You could be right - maybe nothing needs a "purpose" in this way. In which case, maybe we as a species don't need the concept of a god or gods. Perhaps the idea of supernatural deities is successful merely because they give our lives meaning by placing our puny existences into the context of an eternal schema.
This is exactly why i believe christianity and religion are very different. Religion is associated with a need for meaning, a belief about this world, but based on mans observations and feelings. Christianity is a FACT-ual religion. It is not based on the philosophies of man. But a man who has fullfilled hundreds of prophecies (which none of you want to believe), he resurected from the dead (we all know where Joseph Smith, Buddha, and Muhammads bodies are buried), a man who claims to be God of Israel. The same God who brought out Egypt with the plagues. And the God who fullfilled hundreds of consistent and vividly descripted prophecies in the books of Isaiah, Ezekial, Zechariah, and many more (no book in the world even BEGINS to come close to the credentials of christianity. I repeat.. A FACT-ual religion.
Lets take a couple of world-religions and very briefly see there credentials, and foundation (without starting an off-topic debate)
ISLAM: Founded by Muhammad. Islam scripture combines much of Judaism, christianity, and adds the writings based on Muhammads teaching (the Quran). Why does it have to be an off-shoot of the Bible? Why cant it have its own belief system, without having to rely on our Lord God of Israel and Gentiles? Can we believe that this so called 'copy-cat' of the Bible is a better, or clearer revelation? I hardly recall debating in any forums about why the Quran 'cant' or 'isnt' the word of God? Why? Why is it that all day long for 95% of the time, do we argue and debate why the Bible 'cant' or isnt' the word of God. Think about that for a while
Islam denies the deity of Christ. Quite possibly the worst sin of all. Without, Islam has no personal relationship with God. As christianity have. We have a provision for sin, because we live in a man who was flesh, but righteous. And he was God. (There is no righteous, no not one - book of Romans. Islam believes to identify Christ as God, is blasphemous. Muhammads scripture contains no fullfilled prophecy, and only has 'beauty', for supernatural evidence. If there was any depth in meaning and hope,to the Quran, im sure we would be at this website studying it, debating it, chopping it, analyzing it. But we dont. Muhammad died 632AD and remained dead.
BUDDHISM: A man who wrote athiestic philosophy. So straight off hand we see that this man believes in his own ideas. Buddhism claims 6% of the worlds population. So in a sense, it has not reached alot of people, particularly as Christ has. Sometimes the teachings are combined with other religions as Confucianism, or Shintoism. This sort of teaching is very much inconsistent, because if we believe this teaching to be true, it means that there is no truth, no revelation from a God, no standard of morality or authority. Every man is equal and in charge of their own life (survival of the fittest). Yet Buddha believes we should all listen to his opinion? Why? Because it makes me feel good inside? because i agree that we are all inner gods? What can change with this life?. Christianity believe everyone is sinful, and need redemption. This makes us personally responsible for our actions, and we live our lives as the only man in history who has been as righteous in character, soul, and teaching. Thats why christianity is the largest religion in the world, and thats why all day at this site you argue that Jesus didnt exist, didnt resurect from the dead, was not God, is not the 'right', or 'only' way. If you dont believe that we 95% of the time, always debate about Jesus Christ and the Bible then you must be blinded.
Buddhism is simply the original religion that new-age philosophy as arisen from. Among other ancient eastern religions. There are no answers with religions like these. There is no evidence for inspiration. Merely men and women who wish everybody and everything is God. We dont die, we just reorganize. Its simple philosophy that we never ever bother debating.
I'm not sure; I think this is what DC is saying. It kind of makes sense to me. I guess its not a very strong argument against the existence of God. Its more specifically a response to people who say: "there has to be something more than just this life, or else whats the point?"
Going back to my point before. Alot of people with personal beliefs and feelings, have questions like that. But with christianity, it is not a search for God. But a personal relationship with God. This is why christianity 'succeded'. This is why we debate about the Bible, and work our asses off debating that this isnt, and cannot be the word of God. The truth of the world is staring us all in the face day after day, IMO.
suppose the obvious objection is that people don't believe for such a mundane reason, and that faith can legitimately be founded on grounds other than the uncomfortable reality of a scared creature facing the finity of its own existence. Personally though, worry about death -- the ultimate unknown -- seems to be something very fundamental to our outlook. The sheer amount of faiths that feature some kind of an afterlife seem to me at least to point to gods as merely a comforting product of epic wishful thinking.
Thats why you need to keep studying the world-religions, and hopefully you find the truth. Alot of religion these days are not taking the doctrine of 'inherently evil' or 'sinful nature' seriously enough to provide a change in action, to good. But merely find your inner-godhood and then youll be a god. But what if my inner-godhead is raping girls? If it makes me happy, why cant i do it? Then they try to bring goodness and say well thats bad because it hurts people. Says who? Whos authoritive standard of morality are we basing this philosophy on? Humanist believe that their opinion is right. Marx and Lenin believed their philosphy was, and is right. New-agers believe in their own philosophy. So that leaves us with a bunch of religions who are simply searching for God, or for truth, or for meaning. Yet do we sit here discussing and debating these religions? Not to my recollection.
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