"Having grown up in the Bible Belt, I have made a great deal of effort to find a way to believe in the meaningfulness of every life, while at the same time rejecting the idea of a divinely-bestowed purpose, which would rob us of our free will."
A "divinely-bestowed purpose" is manifestly without coercion. "Free will" is just that - choosing to love God, follow Jesus, grow in grace - (as if God would be served by love and worship which is mandatory.) Or the freedom to reject those things.
If every life has "meaningfulness" - what does that mean? Where did the very idea of "meaning" originate? How does one know what is meaningful?
Believing in "meaningfulness" sounds passive. Sounds...meaningless. Meaning is an animation of the spirit, is eternal, and is exactly that "divinely-bestowed purpose" of which you speak.
There's a post-it note on my refrigerator that lifts my courage and purpose every day. I'm embarrassed to say I can't remember who said it - Bonhoeffer?
"Faith is the lively, reckless confidence in the grace of God." Amen
Thanks for your thoughtful question. I simply meant that life itself is meaningful and worth living -- doing good that will live on when you're gone -- even it this life isn't just an audition for the afterlife.
V, what is in us that makes us yearn for the "good"? How do we even know what "good" is?
The word "audition" makes me wonder if your experience and education has flipped the Christian script such that "works" (and legacy?) are paramount.
My own father's suicide at 47 threw our entire family into spiritual turmoil, and the repercussions have been dire in some instances. I've come to eschew rationalizations, excuses, intellectualizations - all roads that lead back to "self", and thus away from a Divine Creator. It's very difficult to deny "self" and reach for communion with our God to see and do his will. A daily struggle, no doubt. But certainly not an audition.
That was lovely. Having suffered the messy suicides of a number of relatives and one troubled and tragic love interest, I’m deeply opposed to the Canadian final solution. Here’s my anti-suicide anthem, for what it’s worth:
"Having grown up in the Bible Belt, I have made a great deal of effort to find a way to believe in the meaningfulness of every life, while at the same time rejecting the idea of a divinely-bestowed purpose, which would rob us of our free will."
A "divinely-bestowed purpose" is manifestly without coercion. "Free will" is just that - choosing to love God, follow Jesus, grow in grace - (as if God would be served by love and worship which is mandatory.) Or the freedom to reject those things.
If every life has "meaningfulness" - what does that mean? Where did the very idea of "meaning" originate? How does one know what is meaningful?
Believing in "meaningfulness" sounds passive. Sounds...meaningless. Meaning is an animation of the spirit, is eternal, and is exactly that "divinely-bestowed purpose" of which you speak.
There's a post-it note on my refrigerator that lifts my courage and purpose every day. I'm embarrassed to say I can't remember who said it - Bonhoeffer?
"Faith is the lively, reckless confidence in the grace of God." Amen
Thanks for your thoughtful question. I simply meant that life itself is meaningful and worth living -- doing good that will live on when you're gone -- even it this life isn't just an audition for the afterlife.
V, what is in us that makes us yearn for the "good"? How do we even know what "good" is?
The word "audition" makes me wonder if your experience and education has flipped the Christian script such that "works" (and legacy?) are paramount.
My own father's suicide at 47 threw our entire family into spiritual turmoil, and the repercussions have been dire in some instances. I've come to eschew rationalizations, excuses, intellectualizations - all roads that lead back to "self", and thus away from a Divine Creator. It's very difficult to deny "self" and reach for communion with our God to see and do his will. A daily struggle, no doubt. But certainly not an audition.
I'm very sorry to learn about your father. That must have been devastating.
Thank you - it was. And still is.
That was lovely. Having suffered the messy suicides of a number of relatives and one troubled and tragic love interest, I’m deeply opposed to the Canadian final solution. Here’s my anti-suicide anthem, for what it’s worth:
https://m.soundcloud.com/biff-thuringer/to-keep-on-living
"When you told me your plan, did you think that I'd understand?" Good line.
Yes and God is the ultimate artist
Your writimg is wonderful. Now I must read your book. Thank you for your wit and candor in exoloring this fine topic.
Thank you!
Sorry about your father.
I find that both sides in this debate of euthanasia are both restrictive of personal freedom.
If it's a choice that is not coerced, euthanasia can be a good thing.
But instead, the system loves to change a grey area personal choice into a stupid law for or against.
Same with abortion and drug use.
Thank you, Rob. Thank you so much. I still struggle with the way that the end has a tendency to rewrite all that went before.