Do you believe we have a purpose in life?

@sharra1 (6340)
Australia
November 24, 2008 8:47pm CST
I believe that we live many lives and that our spirits choose our parents in order to set us on a particular growth path. I am not saying that our lives are planned just that we choose a possible life path to give us the chance of certain learning experiences. Each combination of parents opens up a life path with particular possibilities, be it wealth or poverty, happiness or pain etc and each life path offers different chances to grow. How we grow is up to us as we live the live we have chosen. I suppose it is a bit like a belief in reincarnation and yes I also believe in karma that if we do evil in our life or cause harm to others then we will pay for it eventually, if not in this life then in the next. What do you think? Do you believe that we have a purpose in our lives?
4 people like this
16 responses
@mssnow (9484)
• United States
27 Nov 08
i do beleive we are here for a purpose. My purpose was to raise three wonder boys . All talented. Although i have no real talents except a girft of gab I was sent here to have my boys who have many fine talents. So yes we all have apurpose. Just look at your life and see why you are here.
2 people like this
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
2 Dec 08
I think that is a wonderful life purpose. I think my purpose was to be with my soul mate and to develop my spiritual nature. I have managed to do both and I am quite pleased with that.
1 person likes this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
25 Nov 08
I'm not sure about the whole reincarnation thing, I mean anything is possible I won't rule it out. I do believe in Karma. I think Karma is a great thing for many reasons. I think that everyone has a purpose for living no matter what type of life they lead. I mostly think that purpose is for teaching in one way or another.
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@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
25 Nov 08
Cool but how can karma work unless we have more than one lifetime? After all karma is about reaping the rewards or punishments of your actions in this or the next life. For that to work you need reincarnation. Just my point of view but it makes sense to me.
1 person likes this
@Impervious (1147)
• United States
25 Nov 08
Well I don't believe in reincarnation or that we are able to choose whom our parents are. What I do believe is that our lives are the collective results of all of our collective life experiences ( by which I mean this life ). Which we now filter all new experiences through.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Dec 08
I do however believe in (Karma) What comes around goes around. If what you put into this world is violence anger and hatred then that is what you get out of it. Contrary if you put love, understanding and peace into the world that is what you get.
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@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
7 Dec 08
That is a good way of seeing Karma. I like that.
1 person likes this
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
29 Nov 08
That is quite possible. Anything is possible since we have no idea what happens when we die. I would like to believe in karma that people who commit crimes or do nasty things will one day pay for them but it probably is just a wish and not a possibility. I just like the idea that all those people who get away with things will one day pay the price.
2 people like this
@syankee525 (6261)
• United States
25 Nov 08
i think we all have a purpose in life, some may take longer to figure out what it is. i do belive if we do wrong to others, then harm or wrong will come back to us. it took me most of my life to figure out my purpose in life is. that's trying to help people out with thier problmes and guide them like i had people guiding me back to a good life.
1 person likes this
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
25 Nov 08
I agree with you and it has nothing to do with God. It is all about the iner person and we all have to figure out what we want out our life. I cannot understand why so many people think it is about God. I mean where does that leave the rest of us who are not Christians.
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Nov 08
i don't like to use god in everything. this is as us a person who we are and want to be.
1 person likes this
@mojcica (1511)
• Slovenia
25 Nov 08
Everyone is put here with a purpose, just as everything happen with the purpose aswell. I do believe that. There is a reason for everything and it might not be what we want or we might not see it at first, but at the end every piece falls together like puzzles. As you I also believe in karma, I think we all procject energy, good and bad. Its like if you think negative, negative things will happen to you, just as if you project negativism it will turn back on you. Good with good, bad with bad.
1 person likes this
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
27 Nov 08
It is interesting to believe that. I am not saying that we have a set purpose but that our purpose is to experience what the material world can teach our spirits.
2 people like this
@Nhey16 (2518)
• Philippines
27 Nov 08
i do believe that we all have our purpose in life, it's just that until now, I'm still searching for what is my purpose coz I still do have a lot of questions that need to be answered, but the answers are very hard to find....
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
27 Nov 08
It does not have to be a conscious purpose, your spirit, soul, may have a purpose that drives your life that pushes you in certain directions. There are many times when I have felt this to be the case. I think we all have a purpose even if we have no knowledge or awareness of one.
1 person likes this
• India
25 Nov 08
LOL!! I don't really bother thinking about all such things. :) Life is short; we are here to be happy and to spread joy around. So let us focus on being happy. Cheers and happy mylotting
1 person likes this
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
25 Nov 08
I am starting to agree with you. I did not think I would get the Christian chorus about God's purpose. I do not care about God's purpose I was talking about our purpose as a human being. What we want with out life path. Yes let us focus on being happy. That is a good life purpose.
1 person likes this
@dodo19 (47326)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
25 Nov 08
It is a very interesting belief, Sharra. One that I think makes sense and am tempted to believe, because I think it makes sense. Though, I do believe that we have a purpose in life, that we are all here for a certain reason, whether we know it or not.
@dodo19 (47326)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
30 Nov 08
It's true. It's an unproven theory. I think it will probably stay that way.
1 person likes this
@raynejasper (2322)
• Philippines
25 Nov 08
..sure I do.. Have you read the book written by Rick Warren entitled Purpose Driven Life? It's very good.. Though you believe in reincarnation, you will be more inspired by this book.. I believe in God and i believe that He has His purpose why we are here on earth and why we need to experience different kinds of lives.. Because if we don't then there's no reason for living..
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
25 Nov 08
No I have not read it and I am perfectly happy with my own life's purpose. I have no idea if God has a plan for the human race of not but I am interested in my own life and it is not so much purpose driven as spontaneous.
1 person likes this
@Margarit (3676)
• Philippines
25 Nov 08
Hi raynejasper, I also read that book and it is very inspiring. I think everyone should read it to know your purpose here on earth.
• United States
25 Nov 08
Yes i read it and this is a very beautiful and good book ;) i really lik it, i recommend you this book you would se the things by a different way ;) Have a nice day and see you :D
• United Kingdom
25 Nov 08
I don't believe that there is a destined path that we must follow! I think that we each create our own future! Your future is whatever you want it to be, provided the necessary action is taken in order to achieve your goals. If the word purpose comes into it then I think that we each have a purpose to learn, grow and be the best we can be in our lives. I do believe in karma myself, what goes around comes around and so forth. I like the freedom that we have to each create what we want to create, initially through our thoughts and then through positive action! Andrew
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
30 Nov 08
Oh I did not mean a destined path. I do believe that once we are born we work out our own life. I do not think that any one is being directed in any way except by our inner natures. Our spirits guide us to do certain things, not something external. I agree that our purpose is to learn and grow and experience as much as possible. We learn from our experiences.
1 person likes this
@glords (2614)
• United States
26 Nov 08
I do not believe we choose are parents. Sadly there are a lot of children poor into very sad circumstances to parents who abuse them and neglect them. I don't believe anyone would choose that. I do believe that we have a purpose in life and that is to make this world a better place while we are on it. It we can improve the lives of others by contributing our effort, money, and time then we are truly successful in finding our purpose in this life.
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
27 Nov 08
True but then I find it hard to believe I chose my dysfunctional family as well but have learned a lot from the pain and the struggle that I went through in my life so maybe it was worth it in the end. Choosing parents means choosing a possible life path. I doubt you would know when you chose them that they might end up abusive. All we would know before hand would be the potential path or possible paths that such parents could offer.
1 person likes this
@calyxus (825)
• Philippines
25 Nov 08
Of course we have... For where would your life head if you do not have a purpose in life? Someday, somehow, in an unexpected moment, you will find out why you exist in this world and what is your purpose, then you start to live all over again. Have you experienced it yet?
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
1 Dec 08
I believe I am completing a purpose that was failed in an earlier life but I could be wrong, this is just what I feel. I have often wondered why I would have chosen my current life path if I did choose it as it has been a tough one but now I realise that my life experiences have shaped me quite profoundly and I think the learning from that shaping is remarkable and probably worth the suffering.
1 person likes this
@smartie0317 (1610)
• United States
25 Nov 08
Yes, I do but I believe not everyone will finish their purposes. While I don't believe in it, it would explain reincarnation. Why would someone be reborn if they didn't finish their purpose? A lot of people I've talked to, who told me about their past lives, usually had something left undo. Maybe their purpose in life. So, yes, I believe we all have one. However, we may never find out what it is and thus never accomplish it.
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
30 Nov 08
I think that is quite possible which is why I think people come back to try and complete it in another life but each life offers new risks and new challenges and there is no guarantee that they will even remember the purpose let alone complete it.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
25 Nov 08
If you have a purpose in life, that means your fate is predetermined. I don't believe in fate or destiny, whatever we make in our life is what we get in return. I believe we don't have a purpose in life, we create our own.
1 person likes this
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
26 Nov 08
Not necessarily, not if your purpose is to grow as a person or spirit. That is not predetermined, there is no set result and you might fail to achieve it but you aim for certain types of experiences.
1 person likes this
• India
25 Nov 08
dont think so. there is no such purpose for one. but infact its we who decide our destiny and we tries to blame fate for the mishaps from our part. our future is in our hands...
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
26 Nov 08
Yes that is what I was saying. We choose our life path according to what we want to experience. No one else does it for us, just us. We plan our own lives. Or just let it happen, whatever.
1 person likes this
• Israel
25 Nov 08
i believe that what i would be in life is determined by how i live my life and not that it has been planned.man was created without consultation,hence, for ine to survive on earth, one has to struggle.even if your father is a millionaire ,if you do not manage his wealth properly, you will end up being poor so our parents or lineage cannot determine what we will be rather our actions thoughts behaviours will determine it
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
29 Nov 08
Good point. If you could choose your parents that only sets the start and their philosophy of life but says nothing about how your life path will develop. That is for you to decide as you deal with every moment.
1 person likes this