is walking the earth today. Wouldn't surprise me.

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