Why are we here?

(Sorry if someone else already posted this subject.) What is our purpose? For what reason are we here? Is there some greater existance? Or are we just here because we are? Are we nothing more than mistakes? What do you think?

This topic is pretty much "What is your religion?".

Not exactly. Im not looking for religion. Im looking for a meaning to life and a purpose to keep going.

That's religion.

...hello, OP. I will make an actual contribution to your question. It has come to my attention that everyone on Fakku is actually retarded. "Purpose" = "Religion"? Wow. The depth of a pond. Anyways, allow me to extrapolate on this idea for you. Primarily humans act as a response to pain, be it physical or mental anxiety. Humans reproduce because of arousal, they sleep because they get tired, and they eat because they get hungry. In other words, they don't actually need a purpose in order to continue living. Most people on this planet really are reactionary creatures, who do things because someone has told them to, because they get hungry, because they get tired, because they get horny, or to rid themselves of the mental anxiety of not being accepted by other humans. People who've never given any real consideration to "why they do it all" make up, perhaps, the majority of the population. Humanity as a group itself has no inherent goal. Existentialists like to say that you can "give yourself purpose." I disagree... This is my own view, shared by no one I know of: Energy/Force = Pain = Purpose = Consciousness (They are all one and the same). In other words, the same force that keeps the Moon in orbit is the same force that motivates a man to learn the guitar. Why does something move when it is touched? Because of pain. Why do we do most of the things we do? Because of pain, and in the larger sense because of mental anxieties. At the other end of the spectrum, opposite of pain, is the stimulation of, the feeling of Power. I could actually go on like this for days, so I'll summarize this. The meaning of life is this: TRY TO CONVINCE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE HOW AWESOME YOU "REALLY ARE". Probably.

lol'd

OT: it is religion.. and my answer is simple, To became a leader in this earth. that's what my religion taught me..

I agree. (not srs at all, btw)

Seriously people, purpose≠religion. That is a very narrow and useless view.

Why are we here? Because of an accident of evolution. I don't believe in any creator who plonked us on the earth for whatever reason.

What is our purpose? Well, biologically, our purpose as a species is to propagate our genes and continue our species. As human individuals, however, we can create our own purpose in life. It could be that you want to better yourself. It could be that you want to rule the world. It could be that you just want to make a difference in other people's lives.

Me? My purpose in life is to coast through with the least amount of discomfort and most amount of happiness I can.

It's not a narrow minded view. What people have is a narrow minded view on religion.

The first thing needed, is to understand that religion =/= organized religion. They are very different things.

religion is your own personal answers for the WHY? of the world. It is very closely related to philosophy and could be considered similar if not the same thing. Though that is up for debate. Often the distinction could be that Religion is a particular type of philosophy that deals with existential questions and its ilk.

Organized religion is what most people think religion only is. That is not so. What Organized religion is, or is suppose to be, is a gathering of similar minded people and sharing their own concepts and personal religions with each other to get a better grasps and idea for their own personal religion.

In any way, a question like "Why are we here?" is basically asking "What is your own personal religion?"

Religion is a subset of philosophy, yes, and it does deal with existential questions, but the difference is that it necessarily deals with god/s as well.

That's a narrow view. It does not have to pertain only to god/s.

Most do, yes. But that is because you tend to get into higher powers when you discuss the reason life exists.

However, you can have a religion without it. An Atheist is someone who does not believe in higher powers, and has a religion.

I question it rarely, but I guess we exist just because we do. No reason or rhyme, we were created purely by chance. It's when you try to find a reason for it, it feels like a religion. Especially because a religion seems to answer all your questions no matter which one it is. It's common if you're not a cynic, that if you don't understand something, or don't know how something happened. Instantly you believe it's magic. Only because the concept and definition exist within our realm of knowledge that we can deem it so. As a race we're not able to accept the mystery of knowing something is out there that we can't comprehend. Some people fear gay people because they don't understand it, or fear the ramifications of some great being who was against it. I'm afraid of the dark because I don't know what's in it. Mostly I fear some giant ass bug will come out and crawl on my face.

But given our accidental creation came the process of just trying to survive. It just so happens that as a species we've reached the point where we can choose between living like our ancestors who were nomadic, or being completely sedentary. In being completely sedentary we've become accustomed to less physical hunting. So much that we get to the point where we have enough time to stop running from predators to think. "Why?"

I honestly don't know why we exist. We just do. But it does lead me to think that there are others out us like there. It's a great mystery :0

I think most atheists would disagree with you about them having a religion. It's just that by most definitions, religion is the belief in and/or worship of god/s. Yes, it also deals with the origin and purpose of the universe, but then again, so does regular old philosophy.

I foresee Gambler merging threads soon. This has totally turned into a religion discussion again.

They would disagree because they would be thinking about things like organized religion.

Which, as stated, is not the same thing as a personal religion. So it doesn't really matter if they disagree, they would just be using the wrong definition.

Most definitions don't specifically state that is has to have a belief in and/or worship of god/s. A lot of people, yourself included, think that is the case because a lot of religion do in fact have such a thing. But that is not part of the definition. It's just part of the nature of what religion is that so many do have such a belief.

And I have already addressed the philosophy aspect in my original post on the matter. I do not get why you are bringing it up.

I still can't find benefit of losing religion.
Here some recent research & study

I dont know why we are here though but we all have a purpose since we are here. Though what that purpose is i dont know nor do i question why we have one.

The meaning of life is simple.

Death.

I think Agent Smith(Matrix) said it best. all we do is reproduce and consume. there is no point to it all.

Beats 4chan and their 'rate mah penis threads'. Doujin and the warm company of fellow assholes.